After his career as the iconic Barney the Dinosaur, apparently, the guy in the suit during the "Golden Era" of Barney went on to open a tantric massage place.

David Joyner was in the suit from 1991-2001, but now he's running a highly specialized massage business, of which he is the masseuse.

For $350, his female-only clients receive a ritual bath, chakra balancing, a massage, and also - orgasm.

On the website for his business, Tantra Harmony, it reads that his sessions are about  “Connecting your mind, body and spirit together as one, in perfect harmony. Achieving a higher and more blissful state of awareness to your sexuality, and who you are as a spiritual being.”

Speaking with Vice, Joyner explained that this "higher and more blissful state of awareness" is best found through unprotected sex. Condoms "block the energy," he told Vice. No worries about STDs, he provides the results of his tests and requires all of his clients to disclose STDs in a signed consent form prior to their first session.

via GIPHY

Vice spoke with Kaya Kwan Yin, a tantric life coach with a full-time business and over 100 hours of training. She primarily works with male clients. She says Joyner's theory of condoms "blocking energy" sounds "shady and ridiculous."

“Tantric sex can happen with your clothes on. What typically looks like penis and vagina penetration is often referred to as 'full union' in contemporary practice. Sexual energy penetrates clothes, condoms, countries, and beyond. Having sex with clients in the world of tantra is more of an anomaly than the norm,” Yin told Vice.

“Once the lingam is inside the yoni, there’s a technique where you don’t even move. You’re harmonizing spiritually and consciously, as you’re looking into each other’s eyes, and you’re feeling each other’s energy take place. This is about energy moving up," Joyner told Vice, as he explained that this method takes the session from the physical to the spiritual plane. “A lot of women have never really had spiritual sex.”

Here's Joyner talking about the sex aspect of his massages:

As far as the legality of this, which you're surely wondering about at this point, it's a gray area.

In the state of California, massage with the intent to cause arousal is considered solicitation, which is illegal. However, Joyner has himself protected.

He told Vice he had a cop buddy of his help write the contract that his clients sign that says they're not law enforcement or part of a sting operation. Doesn't sound like "You have to tell me if you're a cop" at all.

He also doesn't charge for the consensual first session, which he says is his legal loophole.

Vice talked with the head writer for Barney and thought it was - interesting.

"When I found out the detail of what’s involved in tantra, I was surprised,” White continues. “I thought it was an interesting transition for Barney. It’s kind of still the ‘I love you, you love me’ deal, but different. I don’t judge or anything, but that’s a side of David I didn’t know.”

The Young Storyteller Foundation's "Biggest Show"
Getty Images
loading...

As far as his thoughts on the transition from purple dinosaur to tantric sex masseuse, he sees similarities.

“I always said it was never an accident, and that I was meant to do this character,” he told Vice. "Because a lot of the elements of Barney were a lot of the things I was training with in tantra."

“The energy I brought up [while] in the costume is based on the foundation of tantra, which is love,” he explains. “Everything stems, grows, and evolves from love. Even when you have emotionally blocked energy, the best way to remove it is to remove it with love, and then replace it with God’s divine love. Love heals and allows you to continue to grow.”

Read more at VICE

Get our free mobile app

More From 97.7 KCRR