Disabled actors: who needs 'em?!
Over the past few weeks here on Ouch, we've been asking you to nominate your Greatest Disabled TV Character (the nomination stage comes to an end this Friday 27 May, with the top ten being put to the vote soon after). Of course, one of the things about asking you to choose a character rather than an actual performer is that the actors behind the roles will end up being a mix of disabled and non-disabled people. It's going to be interesting to see how that balance pans out when we unveil the ten most popular characters.
In the meantime, though, the situation for disabled actors looks less than promising if the from Scope - as part of their campaign against disablism - are anything to go by. In answer to the question: "Do you think it is unacceptable for a non-disabled person to play the part of a disabled person in a drama or film?", an astonishing 78 per cent of respondents thought that, yes, it was acceptable, while only a third of respondents thought there were too few disabled people currently on TV.
Crippled Monkey wonders: so if the majority of the general public think there are quite enough disabled people on the telly, where on Earth are they seeing all the crips that are supposedly filling our screens? Is there some secret TV channel I don't know about, which shows programmes featuring wall-to-wall disabled people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Maybe someone's launched Ouch TV on the quiet, without giving me my own show? I think we should be told.
Comments
I think there should be more disabled actors and agree with Crippled Monkey on that. Back in the nineties there were disabled actors namely Mik Scarlet, Julie Fenandez and others like them. We need more disabled actors like the brilliant Paul Henshall to boldly put themselvesz forward for shows. Hmm.. Ouch TV sounds an excellent idea: can you imagine Mik, Damon and Vaughan doing it. They would be cool!!!
I guess you missed series 2 of The Office.....and The Heaven and Earth Show, The Wright Stuff....etc
I can assure you Julie is still very much in the acting business, although she does a lot of TV presenting.
Wasn't she the one from Eldorado? Has she done anything since then?
I want to update my first comment I made on this for Chris Page's benefit. I know Julie still does a lot of TV presenting . I am a huge fan of Julie's and Mik's but maybe I should write a show with Chris using disabled actors! What a funny idea that would be - and we're both in Hertfordshire!