Autism Group Demands Apology From CBS Over "Retards" Remark On "Big Brother"

NEW YORK -- A national autism advocacy group is demanding an apology from CBS over a disparaging remark a contestant on the reality show "Big Brother" made about people with the disorder.

John Gilmore, executive director of Autism United, said Monday that his group has been trying to speak with CBS executives since last week's broadcast.

On that episode, a contestant named Adam, who claims to work for an autism foundation, said he would spend his winnings on a hair salon for people with developmental disabilities "so retards can get it together and get their hair done."

His partner, Sheila, told him: "Don't call them that."

Adam responded: "Disabled kids. I can call them whatever I want. I work with them all day, OK?"

Watch:

The show's Web site describes him as a 29-year-old public relations manager from Delray Beach, Fla.

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There was no immediate response Monday to a call seeking comment from CBS.

"Big Brother" also has been condemned for contestants' remarks on incest, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Some contestants have been removed following incidents that were deemed violent or racist.

The premise of the show is that contestants _ or "houseguests" _ are isolated from the outside world while under constant surveillance. Once a week, they vote to evict a member of the group.

When just two people remain, a jury of voted-off contestants picks the "Big Brother" winner of the $500,000 grand prize.

Autism is a complex disorder featuring poor social interaction and communication skills.

___

On the Net:

Autism United: http://www.autismunited.org/

Big Brother: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/bigbrother8/

Comments

[zannamar]

When you censor hate speech, it just goes underground. I say let people say what they want so that everyone knows who the haters are.

[MissingAmerica]

I take offense to his comment as well, and it's obvious those to whom he was speaking were equally offended. It would seem, however, that a show such as this is not going to be bringing out the politically correct Mensa members, so these people are going to offend. That fact that the others called him on his comment shows that he proved himself to be the mentally challenged one. He proved himself to be an ass. For that comment, I apologize if I have offended our four-legged friends whose ears are bigger than this guy's brain.

[jailo32]

The problem I have with his remark is not the insensitivity of it, but the stupidity of it. As someone who works with children with autism, they are NOT necessarily mentally retarded. Many children with autism are of normal intelligence or above. If he really worked with these kids, he would know that. My problem is perpetuating an untrue stereotype about autism spectrum disorder.

[Bulbul]

That word is as offensive as some four letter words. CBS shoud have deleted that from the show. I never watch those kind of degrading shows, but I understand these shows are taped , edited and then played. So what was the reason for broadcasting that ?

No excuse there for CBS.

[chaz]

Calling someone a retard can be offensive especially if that person is retarded. Just like calling a fat girl fat if indeed she is fat. But we are talking about "Big Brother" not Fox News.

[jimmytripps]

What this guy said was idiotic and insensitive. However, are we to believe that the people on "Big Brother," or indeed any other reality show, are supposed to be viewed as paragons of human values. No, they are insipid trainwrecks waiting to happen. Why should CBS have to apologize when the inevitable happens and one of them jumps the rails a bit?

[FDRbyGodDemocrat]

On a brighter note, I think Adam just got his ass fired from the autism foundation. (If he really works for one. I find it hard to believe they would hire someone with such wonderful verbal skills.)

[LeonBNJ]

Why didn't someone at CBS censor this term out? Perhaps the best thing to do is to 'vote him off the island' for his insensitive remark. Better would be to ditch such horrible programs and use the time for programs people need to be good citizens or be entertained in less offensive way.

[pakaal]

Reality TV, by definition, is an uncensored look at the best (and more often the worst) that the average person says and does every day. Censoring Reality TV is defeating the entire premise of the genre!

Disclaimer: I haven't, don't and wouldn't watch any of these shows if you paid me - I get plenty of reality in daily life, don't need to watch TV for more of the same.

[SunlakeDude]

I've watched Big Brother for several years but think it has deteriorated into a pile of trash. Last summer's show ended with a washed-up, over-the-hill, mid-life crisis, over-pierced and over-tattooed rocker winning the game. He verbally abused almost all of the other houseguests and yet CBS allowed him to stay in the house. Worse yet, fans of the show appeared to like him and his "strategy" of playing the game.

[GeoNorth]

The only thing that this show has going for it is, it's got no writers. It's cheaper for the network. It's also known to rot the minds of viewers.

[oogabooga]

It's so retarded to get all worked up over this. Like the ESPN chick's comment about the golf player, or the TV guy's joke about Chelsea, or Imus' crack about the girls basketball team. Unbelievable overreactions, hypersensitivity and silliness all around. To all of you PC people out there, get some therapy to find out why you have such a low opinion of yourself and then build up some confidence in yourself. They you'll worry much less - if at all- about what others say.

[Prot]

PC Police Full Throttle

[DavidAF]

In terms of popular belief, the comment was stupid. Just like most titles or phrases in todays language, they were altered because people started "crying" over words. Retard was the correct definition for mentally handicapped people and now it means so many "joyful", "gee golly willikers" things now. There are too many sensitive groups or organizations and all it really does is blind or make ignorant, reality.

[ergoth]

dumb comment, no doubt.

as was one of the trashy whores proclaiming, " i've never seen an uncircumcised penis, i wanna see one!"

why were either of these idiotic statements edited into the show?

because the producers are scum. last year's winner, a degenerate piece of filth, is proof of that.

[Mort]

Making a federal case over this is just... retarded!

[tiedtothewhippingpost]

Right. Retard still means, people that do dumb things. Like my brother. He's not mentally impaired, but boy does he do some dumb things, and that causes me to call him a retard.