[Ohio-talk] Growing Up Fisher: New NBC show featuring blind character

[Kaiti Shelton]

Hi all, 

 

I was wondering what your thoughts are on the new show "Growing Up Fisher"
that is supposed to start airing on NBC stations.  My newsfeed on facebook
is showing a wide variety of opinions.  Some think it's incredible that NBC
would portray blindness in such a negative light (the premise of the show is
that the dad, who is a lawyer, goes through all these crazy things to hide
the fact that he is blind).  The other sore spot is that the blind character
is not even played by a blind actor.  The thought there is that if NBC is
going to feature blindness in a sit com, why not actually get an actor. and
there are plenty of them who aspire to get their break but face opposition
just because they are blind. who can play the role the best because they are
blind?  Meanwhile, others seem to think that it is just wonderful that
blindness is being featured at all, and maybe there will come a time in the
sit com where the dad realizes that it isn't worth his effort to hide his
blindness, and will be okay with it, and all the things we think a blind
person should be as Federationists.  

 

I'm probably the most out-of-touch college student I know when it comes to
pop culture since I don't really watch TV, but seeing this on facebook
really caught my attention since it considers the portrayal of blindness on
a very public forum.  Thoughts?    

 

Kaiti Shelton

University of Dayton---2016

Music Therapy Major, Psychology Minor, Clarinet

Ohio Association of Blind Students, President 

NFB Community Service Group, Service Project Committee Chair

Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta Sigma