Houston native Martellus Bennett, a former Super Bowl Champion, has inspired a new animated series on Disney Jr., called "Hey A.J.!". The show is based on his children's book series of the same name, written and illustrated by Bennett himself.
The series follows an imaginative girl named A.J. who uses her big imagination to make ordinary life moments extraordinary, with the help of her stuffed bunny sidekick Theo. Amari McCoy stars as A.J., while Bennett voices her dad Marty. Interestingly, Bennett gets input from his own daughter Austyn Jett on the show's storylines.
Bennett hopes that "Hey A.J.! will inspire kids and parents to use their imaginations together, rather than alone. He believes that by participating in each other's imaginations, families can come together and have more fun." Bennett wants to showcase the power of imagination as often as possible, particularly for children of color.
The show is designed to spark young readers' imaginations and introduce them to characters of color. According to Austyn Jett, who stars in the real-life version of the show, "every single kid calls their dad the awesome-est dad in the world", but seeing her dad on TV might just change that opinion.
The first seven episodes of "Hey A.J.! premiered on January 13th and are now available to stream on Disney+. Bennett is proud to have created a show that reflects his own experiences as a father, and he believes it will resonate with audiences worldwide.
The series follows an imaginative girl named A.J. who uses her big imagination to make ordinary life moments extraordinary, with the help of her stuffed bunny sidekick Theo. Amari McCoy stars as A.J., while Bennett voices her dad Marty. Interestingly, Bennett gets input from his own daughter Austyn Jett on the show's storylines.
Bennett hopes that "Hey A.J.! will inspire kids and parents to use their imaginations together, rather than alone. He believes that by participating in each other's imaginations, families can come together and have more fun." Bennett wants to showcase the power of imagination as often as possible, particularly for children of color.
The show is designed to spark young readers' imaginations and introduce them to characters of color. According to Austyn Jett, who stars in the real-life version of the show, "every single kid calls their dad the awesome-est dad in the world", but seeing her dad on TV might just change that opinion.
The first seven episodes of "Hey A.J.! premiered on January 13th and are now available to stream on Disney+. Bennett is proud to have created a show that reflects his own experiences as a father, and he believes it will resonate with audiences worldwide.
. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to make a kid's show about some rich guy's imagination? It's just gonna be a bunch of white kids sitting around watching some cartoon and expecting them to suddenly get inspired by A.J.'s wild adventures. And what's with the tokenistic character of Theo the stuffed bunny? Is this really the best we can do for representation? I bet Austyn Jett's real-life daughter isn't even going to be featured in the show, lol 
. It's just a feel-good corporate cash-grab and I'm not buying it 
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Martellus Bennett is not only an NFL superstar but also a super cool dad who wants to inspire kids & parents to use their imagination together 
I'm sure it'll be a huge hit on Disney+ & will make families laugh & learn together 
. Can't wait to see more episodes & hear what other parents & kids think about the show 
. A former Super Bowl champ turned author and dad inspirin' kids to use their imagination? Sounds like a dope move to me! 
Martellus Bennett seems like a cool dude who just wants to bring some positivity to the airwaves. I love that he's includin' characters of color in the show, it's about time 
. And Austyn Jett's real-life dad is already an awesome role model, now she gets to be part of somethin' special too! 
i mean im all for kids usin their imaginations and all but can't we just watch some real-life sports instead of cartoon characters?
The idea of using imagination to bring families together is literally genius. I'm a total sucker for shows like this that promote creativity and diversity 
. Bennett's message is spot on - using our imaginations together can make life way more fun and special for both kids and parents. Fingers crossed that 'Hey A.J!' will inspire young minds to think outside the box 
"Hey A.J.!" looks like such a fun show! I love that the main character A.J is super imaginative and uses her bunny Theo to make life more exciting 
The idea of this show is not just about entertainment, it's about inspiring creativity and connection between kids and their loved ones. That's some deep stuff, fam 
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. It's just an animated show based on some dude's kids' book series. I mean, I guess it's cute that Martellus Bennett is trying to be the voice of reason and get families to use their imaginations together... but let's be real, most parents are gonna end up zoning out while Austyn Jett's character is prattling on about something 
) to learn. It's awesome that Bennett is sharing his own experiences as a dad and getting input from his daughter on the storylines - I'm sure it makes the show even more special and relatable 
. It's great that Martellus Bennett is not only voicing his daughter Austyn Jett's dad but also getting input from her on the storylines – that's so sweet! 
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and her dad voicing Marty is pure perfection 
. Can't wait to binge watch with my little ones, it's gonna be an epic adventure for their imaginations 
. Plus, showing more characters of color in kids shows is SO overdue 
I'm definitely streaming those episodes ASAP 
I think this series has the potential to make a positive impact on young minds, especially for kids who might not always see themselves represented in media. Fingers crossed it becomes a hit and inspires more families to get creative together!