Totally Offensive or Totally Awesome?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 7:00AM Last week, a certain episode of the television show Family Guy gottalottapress. The episode in question carried a storyline where teenage Chris finally asked out the girl of his dreams: Ellen, a co-ed with Down Syndrome. If you haven't watched the episode, check it out:
In short form, Chris gets ready for his date with Ellen to a song titled "Down Syndrome Girl" and then take her to dinner. Ellen (Ms. Bossy) keeps him on task, making sure he holds her chair for her and is a properly attentive date. At the end of the night, Chris breaks up with her because she is too bossy, NOT because she has Down Syndrome? Everybody clear? OK!
In one line of the show, Ellen identifies herself as the daughter of the former governor of Alaska. Cue angry politician. Former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin has a son with Down Syndrome (which I'm sure you already knew), and released a statement via her daughter Bristol Palin:
When you’re the son or daughter of a public figure, you have to develop thick skin. My siblings and I all have that, but insults directed at our youngest brother hurt too much for us to remain silent. People with special needs face challenges that many of us will never confront, and yet they are some of the kindest and most loving people you’ll ever meet. Their lives are difficult enough as it is, so why would anyone want to make their lives more difficult by mocking them? As a culture, shouldn’t we be more compassionate to innocent people – especially those who are less fortunate? Shouldn’t we be willing to say that some things just are not funny? Are there any limits to what some people will do or say in regards to my little brother or others in the special needs community? If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday, they failed. All they proved is that they’re heartless jerks. – Bristol Palin
As for me, I've said before that the majority of my family members have significant disabilities, one of which being Down Syndrome. I've seen the way my disabled siblings get derided, ignored, denied personhood, BUT I have to say that the most offensive way others relate to my siblings is to pity them. No thank you to pity. Of course, living life with a significant disability is more difficult than any healthy person can possibly imagine, but to pity someone who has a physical or mental issue is to act like they are somehow less than everyone else. Growing up, strangers would come up to my siblings with tears in their eyes and say something along the lines of... "I just had to hug you because you're so brave!"
Gag me with a super-size spoon. Nobody likes to be treated that way, and people with mental disabilties are plenty able to know when they're being patronized. You don't get your charity gold star by patting someone with Down Syndrome on the head. Truly.
Clearly, I have very strong opinions on this subject!
I am not a huge Family Guy watcher, but I checked out the episode when all the hubbub popped up last week. I was so surprised to find that I had mixed feelings on the subject! The "Down Syndrome Girl" song rubbed me a bit raw, but I saw the satire in it (revelation vs. mockery). I thought the date and break-up were great, because it hit at the thing that annoys so many mentally disabled people: pity. Personally, I am actually supportive of the episode, for the most part.
Ellen's voiceover actress - Andrea Fay Friedman (who has Down Syndrome) had this to say:
I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm.” In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life.
Click here for more on what Ms. Friedman had to say.
What did you all think?
Disabilities
Reader Comments (10)
I thought it was funny but I have a very tacky sense of humor and I have no problem owning up to it. I like satires! Also, Family Guy makes fun of EVERYBODY. All kinds of people. So it's not like they just said "hm let's make fun of these people" randomly. Really nobody is exempt on that show! They make fun of women, people of other religions, people of other races, etc. I really hate how Palin touts her child and throws a fit, though. I understand she's protecting her child, but *eye roll* please. She could have just handled it gracefully and said, "well it's not my taste in humor" or "i don't really have anything to say" and moved on. I've known plenty of people with Down Syndrome and that is the kind of outburst and reaction they all hate! Nobody likes a pity party. I agree it's insensitive....but the whole show is! Lots of shows are.
I also love satire & can see the humor in many, many things, but I have to say that this wasn't funny. I know no one gets a free pass, but I'm sorry, I just don't understand the need for it. I don't watch this show & never will.
I don't really care for Family Guy, but I think it's more offensive that Palin parades her baby around and uses him to advance her politics. If she wants to truly advocate for special needs children, I'd be all for that, but she seems to only drag the issue out when it gets her attention. Her son deserves more than that.
