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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 9:47 am
Autism Group Demands Apology From CBS Monday, February 18, 2008 (02-18) 08:38 PST NEW YORK, (AP) -- A national autism advocacy group is demanding an apology from CBS over a disparaging remark a contestant on the reality show "Big Brother" made about people with the disorder. John Gilmore, executive director of Autism United, said Monday that his group has been trying to speak with CBS executives since last week's broadcast. On that episode, a contestant named Adam, who claims to work for an autism foundation, said he would spend his winnings on a hair salon for people with developmental disabilities "so retards can get it together and get their hair done." His partner, Sheila, told him: "Don't call them that." Adam responded: "Disabled kids. I can call them whatever I want. I work with them all day, OK?" The show's Web site describes him as a 29-year-old public relations manager from Delray Beach, Fla. There was no immediate response Monday to a call seeking comment from CBS. "Big Brother" also has been condemned for contestants' remarks on incest, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Some contestants have been removed following incidents that were deemed violent or racist. The premise of the show is that contestants — or "houseguests" — are isolated from the outside world while under constant surveillance. Once a week, they vote to evict a member of the group. When just two people remain, a jury of voted-off contestants picks the "Big Brother" winner of the $500,000 grand prize. Autism is a complex disorder featuring poor social interaction and communication skills. ___ On the Net: Autism United: www.autismunited.org/ Big Brother: www.cbs.com/primetime/bigbrother8/ http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/02/18/entertainment/e065851S08.DTL
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Misosmart
Member
07-03-2005
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 10:08 am
I thought his remarks were highly insensitive and inappropriate and CBS does need to apologize and Adam needs to be counseling on what comes out of his mouth.
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Reader234
Member
08-13-2000
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 10:31 am
Its like they are prodded to be provoking - in word and deed - ridiculous!
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 10:50 am
I think Adam needs to lose his job. If indeed that is his job. No PR guy would make a ridiculous, untrue remark like that...and even more casual observers like me know that people with Autism are not mentally retarded.
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Kswheels
Member
06-30-2005
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:07 am
Okay. I stand corrected. Apparently it did air on the show.
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Freetimefinally
Member
01-26-2006
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:11 am
They did air it on the show. I don't get live feeds and don't watch the snips on the internet. I know I actually saw this and have not just read about it. I missed the last show so it must have been on the one before that.
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Christy358
Member
07-10-2007
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:12 am
It was on the show. I do not have live feeds, and I saw it.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:28 am
It would be bad to show that remark if no one challenged him on it or if the other people had shown approval. However, I'm not sure that showing someone making an inappropriate remark and then someone else clearly challenging them on it, is a bad thing on the part of CBS? Doesn't it draw attention to the issue of why it is wrong to use those words?
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:30 am
Was it "live" or pre-recorded? Does anyone remember? I think it was pre-recorded because the HGs entered the house before the show aired, yes? So that means it was totally unnecessary for BB to air that bit. They could've focused on someone else instead of Adam when he and Sheila were talking. If Adam does, in fact, work for an autism group, I hope he gets canned when he gets out of the house. That was the most insensitive thing anyone could possibly say and he would have to know it's a derogatory term if he worked with autistic people.
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Mssas
Member
08-04-2006
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:31 am
That was what Sheila was referring to when they were bleeping her on last nights show. What he had said.
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Beekindpleez
Member
07-18-2006
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:31 am
In season two, Will and some others used words to that effect. Bunky was quite distraught over it because of his sister. I believe some of that was aired as well. I don't recall anyone demanding an apology from CBS.
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Beekindpleez
Member
07-18-2006
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:32 am
Costa..it wasn't live. It was while they were prepping for Power Couple competition. We never actually saw it...just the edited for TV version
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:33 am
Thanks, Bee! That's what I thought... it wasn't live so it wasn't necessary to air it. (Just like it wasn't necessary to air the segment about Adam's lack of circumcision.)
