Thursday, May 26, 2011

Equivalent Slurs? Glee PSA Compares “N-Word” To “Retarded”

There are some words you just don't hear on network television - and a PSA airing during last night's "Glee" used them all.

The uncensored video, filmed as part of the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign to put a stop to the use of the R-word, featured men and women of different minorities firmly telling viewers it is never acceptable to use a slur.

"It is not acceptable to call me a n-----," a black man says earnestly into camera.

The 30 second spot went on to include a Latina woman who says, "It is not acceptable to call me a s---"; an Asian woman a "ch---"; a gay man a "f--"; or a Jewish person a "k---."

The jarring PSA ends with "Glee" stars Jane Lynch and Lauren Potter, who plays a character with Down syndrome on the show and herself has the condition, compelling viewers to put an end to the R-word.

"It is not acceptable to call me a r----- or call yourself or your friends r------d when they do something foolish," Potter says.

"The R-word is the same as every minority slur," Lynch adds. "Treat it that way and don't use it."

Fan reactions on Twitter were mixed, with some praising the candid message, while others were left angered or confused by the use of the words.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! They did not just use the N word in a glee commercial! That is a no no word that is not to be compared to the word r-----," writes @amandabodene.

@ShawnaDarko tweets, "Love the Glee commercials against bullying, although using the n word on national television did sort of shock me."

"Glee just said "n-----", "s---", "c----", "f--", "k---", and "r------d" in a commercial... didn't even know they could do that," writes @Jacob_Grice.

And @jjarmoc was simply shocked, "Wow...I'm flaberghasted."

R-word.org, the organization behind the campaign, asks visitors to pledge on the site that they will stop using the R-word as "hate speech" and will encourage others to do the same.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2011/05/26/2011-05-26_glee_psa_uses_uncensored_minority_slurs_in_attempt_to_stop_use_of_the_rword.html#ixzz1NUSBIzAo

No comments:

Post a Comment