Did 'SNL' go too far with its Gov. David Paterson skit?

Gov. David Paterson didn’t think the "Saturday Night Live" skit poking fun at his blindness and admitted drug use was very funny at all.

The skit had "SNL" cast member Fred Armisen doing a scarily spot-on impression of the governor during the show's "Weekend Update" segment. Seth Meyers had to help him turn his chair to face the cameras. Armisen’s Paterson later returned to wander in front of the camera during Amy Poehler’s farewell.

Click here to see Amy try to say goodbye.

"I can take a joke," Paterson told the Daily News on Sunday. "But only 37% of disabled people are working, and I'm afraid that that kind of third-grade humor certainly adds to this atmosphere."

In the skit about the governor's choice of a replacement for Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armisen's Paterson pointed out that he became governor after Gov. Eliot Spitzer's prostitution scandal.

"Whoever is appointed senator must -- like me -- be caught totally off guard and be comically unprepared to take office," he said. "Come on, I'm a blind man who loves cocaine who was suddenly appointed governor of New York. My life is an actual plot from a Richard Pryor movie."

A spokesman for the National Federation of the Blind also slammed the "SNL" skit.

"The biggest problem faced by blind people is not blindness itself, but the stereotypes held by the general public," spokesman Chris Danielsen said. "The idea that blind people are incapable of the simplest tasks and are perpetually disoriented and befuddled is absolutely wrong."

Paterson's spokesman Errol Cockfield Jr. said "the governor is sure that 'Saturday Night Live,' with all of its talent, can find a way to be funny without being offensive."

NBC declined to comment on the show and the skit. Natch.

What do you think? Did "SNL" go too far in making fun of a blind politician? Or is everyone fair game?

Comments

[Sebastian Clay Kinsey]

...it seems people repeatedly seem to forget what 'freedom of speech' actually MEANS. sure, this skit may be of questionable taste, but if you want to keep spewing out about how we're supposedly this great "Land of Freedom", then try pretending for a moment that you actually understand what that means and what it most certainly will include.

[Susan Stewart]

This is not funny; it is mean. As a mother of an adult disabled child who is not blind but has another disability, I am particularly offended when people mock those who are not as fortunate in their physical abilities.

[totie]

Tasteless, maybe;
Mean-spirited, no;
Good SNL, yes!

Paterson was unprepared for
the job. He is probably
still clueless. Hopefully,
he's clean.

We have to stop being
so sensitive about our foibles,shortcomings &
disabilities.

[indigenius]

clearly- actors/artist/media are always accused of going to far...when it is always the politicians, the CEO, and the BLO's going to far and throwing us all under the bus...

the only panacea for this sinking ship are the artist that risk everything to call attention to injustice-everyones.

stop crying. the real problems are happening to all of us.

[Chris H]

It was un-PC, and quite funny. The Gov' should lighten up.

[joseph]

Being PC is a joke now. The country has gone too far when a doctor can't tell a patient that they are fat and need to lose weight because the person who hasn't seen their toes in a decade might get hurt feelings. Thousands have people have commented on articles like this all year. Talk about millions of dollars of wasted productivity. Way to be overly sensitive Americans. Get back to work and stop the recession!

[MikeyC]

Of course the skit went too far. But what can you expect? SNL has been off-key for a while now; they stopped being funny years ago.

[william Peace]

The SNL skit was offensive. Humor has a place in society but humor based on the bigotry associated with disability is simply not funny. Paterson is correct--I expect more from SNL.

[Dr. Tara Cortes]

LIGHTHOUSE STATEMENT REGARDING SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKIT CONCERNING GOVERNOR PATERSON
By Tara A, Cortes, PhD. RN
President and CEO
Lighthouse International

“Lorne Michaels, the cast and writers of Saturday Night Live should know better. In their skit of Governor Paterson they crossed the line between parody and pandering to demeaning stereotypes.

