I'm Spazticus

Loving it.

"Should I stay or should I go?"

Not my thing.

I did an "ah..." when I saw the paralysed dog.

I'm rather enjoying it too. Hasn't wowed me into fits of laughter, but it seems more intelligent and well-made than many similar shows of late.

Don't want to sound like a killjoy but I found this distasteful and I don't like the idea of the public being put in that really awkward situation. Although it is a show for disabled people themselves it actually smacked of exploitation of them to me, what I saw of it. Much better to give them their own sitcom or sketch show I'd have thought than this sort of cheap prankshow crap.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ August 21 2012, 7:44 AM BST

Don't want to sound like a killjoy but I found this distasteful and I don't like the idea of the public being put in that really awkward situation. Although it is a show for disabled people themselves it actually smacked of exploitation of them to me, what I saw of it. Much better to give them their own sitcom or sketch show I'd have thought than this sort of cheap prankshow crap.

I think you're supposing that "members of the public" aren't disabled.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ August 21 2012, 7:44 AM BST

Don't want to sound like a killjoy but I found this distasteful and I don't like the idea of the public being put in that really awkward situation.

I have to agree with this, to a certain degree. I thought the public in the Olympic torch sketch looked rather distraught.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ August 21 2012, 7:44 AM BST

Don't want to sound like a killjoy but I found this distasteful and I don't like the idea of the public being put in that really awkward situation. Although it is a show for disabled people themselves it actually smacked of exploitation of them to me, what I saw of it. Much better to give them their own sitcom or sketch show I'd have thought than this sort of cheap prankshow crap.

Interesting view.
The public are usually put in awkward situations in prank shows.What's the difference between a non disabled participant prank show and a disabled particiant one? Not sure why you say it's a show 'for disabled people themselves' or what makes it distasteful. I thought it was a mainstream show.
They had a choice about appearing in it; that doesn't smack of exploitation to me.

'Much better to give them their own sitcom or sketch show' Better for who?

Why not include 'them' in mainstream sitcom & sketch shows? No reason why a disabled person can't appear in any prank show, not just one where disabled people instigate the pranks.

I'm not a fan of prank shows, I didn't find it very funny, but not because there is a disability element to it.

I remember reading in the Guardian a while ago about how various disabled performers walked away from this show. After feeling bullied by the able bodied producers into doing things they weren't comfortable with.

Quote: Loopey @ August 21 2012, 9:53 AM BST

Why not include 'them' in mainstream sitcom & sketch shows? No reason why a disabled person can't appear in any prank show, not just one where disabled people instigate the pranks.

Quite!

Quote: sootyj @ August 21 2012, 10:06 AM BST

I remember reading in the Guardian a while ago about how various disabled performers walked away from this show. After feeling bullied by the able bodied producers into doing things they weren't comfortable with.

Quite!

It's a shame it's still such controversial subject. On Jon Snow's Paralympic Show last night I was dismayed by how he cut off the guests, talked over them and didn't seem to actually listen or respond to what they said. It left me wondering why it's called his show. Why not The Paralympic Show with Jon Snow, or presented by Jon Snow. I don't think we had Matt Baker's, Sue Barker's, or Hazel Irvine's Olympic Show.

I watched about half of it. Cheap, lazy and not very funny.

Quote: Loopey @ August 21 2012, 9:53 AM BST

The public are usually put in awkward situations in prank shows.What's the difference between a non disabled participant prank show and a disabled particiant one?

The huge difference is our ettiquette to the disabled is being strongly challenged and we cannot react as we would to the able bodied. When we are being played with in public view by a disabled prankster it puts us in a difficult social position, to put it mildly.

When social protocol has it that we treat disabled people with respect and dignity, and then they play a cheap prank on us, with their disability as the centrepiece of the practical joke, then this social protocol is severely compromised or even subverted. To me, this isn't a very nice idea. The bits I saw, the victims or onlookers looked very uncomfortable with it but still showed dignity to the pranksters.

But what happens when they prank some lesser person who treats them with disgust and revulsion and tells them what they think of them? Will they screen any like that??? I doubt it, but at the core of the idea, it seems this is what the show is attempting to provoke.

Quote: Loopey @ August 21 2012, 10:18 AM BST

It's a shame it's still such controversial subject. On Jon Snow's Paralympic Show last night I was dismayed by how he cut off the guests, talked over them and didn't seem to actually listen or respond to what they said. It left me wondering why it's called his show. Why not The Paralympic Show with Jon Snow, or presented by Jon Snow. I don't think we had Matt Baker's, Sue Barker's, or Hazel Irvine's Olympic Show.

Why is it presented by John Snow?

The Olympics was mainly presented by former athletes.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ August 21 2012, 10:20 AM BST

The huge difference is our ettiquette to the disabled is being strongly challenged and we cannot react as we would to the able bodied. When we are being played with in public view by a disabled prankster it puts us in a difficult social position, to put it mildly.

When social protocol has it that we treat disabled people with respect and dignity, and then they play a cheap prank on us, with their disability as the centrepiece of the practical joke, then this social protocol is severely compromised or even subverted. To me, this isn't a very nice idea.

Again, got to agree.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/hate-crimes-against-disabled-people-soar-to-a-record-level-7858841.html

our respect wouldn't seem to be so great....