There is apparently already debate raging as to whether “Saturday Night Live” crossed the line in its portrayal of NY Governor David Paterson, generating laughter courtesy of his blindness by having Fred Armisen as Paterson displaying a financial graph upside down and later wandering aimlessly and unwarily into the camera shot. (Apparently the guardians of what’s funny/what isn’t have given up complaining about the white Armisen portraying black politicians and instead are now complaining about him portraying blind black politicians.)
I shall now settle this debate with an open statement to all those who contend that SNL did, in fact, cross the line of good taste and fairness:
Yes. They crossed the line.
And your point is…?
SNL is, and always has been, about redrawing the line, then crossing it, and then redrawing it some more.
So last night they made Paterson’s blindness part of the sketch. It was funny. How do we know it was funny? People laughed. The contention, as one organization put forward, that they were making fun of “all blind people” is the same as attacking their opening sketch parodying the beleagured Illinois governor and saying it was making fun of everyone who uses profanity.
Rather than complain about ill-treatment, I’d be inclined to think that advocates for the blind should take pride. What else IS equality if it’s not being just as capable of being held up for lampooning as anything or anyone else? Would it really be better if SNL or comedians said, “No, no, blind people require special protection and consideration. They’re so oversensitive that they can’t possibly deal with having their disability be part of a comic prodding.”
A good comic doesn’t just acknowledge the elephant in the room; he makes fun of it.
PAD
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Tonight’s top story will be modified to accomodate the humour-impaired…
Wildcat
I suppose the next thing will be complaints from the clinically insane over jokes at the expense of Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D. Arkham).
Make fun of his policies, his political actions and decisions. Play the ball, not the man.
I don’t recall you offering this protest any previous time when SNL, Daily Show, Colbert, Leno, Letterman or anyone else made fun of the man for any other politician. For that matter–although I could be wrong–I don’t recall any major protest when, right on this website, I posted a gag press release that had Paterson expressing astonishment that he was black.
Impressions of politicos always play to the man. Always. That’s the purpose of impressions. To seize upon any physical aspect and exaggerate it for humorous effect, be it Amy Poehler doing Hillary’s laugh or Fred Armistan aping Obama’s cadences and pauses in speech. The ONLY reason to say that this particular physical aspect of an individual is off limits is because one believes that blind people can’t take a joke. I find that attitude to be far more insulting than the joke itself.
PAD
“I don’t recall you offering this protest any previous time when SNL, Daily Show, Colbert, Leno, Letterman or anyone else made fun of the man for any other politician.”
Seeing as these programmea aren’t often aired here in FTA tv, I haven’t seen any of them.
The ridicule of McCain does apply to the elderly. But elderly people don’t have the kind of intolerance arrayed against them that prevents them from having a say in progress. Elderly people are in our pockets as our currency.
The alternative is to offer humor that withstands their complaints. Sarah Silverman settled her issue with the Chinese protest group by saying she only hated that one guy she was arguing with and some guy named Steve who peed in her coke. She moved on. Conan O’Brien settled protest from French Canadians by having his apology translated into emasculating ridicule of him. He moved on. Michael Richards? Don’t see any activity there.
The alternative is to abstain from calling others’ account of their experiences bûllšhìŧ. The alternative is to not be weak. The alternative is working harder.
Fred Hembeck’s been doing the same joke with Daredevil for years, so I don’t know what the fuss is all about.
As for “differently abled,” as George Carlin once pointed out, it’s a stupid term. Everyone is differently abled. Peter can bowl a… well, I don’t know his best score, but I’m certain it’s a sight better than I could do. I, on the other hand, can sing karaoke to “American Pie” without looking at the lyrics. And Michael Jordan can hit a jump shot from center court, nothing but net, something neither Peter nor I could do in our wildest dreams. So we’re all differently abled. Using “differently abled” as a euphemism for “unable to do certain ordinary things, like walk or see” is just mealy-mouthed nonsense meant to make people who can do those things feel better about life being unfair. (It’s also mollycoddling disabled people and treating them like they’re different, which is what I thought we weren’t supposed to be doing.)
The ridicule of McCain does apply to the elderly. But elderly people don’t have the kind of intolerance arrayed against them that prevents them from having a say in progress.
BWAAAAHAHAHAAH…
Oh. Oh my God, you’re serious.
How is it possible that you’re serious?
In a society that’s demonstrably rife with ageism? In a society where the older you get, the less employable you are, and you’re forced into retirement at age 65? Where television programs and movies aggressively court the young audience and absolutely don’t give a dámņ about the viewing habits of anyone over the age of 40? Where the only people who DO target the elderly are muggers and political campaign dirty tricksters endeavoring to disenfranchise their votes?
Seriously, that’s the defense you’re mounting? That the elderly don’t experience intolerance? And you’re conversely arguing that a joke on SNL is somehow GOING to prevent the blind from having a say in progress?
Seriously?
PAD
Just for argument’s sake…
As for “differently abled,” as George Carlin once pointed out, it’s a stupid term. Everyone is differently abled. Peter can bowl a… well, I don’t know his best score, but I’m certain it’s a sight better than I could do.
In league? For a single game? 279. In practice, 299. Overall series? 802. But keep in mind that I practice every day that I’m not in league. And I’ve been doing that for five years. If you had the right bowling equipment, got some books or videos or had a coach and practiced diligently, you could probably bowl as well given time. It’s not as if I was born with some bowling gene that makes me innately superior.
I, on the other hand, can sing karaoke to “American Pie” without looking at the lyrics.
And if I made a point of memorizing it, I could as well. I’ve memorized Tom Lehrer’s “The Elements” and the entirety of “River City” from “Music Man” just for fun. If I put my mind to it, I’m pretty sure I could memorize “American Pie.”
And Michael Jordan can hit a jump shot from center court, nothing but net, something neither Peter nor I could do in our wildest dreams.
Sure I could. The difference is that it would take me about 300 tries and it would be as much luck as anything else, but I suspect I could get it done.
On the other hand, I could swing away from now until doomsday and I could never hit a big league fastball (or curveball for that matter) over a right field wall. I’d be lucky to make contact at all, and if I did, it wouldn’t get out of the infield. On the other hand, I’d willingly put myself up against the best major league pitcher in the world in ten frames of bowling. So I don’t disagree with your point; just your examples.
PAD
That’s only the defense I’m mounting if you require instruction on conditional qualifiers.
Dude, are you trying to illicit the kind of hostile reaction you’ve recently demonstrated an intolerance to? Framing one’s rebuttals to highlight how obvious they are isn’t the same as losing one’s cool. You’re welcome to keep trying, for the benefit my own journey of self-discovery, but you should do so knowingly so you don’t hurt yourself.
Not conversely, but as a condition to the statement you felt the need to split up.
The ridicule of McCain was based on footage of him doing the thing he’s lampooned for doing. With Paterson, it’s making something that isn’t true about him something people immediately think of about him. So yeah, it’s not equal.
Oh, yeah, I am arguing SNL is obstructing Paterson from having a say in progress.
Again, the ridicule of McCain was based on footage of him doing the thing he’s lampooned for doing. With Paterson, it’s making something that isn’t true about him something people immediately think of about him. Yes, unequal obstruction.
I thought it was far more insulting to people who lived in New Jersey.
“What do you have against New Jersey, Governor?”
“A Southern border, unfortunately.”
That made me laugh my ášš off.
I thought it was far more insulting to people who lived in New Jersey.
“What do you have against New Jersey, Governor?”
“A Southern border, unfortunately.”
That made me laugh my ášš off.
If you had the right bowling equipment, got some books or videos or had a coach and practiced diligently, you could probably bowl as well given time. It’s not as if I was born with some bowling gene that makes me innately superior.
I’m curious, do you think that being a good bowler is something that most people could accomplish, given enough dedication and practice? And is that the reason that the sport does not get the same amount of respect that other sports do, especially those that seem to require an innate sill level that only come from hitting the genetic jackpot?
personally, I suspect that you have more talent than you give yourself credit for. It’s true that most good bowlers have years of practice behind them but I’ll bet there are a lot of people who quit because the practice isn’t working–they hit a plateau that can’t be consistently breached.
A lot of parents see how tiger Woods’ dad put a golf club in his hands as soon as he could stand and think that that’s all it takes. Not true, of course, any more than handing a 5 year old a violin will give us another Mozart.
Has bowling ever been in the Olympics? Or is it too non-aristocratic to qualify?
(Note–I have no dog in this fight–it’s a happy day when I crack 150. But i admire the skill it takes to do it well)
Definitely the comments made about his lack of qualifications BEYOND his physical handicap were, to me, more insulting than simple blind jokes. I thought Armisson did a bang up job on his impression especially after seeing the footage of the governor talking about the skit. To me, it would’ve been worse if they did the skit WITHOUT mentioning or commenting or poking at the blindness. Most of the jokes were about something ELSE and the wandering into frame was an endearing bit to me… Amy was obviously about to break until he came back and let her finish out her “term” on a high point and still get a serious good bye across.
All this nonsense over SNL… wtf?
Didn’t see SNL, but Jerry’s comment, “You’re not a janitor, you’re a custodial manager”, brings to mind a Bloom County strip where Opus has gotten a new job as a “waste management artisan.”
“You’re a garbage man,” Milo said.
“Excuse me,” Opus replied, with a hint of wounded pride. “I am a waste management artisan.”
“You empty trash.”
At this point, Opus asks Milo what Reagan had called the arms to Iran as part of the Iran-Contra affair.
“Goodwill gifts,” Milo said.
“I’m a waste management artisan,” Opus replied.
As to the SNL skit, Patterson, as governor, is fair game for lampooning. But was the joke overly crass because of Patterson’s blindness? I don’t know. As I said, I didn’t see the episode. I guess it comes down to whether SNL was making fun of a blind governor or of a governor who happens to be blind.
Like Jerry, I’m reminded of Chevy Chase’s impersonations of Jerry Ford, punctuated by Chase’s many pratfalls that played upon Ford’s allegedly clumsiness. Except I believe Ford stumbled once or twice, not all the time. And on at least one of those occasions, he was coming down a flight of steep stairs from a plane (presumably Air Force One). Chase exaggerated Ford’s clumsiness. I assume Armisen likewise exaggerated as Patterson. In many ways SNL is meant to be satire, and in satire, you exaggerate various traits of whomever you’re lampooning.
By the way, I wouldn’t be surprised if any charts Patterson may refer to in real life are either set up by his assistants or that he has indications in Braille as to which end is up.
I rarely watch SNL, and when I do catch a skit, I often find the humor… well, I would say sophomoric, except I think most sophomores (and kindergarteners for that matter) can do a better job.
Speaking of Stevie Wonder, we used to have a poster in our lunchroom at work that acknowledged Wonder’s blindness in a somewhat humorous way. The captain read something like “I’ll drive myself before I get in a car with a drunk driver.”
Rick
“But the ridicule of the sketch can apply to any blind person. It encourages a shame in following the leadership of a blind person. It tells blind people they can’t have an impact on progress. That’s who they’re kicking that’s vulnerable.”
Mike –
The sketch only happened because Patterson became famous and powerful enough to be the target of the sketch. His life story is an example. That he is big enough to be a target for comedians underscore his success, instead of diminishing it.
There is no accomplishment big enough to hold someone to faults he hasn’t been observed exhibiting, and call it equal treatment to others being held only to faults they’ve actually been observed exhibiting.
Rick Keating: “Didn’t see SNL, but Jerry’s comment, “You’re not a janitor, you’re a custodial manager”, brings to mind a Bloom County strip where Opus has gotten a new job as a “waste management artisan.””
The ability to recall and then relate serious discussions to Bloom County is the first sign of a truly great and gifted intellect. Long live the dandelion patch.
Jim O’Shea: I thought it was far more insulting to people who lived in New Jersey.
Luigi Novi: As a New Jerseyan, I thought that line was funny.
What I find offensive is that Lorne Michaels has been unable to find a funny black guy since Murphy left. How long will SNL struggle with The Curse of Eddie Murphy?
Man, I can’t believe the show now employs the fat dude from the movie Good Burger. I thought SNL would never be able to find another black guy as awful as Tim Meadows and Chris Rock but Lorne proved me wrong. To be fair to Rock he is better off doing stand-up than sketch comedy.Tim Meadows and Tracy Morgan were awful.
I’m starting to think that SNL will never break The Curse Of Eddie Murphy.
Jerry wrote:
“The ability to recall and then relate serious discussions to Bloom County is the first sign of a truly great and gifted intellect. Long live the dandelion patch.”
Thanks. Speaking of both Bloom County and jokes/comments that cross the line, I’m also reminded of the sequence in late 1983 or early 1984 where Meadow Party presidential candidate Limekiller echoes former Interior Secretary James Watts’ poor choice of words in describing the multicultural composition of his campaign team (in Watts’ case, he was describing members of his department).
Needless to say, the Meadow Party had to find a new presidential candidate. They chose Bill the Cat, whom Milo once described as, “an occasionally dead Communist cat who… well… who barfs a lot.”
Hard to believe, but Bill didn’t win the 1984 election. Though a Mondale supporter who wandered into the Meadow Party convention that summer said “oh, what the hëll?” and followed Milo in after learning that the Meadow Party had a dead cat going up against Reagan.
Maybe Binkley’s observation after the election- that they should’ve called on an amiable ex B movie actor– Fred MacMurray– was on the money.
Rick
What I’m curious about is this: In Peter David’s BID article on selling out, he provided examples of what should be and shouldn’t be considered selling out.
In this example Peter, you seem to be saying that what SNL did was appropriate, the right/thing/etc. in how they handled the man’s blindness. What, in your opinion, would have inappropriate, wrong, etc. Should there be any limits? What are they? and Who decides?
I realize that humour is subjective (I don’t find rape jokes funny, or certain race-based jokes that are more “look at that stupid minority” vs. “we’re all in this together”) so I don’t claim to have any clear anwers on this one.
I think the important thing in this whole debate is that (and this probably kicked off the dámņëd debate in the first place) The Gov. himself said he did not like the joke at his expense so this brings to mind that it’s groups who have a collective interest in saying “BOO! HISS!” Group A: is filled with the legitimate Politically correct people, and then there is Group B: The people who found it funny UNTIL they heard he was offended and then decided “Yeahhhhh, [Simpsons Eye Shift] Boo! Hiss!” ’cause now they think they will be thought of as bad people because they liked the gag.
” Group A: is filled with the legitimate Politically correct people,”
I guess I’m a groups A person then – a person’s physical handicap (be it blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy etc) is off limits. And no, I never found “Steady Eddy” very funny either.
All I have to say is this: If we’re not supposed to make fun of blindness, then why is Mr. Magoo so funny? :p
All I have to say is this: If we’re not supposed to make fun of blindness, then why is Mr. Magoo so funny? :p
But he’s not that funny once you’re over, say, 12 yrs old.
You know who I think crossed the line lately? M. Knight Shyamalan. He’s cast his new live action “Avatar: The Last Air Bender” movie….with an all caucasian cast.
I wouldn’t cast stones yet, aer. The only casting news about that film has the word “rumored” along with it. And when you look at how many casting rumors turn out to be garbage these days…
Fair enough. I’m just worried if these rumors find root things will play out poorly ( Talking cars, Hanna Montana “patriotic ” musical number, Robin Williams as a talking Appa, relocating “the world” to modern day New York etc. )
To paraphrase Dennis Miller (back when he was still cool, before he sold out)”Come on [blind people], join the reindeer games. You’re not made of glass. You too can be made fun of, just like any other group on the planet.”
Jerry’s right, look at how the false rumor about Eddie Murphy as the Riddler has gotten so much play (it IS just a false rumor, right? Please?)
