Who is going to stand up and take a stand and declare that it is morally repugnant to mock and make fun of people who have Down syndrome? Does the National Down Syndrome Society whose mission statement is "To be the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome" have a plan?
What does CBS think of its game show host Wayne Brady's comments mocking Trig Palin?
As reported on NewsBusters.org, during Sunday night's airing on Comedy Central (notorious for horrible jokes about individuals with Down syndrome) of the Roseanne Barr Roast, Brady mocked fellow roaster Jeffrey Ross by saying, "Now the thing is Jeff, these are all jokes, and I really like you. I really, really like you. But a lot of people hate you, especially Sarah Palin because you remind her of what Trig is going to look like when he's 40."
As you can hear in the video, there was a mixture of laughs and boos from the crowd to which Brady responded, "Oh, now you boo me? F--k y'all. I don't want to hear that. These people say all of this s--t about me, and you boo me because of Trig."
Here is a clip of the video-- there are curse words, so please do not watch around young children. While some argue that showing the video and talking about it just helps give it notoriety, I argue that we must shed light where there is darkness.
Yes, Mr. Brady. I am grateful to the individuals who had the good sense to know that your comments were deplorable and hateful.
By participating in such a "roast" on Comedy Central, you accepted that you would be made fun. However, Trig Palin and his family never were given that choice. You mocked an innocent child because he was born with an extra chromosome.
What makes me even more sick is that this show was taped well before it was aired and Comedy Central left this piece in. And why? To spread hatred? To spread intolerance? While Sarah Palin is a public figure who has put herself in the public eye, is it ever acceptable to mock a person's child. A person's child who has a developmental disability?
How are individuals who have Down syndrome ever going to be given at least the minimum level of human respect if comments like these are shown on television and promoted?
I beg of the NDSS to take a stand and start addressing these insults and mockeries in a swift and powerful PR campaign like GLAAD does.
I urge CBS to consider sanctioning and putting Mr. Brady on an administrative leave.
I plead with the rest of the world to please consider looking beyond our children's extra chromosome and looking at them as an individual who has limitless potential when given the opportunity.
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Wayne Brady/ NBC...You've left me no option other than to believe you think it's laughable that a child has a disability. I therefore respectfully recognize all of you as ignorant, uneducated,cruel people who will hurt handicapped children and their family trying to get a laugh.The kindest thing I can manage to say to you is," get a new job...you suck at this one!"
ReplyDeleteAt least there were boos this time, prob bc Jane Lynch (who has appeared in R-word PSAs) was hosting. The Donald Trump Roast everyone was laughing, and I believe at another roast Steve-O (who has a niece or nephew with DS) was laughing over an R-word joke.
ReplyDeleteIt's like roasts are just another world.
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteNDSS monitors the media daily and always responds when appropriate, however we cannot always share our response immediately. In this case it has been a repeated offense at several Comedy Central Roasts and we are reaching out to their producer to ask that they enforce a policy to censor these "jokes." You can view a link to our letter on our website and encourage your local group to send out a version of our customizable letter here: http://www.ndss.org/PageFiles/223/Roseanne%20Barr%20Comedy%20Central%20Roast_Affiliate%20Version.pdf.
Best,
NDSS
I came pass your site looking up info fo rmy college class life on planet earth. I wanted to say god bless you. It breaks my heart to see your son has down syndrome but its not a bad thing. Im a strong believer in God and i believe got gave you joey for a reason God knew you and your husband could take care of joey. I think its wrong for a person to make fun of anyone because they are different. we had a story in the news here in ohio about a 9 year old girl who has ms she was being made fun of by the little kid next door and his own father one day at the bus stop it was recorded on video tape in the end the father got 6 months in jail for making fun of that girl. People who have down syndrome are some of the nicest people you will ever meet they are always so happy and so full of life. again God bless you and your family and for Joey he will grow up to be a womderful person he will live a good mark on this world. Also just know there are alot of people in the world like myself who would never make fun of someone like joey.
ReplyDelete