Obnoxiousness rears its ugliness

Not only that but you have utter and total ignorance when you have a hearing person complain about deaf people who sign and the interpreters they use.

Whats with these cocky a** sign language people these days? It started with Mayor Bloomberg’s Sign Langauge [sic] Sensation Lydia Callis. Then we had that bro who looked like Don Flamenco signing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. And then just last night Feitelberg blogged that chick who looked like Morty Seinfeld signing at Menino’s blizzard press conference. All these f****** think they’re the belle of the ball! The star of the show! Well guess what you deaf a*******, it ain’t all about you! F*** you and the deaf horses you rode in on. Some people are trying to listen to Bloomberg to find out pertinent information after our city was decimated and nobody can take their eyes off the a****** who’s putting on a puppet show with her hands. I’m trying to time the National Anthem for the over/under and I’m losing count because this guy is doing his little deaf people dance the whole time. Does anybody in the city of Boston have any information on the impending blizzard of doom? Probably not because all they could focus on was the old broad up there signing like shes was a rockstar at some big old deaf concert.

Any emergency announcement on TV can be heard and not miss a thing regardless if there's an interpreter signing. An interpreter will not somehow magically block the spoken word for hearing people.

I have a message for the complainer since his/her world is crumbling because of some interpreter signing at an emergency announcement with a Mayor or whomever into a context that a hearing person would understand:





For those who missed John Maucere (the "Don Flamenco" guy) signing the National Anthem, here it is again.  Enjoy.

Is having an interpreter 24/7 really that important?

Having a sign language interpreter available 24/7 is nice and necessary in some instances but not necessarily in all instances. There comes a time when a deaf person relishes his/her own independence and freedom on communicating with other deaf and hearing people on a more individual and personal basis.  Although sometimes I get the feeling that some deaf people purposely use an interpreter as a way to create this "wall" between  themselves and hearing people rather than finding a way to deal directly with hearing people. Or it could be the simple fact that they are overly reliant on such interpreters and do not really know how to break away from that kind of mindset. The same can be said from the hearing person side as well when it comes to using an interpeter. Eye contacts between a deaf and hearing persons get reduced when interpreters are used. Ironically, interpreters become the focus during the communication process between deaf and hearing people.  I believe this type of interactive dynamics provides a limiting personal relationship and understanding to develop.

There is a common occurrence depending on a particular situation where deaf and hearing people would experience a common fear called, "communiphobia" - the terrifying fear that sets in when deaf/hard of hearing individuals and hearing individuals attempt to communicate with each other.  And as a result of that fear many deaf people rely exclusively on sign language interpreters which helps with the communication process but still can act as a barrier between deaf and hearing persons where bonding and better understanding become limited. Bonding and understanding are done better when individuals share the same language while communicating in real time such as ASL to ASL, or speaking English to English, or, in this case with the UbiDuo, writing English to English. 

If you watch Noah Bucholtz's Part 2 Series on how he communicates with hearing people you will see how personal bonding on creating friends occurs on a much more personal level using the UbiDuo to communicate in real time rather than be dependent on using an interpreter. More eye contacts mean more "human-like" connections that have more meanings during real time, interactive conversations. The importance of having personal, interactive, real time conversations without a third person creates a welcoming atmosphere. The realization of unlimited potential when a communication barrier is removed. This potential was realized for Peter Downey who was promoted 3 times because he was able to use the UbiDuo on a daily basis where he works at Sam's Club. Using the UbiDuo allowed him to increase his interaction with his Sam's Club customers, co-workers, and supervisor. Peter now supervises his group of employees. All without the need of having an interpreter 24/7.  So, ask yourself this question, is having an interpreter 24/7 really necessary in every instances?  Maybe ask these people that question the next time?

Privacy or No Privacy...that is the question.

Ah, sign language interpreters can be great to have around and they do have a code of ethics regarding confidentiality on discussions between lawyers and their clients,or between doctors, nurses or dentists and their deaf patients. But sometimes that's not enough for some deaf people when all they want is to have absolute privacy without the need for a 3rd person tagging along and listening in on all of the intimate details which can get awkward. They want the full and accessible face to face conversation in real time and not worry about the lack of privacy or trust issues. How is this possible? The answer is surprisingly simple and there is a choice on this matter, too. For example, in some centers like the St. Luke's Women's Center in Missouri they offer opportunities to allow deaf patients or clients use their UbiDuo Face to Face communication device to have private, in depth conversations with their doctor or nurse and not miss a beat. Sure beats writing boring short sentences with pen and paper. And to boot all conversations using UbiDuo are automatically saved for future reference, too. So, if one is available on the counter at your doctor's or dentist's office, why not go ahead and use it. It's certainly better to relish the complete independence and privacy than to rely constantly on a third person, your sign language interpreter, in every facet of your life when the alternative is already available.

