People will SN being exploited on television shows!!

[makemineaquadruple]

Afternoon!

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one who's noticed a growing number of tv shows using people who clearly have some form of special needs and then completely making fun of them!! I'm sure these people haven't got any official diagnosis, but many adults are walking around without a diagnosis, but aren't going on these shows for it to be highlighted and exploited! A lot of children as little as a generation ago would have just been considered "weird", "slow" or "strange" and that was that. Times have changed very much. We all know that when our dc's started showing signs of ASD for example, we started looking at other family members and for the first time noticing traits. I always just assumed my FIL was just a rude and immature man, but the more I read about autism, the more i'm almost sure that he himself, is on the spectrum.

There's a very popular cooking competition show on channel 4 this week(wont mention the name, but i'm sure if you've seen it, you'll know what i'm talking about) and there's a man on that who in my opinion quite clearly has some severe social issues which he can't control. Yes, what he's saying sounds unbelievable at times and incredibly rude, but do we really point and laugh at someone like this?

Also, forget to mention the X factor and shows alike.

My son got annoyed last night at the c4 cookery programme. He was obviously there to provide the laughs for viewers. My son got very upset as the man was obviously trying REALLY hard to be a good host, a darn sight harder than the other competitors yet all he got for his efforts was ridicule.

FFS if a 7 year old with as himself can work out that using those with disablities (whether "hidden", or not) for entertainment like this is wrong wtf is wrong with a wider society that accepts the modern version of a circus freak show like this?

There are whole programmes based on the exploitation of the vulnerable - big brother, jeremy kyle, and the stuff that god awful bloke from the office does.

I'm far from pc in my humour but do we have to resort to public ridicule in order to boost our own self-esteem. Can we really only be entertained at the expense of others?

bochhead, what you put is actually what I was trying to put across in my OP. You're obviously better with the words!!

I find that so interesting and touching that your 7 ds was upset by that programme. It really was clear that that man was struggling wasn't it. I was a little worried I may cause some controversy or even cause offence. It took me a while to pluck up the courage to post actually.

God, I forgot about bloody vile Kyle!! I can't stand the show or him as an individual. His face makes my blood boil! That's actually possibly a better example than the programme last night.

I was so uncomfortable watching it. He wasn't a posh toff or a food snob and although A LOT of his comments to be fair, were very rude, it was quite clear to me that he had "issues". I can't understand how it isn't glaringly obvious to everyone! I actually felt quite emotional by the end of the show and after catching a glimpse at todays show, I fear more of the same. name calling, bitching and ignorance.

Yes, I saw that too. he was trying very hard to do what he thought was 'right'.

My youngest has ASD and often I'll sit with my oldest son [15] watching stuff on tv and he notices this too.

We dont like it either.

Amber, it was painful wasn't it. The bit where he told one of the other contestants to "SHUT UP"!! was really uncomfortable viewing. It wasn't funny, it was actually really disturbing to think that the programmes researchers etc would have initially interviewed him and sensed from a mile off that he had some social issues and still thought it was acceptable to put him on the show simply because he'd be "good viewing". Outrageous!!!!

Can I ask what your son has to say? Does it offend him?

Actually, that's a pretty stupid question. I'm sure the answer is yes. What I meant really was, how does it affect him when he sees this kind of exploitation?

What show was it, and is it on 4OD? Sounds awful really. So offensive.

Was it Come Dine With Me with Greg in it. Personally I did not see that he had any SN, just a bit of a nobber tbh. Just because some people are rude, sad, whatever does not necessarily mean they have SN

He was criticising other people's cooking and that they did not use fresh ingredients when he did not, was a bit hypocritical tbh and thats why the other contestants were like that towards him. He was very critical of the other contestants, and put himself on a pedstal when his standards fell below, that is what people got their backs up not him as a person. If its that programme, Come Dine than I do not agree.

Makemine

Because he has a sibling with ASD he is obviously more aware and sensitive to things like this.

Sometimes he'll notice someones behavior and others reactions to it and he'll say 'is he autistic'? I think he gets worried that someone will take the P out of his brother in a similar situation in the future. he is very protective of him.

More worryingly he has very recently told me about an autistic boy in his school, he is in the SEN unit but comes into one of the classes once a week, he said hes had to tell people to leave him alone several times as they seem to find it 'fun' to get this boy saying things that he has no idea about but sounds funny to them. The worst part of this is that the teacher has also joined in.

Obviously I want to say something, but hes worried about the repurcussions [as he was the only one that objected it will be obvious where it came from]

This is the school [and SEN unit] that my autistic son would quite probably go to in the future.

It seems to be fair game for that sort of thing for some people and it disgusts me TBH.