Reality Show Morality: When is it OK to Laugh at the Mentally Disabled?

Last week's episode of Fox's reality show ratings loser (but yet, interesting show all the same) "On the Lot" tasked the 18 filmmakers to create a minute long comedy, one of which caused quite a stir with the judges and the audience. Kentucky contestant Jason Epperson presented his short "Ghetta Rhoom," in which a "nerdy" man's misguided attempts to fit in keep landing him into trouble. When the judges gave their opinions, Epperson was shocked to learn that they found his film disturbing because they thought the actor was portraying less "nerd" and more mentally disabled. And it's just not right to laugh at the disabled. The viewers voted the video into On the Lot's top 3 for the night.

And why shouldn't Ghetta Rhoom rank in the top? Why can't we laugh at the misfortune of a mentally disabled person? It certainly seems that in Reality Show Land, it's not just acceptable, it's a golden nugget of good tv. I'm not just referring to the outcome of On the Lot, I'm talking about other reality shows as well. How many times have we watched an obviously disabled (or at the least, troubled) person on American Idol butcher Unchained Melody only to be slaughtered by Simon Cowell? We all know not every contestant gets to be seen by the honorable panel of judges. When they go through that initial screening, someone had to decide to advance them on, knowing full well they did not have a snowball's chance of being the American Idol, just that they would have their dreams crushed and either throw a fit or cry. They're mocked for their appearances and style as well as the way they talk. And we laugh, because it's gosh darn good reality tv.

It's no wonder On the Lot filmmaker Jason Epperson confused "nerdy" with "mentally disabled." After all, reality shows tell us they're one in the same.

There are other sides, of course. Reality show producers will tell you that they didn't force anyone to be on the show, and they're right, they didn't. It's also true that not every bad audition is necessarily someone who is mentally disabled. You will get those who take rejection with style, those who are pompous and just plain jerks, those who are thrilled just to be on the show in the first place, and the occasional William Hung who will "She Bang" his way into a small, albeit very odd, career. But just because these arguments are right doesn't mean the practice is as well.

Reality shows like American Idol have the eyes of millions of viewers every week. They could be using this media power for good. Instead, they're solely focused on themselves, their ratings and their upcoming record sales. In the meantime, they're changing America. They're teaching us it's ok to laugh at the expense and pain of others, and no one, not even the disabled, are off limits. They're telling us it's ok to mock people because they look and act different. They're telling us it has no consequences, but it does. Occasionally it can have dire consequences and leave wounds that take a lifetime to heal.

America has just witnessed a tragedy at Virginia Tech where a young man felt socially ousted and ridiculed. Right now it seems we should be teaching the world to be more accepting, not more cruel.

I'm not even saying get rid of the "bad" auditions, but be more careful. If you really can't find anyone else out of the tens of thousands of auditioners who would make good reality tv without resorting to making a mockery of the disabled, then maybe you're not as good at your job as you think you are.

When is it ok to laugh at the mentally disabled, Reality Show gods? Is it ok when they've signed a disclaimer and put themselves in front of an American Idol camera but not ok when a confused On the Lot contestant makes a dark comedy?

It's never ok to laugh at the mentally disabled. Take a note from the Farelly brothers whose movies like There's Something about Mary and The Ringer featured mentally disabled characters that had us rolling. You can use the mentally disabled to make good comedy, but give them the jokes. Don't make a joke out of them.