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Below is a post I read from another forum. (hope this doesn't get me into trouble). But I wanted to share and ask your opions as I think its a very thought prevoking and well written post.


Okay, controversial one here: today I want to talk about Big Brother contestants with disabilities and how this can positively (and unfairly) affect their chances in the show.

In today’s politically correct society, we like to shy away from any subject that may cause offence and place emphasis on the minority. In this series of Big Brother’s case, it is Steve and his disability.


Even though I feel this series’ cast is generally very strong, I do think that the producers’ decision to cast Steve was one of huge short-sightedness. It seems to me that rather than looking at his personality and potential to be an entertaining housemate they focused on Steve’s disability and his war hero status and assumed that this would carry him to the end of the series. To me, this is more detrimental than beneficial to the advancement of disabiled people.

By looking at Big Brother’s history, disabled housemates such as BB9″s Mikey and CBB6″s Verne Troyer have always lasted until the bitter end, but, despite what the housemates think, they have never won and I think that this is right. Of course, I have nothing but my utmost respect for those with disabilities, but Verne and Mikey did nothing really to warrant such a long stay in the house.


After the events of the highlights show tonight where Steve was downright hostile to new housemate Keeley, I hope that viewers can see past his disability and evict him the first chance he gets. Since his arrival in the House, he has become self-appointed Head of House who cannot be challenged (because any attempt to do so would no doubt be an accusation of prejudice against him) and he instantly feels threatened by the new housemate.

When Ben presented his controversial view on Britain’s involvement in the World Wars, Steve shamelessly used his war hero status as a way to placate him and make him feel guilty. Any self-respecting disabled person would not dangle their own disability around in order to get their own way.


As the sole source of common sense, Ben is frequently spot on with his opinions on Steve and is often shot down by his fellow housemates as a result. After suggesting that Steve might not be the most deserving winner just because he is an amputee, he was promptly warned by Dave that this could affect his popularity.


Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, but in the past, the public have always eventually seen sense and voted for the more deserving winner.


If we are to truly treat people with disabilities as equal, inside and outside the House, we must look past their disabilities to see the real them. In a strange, twisted, only-in-Big-Brother kind of way, it would be the best kind of equality if Steve were evicted to a rapturous chorus of boos because it would finally show that we can look past his disability and see his personality. A personality that isn’t deserving of winning.


Obviously a Discussion article can’t be a discussion without another opinion. I really want to know what you guys think of this one.


Source - http://www.insidebigbrother.net/arti...pathy-vote.ibb

Replies sorted oldest to newest

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it would be the best kind of equality if Steve were evicted to a rapturous chorus of boos because it would finally show that we can look past his disability and see his personality. A personality that isn’t deserving of winning.
Pretty much sums it for me... can't stand him whether he has two legs, no legs or twelve legs.  Edit to add.. I actually believe this may happen if the housemates actually put him up.   Davina of course will creep up his ass all the way through the eviction interview and tell him he was a great housemate, which he isn't.
Kaffs
I agree and I think most disabled people would agree, I have a son with a disability and all he wants is to be treated as an equal nothing else.  If he wins or loses be it on his own merits not because of his disability.
Mentalist
Steve's a dull housemate (although with a weird creepiness about him when it comes to women), and he'd be the same however many legs or eyes he had.
Mikey, as annoying as he could be, was far better value and his blindness had nothing to do with it. I still think his Elton John and Kiki Dee duet with Darnell was one of the funniest things I've ever seen in there.
Demantoid
Some of it I agree with some of it I dont. I dont think it's true that there has been this huge emphasis on his disability, especially from the Producers of the show. I also dont recall him using his disability to score points against Ben - I thought he was using the fact he'd served in the Army? I also dont believe Steve was cast mainly because he is disabled either.

I do agree that he should be judged like any other housemate and not be given any preferential treatment or be dismissed from bad behaviour solely because of his disability. Dunno about anyone else but I kinda forget he is disabled? (If that makes sense) I don't like his character (from what he has shown thus far - particularly his leering over Keely)

Whoever wrote this seems to be looking for things that are not there and clearly dislikes Steve as a person. Saying he 'should' be met with a chorus of boos is down to individual opinion, the author shouldn't speak for the masses. Sounds to me like the author wants to believe that Steve is holding the sympathy card, that the public will keep him in cos they feel sorry for him, that he should be met with a sea of boos. He's just listing his personal wishes really and from where I'm sitting it's not a balanced or informed opinion.
Karma_
I agree with the OP. As I have said before, I admire the way that Steve seems to have dealt with his disability, but that does not mean he is a good HM, or even that he comes across as a very nice person. Moreover, I wouldn't be surprised if the GBP voted him out if he was ever up for eviction, but sadly I don't think the other HM's will ever put him up.
Baz
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Yes, it was his scintillating personlaity wasn't it
Well he must have done something right! Do you think he was cast because of what happened to him? I honestly don't think so, I think maybe the Producers thought he would be an interesting character due to his experiences, but then who knows?
Karma_
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Sounds to me like the author wants to believe that Steve is holding the sympathy card, that the public will keep him in cos they feel sorry for him, that he should be met with a sea of boos. He's just listing his personal wishes really and from where I'm sitting it's not a balanced or informed opinion.
I know what you mean Karma, but with the eviction crowds nowadays, Ghandi would be met with a sea of boos.    So... if Steve's treated like anyone else, he should have them too (that's my take on it anyway).     I don't actually think the sympathy vote would keep him in (if he even has one!), but the fear of being seen to be voting against the disabled guy could keep him safe from nomination for a good while yet.
Kaffs
I think it tends to be the housemates thinking that anyone with disabilities should not be put up for nomination. Public opinion tends to range from some sympathy, to downright hostility that anyone with any disability has been chosen, with a good chunk in between that thinks they are just like any other housemate and will be judged on their personalties, not their disabilities.

