Adults always underestimate children. Sometimes it’s because of their assumptions about what children can understand, sometimes because they dislike their abilities for no other reason than age. These attitudes are evident in much media created for children.
There are countless programs aimed at children that are filled with bright colors, flashing lights and silly noises, but lack any thought or soul. To a certain type of adult, this may seem like exactly what children want, but children see through these panderings immediately. What they really want is authenticity. They want a true friend who will talk to them from the other side of the screen. Danny LaBrecque understands this on a deeply personal level and he created Danny Joe’s Tree House with that in mind.
LaBrecque is the creator and host of Danny Joe’s Tree House. the streaming show, that can be found on Sensical, Treats children kindly without belittling them. The goal is to create a place where kids feel safe in Danny Joe’s Treehouse, no matter what kind of uncertainty surrounds their chaotic life. LaBrecque has created a program that not only reaches little ones but their parents as well, relating to everyone on their own level.
LaBrecque got this approach in part from spending hours researching children’s shows and studying the work of the likes of Jim Henson and Fred Rogers, but even more from understanding what he needed as a kid during tough times.
“When I was little, my mom really got cancer and she couldn’t take care of his the same way,” says LaBrecque. “My father was also very affected and although they were loving parents, they couldn’t concentrate fully. It was the 1980s, so like a lot of parents, the TV became the babysitter and I watched all the stuff. The Looney Tunes, the He-Man, but it was Fred. Fred Rogers came through the screen as a very real human being with this uncanny ability to speak to me in that moment. He said straight out that I mattered, and here’s why. That really saved me.”
Photo by Stefani LaBrecque
Much like Rogers did with his neighborhood years ago, Danny Joe’s tree house is populated with a multitude of colorful and distinctive dolls. The puppets have distinct personalities, often woven into storylines to convey messages to viewers. For example, over-commercialization in general and in children’s programs in particular is a concern for LaBrecque, so he addresses it in the form of Kingsley. Kingsley is an authoritarian puppet well loved by fans — “What kid doesn’t love talking to the Force?” LaBrecque laughed — who sells himself for a sponsorship that eventually goes awry. It’s a moment that unites parents, who often have the same concerns about the commercialization of what their children watch, but it also helps teach children basic media literacy. And when it comes from a character they love, it doesn’t feel like they’re being taught a lesson.
“The issues we discuss are really complex social and emotional issues at their best,” he explains. “It reflects what kids are actually dealing with and that makes it unique. It’s not just playing with dolls, the dolls represent these different aspects of society. When we go to this venue and play about big ideas and feelings, it’s easier, it’s safer. It’s like walking into a dream – you go in, process it, and come out. You may not have all the answers, but waking up makes you feel better.”
Throughout our conversation, LaBrecque does something that many modern creators don’t — he lauds everyone who came before him for laying the foundation for what they’ve created. He applauds the work of Rogers, Frances Horwich, Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo), and others for giving him the tools that not only helped him navigate his own childhood, but allowed him to relive it to pass on to another generation of children.
In today’s appreciation of these trailblazers, it’s easy to forget that they were revolutionaries in their day. They defied everything that was happening in children’s programs and set a new standard, which is ultimately what LaBrecque hopes to achieve.
Here at Inked, we definitely noticed something about LaBrecque that you would never have seen on a previous generation kid presenter – a gorgeous black and gray tattoo on his forearm. While tattoos seem to be ubiquitous in society these days, if you sit down and think about it, there aren’t many tattooed people on children’s programs. There’s a whole generation growing up with tattooed parents right now, it’s refreshing to see that reflected in the programming they’re seeing. And yes, it’s obviously a superficial issue, but at the same time, imagine growing up with a pair of tattooed parents and never seeing anyone who looks like them on your favorite shows.
And it’s more than just a simple depiction, LaBrecque’s tattoo and its meaning illustrate the story of Danny Joe’s tree house.
“The whole reason it’s called Danny Joe’s Tree House is because when I was little, shy, scared and overwhelmed, one of the people in real life I got to hang out with was my grandfather in upstate New York ‘ explains LaBrecque. “He was a lumberjack and built game enclosures for hunting. He would take me out hunting early in the morning – I was just excited to go with him – and we got up there and when it came time I started to cry and I didn’t want to do it. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Danny Joe,” he said. “We just call this your treehouse.”
“Then we just went to all these deer spots — he made them, they weren’t these fancy tents they have today, they were tree houses — and we sat there,” he continues. “It was quiet and I was able to speak to this adult. We listened to nature and just swayed in the trees. And that’s what I wanted the show to be: a trusted adult to hang out with. It’s a safe place where we can talk about anything you want, and sometimes we don’t talk, we can just be silent.”
This allows LaBrecque to use the tattoo as a storytelling device. But beyond that, why would he hide who he is to create a flawless, clean image on camera?
“It’s an expression of your identity,” he says. “There’s the inner things and the way you express yourself and I think that’s a really important lesson too. There is so much pressure from adults saying don’t do this, don’t do that. Don’t think for yourself, don’t express yourself beyond an identity. I don’t want that. I’m certainly not saying, “go get a tattoo, kiddo,” but [the tattoos is] just a part of me.”
Which brings us back to where we started – authenticity. The most important thing LaBrecque does is build trust between him and the viewers, both the kids and the parents. There’s a truth behind his motivations he couldn’t hide even if he wanted to, and that’s what sets Danny Joe’s tree house apart from the rest of the children’s program.
“I speak about complex things and I want people to trust me because I understand the deep responsibility [in what I do]’ says LaBrecque. “[As a parent] You say, “I will send my child through a screen with you at a time when there is so much uncertainty and scary things are happening. I trust you to be the babysitter, I need to know you are authentic and you really care.'”
Danny LaBrecque pours his compassion and immense empathy into every episode, and he’s more than earned that trust. Grab your little one and come to Danny Joe’s Tree House.
Season 3 of Danny Joe’s Tree House is available to stream on Sensical