On February 14, 2010, Fox aired an episode of Family Guy titled Extra-Large Medium.  Part of the episode revolved around Chris, the slower son in the family, developing a crush on a girl from school — a mentally “handicapped” girl from school.  At some point in the show the girl tells Chris that her mother is the former governor of Alaska, an obvious dig at ex-Alaskan governor, Sarah Palin.  Mrs. Palin has been the butt of many, many jokes and parodies, but this one stung a bit too close to home for our future Playboy posing politician the would-be Vice-Presidential failure.

On her Facebook, Palin wrote the following note:

People are asking me to comment on yesterday’s Fox show that felt like another kick in the gut. Bristol was one who asked what I thought of the show that mocked her baby brother, Trig (and/or others with special needs), in an episode yesterday. Instead of answering, I asked her what she thought. Here is her conscientious reply, which is a much more restrained and gracious statement than I want to make about an issue that begs the question, “when is enough, enough?”:

“When you’re the son or daughter of a public figure, you have to develop thick skin. My siblings and I all have that, but insults directed at our youngest brother hurt too much for us to remain silent. People with special needs face challenges that many of us will never confront, and yet they are some of the kindest and most loving people you’ll ever meet. Their lives are difficult enough as it is, so why would anyone want to make their lives more difficult by mocking them? As a culture, shouldn’t we be more compassionate to innocent people – especially those who are less fortunate? Shouldn’t we be willing to say that some things just are not funny? Are there any limits to what some people will do or say in regards to my little brother or others in the special needs community? If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday, they failed. All they proved is that they’re heartless jerks. — Bristol Palin”

- Sarah Palin

This comes on the heels of another retarded silly political slip of the tongue where Rahm Emanuel called liberal activists “fucking retarded.”  That oopsie-moment led Palin to call for Rahm’s resignation — all she got was an apology.

I did not watch the Family Guy episode, but upon first hearing about all the hubbub, I though that maybe, just maybe Palin finally had a right to be perturbed.  Then I watched the episode.  Did you know that in the episode, the mentally disabled character is portrayed as not only completely self-sufficient, modern and capable, but that a parallel is made poising her to be more “normal” than Chris, the character without Down Syndrome?  Sure Family Guy took a dig at Palin, but not her son, not really…  You see the dig in question was a mere association — the character had a mental handicap and was compared to Sarah’s son, but at no point did Family Guy rip on the Down Syndrome community (?), in fact they made an argument to the contrary.  Mentally handicapped people may be retarded, but their not helpless.  It’s that association, the one linking mental handicaps to utter uselessness, that are truly offensive.

I want to answer Bristol directly.  I don’t know how the association of your brother with a strong-minded character who has the same condition but manages to be perfectly capable is making his life “more difficult,” could you explain that?  As a culture you feel as though we should be more “compassionate,” that’s admirable.  Compassion is defined as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering” — how better to alleviate the suffering then to show that it is not as debilitating as most people think through comedy and laughter?  You’re also right when you say that some things aren’t funny, like Rosie O’Donnel and Carrot Top, but Family Guy is fucking hilarious.  There should be limits to what people say about those with special needs (including your brother), and even your mother, but this instance of “mockery” has not yet approached those limits.  And when you say “particularly pathetic show” what do you mean exactly?  Family Guy has been on for a very long time and while I don’t agree with everything on the show, I do respect it’s longevity and success and can’t seem to understand what makes it “pathetic.”

In 2005 Johnny Knoxville made a fairly terrible movie called The Ringer, where he portrayed a a character who fixes the Special Olympics.  Much to my chagrin, I actually enjoyed moments (“when the fuck did we get ice cream?!”), but what I found truly admirable about the film was that most of the actors were actually mentally handicapped individuals.  They saw the humor and loved being a part of the film.  Most of the complaints regarding the film were from “normal” folks “defending” the rights of handicapped people everywhere.  Yeah, right.  I have a feeling that most of the mentally disabled kids and adults in The Ringer had the time of their lives.  The truth is that groups of people who cry foul every time the word “retard” gets used are actually reinforcing stereotypes, not helping them.

Should we be sensitive?  Sure.  But let’s not get crazy here folks.  Palin isn’t defending her son, she’s using the light her son’s condition has made and throwing her soapbox right in the center of it all.  Her son wasn’t attacked.  Not even Palin was attacked.  Family Guy made a reference.  They had a character with down-syndrome and compared that character to another figure in the public eye who has the same condition.  That’s it.  Have you seen Family Guy before?  Their humor is based almost completely on associations, some times they’re good, other times they’re bad, but either way it’s only an association.

I’m not defending the right of Hollywood to be insensitive — their are lines.  If Family guy aired an entire episode centered around Trig (Palin’s son) and did nothing but mock him, then I would have an issue here.  They didn’t.  They aired a show that made light of a very unfortunate condition that is often misunderstood and a veritable soft spot in American society and drew a distinct parallel between the character with said condition and the failed idiot-politician that is Palin.  Here’s the thing: Since they didn’t actually talk any shit at all about Trig, why do you think they did it?  Do you think they knew it would draw all this attention and boost ratings/viral videos of their show?  You bet your ass.

The word “retard” stems from the medical term “mental retardation.”  It is only derogatory, like all words, when used with the purpose of offense.  I know that some people believe that the use of the word should be void everywhere, but that’s just silly.  Things can be underdeveloped and immature, thereby retarded.  Personally, I’d be more offended if people started saying things like, “That’s so Down Syndrome.”

Lighten up folks.  The world isn’t as mean as you think.  Retards aren’t as dumb as you think.  And before you start bitching, watch the whole episode — otherwise you’re talking out of your ass and speaking without full understanding, this makes your argument incompletely informed, half-cocked and underdeveloped.  In other words, fucking retarded.

**UPDATE:  Andrea Fay Friedman, the actor who portrayed Ellen, the mentally handicapped girl, on the Family Guy Episode in question, is, in fact, mentally handicapped.  She has this to say in an email, distributed by her father:

My name is Andrea Fay Friedman. I was born with Down syndrome. I played the role of Ellen on the “Extra Large Medium” episode of Family Guy that was broadcast on Valentine’s day. Although they gave me red hair on the show, I am really a blonde. I also wore a red wig for my role in ” Smudge” but I was a blonde in “Life Goes On”. I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm”.

In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes.

Until next time,

Mr. Wolff

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