Created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett - Monkey and his friends became the faces of the BBC's Beijing Olympics coverage in 2008

Created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett - Monkey and his friends became the faces of the BBC's Beijing Olympics coverage in 2008

BBC dubbed the picture to the left Monkey’s Journey to the East when it used the classic character to introduce the Beijing Olympic games in 2008 to its UK viewers. Many young people were wondering why these curious creatures were being used, but grown men in their 30′s reportedly turned into silly children again at the sight of their favourite “Magic Monkey” which they grew up with in all their youthful rebellion.

It probably helped that Tripitaka, the moral force of the story in the BBC version, is played by a beautiful young woman instead of the manly monk in the original. Apparently, the same scene plays out in Australia and New Zealand where the show also aired, but in the US you would only see men scratching their heads wondering what drugs you’re on.