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SN children

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Original poster

Britain's Got Talent? Why do I feel so shocked!

17 replies

TallulahToo · 12/04/2008 21:56

Before I go off and get seriously stroppy with the programme makers.... Is it just me or anyone else think the same?

I just watched the new Britain's Got Talent. Thought they were trying too hard to sensationalise every little thing but then the shock came.

A guy auditioned who said that he was there "...to entertain myself." Not blessed with the best of singing voices it suddenly struck me that his behaviour and way of communicating was strikingly similar to the way my own 7yr old ASD son is, (he also likes to perform whether invited to or not). Does anyone else feel uncomfortable been fed this as entertainment, happily served up by the judges, without (apparently) a thought that this guy may have a autistic spectrum handicap or other disability that we were expected to find entertaining?

OP posts:

2shoes · 12/04/2008 22:08

I must say that is did feel there was something not "right" about him(sorry not pc) it made me feel uncomfatable. ............in otherwords I agree that he came acrooss as if he had somekind of sn.
BUT we ask dailey for inclusion and for people to accept our dc's with sn. hard one but we can't have it both wasy.

staryeyed · 13/04/2008 10:24

I agree thought that myself it was horrible when everyone was laughing at him.

roastlamb · 13/04/2008 11:23

Well, people laugh at anyone who cannot sing well (I find). I think it's good that he was included.

staryeyed · 13/04/2008 11:25

They were laughing because he said the wrong things.

RTKangaMummy · 13/04/2008 11:28

it is a difficult one but I do feel that if he was told he couldn't be on TV then there may be uproar that he was discriminated against

but I also feel that if he is laughed at themn it isn't nice for him

but perhaps it was his families decision to encouragew him to go in for it cos they know him and know how these progs work

2shoes · 13/04/2008 12:46

i agree. I think it is down to the people close to the person to act. you can't expext a big tv show to know. also if he had been told he couldn't "perform" imagine the thread. tis a hard one.

misdee · 13/04/2008 12:53

i loved him. i loved how he carried on right until he got the final buzz and thought he was great.

jenk1 · 13/04/2008 14:14

yes thought the same thing, as soon as he started singing and his face when they didnt like him, i thought he had SN of some sort.

Original poster

TallulahToo · 13/04/2008 18:08

Thanks everyone. Think I've calmed down a bit now but won't be watching any more Simon Cowell money spinners from now on.

I posted the same message on MN under the Telly Addicts and got some responses there too.

This raised one more question though. My DS is 7 and wants to take part in the school (mainstream school) version of Stars in Their Eyes. He's clearly ASD and although I'm fairly sure the kids in school would not laugh AT him I am worried about the reaction of some of the other parents who will be paying to see it. Maybe they'll be like the license paying viewers of last night.

Maybe this is why I was so shocked by last nights TV and I feel for the family. Do I let my own son do it?

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NotABanana · 13/04/2008 18:10

I saw that and tbh I thought he couldn't hear because of the audience noise when Simon asked him questions. I didn't think he had SN but obviously I don't know.

2shoes · 13/04/2008 18:13

TT that is a hard question. I would like to think the adults would be kind......but I know that not all adults are.
very dificult descision.

jasper · 13/04/2008 19:13

TT I have no experience of children with sns but I saw this show and thought exactly the same.

oiFoiF · 13/04/2008 19:40

I watched it and thought he was fabulous, honestly. I think people actually really liked him. I know they laughed but there was something really endearing about him

I do have a child with sn too so do know it often sits too close to the bone

Original poster

TallulahToo · 13/04/2008 21:43

Sorry, don't know how to insert extracts from previous messages but has anyone any experience or thoughts on this...

"This raised one more question though. My DS is 7 and wants to take part in the school (mainstream school) version of Stars in Their Eyes. He's clearly ASD and although I'm fairly sure the kids in school would not laugh AT him I am worried about the reaction of some of the other parents who will be paying to see it. Maybe they'll be like the license paying viewers of last night.

Maybe this is why I was so shocked by last nights TV and I feel for the family. Do I let my own son do it?"

OP posts:

Thomcat · 13/04/2008 21:50

Oh, I thought he was having a laugh at them, as in the judges. It didn't cross my mind that he had SN's and I didn't think anyone was laughing at him.

RTKangaMummy · 13/04/2008 22:00

DS has hypermobility and Dyspraxia {with a problem with his left leg espexcially ~ he limps and runs lopsided and very slowly} and when DS was in primary school on sports day some of the parents were laughing AT HIM
and making comments about that he let the team down - he was and still is extramely determined and so kept going even though all the other children had finished the race ages before him

The other children were cheering him and shouting "keep going XXXXXXXXX you can do it!!!!"

I was very upset by the behaviour of the other parents some of whom knew all about his problems etc.

The next year to try to make the point to them about his leg and knee I put bandages on his knees - which helped his running but it made the point to him that he was trying his best and they did change their attitude towards him and didn't make horrible comments.

I realise that with ASD you can't put a bandage on your DS to make the point to them but hopefully the teacher will be able to come up with a way of him joining in

Hope so

The main thing is what does your DS want to do?

Join in under the spotlight or do something else? Backstage or props.

If he wants to do it then I would give him a chance to

Original poster

TallulahToo · 14/04/2008 21:17

Thanks Kanga. God! I'd have been absolutely furious with them. How did you deal with it?

I had one mum who complained to the teachers and other parents that it wasn't fair that my DS had one to one help when her little DD didn't get the same and that kids like mine shouldn't be allowed in school anyway! She's now a very lonely mum at the gates .

The headteacher thinks it'll all be fine and my DS desperately wants to do it so I guess I'm the only one that's nervous about it.

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