Governor Paterson, like all elected officials, should be judged by his actions. To use his disability as the focal point of comedy is in very poor taste. We applaud the courage it takes every day for people who are blind and visually impaired to live productively and effectively. Saturday Night Live has taken a cheap shot at that courage. When Governor Paterson assumed office, Lighthouse International, along with many advocates for people who are visually impaired, shared a sense of pride that progress had been made in dispelling stereotypes. SNL has set that progress back. They should issue an on-air apology.”

Founded in 1905, Lighthouse International is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to preserving vision and to providing critically needed health care services to help people of all ages overcome the challenges of vision loss. Through services, education, research and advocacy, the Lighthouse enables people with low vision and blindness to enjoy safe, independent and productive lives. For more information about vision loss, its causes and what you can do about it, contact Lighthouse International at 1-800-829-0500 or visit www.lighthouse.org.

[Johnny Sanchez III]

SNL has attacked hispanic public figures for years. Why was that okay? This skit was funny and about time too. SNL has been bombing for years.

[Tombo]

Comedians have been making fun of the disabled for thousands of years. Hundreds of comediens used to make fun of Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles. It was all taken in a sense of fun. The only thing that was bad about the skit was that it interruped Amy Poelher's farewell speech. I thought THAT was tasteless and rude not to let her say a proper goodbye.

[Lewis]

Sebastian,
This is a question of taste, not of the freedom of speech. No one is claiming that SNL should be prohibited by law from doing these type of sketches. Legality and appropriateness are completely different issues.

[tommy]

What a moron. No one can joke about anything anymore. 6 billion people can complain about sensitivity. Is he a communist that free speech isn't allowed?

[george]

SNL is still corny. It has come alive this season but will fall back to it's same rut.

why do they repeatedly have white comedians doing impressions of black public figures while the one black at time is a background player. The black actor is never given a leading role on the show.

the last black of note is eddie murphy. none since then. Chris Rock wasn't given much light either.

So this is the show you want to culturally sensitive.

Good luck with that !!

[Jack Jones]

Most all good comedy is offensive by nature. Yes the skit is offensive, it was also VERY funny. Keep up the good work SNL and don't be phased by the poo poo crowd.

[Leslie]

It was hilarious, loved it, stop whining and get a sense of humor, there are real problems to worry about in the world

[Brad]

Tommy and Sebastian are imbeciles with really low intelligence and are incapable of understanding what freedom of speech is and what it is not.

The question is one of appropriateness, not permission, not about PC, not about communism.

Patterson doesn't seem bumbling or unqualified. That's why the humor misses the mark -- his blindness is pretty irrelevant to his qualifications for office. So, it seems they were simply making fun of blindness in general, quite apart from how it relates to the governor.

If we want to relate this to PC issues, when is Armisen going to drop the minstrel stuff?

[Suse]

Freedom of Speech is just that! Stop being so prickly about every little thing.

[the_turk]

i think there's a difference between laughing at a spot-on impersonation and a disability.

[DHN]

It's hypersensitive reactions like this that perpetuate negative stereotypes about disabled people.

[Independent]

Those who aren't creative enough to help us laugh at ourselves have always relied on bigotry, racism, or tasteless attacks on those who are different to get a reaction because it's an easy mark. Just another sign that SNL has suffered from real talent for some time.

[Paul]

If the guy hadn't had a cocaine problem, they likely wouldn't have done a skit at all.

[Ogel]

It would seem the gov of NY wants people with disabilities to have preferential treatment. I was under the impression that the handicapped wanted to be treated just like anyone else, equal. Maybe Patterson should not be a gov. at all. If he needs special care because he is legally blind, then maybe his qualifications for gov are also handicapped. SNL may have poor taste, but that is what SNL is. Get over it Mr. Paterson, either you believe you are handicapped or not. If you are handicapped then quit your job and go live with others who believe that they need preferential care because they have a disability.

[chris]

i didnt see the show, but just reading about the skit had me laughing...i think people need to lighten up a bit.

i guess it kinda sucks that gov. paterson felt insulted, but it was funny. c'mon!!! lighten!!!

[Rob]

No. It was funny. People need to lighten up.