There are a variety of circumstances when the use of an interpreter would be appropriate, at other times circumstances would dictate the need for privacy or the emergency use of the UbiDuo Face-to-Face communication device like getting a doctor's appointment at the last minute when getting an interpreter would have been impossible within 24 hours. Why delay an appointment just because an interpreter is not available? I'm sure you get the picture by now. Is it privacy you want? Is it the convenience? Is it the real time conversation with the ability to record you want? Look no further than using the UbiDuo, the only patented real time face to face communication device on the market today.

In a long nutshell....the fake terp controversy

Sign language interpreter Lydia Callis became an internet viral sensation for her signing at a Bloomberg's post-hurricane media conference. So who or what shows took advantage of this internet video sensation?

Chelsea Lately.

Saturday Night Live.

Ron Stewart on the Comedy Central Show.

And probably few others out there we don't know about yet.

But here's in a very long nutshell the fake terp controversy, and, why is Marlee Matlin so indifferent about Chelsea Lately's own joke using her own "sign language interpreter" sidekick who didn't know an ounce of sign?

First, Lydia Callis signs for the deaf what Mayor Bloomberg is saying at a post-hurricane press conference.

The capturing of Lydia Callis signing on YouTube went viral. People watching are not used to seeing an interpreter up close using such expressive signs. This, of course,  became comedic fodder.

On the Chelsea Lately Show Chelsea wanted her own "politically incorrect" sign language interpreter "sidekick" for her comedy skit using a fake terp which failed miserably (watch the video). Not a single recognizable sign was made during the comedy skit except for perhaps the universal sign for being an idiot as seen in the picture below the comedian, Heather McDonald.

The Chelsea Lately's skit angered many in the culturally deaf community except for Marlee Matlin who is seen by many as the "ambassador of the deaf."

There were two other so-called "politically incorrect" comedy skits which quickly followed suit after Chelsea's on taking advantage of the very expressive Bloomberg's sign language interpreter.

Saturday Night Live (watch the video).

And Ron Stewart on Comedy Central (watch the video starting at the 5:43 mark)

The SNL version actually had a person who knew some actual signs and many were passable signs which was at least a nod acknowledging the existence of sign language. Although it was used in their own preferred way ladened with visual sight gags and exaggerated signs. The Jon Stewart show had an "interpreter" but was used in way to segue into the "wanking off" and "crying" part, a visual gag easily recognized by the audience to mean a familiar sob story heard a thousand times but nobody really cares about. Not really an area to cry foul about "making fun of sign language." I believe "wanking" is a universal sign anyway.

But, surprise! Marlee objected and fumed in her tweets about poking fun at sign language although she doesn't specifically mention about SNL or Jon Stewart. Yet we can safely discount the fact that she didn't complain about the Chelsea Lately's faux pas terp gag.

Looks like Marlee Matlin sure pushed hard to advertise her new "Marlee Signs" phone app between her indignant responses about mocking sign language. Nothing about Chelsea Handler though but not a wonder since three years ago Chelsea Handler on her show was seen pimping Marlee Matlin's new book, "I'll Scream Later"  (watch the video). I'm sure that must've protected her *wink* *wink* from Marlee's wrath 3 years later in that terp gag gone bad in one of Chelsea Lately Show's comedy skit.

They had a lively chat with a real interpreter in tow that was, of course, mostly blocked by camera angle and, of course, no online captioning. Captioning advocate anyone?

Marlee was indifferent about the terp gag on the Chelsea Lately Show but the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) certainly fumed with indignance wrote three letters to the Chelsea Lately Show, SNL, and Jon Stewart "Comedy Central" Show *demanding* an apology!

*Insert laugh track here*

Marlee Matlin poo poos comedian Heather McDonald imitating a sign language interpreter on the Chelsea Lately Show but back in August 2009 she had some choice words in Twitter for Heather regarding her character on the show "The L Word" (watch the video) when Heather mocked Marlee by using a "deaf" voice and pretending to sign.

4:27 PM Aug 16th. So doing Chelsea Lately on Weds. And on the show bout year ago Heather McDonald made fun of me (my voice) Should I address it, make a crack? Or should I be above it? The show is bawdy..pretty much no holds barred..but hey, I got an Oscar and Heather doesn't so thats enuf said? I'm tempted to say when I walk on Chelsea that @mcdonaldeather can kiss my deaf a** but then, I'm an Oscar winner and she's not.

Hmmm...interesting reference of being an Oscar winner and that Heather has none.

But interestingly on November 8, 2009, two months later after her tweets about Heather McDonald, Marlee appeared with Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy and comedian Alex Borstein who did a "tribute" by making fun the "ambassador of deaf people" Marlee Matlin's deaf voice.  Marlee was, of course, party to that skit by pretending to be angry about the mocking of her deaf voice.

