Slim Goodbody
Slim Goodbody ("the Superhero of Health", also known as Mr. Goodbody) is a fictional character created and performed by John Burstein. Burstein created the character in 1975. He performs wearing a sometimes white, sometimes peach colored unitard with various tissues, organs and organ systems painted in biologically-accurate locations and sizes. Each costume costs $4,000. John Burstein. Burstein was born on December 25, 1949, in Mineola, New York, and grew up in Lawrence, Nassau County, New York. While working at The Floating Hospital in New York City he began writing songs and skits to entertain the children  there and to teach them about anatomy and the workings of the human body. He eventually added an organ-painted body suit to the design, dubbing his alter-ego "Slim Goodbody". Burstein lives with his wife, Chrissy, in a lakeside home in Lincolnville, Maine. They have two sons, Devin and Luke. Burstein's sister, Karen Burstein, was a New York State Senator and Judge. Career. Burstein soon took his character outside the hospital. In his earliest days, he mainly did personal appearances and guest spots on shows such as "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America". His skits also focused  on exercise, personal hygiene, and nutrition. Between 1976 and 1981 he appeared twice a week on the CBS show Captain Kangaroo. Slim Goodbody eventually received his own television series in 1980, "Inside Story" on PBS. The program mainly consisted of Burstein's live-show Slim Goodbody sketches, though other children's show celebrities such as Captain Kangaroo would sometimes make guest appearances. The show soon became the station's second-highest rated program, and Burstein landed roles on other stations, including Nickelodeon. Since then, Slim Goodbody has featured in several other series, as well. At one point Slim Goodbody began  making educational shorts on such subjects as the fear of visiting a hospital, amongst others. One of these shorts featured Burstein's son, Devin, as a child learning about hospitals as he overcomes his fears of an upcoming operation. Beginning in 1982, the character has also appeared in books published by McGraw-Hill, Putnam, and Fairview Press. A series of educational shorts featuring Burstein's character were produced in 1985. Titled, "Well, Well, Well! with Slim Goodbody", these were aimed for school children grades K-4. In 2014, Slim Goodbody appeared in a Radio Shack commercial advertisement during the Super Bowl  XLVIII. Over the years, Slim Goodbody has also addressed child obesity, bullying, personal safety, self-esteem, literacy and environmentalism. Today, Burstein tours the United States and Canada dressed as Slim Goodbody and performing in "Bodyology". School-based shows, performed by other actors, include "Musical Health Show" and "Lighten Up!" Burstein and his Goodbody programs have won numerous awards including the Parents' Choice Award and the Healthy American Fitness Leader Award. Publications. Burstein has written a number of small, informational children's books (as Slim Goodbody) including: