[nabs-l] National Federation of the Blind Comments on Saturday Night Live Segment

[Corbb O'Connor]

Unfortunately, SNL blocks international audiences from watching their  
shows -- not uncommon practice by networks who don't get the same  
advertising dollars that they do from US audiences. So, I can't  
comment on the video but will be watching when I return to the States.  
On a different matter, though...

Beth, the political environment in which we live is not a bubble. It's  
naive to think that a public figure isn't going to be mocked— 
especially on a program that received some of its highest ratings for  
doing just that to Gov. Palin and others involved in the Presidential  
races in years past. I salute you on aspiring to be a governor  
someday, but I hope you realize that being in the public eye means you  
will someday be the backdrop for others' careers in the humor  
industry. People don't tune into SNL for friendly handshakes, they  
tune in for the jokes. I think we'd do ourselves in the NFB a good  
service by accepting jokes sometimes. The organization's leadership  
overreacted on the movie Blindness, and might just be overreacting for  
a similar reason again, this time by expecting a comedic show to be  
serious.

Corbb

-----
Corbb O'Connor
studying at the National University of Ireland, Galway

On Dec 15, 2008, at 8:20 PM, Beth wrote:

Ijust watched CNN and they said something about this segment of SNL.
I don't watch SLNL, but I support Paterson, and someday I want to be
Governor, so there's no excuse for attacking Gov. Paerson for any
reason.
Beth

On 12/15/08, Freeh, Jessica <JFreeh at nfb.org> wrote:
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>
>
> CONTACT:
>
> Chris Danielsen
>
> Public Relations Specialist
>
> National Federation of the Blind
>
> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>
> (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
>
> <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
>
>
>
> National Federation of the Blind
> Comments on Saturday Night Live Segment
>
>
>
>
>
> Largest Organization of the Blind Criticizes Attack on Blind Americans
>
>
>
> Baltimore, Maryland (December 15, 2008): Chris
> Danielsen, spokesman for the National Federation
> of the Blind, said: "The biggest problem faced by
> blind people is not blindness itself, but the
> stereotypes held by the general public about
> blindness and blind people.  The idea that blind
> people are incapable of the simplest tasks and
> are perpetually disoriented and befuddled is
> absolutely wrong.  This misconception contributes
> to an unemployment rate among blind people that
> stubbornly remains at 70 percent.  That is why
> the National Federation of the Blind is
> disappointed that Saturday Night Live chose to
> portray Governor Paterson in a comedy routine
> that focused almost exclusively on his
> blindness.  Attacking the Governor because he is
> blind is an attack on all blind Americans blind
> children, blind adults, blind seniors, and newly
> blinded veterans returning from Iraq and
> Afghanistan.  The National Federation of the
> Blind urges the producers of Saturday Night Live
> to consider the serious negative impact that
> misinformation and stereotypes have on blind
> people before continuing in this unfortunate vein of humor."
>
>
>
>
> ###
>
>
>
>
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