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TwitterDid 'SNL' go too far with its Gov. David Paterson skit?
Gov. David Paterson didn't think the "Saturday Night Live" skit poking fun at his blindness and admitted drug use was very funny at all.
The skit had "SNL" cast member Fred Armisen doing a scarily spot-on impression of the governor during the show's "Weekend Update" segment. Seth Meyers had to help him turn his chair to face the cameras. Armisen's Paterson later returned to wander in front of the camera during Amy Poehler's farewell.
Click here to see Amy try to say goodbye.
"I can take a joke," Paterson told the Daily News on Sunday. "But only 37% of disabled people are working, and I'm afraid that that kind of third-grade humor certainly adds to this atmosphere."
In the skit about the governor's choice of a replacement for Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armisen's Paterson pointed out that he became governor after Gov. Eliot Spitzer's prostitution scandal.
"Whoever is appointed senator must -- like me -- be caught totally off guard and be comically unprepared to take office," he said. "Come on, I'm a blind man who loves cocaine who was suddenly appointed governor of New York. My life is an actual plot from a Richard Pryor movie."
A spokesman for the National Federation of the Blind also slammed the "SNL" skit.
"The biggest problem faced by blind people is not blindness itself, but the stereotypes held by the general public," spokesman Chris Danielsen said. "The idea that blind people are incapable of the simplest tasks and are perpetually disoriented and befuddled is absolutely wrong."
Paterson's spokesman Errol Cockfield Jr. said "the governor is sure that 'Saturday Night Live,' with all of its talent, can find a way to be funny without being offensive."
NBC declined to comment on the show and the skit. Natch.
What do you think? Did "SNL" go too far in making fun of a blind politician? Or is everyone fair game?
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...it seems people repeatedly seem to forget what 'freedom of speech' actually MEANS. sure, this skit may be of questionable taste, but if you want to keep spewing out about how we're supposedly this great "Land of Freedom", then try pretending for a moment that you actually understand what that means and what it most certainly will include.
This is not funny; it is mean. As a mother of an adult disabled child who is not blind but has another disability, I am particularly offended when people mock those who are not as fortunate in their physical abilities.
Tasteless, maybe;
Mean-spirited, no;
Good SNL, yes!
Paterson was unprepared for
the job. He is probably
still clueless. Hopefully,
he's clean.
We have to stop being
so sensitive about our foibles,shortcomings &
disabilities.
clearly- actors/artist/media are always accused of going to far...when it is always the politicians, the CEO, and the BLO's going to far and throwing us all under the bus...
the only panacea for this sinking ship are the artist that risk everything to call attention to injustice-everyones.
stop crying. the real problems are happening to all of us.
It was un-PC, and quite funny. The Gov' should lighten up.
Being PC is a joke now. The country has gone too far when a doctor can't tell a patient that they are fat and need to lose weight because the person who hasn't seen their toes in a decade might get hurt feelings. Thousands have people have commented on articles like this all year. Talk about millions of dollars of wasted productivity. Way to be overly sensitive Americans. Get back to work and stop the recession!
Of course the skit went too far. But what can you expect? SNL has been off-key for a while now; they stopped being funny years ago.
The SNL skit was offensive. Humor has a place in society but humor based on the bigotry associated with disability is simply not funny. Paterson is correct--I expect more from SNL.
LIGHTHOUSE STATEMENT REGARDING SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKIT CONCERNING GOVERNOR PATERSON
By Tara A, Cortes, PhD. RN
President and CEO
Lighthouse International
"Lorne Michaels, the cast and writers of Saturday Night Live should know better. In their skit of Governor Paterson they crossed the line between parody and pandering to demeaning stereotypes.
Governor Paterson, like all elected officials, should be judged by his actions. To use his disability as the focal point of comedy is in very poor taste. We applaud the courage it takes every day for people who are blind and visually impaired to live productively and effectively. Saturday Night Live has taken a cheap shot at that courage. When Governor Paterson assumed office, Lighthouse International, along with many advocates for people who are visually impaired, shared a sense of pride that progress had been made in dispelling stereotypes. SNL has set that progress back. They should issue an on-air apology."
Founded in 1905, Lighthouse International is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to preserving vision and to providing critically needed health care services to help people of all ages overcome the challenges of vision loss. Through services, education, research and advocacy, the Lighthouse enables people with low vision and blindness to enjoy safe, independent and productive lives. For more information about vision loss, its causes and what you can do about it, contact Lighthouse International at 1-800-829-0500 or visit www.lighthouse.org.
SNL has attacked hispanic public figures for years. Why was that okay? This skit was funny and about time too. SNL has been bombing for years.