Was it Acceptable to Mock Governor Patterson on SNL?

[ILADVOCATE]

There's been a lot of controversy about the fact that Governor Patterson of New York state was mocked on Saturday Night Live for being blind. He made public statements against it. I haven't watched that show in a while (somewhere to me in the early 90's it stopped being funny and ran out of ideas). But if anyone saw it perhaps they'd have a better grasp of what happenned. I know that show satyrizes everything so I'm wondering if people felt that one went too far or it was just within their humor and its an over reaction. I'm interested in that specifically, not the governor's politics and because he is one of our few governors with a declared disability and the only one in history who is blind. Was SNL making light of his disability? Or just part of their same old, same old and you believe he over reacted? How would you feel if you were blind? Or if you know someone who is what do they think? I'll back off from my opinion until I find some way to catch up with that particular episode.

[Thypatient]

He seems to have done the most amount of joking about his own situation, so it's a little surprising.  But like he said after, he can take a joke but fears it might open a door to making it okay to jeer other blind citizens.  Perhaps he'll now do some rethinking on what he himself says.

BTW - He's not the only governor in history to be blind:  

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/14/first-legally-blind-governor-not-quite/?hp

Thanks for the thread.

(Oh, how I hope he doesn't annoint...er, I mean...appoint what's-her-name to be Senator.)

[babyprayers]

making fun of him is not funny, howver the man is an idiot, he is killing us here in new york state, wants to make an obesity tax and tax soda etc.. then tax gym memberships etc.. raise the gas tax, and took money from healthcare and medical, I dont know maybe he knows what he is doing time will tell. sigh.. its hard enough living now, without all this increased tax, maybe its time to move to another state      

[Cherie762]

People with dissabilites want to be treated equally... there is a big difference between making fun of and a little humor..no one said oh hahaha you was born blind.

speaking of humor who else loves Carlos Mantina that guy pokes fun of everyone hes hilarious...we need to laugh too much sorrow and worries.he really jokes at stereo types its just funny

[alienshadow]

Well I think it was funny just because the guy himself pulls pranks on people.

[gwmclean]

I dont think that making fun of someones disability is something that should be incouraged, this man is in PUBLIC office.  Why should he be given special treatment?  SNL was making fun of the man, not his visual impairment.  Anytime anyone devotes themselves to public office, they should know that the media may make fun of them.  I'm sure that there have been plenty of editorial cartoons done that feature the govenor.  Have we heard any fallout from those?  

[Cherie762]

you know what I got a brother in law born blind the guys almost a genius,,,he says snl is ok to mock the govenor,,,,they mock all sorts of people if the specifically picked on the blind or any other group then it would be a problem...Jollys right they tore Sara up and she joined in the spirit of it and used it to her advantage,,,what do they say any publicity is good....the govenor is over reacting.

[jollyman069]

was it ok for them to mock Sara Palin.. it seems to be the thing to do these days make fun of public officals. they put there lives opened up to the public and then ppl think it is ok to make fun of them. SNL, has been doing it since the Gerald Ford days. It makes you think why someone would want to open theirselvs up to such stufff