To be surprised friend never heard of Winnie the pooh?

[Constantrunner]

She is an adult born and raised in this country. I mentioned the Winnie the pooh anniversary and was very surprised when she had no idea who he is. I am not sure how you can never have picked this information up.

I love that film

I've never known anyone who didn't know Winnie The Pooh!

Loved The House at Pooh Corner as a child (even had it as an audio book, which I listened to frequently) and loved reading it to my own own DC. Reading that last chapter as an adult and parent to your child😭

You might think it's obvious but thats not the same as everyone must know of something

Maybe she has seen the image of the character but that doesn't mean she knows what his name is. If you've never heard of him how would you know it wasn't just a generic bear?

There are surveys which find that, say, 98% of people recognise the Queen.

98% is a big percentage, but that 2% is still a lot of people!

I have read winnie the pooh! I have the books! On principle I have always been against the Disneyfication of so many children's characters and stories so purposefully avoided the Winnie the Pooh Disney version.
The issue of Hound of the Baskervilles came up because she was recounting the story of it because she had watched one of the many film versions. She didnt know the title of the film and when I told her what it was called she had absolutely no knowledge of it being a Sherlock Holmes story. More especially surprising because as a Scot she was particularly proud of any thing connected to Scotland

'Of course you know him, Emily. He's a bear. Short, plump (fat really if I'm honest), crop top, no pants?'

They change several times a year - it’s hard to keep up. Winnie the Pooh hasn’t changed for decades!

In such situations it's always sensible I find to assume some of those who responded did so in jest or deliberately said they couldn't identify the named person. Much like I imagine the OPs friend was doing.

I approve of this reply that works on multiple levels

I have joked recently that with the revolving door they apparently installed at Downing Street a few years ago they’ll have to stop asking people coming round from passing out who the Prime Minister is, because who can keep up these days? It might have changed since you passed out

I read doctors assessing people for dementia had to stop asking who the prime minister was during the time of Liz truss

😂
”And can you tell me who the Prime Minister is, Madge?”
”Fuck knows.”
”Correct.”

She might have just had a brain fart moment.
I'm in my 50s and I remember when you went to the cinema to see a Disney film you usually got a short Winnie the Pooh one too - so she might not be associating something from her childhood that is currently celebrating it's 100th birthday
I'm sure if you show her some pictures she'll be "oh yes.... I remember now".

To confess my own prior, remarkable knowledge gap - I didn't know that Phillip was the Queen's husband until he died...

I was in my mid 30s....

who did you think Lizzy was married to?

@11AndCounting😂 who did you think he was?

I didn't think about it, guess I figured there was a king who'd died before I was born.

(Yup, very ignorant).

Honestly he was just a name I'd heard. Wouldn't have been able to pick him out of a lineup (still couldn't, tbf).

Maybe they should do a Disney version for me.

I read constantly from a young age but had never heard of Winnie the Poo until I was
in my 20’s. Even then just briefly. It still baffles it’s such a big deal 🤷🏼‍♀️ We didn’t watch much tv and the books passed me by. I realise it’s a popular and well known character to lots of people but it just didn’t feature in my childhood. None of my friends ever mentioned it. No one in my family is into it. I’m also in my 50’s. I only saw my first even Disney film less that 10 years ago. Some people seem obsessed with them, but again just not on my radar.

@11AndCountingdon’t think he’ll be participating in a line-up anytime soon.

I suppose some things just pass us by.

Teach her to play Pooh Sticks.

I worked with a man in his 30s, born and always lived in the UK, who didn't know what a nettle is.

I wonder if your friend is a bit like my mum. She's always pretended she was ignorant about the most ubiquitous popular culture things (she makes out she's above it all). She said she'd never heard of Ant and Dec, which obviously prompted us all to say that's impossible, they've been everywhere for decades etc etc. She then conceded she might have heard people talk about them, but thought it was one man called Anton Deck. Sure you did, mum.

I was born in bloody Siberia and even I read Winnie the Poor.

I also watched Hound of the Baskervilles and was aware it’s by Sherlock Holmes.

So yes, quite astonishing that a Brit hadn’t heard of it.

I went on a date once with a man who had never heard of Fungus the Bogeyman. Same age as me, similar upbringing in the UK. There wasn’t a second date.

I’ve never heard of Fungus the Bogeyman! Is it a kids book ? (I’m making that assumption)