Now It Can Be Told: Man Who Played Barney the Dinosaur Took the Job Because God Chose Him March 26, 2017

Now It Can Be Told: Man Who Played Barney the Dinosaur Took the Job Because God Chose Him

On Saturday, a guy named David Joyner did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit. Joyner’s claim to fame? He played Barney the Dinosaur for 10 years. Didn’t do the voice, just got into the suit and jiggled and wiggled, literally inhabiting the purple monster.

Hello_my_name_is_David_Joyner_and_I_played_Barney_the_Dinosaur_for_over_a_decade_on_the_Hit_TV_Series__Barney_and_Friends__AMA____IAmA

One Redditor asked Joyner if there was a moment when he knew that taking that job was the right decision. There sure was, Joyner (screen name barneybody22) replied.

I’m a very spiritual person and I’m always receiving wonderful messages from God and the Universe. The night before the audition I had a dream that Barney had passed out and I had to give him mouth-to-mouth.

The next morning on my way to the audition, I saw a billboard that read, BREATHE LIFE INTO YOUR VACATION. When I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a the same advertisement. It was then I realized what my dream meant. I needed to breathe life into Barney like never before. And that’s what I did. Once that happened, I knew I had the gig. … I always believed I was spiritually chosen to be Barney.

In fairness, the Almighty did put Joyner through some harrowing trials and tribulations.

There were a few times when getting out to use the restroom was not an option. There was one occasion during the Mardi Gras Parade in New Orleans when I was on the float and I need to go really bad. The costume wrangler pushed a Gatorade bottle up the crotch opening of the costume and I had to aim, use, put on the lid, hand it back to her, all while waving and dancing on the float.

Remember to avoid the yellow Gatorade.

Things went downhill in the Barney universe after Mazda-gate happened.

I had just ordered this new car from the Mazda factory. A 1993 3rd Generation RX-7. Not too many people had them at the time. Mine was black and beautiful. 3 months later, Bob West [who voiced Barney] buys a red one. I was so mad…. Our friendship bond was shaken. I know it may not seem like a big deal to some, but it meant a lot at the time.

That terrible ordeal again raises the question, Why does God let bad things happen to good people?

P.S.: One day, God willing, this kid should do a Reddit AMA.

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