YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

When I was a kid, I stuttered.

A certain animated pig made fun of stutterers. The voice actor profited (at least financially) from trying to reduce my dignity.

Sorry animated pig and voice actor.

You guys sadly failed. Fail fail fail.

But hey, at least they made a Best Picture about making fun of a guy who stuttered!

Wait...what?

The movie was about the triumph of the human spirit in overcoming the adversity of a speech impediment?

Yikes.

It sucks to be an animated pig on the wrong side of history and human dignity.

Oink oink.

I stand by my post above from a few hours ago. It was how I felt, and I feel better for having said it.

It also exposes, within me, hypocrisity:

I find Porky Pig stupid, an attempt at demeaning, and not funny.

I find Jimmy from South Park funny, because he has, to my ears, an authentic stutter.

So it is not about stuttering. For me it is about healing and making amends.

And morally I am no better than Mel Blanc:

For a year I worked for the retail division of the Cleveland Indians. While the name enough is bad, Chief Wahoo is reprehensible to me:

Who has skin that color of red?
Who has teeth like that?
Who has eyes that shape?

So I am offended, so piously hurt by Porky Pig when I profited by selling items with Chief Wahoo?

Today I wouldn't wear or buy anything with Chief Wahoo. Instead I am left with questions: How do I make amends for selling that shit?

I guess the other lesson, offered without irony or snark, is to take internet posts with a grain of salt. Truthiness is not guaranteed.

Thanks for listening.

One of the comedians at a show Paul was part of for the Bridgetown Comedy Festival was Drew Lynch. He developed a stutter when he was 20, so definitely different and something he can't grow out of, but does stand-up. At first I thought it was just an act -- and apparently a lot of people still do -- but he was fucking funny. Just of his own merit. Yeah, he had some jokes hinging on his stutter, but only a few. I don't know if he's offended by Porky, but he has "quoted" him on blog posts where his stutter isn't apparent. Maybe you could say Drew is profiting from his disability? That might be a stretch, I dunno.

I guess Porky and the Chief are caricatures and the world's full of them. I don't think your feelings are any less valid because you helped perpetuate one.

I was going to comment, but Chel, as usual, said it much better than I ever could have! All the best to you, Oak. This forum greatly benefits from saying these thoughts out loud, so never apologize for keeping it honest, Oak!

I feel the same way about RJ Mitte's portrayal of Walter Jr. in Breaking Bad. He has CP yes, but it isn't as bad as the character and acting extra symptoms seriously pisses me off. It's fucking terrible as is you don't need to add a stutter and leg braces you over acting hack! midway through season one I wanted that character gone from the show so badly.

Agreed, ghughes; so hacky.

I like how Calculon skewers such overacting.

This empty chair thing is a good idea thanks for posting about it.

I find Jimmy from South Park funny, because he has, to my ears, an authentic stutter.

I would guess the other reason Jimmy isn't offensive is that unlike Porky, Jimmy is not the butt of the jokes. He's far wiser than the adults around him and the kids don't treat him any different because his disability. They don't even treat Timmy differently. South Park is brilliant because Matt and Trey get stuff like that and do it right.

I'm instantly reminded of Jimmy's Jay Leno impression "did you see this, did you hear about this?" as the opening to his act.