Amid all the recent fuss over insensitive TV shows and inappropriate uses of the R-Word, I haven't heard a peep about a show that used the R-Word several times in an episode earlier this month. I finally caught up with the February 4 episode of USA's Burn Notice (starring Jeffrey Donovan, pictured) last night, and was surprised to hear the word "retard" flung around.
And also not surprised, because the word was clearly being used as a way to brand a particular character as a bad guy. Insensitive, evil, the type that would pretend to befriend a person with cognitive disabilities and then call him names behind his back. The regular characters, our crusading good guys, were clear in their contempt for the R-Word user and his attitude. I guess that's a step forward -- R-Word use as shorthand for "nasty jerk."
I also liked the fact that the character of Dougie wasn't a helpless disabled person in need of rescuing but someone who had made an independent life for himself, had a job where he was trusted, and despite taking a dangerously long time to realize that the people who he thought were his friends wanted to kill him, in the end fought back to help save the day.
Did you see that episode, way back early in February or on DVR time-delay like me? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Yes, I saw the show. Although I would have preferred they not use the word at all, the fact that the “bad guy” did made him “more bad” in my eyes!!
Lindsey Petersen
http://5kidswdisabilities.wordpress.com