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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:
TheSeedsOfADream · 30/08/2020 11:51

He milked the cash cow like the others who took their chance. That he used children in lockdown to big up his status I find quite despicable tbh.

VintageDressmaker · 30/08/2020 11:53

What a miserable Way of thinking about it OP

looperb · 30/08/2020 11:53

@SoManyActivities I don't know anyone who used them, but I also don't know anyone furloughed so very little time to actually work out! Kids just went back to just dance or whatever it's called & I used Les Mills (very occasionally).

jessstan2 · 30/08/2020 11:54

I've never heard of the man before but don't blame him for making money; he has obviously done some good along the way so it sounds like a result all round. If other people want to hail him as a hero it isn't going to hurt anyone and will die down soon enough.

TheNewLook · 30/08/2020 11:56

I follow him on Instagram. He has recently lived house and I can’t decide if he’s a shameless bragger or just sweetly delighted with his good fortune. Massive house and garden and he posts daily videos of his children doing quite ordinary things that he finds unbelievably incredibly stupendous!!

He’s a clever entrepreneur, he’s made a mint out of lockdown but why not? They’re all at it. Creating podcasts “to get us all through these tough times” etc etc it’s all business and brand-promoting. We’re not obliged to join in though.

I’ve done a few of his workouts but I find him a bit peculiar in terms of fitness as he is always completely knackered and puffed out during his own workouts. I can’t tell if he’s putting it on or just not very fit!

Anyway, not, he’s not a hero. But I don’t begrudge his entrepreneurial spirit.

lioncitygirl · 30/08/2020 11:56

So - you like him, but through this post you are insinuating that he is not very nice to his wife as he’s apparently demanded she do stuff? And so he is not some ‘hero’? I’m confused - do you think there is something to worry about with the way he treats his wife or something?

TheNewLook · 30/08/2020 11:57

*lived house should be moved house.

looperb · 30/08/2020 11:59

We’re not obliged to join in though.

This. I'm not interested in his life or house or kids so wouldn't follow him on social media but some people are so of course you can't blame him for selling it if people are buying.

LadyGAgain · 30/08/2020 12:00

Oh FFS.
He put some structure into a time when many people were frightened and dealing with the unknown.
He got up and did something.
He made me fitter and allowed me to change my lifestyle.
He, and his family became part of our family's world at a very weird time.
I am thankful for what he did.

TheSeedsOfADream · 30/08/2020 12:01

There were loads of people on YT we could have followed to get fit. His self-promotion machine is relentless. He's damn good at it tbf. He reminds me of Jack Monroe etc.

looperb · 30/08/2020 12:03

He, and his family became part of our family's world at a very weird time.

I think that's a bit weird but that's the hook & as I said plenty buy into it.

Roundhole · 30/08/2020 12:03

@Lilybet1980

Where did you get that he raised £10m for himself? I thought all advertising revenue from PE with Joe went to the NHS charities, as well as the t shirt sales.
I think he was a bit sly here the advertising money from the PE with Joe videos but his views went up on all his other videos as well especially the ones that were actually aimed at kids. He also increased his Instagram following and you tube subscribers which increases what he he makes per post etc. He was boosting about how they had a huge increase in people signing up to his 90 day plan and I'm sure all the free advertising helped increase his book sales especially his new weaning book and getting increased sign ups to Gusto.

He also didn't seem to be following a lot of the social distancing advice and more recently has been traveling here there and everywhere.

Longwhiskers14 · 30/08/2020 12:06

@TheSeedsOfADream

He milked the cash cow like the others who took their chance. That he used children in lockdown to big up his status I find quite despicable tbh.
In 2019 he did a tour of UK schools to talk about fitness and do workouts free of charge, so it's wrong to suggest he suddenly seized upon using kids in lockdown. It was a natural extension to the work he was already doing.
Roundhole · 30/08/2020 12:09

Also he did free YouTube workouts all the time before this that was his business model he gives out free content to hook people in and get them to buy his other products. He wasn't doing it from some purely selfless place.

