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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that Joe Wicks is not a hero?

281 replies

Cheeseandlobster · 30/08/2020 09:34

Dont get me wrong, I like him and do one of his hiit sessions every day. He is a great trainer and motivator and he has raised a lot of awareness of the benefits of exercise. But a hero he is not. What he is, is an astute man who spotted an opportunity to make a lot of money during lockdown.

He raised 500k for the NHS through t shirt sales. But he also made 10 million for himself. I saw numerous comments about him being a national treasure as he got up every morning to do a 30 - 40 minute PE session for the nation. Even with planning weekly costumes, making props and planning the exercises (though often he winged it) this does not necessitate a full days work I am sure. I did the sessions on top of an 8 - 10 hour working day as did many others which is much harder.

It just annoys me when I see him being hailed as a hero when I doubt he would have done it without being able to make a ton of money for himself and to raise his own profile

OP posts:
MsSquiz · 30/08/2020 13:10

@ETPhoneHome19

I've read it all now. I would say 99% of parents say things to babies when feeding like "do you like it? Is it delicious? Is it your favourite?" I know I do to my DD at 8 months!

And to throw in a parents face that they didn't pick up on sight issues - neither did any medical staff when he was in hospital, and he stayed in hospital for a little while after birth.

How do you he broke lockdown by having people in his house? You sound vicious and nasty!

switswoo81 · 30/08/2020 13:10

Sam Smith, Jamie Oliver etc have all been spoken about negatively here. What has his sex got to do with it.

looperb · 30/08/2020 13:11

Was it just me who noticed he didn't seem particularly fit? Admittedly I didn't see a lot??

PablosHoney · 30/08/2020 13:26

I think he was pretending to find it hard, a lot of exercise trainers seem to do that. I think they consider an act of solidarity?

Namechangr9000 · 30/08/2020 13:27

I assumed he was putting on the finding it hard act to see more relatable?

greyisagoodcolour · 30/08/2020 13:30

He could have sat on his arse, done nothing and bitched about other people's efforts

This.

SantaClaritaDiet · 30/08/2020 13:33

ANYONE with a bit of success will attract a few bitter and jealous individuals, it's nearly entertaining to read how nasty and low they can get.

Shame they are talking about real people who can get genuinely affected by these low-lives. I am glad MN is deleting the worst, but it's still so unecessary.

Own it, you are miffed someone else is making a success and you are not!

whysotriggered · 30/08/2020 13:34

I do think the term hero is overused, I just thought he was a really nice guy who did a lovely thing by raising money and providing exercise routines for all the kids!

It's not their fault really though, often it's the press etc who like to build them up partly because focusing on one person is easier than focusing on the real heroes - every single doctor, nurse and keyworker who kept us all safe and stocked up on food etc with no extra pay or awards from the Queen.

PablosHoney · 30/08/2020 13:35

I’m 😱😱😱 at some of the comments, especially the ones about his children and the inexplicable accusation of making fun of stroke victims, I mean wtaf!!

Porcupineinwaiting · 30/08/2020 13:35

He could have sat on his arse, done nothing and bitched about other people's efforts

Which seems to be the national pastime at the moment. Whining and bringing others down.

DameFanny · 30/08/2020 13:36

Yabu, and mean-spirited, and light on facts. Maybe check the crap that you're reading on Facebook before you spout it elsewhere.

And do you honestly think that doing an exercise session is equivalent to designing and performing one? Honestly?

FFS.

SusansSassySidePony · 30/08/2020 13:43

His workouts did include warm ups and cool downs. He didn't announce them but he did them.
Is he the new Tattle target? There's a lot of mean spiritedness on this thread that sounds exactly like Tattle. I don't understand why they keep trying to infiltrate MN. Stick to Tattle where imo bile, negativity and lack of facts are de rigueur.

PablosHoney · 30/08/2020 13:52

What’s a tattle?

SoManyActivities · 30/08/2020 13:55

I think it's fine to critique what he has actually done, and we don't all have to think he is the Second Coming of Christ, but yeah some of the comments on here go way past that.

megletthesecond · 30/08/2020 14:01

looper I didn't either. But I decided it was probably nerves and trying to talk at the same time that made him appear unfit. Unless he's more of a health food and weights person, in which case his cardio might not be great.

Hobnobswantshernameback · 30/08/2020 14:05

Threads like this are dead useful for showing who the cunts are on here are these days
Till the cowards namechange

southeastdweller · 30/08/2020 14:07

I think it's fine to critique what he has actually done, and we don't all have to think he is the Second Coming of Christ, but yeah some of the comments on here go way past that.

Yes. Why some people on here think Joe is above criticism is beyond me.

Thunderspuds · 30/08/2020 14:08

@PablosHoney

What’s a tattle?
It's a website where people go to bitch about celebrities. The women there seem to think they are entertainly witty gossips in a royal court or something, but really it's not much above the comments section of the Daily Mail online. It's that nasty anyway.
Darcydashwood · 30/08/2020 14:10

YABU.

It’s possible to have done something that had a real positive effect for many people/families during lockdown AND benefit from it financially/profile wise. The two are not mutually exclusive.

So what if he saw a way to grow his business. He still put himself out there everyday and thousands of people benefitted as well as the NHS

Fair play to him.

ZZGirl · 30/08/2020 14:12

The Youtube money went to charity too.
He could have done nothing during lockdown for kids but he didn't. He's contributed to keeping children and families entertained for half an hour each morning. My pupils loved him.

looperb · 30/08/2020 14:15

@megletthesecond good point didn't think about that.

Re Tattle I'm not ashamed to admit I went over there to read about the racism instamum scandal. Only read that thread but some points seemed pretty valid. Agree that discussing Joes children/marriage is bad though.

SpilltheTea · 30/08/2020 14:20

So the whole point of this post was just to say he's not a hero? I don't think people are saying he is anyway. What he's done is really lovely. Why shouldn't he make money from it?

grumpytoddler1 · 30/08/2020 14:20

I didn't like him way before lockdown. I used to like him and used to follow him on Instagram but since his daughter was born (who happened to be an easy baby) he got really preachy. He was interviewed on Giovanna Fletcher's podcast when his daughter was 2 weeks old and said looking after a newborn was really easy, he didn't understand why everyone else found it hard, and he thought his baby was chilled because his wife did hypnobirthing. I unfollowed him after that, he made me feel useless! Although I get the impression when his second baby was born he got a bit of a wake up call!

Don't have any opinion on PE with Joe, I didn't watch any of it. I was pleased he donated the YouTube revenues once he realised how much they were, as I didn't think he should be profiting from the schools being shut.

MarshaBradyo · 30/08/2020 14:23

Ds did his PE for one go (wasn’t keen to repeat, we did other stuff for exercise).

But I thought him good actually. Upbeat. I can see why children like him.

looperb · 30/08/2020 14:25

Ha, DC1 was ridiculous easy, although I didn't take credit for it (much). Family & friends used to be like just you wait & then DC2 came along. WOW Im still reeling!