I don't really care for Family Guy either - but I don't like it specifically because they will make fun of ANY topic, no matter how tasteless, sometimes I think just to get a rise out of people. I think Down Syndrome was probably next on their list, and it didn't hurt that Sarah Palin (a fairly controversial figure herself) has a child with Down Syndrome and they knew they could turn it into a hot topic. So, I wasn't offended by it.
I completely agree with your other feeling - no one likes being pitied! And on another note, as a special education teacher (although I teach students with less severe disabilities) I spend a lot of time telling my students (directly and indirectly) that they aren't really deserving of pity - understanding, but not pity.
I don't usually watch family guy- and I HIGHLY doubt the Palin family does too.
Having said that, watching that clip with Miss Bossy- I thought TWO THINGS: Family Guy writers depicted an independent highly functioning downs syndrome person who not only is dating- but is holding an adult conversation. Not that that is shocking- but think about it. Did they make the disabled person seem like a stereotypical down syndrome person who ignorant lay people would pity? NO. So I am not at all offended by the Family Guy depiction of the character.
I think Palin didn't bother to look at it any other way than through the lense of someone who wants to protect/shield their disabled child from any kind of public humor. They didn't bother to evaluate a) how was the down syndrome person depicted? b) who played the VOICE OVER for the character (which by the way, I am fully supportive of Family Guy caster who hired a Down Syndrome actress AND activist! Who could ask for anything more???)
Families who have a disabled family member or friends need to not enable or constantly cushion their family members from the harsh realities of the world. I fear the Palin's may be doing that with their own child. They need to instead be preparing them to be able to fully engaged in their surroundings, to learn to laugh, be independent, & to not constantly think they are at battle with those around them for simply being different than the norm.
I feel as though Family Guy set this up to SEE how Palin would react more so than to attack her. And honestly, she could have taken this from a more constructive stand point by saying 'I commend Family Guy for casting Andrea Fay Friedman, who has contributed so much to the Down Syndrome community to be the voice over for Miss Bossy. I also commend Family Guy for not portraying a Down Syndrome individual has a helpless disabled person. Instead, this character exemplifies what all person's with disabilities should be able to have, a normal adult interaction, to be treated with respect, to be engaged in normal independent activities- and I am glad to see Family Guy for making an attempt towards showing what the disabled DO achieve. I hope our son trig will grow up in a community setting where he is not pitied but treated as any other person is treated with or without a disability." And she might have gained some respect from me. But instead she managed to just show me just how un-constructive and how hell bent she is to battle pretty much anyone who remotely has anything to say regarding disabled people (as you may recall she had issues with Ron Emmaunuels use of the word "Retard" but then defended Rush Limbaugh when the used the word- saying Limbaugh was using it as satire... and how is Family Guy's attempt at Satire any different??? Oh wait, they treated a person with Down Syndrome as a NORMAL ADULT--- how horrible! >note sarcasm<)
oh family guy. i hate that show. soooooo much.
By the way, this is such a coincidence! I wrote a college entrance essay about pitying people! crazy.
I have always liked family guy, but this time I think that the writers have gone a little to far with abusing people with down syndrome just for humor. Some people think that she is just overeacting, but just because it was on a cartoon show, doesn't mean Sarah Palin does not have a right to defend her son.
One more thing, as I was thinking about this again last night. In the episode, they were talking about a co-ed with Down Syndrome. I think when you find out that your infant has Down Syndrome, it's a little different - you don't know what to expect, what they will go through as a child/young adult/adult. Your fears and uncertainty are probably multiplied by 100 (or some other number). I am not a fan of Sarah Palin, but if someone was making fun of my infant with a disability, I would be PISSED OFF.
Thanks for your comments! I really like hearing people's differing viewpoints. Since I have such strong opinions on the way people with disabilities are treated, I was so shocked to find I had mixed feelings on this particular Family Guy episode. It's been interesting for me to see how you all feel about it.
I saw this and remembered your post:
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1967793,00.html