In the show, a cast of characters led by Sheriff Don (played by Don MacAllister)[8] would teach children manners, values, ethics andBiblical history.[1] It was targeted at children 4 to 13 years of age.[1]Joy Junction encouraged children to write in weekly to receive Bible lessons and games.[9]
It also featured episodes of the animated cartoon seriesJOT.[7]
The show became controversial and was quickly pulled from broadcast in the early 2010s after it was discovered that a prominent cast member, Ronald William Brown (c. 1955–2020), possessedchild pornography and photographs of dead children, and had expressed a desire torape andcannibalize young boys.[10][11]
Brown's character on the show was aventriloquist with a dummy named Marty.[12] The pair taught children lessons about right and wrong, including about the dangers of "pornography" and "evil thoughts".[12] In doing so, Brown often interacted with children on set.[12]
Brown first drew police attention in 1998, when boys' underwear was found in his possession.[13] However, he was let go after claiming they were for his puppet.[13][14] In 2012, Brown was arrested and subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography and conspiracy tokidnap a child after police discovered messages on adark web chatroom detailing this.[10][15] Brown died on August 5, 2020, aged 65, due to amotor neuron disease.[16]
The show was consideredlost media with selected clips/episodes resurfacing online in the 2020s.[17]