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Beekindpleez
Member
07-18-2006
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:35 am
Oh shoot...I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but... In regards to it being the most insensitive thing anyone could possibly say and he would have to know it's a derogatory term if he worked with autistic people. couldn't it be sort of the same thing as the N word being okay to use if one is AA or something? I'm not wording this correctly, but what I'm trying to say is that sometimes those who are part of a community use words that those outside a community find inappropriate.
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Lurknomore
Member
07-07-2001
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 11:50 am
My is wrong is wrong, and we don't need to quantify how wrong. It was a vile comment <77> IMHO. Where do they keep finding these folks???? BLECH
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Webchiq
Member
07-11-2005
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 12:14 pm
In this country, he is free to say that and CBS is free to air that. I think it was very important to air it so that if he truly does work with those children, he is no longer able to do so.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-31-2000
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 12:23 pm
I work with autistic children in our therapeutic riding program, along with a wide variety of children with cognitive dysfunction. I don't know anyone who works in that field who wouldn't be horrified by the use of the word "retard".
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Stacey718995
Member
07-06-2007
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 12:26 pm
Bee I can speak on that. I am an autism specialist and work in the field within a school. No where do we ever say as a group the word "retard" NEVER would you find that coming out of anyone in my community's mouth. I have been a special ed teacher and school psych, it just would not happen. I do see what you are saying, but I can comfortably tell you no matter where you are located those are not words spoken in a community dealing with those with special needs.
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Prisonerno6
Member
08-31-2002
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 12:31 pm
quote: couldn't it be sort of the same thing as the N word being okay to use if one is AA or something?
No. No one working in the field of autism would call children with autism "retards", because such children are not necessarily mentally retarded (or more correctly, developmentally delayed). In fact, many autistic children score above average on IQ tests. His comment showed great ignorance of social mores as well as of the group he is supposed to represent. Yes, he is free to say those things. And the company he works for is free to fire him, as well.
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Beekindpleez
Member
07-18-2006
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 12:32 pm
Thanks for those answers. I get that. I'm not really trying to justify Adam, I am just wondering if he views it differently. I appreciate the input.
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Amylou
Member
09-20-2007
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 12:51 pm
I don't think there's any way he could truly be someone who works with children with autism and call them "retards." When I was watching the show and saw him make that comment I was shocked that he said it and even more shocked that BB aired it. Unnecessary. I get that they wanted to show the arguments between Adam and Sheila, but really...
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Kswheels
Member
06-30-2005
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 1:00 pm
Bee - I have Cerebral Palsy, and I know quite a few handicapped people who use words like "cripple" that would usually be seen as offensive, but the difference is, that Adam isn't autistic, and he is not the parent or relative of an autistic kid. Simply working with them, if he really does, does not qualify him to use such words. The fact that he is referring to children rather than adults makes it that much worse.
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Dfng
Member
08-04-2005
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 1:01 pm
The use of the word "retard" is all over the air waves. Just watch Real World Road Rules etc. There are more shows but I can't remember them all now. Every time someone uses that word I flinch and it's been happening on a lot of reality shows lately. Actually, I think someone used it on Survivor last week.
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Stacey718995
Member
07-06-2007
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 1:06 pm
It always raises my redflag too Dfng. I hate when someone says something they believe is not fair or dumb in their eyes and they say "This is retarded" UGH I have always been very strict about that in my classroom.
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Stopthemadness
Member
07-15-2005
| Monday, February 18, 2008 - 1:16 pm
Have any of you actually looked at his autism website? He started his own program he does NOT work for someone else and the website looks quite "thrown together". It has been speculated that he started this to help him get on BB. I understand that he does some other type work as his real job but I don't know what it is and can't confirm that. Has anyone else hear about his other job? His website http://uniaf.org/ was registered on 12/15/2007 to an individual in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The projects, programs, events, get involved, be informed, and official supporter section of the website are not developed. The “donate now” section of the website is certainly working, how’s that for a surprise? I’m not saying that the organization isn’t genuine but the shabby nature of the site, the fairly recent registration of the domain, and the timing of the foundation’s launch with the airing of Big Brother leads me to think that Jasinski isn’t doing this for the altruistic factor.
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