What's the basis of t he SNL/Paterson dustup?

[Stinky The Clown]

Shuster just mentioned it.

I find SNL mostly lame and never watch it (except when Tina Fey was on as Palin).

[notadmblnd]

1. it's not the SNL of the 70's that's for sure.

I don't watch it either. If they do happen to have a good skit, I catch it on my slide through the inter tubes. I caught that too, so we'll see when it comes back on.

[Dennis Donovan]

2. Fred Armisen did a (IMO) dead-on impersonation of Paterson...

...and Paterson wasn't amused (in fairness to our goofy gov, the impersonation included some blind jokes).

[spanone]

3. patterson is obviously thin-skinned about his disablility

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. As I would be as well.

Definitely not cool to make fun of a disability.

[Peregrine Took]

10. I agree it was stupid and very cruel. n/t

[rurallib]

4. I think they did a bit on Patterson a few months back and

took an uncalled for swipe at his blindness. Didn't see it, just remember hearing about it.

[aquart]

6. You didn't see it but you know it was uncalled for.

It was a dead on impersonation and reasonable fair game, just like Bush's clumsiness or Blagovich's hair or Gore's boyscout blandness or Hillary's pantsuits. Gov's legally blind. Should we pretend he isn't?

[HardWorkingDem]

9. Don't think it is the same sort of "fair" game as the examples you listed...

Hillary can change her pants, and Blago can get a haircut. I don't agree that a person's blindness is automatic fair game - maybe if a person used a disability for their own blatant furtherance.

And I'm not saying the skit wasn't funny - it was sick-funny and something that used to be done.

[rurallib]

11. Ah, jeez, I was repeating what I recall Patterson said.

I am so sorry I didn't watch it and give a second by second detailed description.
However, let me say that my wife is disabled and sometimes has quite a bit of trouble getting around. If I saw someone do a 'dead on impression' of her to elicit laughs, I am fairly sure I would be fucking mad.

[Coexist]

13. I thought it was funny.

[HardWorkingDem]

7. Not once, but at least twice...

About two months ago they had the one actor show up as Patterson during the SNL news skit and had him facing the wrong way and holding up placards and documents upside down.

Then, the had him finish his part and had the character wandering around the news studio while on a cell phone. At one point he shows up in front of the camera out of focus.

Then about a week or two ago they had a new skit with the actor portraying Patterson again.


It was a skit like SNL used to do - very, very questionable, but sick funny. Myself, I was shocked they did these two skits.

And unlike one of the other posters here, I don't think his blindness is "fair game" like other things.

[jayfish]

8. Anyone Got Any Circus Tickets?

:rofl:

Jay

[kwassa]

12. I thought it was pretty offensive when I first saw it

It was not a satire based on who Patterson is as governor, it was simply mockery of blind people. SNL attempted to portray him as a fool simply because he is legally blind.