I wonder how many people who are actually blind were offended by the sketch, versus those who presume to speak for the blind? (Yes, I’m aware that someone who is blind couldn’t have SEEN the sketch, but I’m sure they’ve heard about it.) Often those who would protect the “weak” neglect to take into account the views of those they claim to defend. I remember someone telling me how offended he was when he first saw Damon Wayans’ “Handiman” character on “In Living Color”… until he saw a friend with Cerebral Palsy laughing his ášš off at the spoof.
As an aside, there’s a comedian in Upstate New York named Nelson Addison who has Cerebral Palsy and he makes that a big part of his routine. He used to have this slogan on his Web site: “As a handicapped comedian I recognize that I have an obligation to educate the audience. I just don’t do anything about it!” If you ever get the chance to catch one of his shows, do so. Just be prepared for your sides to be aching from laughing too hard.
Oh, and Gov. Patterson plays basketball. Former N.Y. Governor Mario Cuomo once played against Patterson in a charity tournament. Cuomo was a bit astonished to see a blind man guarding him. The second time down the court, however, Patterson stole the ball. Take that for what you will.
Americans usually don’t vote for people subject to external ridicule. The ridicule Ford and McCain received was based on what people actually saw of them. With Paterson, it makes something untrue about him the first thing people imagine about him.
The implication is that if you’re blind, you prosper by the generosity of others. The implication is that if you’re blind, any money in your pockets hasn’t been earned by you, but has been given to you.
Rick Keating: Speaking of Stevie Wonder, we used to have a poster in our lunchroom at work that acknowledged Wonder’s blindness in a somewhat humorous way. The captain read something like “I’ll drive myself before I get in a car with a drunk driver.”
Luigi Novi: I saw that one on a wall when I was in high school.
Anthony W: Tim Meadows and Tracy Morgan were awful.
Luigi Novi: Nice to know I’m not the only one mystified by Tracy Morgan’s career. The guy is completely talentless. Every thing out of his mouth is some ghetto non sequitur, his Brian Fellows and Astronaut Jones characters made no sense and were not funny, and the way he talks, he sounds like he’s perpetually slurring.
As for Meadows, well, his Leon Phelps was okay. But the guy was on SNL for 11 years, and only came up with that character near the end of his run, and never distinguished himself prior to that. I don’t know if it’s that he was just never given room to breathe or find his step creatively (Chris Rock went into this in his book Rock This!), or what. At best, he was a cipher for most of his tenure there.
“As an aside, there’s a comedian in Upstate New York named Nelson Addison who has Cerebral Palsy and he makes that a big part of his routine.”
Which was what “Steady Eddy” (has cerebral palsy) was doing here and in NZ in the 90.
Oh, and Gov. Patterson plays basketball. Former N.Y. Governor Mario Cuomo once played against Patterson in a charity tournament. Cuomo was a bit astonished to see a blind man guarding him. The second time down the court, however, Patterson stole the ball. Take that for what you will.
It’s my understanding that Gov. Patterson is Ii>legallY blind. I think that’s means that, after correction from glasses/contacts/whatever, your vision is no better than 20/200. Someone with vision like that might still see people and objects around him as blurry figures. That and a marked trend of people underestimating a blind man could make for some real surprises. I don’t know how he could handle passing. Maybe the opposing teams uniforms whose colors were sufficiently contrasted…
Anyway, I don’t know just how bad Patterson’s vision is, but I don’t assume that he’s completely without vision.
Patterson is indeed legally blind, rather than completely. If he were the latter, he’d be unable to play basketball… unless he had the same powers as Daredevil.
Although Cuomo did say he felt Patterson had some sort of “sonar” that could hone in on the basket. I also don’t believe I’ve ever seen Patterson and Daredevil together. Strange.
For the first 5 years that Tim Meadows was on SNL, I really liked him and was always happy to see him in a sketch. Then he stopped being funny around the time the rest of the show stopped being funny. Maybe it was more of a problem with the writers than with him. On the other hand, I haven’t liked anything from him since then.