Cat Deeley making fun of epilepsy

[Weemammy21]

AIBU in thinking that any tv presenter who ridicules people with serious health conditions should not be in post? This is what I think about Cat Deeley ridiculing people with epilepsy during This morning yesterday. People like this should not be tv presenters because of their intolerance and making fun of children and adults with epilepsy. AIBU?

It was a clumsy remark and she has apologised. That should be the end of it.

I have two health conditions that very commonly have people.say things about without thinking. I just point out why it's not always helpful to say things like that, then move on

OP hasn't returned, highly likely this post was created to be goady.

But she didn't say 'I look like an epileptic', seizures are not exclusive to epilepsy. It's been stated many times but people are choosing not to listen.

Of what?

Not quite the same. Saying you were blind to something isn’t a joke or making fun of being blind. An equivalent would be Cat dancing and moving around bumping into things then saying “Ooh, look! I’m blind!” Not funny.

I totally agree with this point and it was my error. You'll see earlier that I clarified that seizures were not exclusive to epilepsy @TinkerTiger.

I am being tested for epilepsy atm and I don’t find that offensive. Sorry, it may be in bad taste for National TV but it’s not making fun of those who have seizures.

No, they’re not but if someone told you they had seizures, I’m pretty sure the first thought in people’s heads’ would be epilepsy. Likewise, chemotherapy has other uses apart from treating cancer, but I’m confident the first thing that would enter people’s head if they heard the word would be cancer.

I hope your seizures come under control. All the best with tests and treatment @Cattyisbatty

My first thought if someone told me that they had seizures would be that they had seizures. Not being a Dr, I wouldn’t be able to attribute them to a particular medical condition.

Seriously. Chill out and stop being so offended 🙄🙄

It sounds like some education about epilepsy would be a good thing, as I suggested earlier in the thread. The majority of people I know would make an association between the two and none of them are doctors, but it seems there needs to be more awareness.

I have a family member who suffers from non epileptic seizures, which is why I wouldn’t assume it’s epilepsy.

I have epilepsy. I don’t think she had malicious intention and she recognised the responsibility of her position and apologised. As an individual, she messed up and should be forgiven.

However, this opens up a fantastic platform to get people on the show who have seizures and to explore the nature of stigma. People who have seizures (epileptic or not) are mocked and frequently feared. This would be a great opportunity to do some work to undoing that.

This is a very valid point. I'm sorry for your relative, I understand this to be a very difficult illness of which there's also little understanding

Absolutely agree @BeetlejuiceBeetlejuiceBeetlejuice. I think if this incident shows anything it's that among the wider public, who aren't engulfed in the 'seizure bubble", there is very little understanding of it. But 30% of people with epilepsy don't gain control, 1/1000 people with epilepsy die from it, people are left seriously ill and housebound from epilepsy, 1/26 people will have a seizure at some point and there are many different types of seizures other than tonic clonics and injuries from seizures include broken bones, burns and head injuries. I speak from an epileptic perspective, of course, but as someone rightly pointed out there are many different causes of seizures. Careless words can cut deep, even if unintentional.

Completely. And just speaking about epilepsy, it is surprisingly common for something that so many people are so misinformed about.

If I had a pound for every time someone has told me ‘but you don’t LOOK disabled’ I’d be a rich woman.

This post wasn’t created to be goady at all no matter what is claimed here. This post was created to ask AIBU for thinking that tv presenters who often have a huge following of people should really still present live tv shows when they are ridiculing people who suffer from seizures. I personally do t think Cat Deeley should continue representing live tv shows because of her recent ridiculing people who have seizures. People who suffer from seizures, epilepsy or any disability have enough to live with without television presenters normalising that it is ok to ridicule those with a disability. It’s not and you suggest otherwise is wrong

Yes, you are being unfair.

And yes, it is ok (though not always kind) to ridicule anyone, or any thing. She has already apologised I believe in case anyone took offence, issue resolved for most people.

So "the internet" isn't outraged and demanding punishment then. Just certain hard of thinking people.

Poor choice of words & she apologized. Not sure why you need to be so goady
I have epilepsy & more offended by posts like yours then by the comment that she quickly apologized for. It's kind of you to be offended on my behalf but I think you need to get over it.

I believe Epilepsy Action also provide information about non-epileptic seizures so if they were on the show they’d be able to provide a suitable education around seizures. The majority of seizures are caused by epilepsy and most people would name that as the top cause. I hope your relative is getting the support they need and is well.

That’s what you are calling them.

@Serencwtch I am not offended on your behalf or anyone else. My opinion is based on my being a person who has uncontrollable epilepsy. I am offended that Cat Deeley made fun of the seizures that I live with daily and which my children and family deal with. Live tv presenters normalising that it is ok to ridicule persons with seizures, epilepsy or other disabilities is NOT ok and should not be condoned and neither should the half hearted so called apology she made. Live tv presenters have a duty of care that she abused with her derogatory comments about people with seizures. It’s not funny and nor should anyone be making excuses for her.

She compared her dancing to a seizure.
Thats self deprecation, not ridiculing epilepsy.

You can also have a seizure if you get an electric shock, or use drugs, or get a bite, etc etc.