Tuesday 7 October 2014
The Inbetweeners - disability in media
Why is the clip funny?
The clip may be interpreted as funny, as according to Paul Hunt the misfortune (disability of others) can provide pleasure to the more able. This means that non-disabled people find pleasure in laughing at disabled people and have done since Greece. Another way in which the clip may be considered funny is that it the situation is awkward meaning that some may not even consider the reaction of the girl funny but the reaction of the more able male as more funny. The disabled girl just plays a part in this, as she justifies his reaction.
How is the dissbled girl being represented?
The disabled girl is being represented in a humorous sense, she is also represented as child like and pathetic.
Are we supposed to laugh at the disabled person?
No, we aren't. We are supposed to laugh at the whole situation and not individual aspects. The woman only plays a part in the whole situation and isn't the entire joke.
Are they the "butt" of the joke?
I personally would not consider them to be the "butt" of the joke and instead just a part of it, the "butt" of the joke would be considered by me and many others to be the able male and the situation he gets into. The disabled female only plays a part in the overall context of the joke.
How do you think disabled people respond to this?
I think that many disabled people will understand that the joke is not targeted against disabled people and will therefore "get it". Some disabled people however, as with any situation won't. These are usually newly disabled people that are not yet comfortable with their condition and thus may find the joke offensive and respond aggressively.
Are we as a society cultivated to think that we should pitty the disabled?
Up until very recently, yes we were but nowadays we are very much told that they are equal and should be treated with the same respect and in the same fashion as you would treat a physically able person. An example of this is how it is no longer classed as acceptable to neal down when talking to a person in a wheelchair as it makes them feel inferior.
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Whilst I agree with some of your points, I would have liked you to explore the idea that, even though we laugh at Will's silly and awkward behaviour, the reason it's awkward in the first place is because (however much we say this isn't the case) the disabled person in the clips is represented as inferior, child-like and pitiable, linking to Paul Hunt's theory around stereotyping of disabled people.
ReplyDeleteThanks for you're comment, I agree tat i should of explored that idea, i can amend it if you wish.
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