I've worked in media for 20+ years, and know when there is a set up. A tease for ratings. Publicity grab. Rosie did it again.
By now, you may know that Rosie just alienated ALL of the the little people in America. Even the Little People of America released a statement denouncing the comments made by O'Donnell and Chelsea Handler. Oh yes, it is stupid. It's moments like this that continue to impress upon me the stupidity of television.
After an 11 minute discussion sharing stories about the death of their parents -- including real tears -- we go to commercial. We come back to a very calculated admission by Rosie -- a fear of little people; sex is the first subject. What? How is this the first thought after death? Presumably, because Handler's "Ed McMahon" on her talk show is a little person (Chuy). Okay, great.
Here comes three minutes of ignorance. Rosie: "Would you ever do (have sex) a little person?" Handler: "No ... That would be child abuse -- I would never do that!"
What? Here we go. Google Analytics numbers of sex and little people just went way up -- pun intended. Oh, and Handler is now comparing my relationship with my wife of 18 years to the alleged crimes of Jerry Sandusky. Ughh.
It gets better. Handler then goes on to say she loves Chuy and hired him because "who else is going to give that guy a job though?" Great. In Hollywood where only half of one percent of all spoken lines in television/film are by someone with a disability, we have two media types propagating employment stereotypes for people with disabilities. Only two months after Oprah Winfrey's program with Zach Anner. Thank goodness for Peter Dinklage and his Emmy win.
Where does this leave us? My friend Chris Errera felt he needed to respond via You Tube. He is kinder that I am. He thanks them for the open conversation. I say just shut up.
Rosie O'Donnell hurts many people. Stereotypes are reinforced. Rosie and Chelsea Handler will have follow up programs as therapy. They will tell America how insensitive they were. Ask for forgiveness. All of this will come with more attention for their awful programs; unfortunately with increased television ratings. It is at our expense.