Interesting.
A similar story was told to me about a very well known creative director at a certain London advertising agency in the 80s.
Nervous creatives would arrive in the boss' office, to be confronted by beaming boss with Sooty puppet on hand.
"Sorry Sooty, what's that you're saying? Worst piece of sh!t you've ever seen? Totally lacking in originality??!! He should be fired on the spot????!!!! Tsk, tsk, tsk Sooty, you're a hard man...."