Mikey, for example, was extremely unpopular for a lot of the series, and would have been voted out, until he started standing up to Rex the Twunt.

Verne Troyer tended to be confused with his film character, which was popular, until people started to notice that he was actually quite boring and sometimes quite nasty.

With Steve, we hardly noticed him, for the first few weeks, apart from the snoring. As soon as the newbies entered the house, we saw parts of his personality that were far from endearing, so that now he is coming across as a letcherous, controlling bully, at times. His lack of respect for his wife's feelings, when he openly expressed jealousy at Keeley and Ben sharing a bed, will have only made things worse for his popularity, which was never high in the first place.

I disagree about him 'dangling his disabilty around'. I don't think he used it, in his argument with Ben, but expressed anger at Ben disrespecting a previous generation, who had sacrificed a lot to save us from Fascism. I don't remember him even mentioning his own sacrifice, during the NI conflict.

In fact, the only times he has amused me, have been when he jokes about his amputations and makes light of it.
Blizz'ard
Tbh, I think they've all been a big disappointment this year.  They all give it large but when they get in the house, they all become little mice and don't say boo to a goose.  The only one who did was Shabby and she got evicted
Liverpoollass
i don't agree completely with the post, seems a tad biased to me, but then who doesn't have bias towards hm's, but let's not wrap it up as a pc debate, if you don't like him  then say so.

i don't like him either.
jacksonb
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Tbh, I think they've all been a big disappointment this year. They all give it large but when they get in the house, they all become little mice and don't say boo to a goose. The only one who did was Shabby and she got evicted
No, she couldn't hack it and left of her own accord.
Demantoid
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So... if Steve's treated like anyone else, he should have them too (that's my take on it anyway).
Oh I totally agree! Sorry, should have put that in. I don't think he's done anything worthy of winning and if the public have had enough, get him out when the chance arises. Whether he hops, skips or jumps down those stairs means not a thing to me!
Karma_
Reference: KArma
Well he must have done something right!
Karma, thats just it, I don't think he did.  In my honest opinion I think he was targeted for his disability and in fairness his ability to get on with life, which I might add is very admirable but certainly does nothing towards making him a nice or entertaining housemate.
Fairfax
Reference:kaff
Gandhi would probably end up slapping him around the head, swearing like a trooper and telling him to f off...
blahahahah...that's the part I'd got to aswell Kaff...and then ending with 'JJ you made me do that, I tried the peaceful approach but you wouldn't let it lie you son of a bleeeeeeep' 
suzybean
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Reference: I have this picture of him now... slapping him round the head with his sandal... Flip flop?

Damn site... yes, I tried to edit to say that he'd have to borrow one since he was always barefoot.... but I kept getting kicked out.
Kaffs

Reality TV ghouls target injured soldiers: C4 bosses spark fury by asking wounded troops to appear on Big Brother

By Paul Revoir and Simon Cable
Last updated at 12:48 AM on 26th December 2009



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...r.html#ixzz0u83PcYhW


Soldiers who have lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan are being targeted to take part in Big Brother.

The Channel 4 show's producers were accused of sinking to 'a new low for reality TV' in a desperate bid to make the last series the most sensational ever.

Army charities have been contacted by Endemol, the production-company behind the series, asking for 'case studies' of soldiers who are homeless or who have been injured in recent wars.

A senior casting director has even sent Facebook messages to soldiers who have had amputations asking them to appear on the show, which has frequently been accused of exploiting the vulnerable in the quest for viewers.

One of those approached was Trooper Stephen Shine, a tank driver with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, who lost a leg in an explosion in Iraq on April 6, 2007. His story features on the website of the Army Benevolent Fund, one of the organisations contacted by Big Brother.

The revelation will shock the public, coming a day after the Queen said the whole country owed soldiers, and the families of those killed in action, a 'debt of gratitude'.

In the last year, 106 British soldiers have died in Helmand and more than 430 have been wounded.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...r.html#ixzz0u83bUxxt
monkey13
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Me too sooozy! Anyhow, Steve looks happy enough in there, and it's his choice to be there so that's all I have to say really.
Very true .....he's as happy as the proverbial pig that he is. I wonder how many ex service amputees took up the offer to audition. It's all rather tasteless IMO.
Soozy Woo

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