Politics | 12/15/2008 9:40 am

Paterson, Blind Advocates Don't See Humor in 'SNL' Skit (Video)

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Gov. Paterson didn't find 'SNL' skit funny

Gov. David Paterson of New York isn’t the only one who didn’t see the humor in the "Saturday Night Live" skit that poked fun at his blindness. Advocates for the disabled are slamming the skit, too.

Some fear the mocking could leave viewers with the impression that blind Americans are incompetent employers. "When you have a perception problem like we have, you take these things a little more seriously," said Chris Danielsen, spokesman for the National Federation of the Blind. "We have 70-percent unemployment — and it’s not because we can’t work. Obviously, the governor of New York is blind and he’s doing the job. Whenever you have a portrayal that calls the basic capacity of [blind people] into question, that’s a potential problem."

Carl Jacobsen, president of the National Federation of the Blind of New York said to the local press, AM New York, that the show would likely never use the racist humor in connection with the governor, who is black. "’Saturday Night Live’ was reaching for a cheap laugh at the expense of a whole class of people," Jacobsen said. "They have to find someone to pick on so we’re down to blind guys."

Paterson — who is known for his sense of humor — called the irreverent comedy skit "third-grade" humor. A spokesman at the governor’s office said, "This particular ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit unfortunately chose to ridicule people with physical disabilities and imply that disabled people are incapable of having jobs with serious responsibilities."

During the "Weekend Update" segment, comedian Fred Armisen imitates the blind governor’s wandering eye, harsh voice and blunt demeanor as he mocked the gov’s admitted drug use. He goes on to explain how he plans to fill Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat with someone who holds economic experience and a person from upstate New York … Also during the skit, the "governor" holds an unemployment sign upside down.

This was a little out of line. We know it’s post-election season, but c’mon Peacocks … Watch:

18 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Okay STOP! Before this political correctness train gains speed and flies off the track STOP! The SNL clip was hilarious. It was done in the same humor vein they do all parodies. If this is going to be an issue, what topic of our day to day life should they be allowed to make fun of? They make fun of women, men, Blacks, Whites, Latinos and Asians. Straights, gays, pedophiles, politicians, physicians, musicians, various religions, celebrities, etc. etc. etc. I sure hope this begins and ends in today’s news cycle and that we aren’t still discussing this a week from now. I use this analogy all the time because it is apropos, just as a woman that claims rape when it never happened. Those false claims affect how the real accusations are treated and perceived. The same applies for claims of discrimination or bias as in this case. Patterson and those mentioned in this article will not be taken seriously once a REAL incident of insensitivity does indeed arise. Especially when compared with such a light and frivolous claim as they are attempting to levy now.