Baboutheocelot · 30/08/2020 12:10

He’s not a hero but he’s not a villain either. He got lots of kids (and parents) moving. He could have kept all the money for himself.

Flapjak · 30/08/2020 12:10

He isnt asking to be called one though is he. He did a positive thing for kids that has benefitted charities and himself. I think its sad that some people put people on a pedastal only for them to be knocked down by others. It probably is the same ones that bullied neighbours for not clapping for the nhs. He isnt a hero in any sense of the word but neither are most people even the ones working on the frontline during a pandemic. They are just hard working people who are commited to patient care in difficult circumstances nearly all the time due to lack of funding which translates to understaffing where its needed most.

Roundhole · 30/08/2020 12:11

He did this because he wanted to make a TV show but he got turned down then decided to do it himself and make a YouTube show of it. Apparently he is going to get his TV show now .....😉

Roundhole · 30/08/2020 12:12

@Roundhole

He did this because he wanted to make a TV show but he got turned down then decided to do it himself and make a YouTube show of it. Apparently he is going to get his TV show now .....😉
Oops this didn't quote the original post I meant the schools tour last year.
fishywaters · 30/08/2020 12:12

He is a hero for my 9 year old DS who did the routines daily during lockdown (the adult ones after a week). He kept him fit and motivated and it will be a lasting positive Covid memory for my DS. My 11 year old DD did it a few times and got bored and her friends thought he was a bit strange. I think it is great that he motivated some kids like my DS and if he has made a fortune out of it indirectly, good on him. He will be paying tax on that at a high rate so it benefits everyone. There are many influencers who have made a mint who have done much less for the nation so I disagree. For some children and families he has been a hero and a symbol of Covid times.

MadameMeursault · 30/08/2020 12:13

@corlan

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

He improved the mental and physical health of a huge number of people.

What did you do OP? Apart from start a bitchy thread.

Armi · 30/08/2020 12:15

I think he’s a sweetie and will be forever grateful for the structure he gave DD and I to our day in lockdown.

Sometimes MN seems to be populated by people with a very cynical and unpleasant way of looking at the world.

SantaClaritaDiet · 30/08/2020 12:16

He's not calling himself a hero, he just got on with it and made the most of a bad situation, cheering people up in the process. He can be applauded for that positive attitude, clearly missing nowadays.

We are in a country where people worship a royal family, whose biggest achievement is to wave a couple of times and make a few video calls. As opposed to them, a successful working man is a refreshing change, but our nation like "heroes and idols".

Crawlbee · 30/08/2020 12:19

I find quite despicable tbh

Why is it despicable? From a 'consumer' point of view he provided free to view videos that people could either use or ignore. If he started it and then started to charge which would railroad parents into feeling they must pay due to their children benefitting from It then that's pretty savage; but that wasn't the case. How businesses etc choose to use his higher profile doesn't really effect bobby watching it for free in his living room, does it?

Moneypenny007 · 30/08/2020 12:20

And why is he getting the abuse and not the people calling him a hero??
He hasn't declared himself a hero, so how is it ok to give him shit over it?

Aragog · 30/08/2020 12:22

Not a hero I agree, but equally he didn't have to do any of it. He could have not bothered. Its not like he was struggling particularly before.

He brought some fun times for a lot of households at a time when people may have been struggling.

My 7y nephew adored his morning PE sessions. It has even inspired him to create his own workout videos and he's been learning how to use green screen and webcam technology, and also to create hand written and drawn exercise guides. Its kept him occupied for hours.

My school's childcare all tuned in for the PE sessions each day in their bubbles, and many of our children at home did too. We linked some of the home learning to the sessions. It was nice to do 'together' but apart occasionally.

Hate these kind of threads when certain types of posters piece on and criticise a person they don't even know. Just often seems like an excuse to have a go at a personality type person.