Watch the captioned video below.



That skit did raise a lot of ire from deaf, hard of hearing and even the hearing community for making fun of her voice handicap, impairment deaf voice. But Marlee told people who complained about it to "lighten up" since it was aimed at Marlee and not at deaf and hard of hearing people way of speaking.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you become involved with this special?
MARLEE MATLIN: I had been in touch with Seth MacFarlane’s office to ask him to let me use my own voice in the segments where they had a cartoon character based on me. After all, I have an Oscar and Alex [Borstein], who voiced me, doesn’t. God knows, I would have done a far better job of playing me than her.

Geez, there's that Oscar reference again noting that Alex Borstein doesn't have one.

Marlee continues,

As a very visible member of the hearing-impaired community, were you hesitant to be involved in a skit like this?
No. If I were, I wouldn’t have ever done Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Howie Mandel’s hidden camera show, My Name is Earl and this show. And it’s why I’m developing a very politically incorrect and very funny show for Showtime with Mario Cantone and Carol Leifer (who, BTW, wrote my episode for Seinfeld).

Were you aware that Microsoft withdrew its advertising from this special due to its controversial content?
Yep. That’s their right. But I had a hard time believing that they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into when they said they’d sponsor a show written by Seth MacFarlane.  What were they expecting? Sesame Street?

Did you find any of the other controversial jokes in this special to be offensive?
Offensive. No. Sick, very. But that’s Seth and Alex. Humor comes in all forms and everyone has their cup of tea about what makes them laugh. But the day we censor humor is a sad one for sure. All I gotta say is, “Lighten up, people.”

I guess being a part of Seth Macfarlane's skit along with Alex Borstein was Marlee's way of showing up Heather McDonald that she can, too, be a comedian and be able to poke fun at her own deaf voice in a politically incorrect way.

Don't give up your day job, Marlee.  Oh wait a min... never mind.

All in all, I suppose we need not to try and censor the Chelsea Lately Show for Heather McDonald's humor for a bad imitation of a sign language interpreter? But, gosh durn it, we'll certainly try and censor SNL and Jon Stewart on Comedy Central for daring to mock sign language! Maybe Marlee Matlin need to "lighten up" about SNL and Jon Stewart's own brand of using a sign language interpreter humor since she said a few years that "humor comes in all forms and everyone has their cup of tea about what makes them laugh.

Sure.

Now, tell us, Marlee, in a nutshell, exactly what would be the "wrong way" of doing a deaf joke for hearing people? Or would censoring be preferred?  The hypocrisy is deafeningly loud so, please, turn it down, Marlee.

Interpreter sidekick II, Saturday Night Live's version

If you haven't seen it there's another comedy sketch on SNL using a fake sign language interpreter signing at "Mayor Bloomberg's" meeting with the press.  Some signs are recognizable but it looks like she had a crash course in sign language just for this comedy skit.  Is this better than Chelsea Lakely's comedy skit on using her own "interpreter sidekick"?  Even tho in the SNL's version the interpreter exaggerated a lot with her face and body and even threw in some recognizable signs. Although the next interpreter was an Italian one using Italian gestures to "translate" what "Governor Christie" is saying. Which ones is better or worse? Any complaints on this one here?

A captioning question.....

How come at a live political rally there is a sign language interpreter next to a person giving a speech who is running for office in front of thousands of people but no real time captioning nearby?

That's something to think about.

You have about 600,000 culturally deaf people (adults) who use sign language as their main mode of communication but you also have some 38 million people with hearing loss ranging from mild to profound who do not know a lick of sign language. You have about 6 million people who have difficulty hearing in the 18 to 74 age group, a rough estimate. But if you include those over 74 years old the estimate jumps to about 10 million as a total for those 18 and older.  There are about 200 million people in the United States in the 18 to 74 year old age category, an age group of those who are most likely to attend a political rally.  So that means 1 out 33 people in a large crowd listening to what a person is saying on stage at a political rally will have difficulty hearing what's being said vs 1 out 333 people who may be culturally deaf attending the event.

For example, in a crowd of 10,000 people attending a political rally you may have 300 people in the audience who will have trouble hearing or understanding what's being said versus perhaps 30 culturally deaf people who may be in attendance. I think it is a disservice to those who attend a rally but have trouble hearing what's being said with no access to real time captioning. Some have requested CART services at rallies (see page 5) yet this should be done automatically, within reason if it's not cost prohibitive, without the need to ask just as sign language interpreters are sometimes automatically provided.

The real hidden and silent majority of those with hearing loss are not the culturally deaf people but those who don't sign and have trouble hearing while relying on their hearing aids. In time this will change for the better on providing better communication to all those who need it.