By Belinda Joy on 12/15/2008 9:25 am

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You stop, Belinda, I am outraged, and shocked. With all due respect, you are so very wrong! As someone who is legally blind, that skit was most demeaning; cruel in fact. It was thoughtless, I realize, but how anyone could believe it was hilarious is beyond me. I had someone watch it, and I used everything I could to view it, too; when I used my adaptive computer software I am now livid. SNL should be sued! If the OCR doesn’t do something to SNL, and it’s sponsors about that inhumane act, our nation is doomed. As someone said yesterday, I believe I heard it on a TV show I was passing through, we were taught not to insult children or the handicapped - well, someone forgot what they were taught. A perfect example of where our nation is in such regards, I had to go to NJ/NY for medical care last January, and frankly, having lived in Texas since 1970, I was shocked as a person now with “Renewed Abilities (TM)” when I saw how accepted “we” were on my beloved east coast. I wished I’d never moved here. There were actually wheelchairs everywhere for the borrowing, at the malls, restaurants, diners, even the piers. More, I was treated with the utmost respect at the Newark Airport, and the Newark Airport Marriott, right down to the diners in NYC and on Staten Island. There was always an open readiness in case I needed someone’s input, or assistance, and patience. Texas is lagging in all areas in this manner. Transportation here is a nightmare, unless one is a millionaire, or living in a major city, which still isn’t optimum for the “dis-ABLED (tm),” and I left that status long ago (medical costs haven’t helped - thank goodness I’m now aging). If I were now looking for a job, much less another contract, I would not get one! In fact, I have been grossly discriminated against, recently, by a corporation here, no less (it will do me no good to protest it - other than wear me out with the paperwork, which ends up doing nada). Yet, as an international consultant, I’ve raised millions of $$ for philanthropic causes, formally, and held many strategic planning seminars/workshops around the nation, as well as been a healthcare professional, reduced infant mortality to it’s lowest level where I was “planted” and opened neighborhood clinics to serve our people where ever it was remotely possible. Once someone cannot see well, hear (that’s almost worse), or walk much less need any “DME (durable medical equipment) to live, (I’m 3 of those), they are doomed in America. I have to say this. It needs to be said, and the SNL idiots are just what I’ve always thought - precisely. Our nation must learn to respect one another. This is precisely what causes wars, is it not. We refuse to see others as our equals, instead rush forth to marginalize, indeed, destroy what we do not understand, because we will not try to understand, much less walk in their shoes. I have children who do the same! It’s sad to lose out on the joys of knowing all people. To salve the savage beast in you, I can laugh at myself, and do daily; when I walked into a column at Love Field in Dallas (heading toward the light) the place fell into a huge sigh of relief when I proclaimed, “Opps. I’m blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other.” That skit was not funny. Nothing about it was funny. They had better all realize that their life isn’t over with yet - a drunk driver, the coming SARS, or genetics may get them, yet (they did me, plus Polio - I did nothing, but survive, to cause my limitations. In fact, I had no idea I felt this way until this came up and “this political correctness train” must not be shut down by you. The characterization was way off - cruel. May that crew accept some “experiential glasses” from the Federation and wear them for 8 hours - they’ll have a different stance; I suggest the same for you, dear sister.

By C jay on 12/16/2008 9:00 am

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Okay Carol, Visually impaired Americans should not be made fun of. Hearing impaired Americans should not be made fun of. Physically impaired Americans should not be made fun of. Mentally retarded or disabled Americans should not be made fun of. Blacks should not be made fun of. Latinos should not be made fun of. Native Americans should not be made fun of. Asians should not be made fun of. Middle Easterners should not be made fun of. Women should not be made fun of. Fat people (grossly obese) should not be made fun of. Celebrities should not be made fun of. Teens should not be made fun of. Gays and Lesbians should not be made fun of. Religions should not be made fun of. Politicians should not be made fun of. Elderly Americans should not be made fun of. The poor should not be made fun of. Cross dressers should not be made fun of. The homeless should not be made fun of. The military should not be made fun of. Sensitive issues such as pedophilia should not be made fun of. Bestiality should not be made fun of. These are all a sampling of the topics SNL has made fun of over the years they have been on TV. But using your logic, they were wrong to have done so, and people such as myself that found humor in their skits should not have laughed. Because in doing so we are collectively contributing to discrimination throughout the country. So the groups that are safe to be made fun of as I see it would be White men and wealthy people. That’s it. Those groups are fair game and no one will get up in arms if anyone pokes fun at them. And that is fair how? The SNL Gov. Patterson skit was indeed hilarious. Oh my Lord, milk spewing from your nose….funny. Not only was it funny because Fred Armisen did a great impression physically of the Governor. But the wandering around in front of the camera gag is priceless. They did a parody of the same thing as it relates to McCain at the debate when he kept wandering in the camera shot of Obama. And the same parody of the racist old White woman at McCain’s rally in which she told him she didn’t trust Obama because he was a Muslim. They had her wandering around in front of the camera in the exact same way as they had Patterson. So for all those who don’t think the skit is funny and find the humor sophomoric, oh well, difference of opinion. However you are wrong to start villainizing SNL and laying more responsibility on them than they actually have as it relates contributing to discrimination that “may” take place by Americans who view their show. Personally I’m insulted that anyone would believe that because I found this skit funny translates into my inability to be socially sensitive to the struggles and needs of physically disabled Americans. I have seen skits of humor at the expense of Jesse Jackson in regard to how he speaks, acts and things he has done. Should I have started a petition to have SNL shut down because they made fun of a Black man? Or is it more rational to acknowledge that what I viewed was a caricature of who that Black man is. An adaptation that was exaggerated for the purpose of humor. It didn’t affect how American’s view him as a man, but it did make some Americans laugh at a comic interpretation of him. So I don’t see where all the ire over this Patterson skit is coming from. And for those that rail against SNL’s humor, funny that you are each saying you don’t watch the show, yet you can each speak to what takes place on the show. There is a disconnect there.

