What is this blog about?
You know TV without Pity, right? Probably way less people know about Ouch! It’s a disability thing!, but imagine if they got married and had a sweet baby girl. This is my blog about viewing disability in popular culture and how characters with disabilities, and disability itself are being used in TV, movies, comics, etc. And to prove a disabled girl can do two things at once I’m also going to be reviewing the shows/movies/comics as any reviewer would.
Why?
Because it’s there. In this age of so-called multi-culturalism people with disabilities are being shown more and more in popular culture .I feel like how disability is hit upon (and often missed) in pop culture says a lot about where we are in regards to disability as a minority.
Forget it! That’s the job interview answer. I’m doing this because I’m a serious TV geek, and I’m sick of disabled people being used as “inspiring.”
(Inspiring: –verb (used with object) 1)to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence: His courage inspired his followers.
2) –verb (USED ONLY WITH DISABILITY) To fill people with guilt who whine about their own sad lives because when they see a person with a disability who isn’t whining they can’t imagine living a life as a disabled person because it looks so incredibly bad to them. Little do they realize just how sad of a state they are in to have to be a spiritual vampire: After her boyfriend left her for that prettier smarter girl she was depressed, but then found inspiration when she saw a woman in a wheelchair so happy just to be out.
For the first time I see disability not being used in that after-school-special way in pop culture and I see a lot of other people still wanting to use them that way and I have a lot to say about it.
This blog was mostly inspired (in every meaning of the word) by Sara Palin her continuous “support” of the disability community when she spoke out against Seth MacFarlane and Family Guy when they had a Andrea Fay Friedman, a woman with downs sydrome actually playing a woman with down's sydrome on on the show. Andrea spoke out against Mrs. Palin better than I ever could.(But, more of that later.)
Well, who the hell are you anyway?
I am a woman with a physical disability who has enough education to use words like “deconstructing” and “minority culture” but was jerked around enough in that educational system to talk about what’s real, and I’m from New York, so there will be cursing. I was a kid in the 80s and 90s. So, I grew up with the kid in the wheelchair on Sesame Street who somehow vanished on TV once he/she hit puberty and the one “inspiring” episode of the wheelchair guy on 90210 (tos) who also disappeared after that episode, or was that Saved by The Bell and it was a girl…
But, this isn’t a blog about me. This is a blog about my reviews and opinions a forum of discussion for other opinions, which is totally different (as I’m sure any indignant blogger will tell you.)
And Away We go….
So, here I am trying to do this. To paraphrase Ellen DeGeneres on her coming out I will probably piss everyone off because I am not pledging allegiance to any group regarding this. But, I welcome people’s input. I also am not known for my organization. So far, I am going to be reviewing these current on going series that have people with disabilities in them:
Spartacus: Blood & Sand- Like a typical ADHD kid I’m already behind in my homework here and have to catch up on season 1
Lost -Yes, Locke isn’t disabled anymore in the main universe and he’s not even Locke anymore, but I still have a lot of stuff to say about it all regarding disability.
Breaking Bad- The most brilliant show regarding disability, addiction, morality, power, and everything else. Of course it has to be completely depressing. I love it!
United States of Tara- Yes, I am including emotional disabilities as well. I know this can open things up too much. So, here’s the rule: if you are eligible for government aid due to your disability you are considered disabled to be reviewed on this blog. Also, I think Diablo Cody is actually underrated do to her “overnight” success.
Birds of Pray (Comic Book) Mini-Series 2010-
Okay, I am very intimidated by comic books all the collecting and organizing, and WAITING for them to come out. It’s all crazy-making as I am learning from my Season 8 Buffy comics. But, I have always admired Birds of Prey from afar and I saw the writer, Gail Simone, speak at Wondercon and she was awesome. So, when Birds of Prey comes out I’m all over it.
Anyway, I totally need and would love people’s help for suggestions regarding this blog. So, please feel free to leave your comments. Next up a review of Spartacus so far.
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