The Wiggles' Latest Breakout Star John Pearce Becomes an Instant Thirsty Mom Fave: 'Yass Zaddy'
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The Wiggles/instagram, John Adamo Pearce/instagram
The Wiggles has a new breakout star — and he might just be more popular with some parents than with the show's intended demographic.
John Pearce, a Filipino-Australian dancer and member of the music group Justice Crew, joined The Wiggles in 2021 as the beloved children's act welcomed four new members when it expanded for a new YouTube series Fruit Salad TV.
Pearce, 31, joined as "Big Strong John," the new purple Wiggle who loves fitness and spends his time lifting weights and getting active while he's singing along with the group.
It's become a viral gig for Pearce, with plenty of parents — thirsty moms, to be precise — praising "Big Strong John" for more than just the entertainment he's providing for kid viewers.
The comments on Pearce's Instagram posts speak for themselves. "Oooh 😮 safe to say I'll be tuning into this season!" one woman wrote on a video showing Pearce transforming from his buff, tattoo-covered self into "Big Strong John."
John Adamo Pearce/instagram
Pearce sees the same kind of attention on TikTok, with one user commenting, "You're here for the moms! Yass zaddy."
"Where can I watch the wiggles? I mean where can my kids watch?" another wrote.
"I don't remember the fruit salad being this yummy growing up," a user wrote on a transformation video of Pearce becoming the purple Wiggle.
RELATED: Watch The Kid LAROI Bring Out The Wiggles to Perform 'Hot Potato' and 'Fruit Salad' in Melbourne
Pearce isn't necessarily new to the spotlight — he and Justice Crew won Australia's Got Talent in 2010.
John Adamo Pearce/instagram
Pearce joined the Wiggles in 2021 as part of an effort to diversify the iconic Australian children's group.
"Seeking to inspire a diverse audience with its gender balanced and diverse cast, Fruit Salad TV is sure to put a smile on the faces of children all around the world who see themselves reflected on the screen," the post announcing the new series said.
John Adamo Pearce/instagram
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Three women — Indigenous Australian performer Evie Ferris, Ethiopian actress Tsehay Hawkins and Chinese-Australian Kelly Hamilton — joined at the same time as Pearce. The cast's diversity was the first of its kind, and founding member Anthony Field said that the move was important for inclusivity.
"The Wiggles were created during a time when early childhood educational concepts were the focus," Field said in a statement. "As society has evolved, we have embraced the need for diversity and inclusiveness and want children all over the world to see themselves reflected on the screen."