By Belinda Joy on 12/16/2008 10:29 am

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http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/update-crazy-mccain-l… http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/update-thursday-debat…

By Belinda Joy on 12/16/2008 11:09 pm

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When I see things like this, I want to scream into the faces of whomever wrote it. Exactly why do they think this is funny? It doesn’t tell us anything other than how very vapid and mediocre comedy writers have become. This is horrible, and I am sorry such a personable person as Paterson would have to be the butt of their tacky humor. Cruel, malicious, mean spirited, callous…..

By Diana T on 12/15/2008 9:29 am

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The criticism is misplaced here. Gov. Paterson is a public figure and therefore is as much a target for satire as Hillary Clinton or anyone else in the public eye. Taking a “hands off” approach because he is visually impaired is special treatment, which people with disabilities and their advocates ironically protest is exactly what they don’t want. He is a governor who happens to be visually impaired just as Hillary was a presidential candidate who happens to be female. Whether someone finds the sketch funny is YMMV. Humor is subjective.

By Corinne M. on 12/15/2008 10:00 am

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Amen.

By Belinda Joy on 12/15/2008 3:43 pm

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Gov. Patterson is one of the wittiest politicians ever. His sense of humor is beyond compare. But I saw that skit and the others on SNL and frankly think that this show jumped the shark years ago. The majority of their skits have absolutely no humor and it’s not the same show that I watched when it first aired. Those skits were funny!!!! I watched because I love Hugh Laurie, but the skits I saw this weekend were dull and stupid and a waste of his talent.

By Brooklyn Gal on 12/15/2008 10:40 am

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This comment has been deleted at the request of management.

By Jim Henley on 12/15/2008 2:10 pm

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Golly, When did I say my comedy skills were better? Or when did I mention Patterson’s political party? Or is it that you just can’t read a comment correctly? Too bad.

By Brooklyn Gal on 12/15/2008 6:13 pm

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I completely agree with those who believe this is just plain tacky. It is one thing to poke fun at someone’s gaffe’s but to build a skit around someone’s disability is not funny. I used to love this show a few years back but it has totally gone down hill. Not only do I feel that the writters are severly lacking in talent, the mindset of people today is that anything goes so long as someone is degraded and someone out there will laugh at it.

By HA BIBI on 12/15/2008 11:16 am

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I agree with you Elaine. I watched and did not see anything funny about the skit. But hey unfortunately, there are some who don’t mind laughing at the expense of others. Asi es la vida…

By Cheryl Mitchell on 12/15/2008 12:19 pm

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I thought “What do you have against New Jersey?” “A southern border,” was funny. Maybe you have to live here to get the humor, but it was a funny bit. The governor really is blunt to the point of being rude, at times. Maybe it played a little too close to home for him, with the allegations. I have known many blind people, one man I work with, especially, who has an incredibly witty and ascerbic sense of humor—for whom I played this video. He couldn’t stop laughing. (I think the upside-down chart was childish—but to each her own.)

By kermie b on 12/15/2008 2:55 pm

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Hi…yep..I’m going to hell, all right…I’ve got the handbasket collection at the ready…..Some of this made me laugh out loud…some of it was juvenile….consider the source. I just would like to hear from someone who can say that she NEVER has a politically incorrect thought….EVER…..Who’d believe that? The same folks who’d buy into your never having a sexual fantasy….

By georgia fatwood on 12/15/2008 3:59 pm

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The audacity of comic shock. I guess it’s only okay when Tina Fey spoofs the intellectually challenged. Of course it’s in poor taste. That’s the point!

By Ms. Dee on 12/15/2008 9:26 pm