Dustin the Turkey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dustin the Turkey
First appearance	The Den (1989)
Last appearance	The Den (2020)
Portrayed by	John Morrison
Information
Species	Turkey
Occupation	Singer, TV presenter
Affiliation	UNICEF
Origin	Dublin, Ireland

Dustin the Turkey is a very famous puppet character from Ireland. He was a big star on the Irish TV show The Den from 1989 until it ended in 2010. Many people think he is one of the funniest characters on Irish television.

Dustin is a turkey-vulture puppet with a strong accent from Dublin, Ireland. He first appeared on The Den in December 1989, joining other popular puppets named Zig and Zag. When Zig and Zag left the show in 1993, Dustin stayed. He even stayed longer than four human presenters who hosted the show with him! These presenters included Ian Dempsey, Ray D'Arcy, Damien McCaul, and Francis Boylan Jr.

Dustin has also had a very successful career in music. He has released many songs that became number one hits in Ireland. In 2008, he was chosen by the public to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. His song was called "Irelande Douze Pointe". Even though he didn't make it past the first round, it was a big moment for a puppet to be in Eurovision!

Dustin the Turkey: Ireland's Famous Puppet

Dustin the Turkey is known for his funny personality and his unique look. He quickly became a household name in Ireland. His humor often involves making jokes about Irish culture and famous people.

Music Career

Dustin has released several albums and many singles. His music is often very funny and includes parodies of popular songs. A parody is when you take a well-known song and change the lyrics to make it humorous.

Albums and Songs

In 2001, Dustin released an album called Dustin's Greatest Hits. Later, in 2005, he released another album called Bling When You're Minging. This title was a funny take on a famous album by singer Robbie Williams.

Many famous Irish singers and bands have helped Dustin with his songs. These include Ronnie Drew, Bob Geldof, Boyzone, and the late Joe Dolan.

Here are some of his popular songs:

• (1990) "The Christmas No. 1" (with Zig and Zag) - This song reached number one in Ireland!
• (1994) "Spanish Lady" (with Ronnie Drew and The Saw Doctors) - Another number one hit!
• (1996) "Rat Trap" (with Bob Geldof) - This also hit number one!
• (1997) "Good Lookin' Woman" (with Joe Dolan) - Yet another number one song!
• (1999) "32 Counties" - This song also reached number one!
• (2001) "Sweet Caroline" - This was also a number one hit!
• (2008) "Irelande Douze Pointe" - This song reached number 5 in Ireland.

Dustin has also released other albums like Not Just a Pretty Face, Unplucked, Faith of Our Feathers, and Poultry in Motion.

Eurovision Adventure

Dustin the Turkey performing at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 semi-final.

In 2008, Dustin was chosen to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. This was a big deal because he was the first puppet ever to compete! The Irish public voted for him at a special show called Eurosong. Even though some people in the audience weren't happy, the public votes showed that most people wanted Dustin to go.

Some famous people, like former Eurovision winner Dana, thought Ireland should not send Dustin. But other past Irish Eurovision stars believed he could win.

Dustin performed his song "Irelande Douze Pointe" in the first semi-final on May 20. His song included funny lines about famous Irish dance shows like Riverdance. Sadly, Dustin did not get enough votes to move on to the final round of Eurovision.

Political Fun

Dustin often jokes about being interested in politics. He has even pretended to run for president in Ireland! In 1997, he ran as "Dustin Hoffman" because he needed a first and last name to register. People sometimes even wrote his name on their voting ballots in real elections, though these votes were not counted.

In his funny campaigns, he often said he was part of a made-up political party called "Fianna Fowl" (a funny name based on a real Irish political party). His campaign promises were always silly and meant to make people laugh. For example, he promised to bring the DART train to Dingle, a town far away from the train line. He also joked about making sure every young boy could go on a date with a Spice Girl or Pussycat Doll!

Dustin also has strong opinions, which he sometimes showed on TV. He once jokingly argued with his old friends Zig and Zag for "selling out" to the Queen of England. He also started a funny group called SOLD, which stood for "Stamp Out Line Dancing."

Dustin is also a special ambassador for UNICEF, a charity that helps children around the world.

Other Cool Appearances

Dustin has done many other fun things!

• In 2002, he made a film called Dustin in Fowl Play. In the movie, he and his friend Snotser created a boy band called Mankind.
• In 2008, he appeared on a British TV show called The Xtra Factor.
• In 2009, a documentary about him was made, called Dustin: 20 Years a Pluckin'. This film looked back at his career.
• In 2012, he was a guest on The Late Late Show for its 50th anniversary special.
• In 2016, he helped present a TV3 toy show with Lucy Kennedy.

As a UNICEF Ambassador since 2009, Dustin has visited places like the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. There, he learned about how HIV/AIDS affects communities and children. He also saw how UNICEF helps young children cope with these challenges.

See also

In Spanish: El pavo Dustin para niños