Gameshow pits disabled people against healthy people, called "count your blessings"

New game show would pit disabled against able-bodied

Broadcasters in Hong Kong have been accused of bad taste by planning a gameshow where disabled contestants compete against able-bodied people.

RTHK says it is seriously considering commissioning the show - called Count our Blessings.

It has been devised by China Entertainment Television Broadcast chairman Robert Chua Wah-peng, reports the South China Morning Post.

A team of three players - two of whom must have visual, hearing or speech impairments - would compete against a team wearing dark glasses, mouth gags or headphones blasting out loud music.

Mr Chua claims the show will promote people's understanding and support for people with disabilities.

The Movement Against Discrimination has described the concept as very dangerous, adding disabilities are no laughing matter.

Spokesman John Tse Wing-ling said: "By artificially separating the disabled from the normal people you are going against the movement of trying to include them into our society."

But some disabled people in Hong Kong say they are keen to sign up for the show.

Wang Kai-fung, of the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf, said: "Maybe at first we will be put on the spot and laughed at but I don't care. Sometimes we just need to play a game and relax."

Hong Kong Blind Union chairman Leung Kwok-wing added: "We are not being exploited or patronised. I hope when they see us laughing they'll realise that we are just having a good time."

[Infrared]

While I agree this is in bad taste, does it say at all if all contestants will volunteer willingly?

If the disabled and healthy have no problem with it, why should it be a problem, both being willing participants?

[hepkatmama]

i think it is arrogant for healthy people to assume that it would objectify the disabled.

lordy did u consider that the disabled ppl may do significantly better in this sort of competition against healthy ppl who are not accustomed to being blindfolded, etc.???

everyone assumes its gonna be a lets laff at the gimps reality sho.

but if the disabled regularly triumphed over the abled, the show would rock.

unfortunatetly the producers were probably hoping to objectify the disabled and work millions of wacky sound bytes from their show... if the disabled always won they would probably cancel the show.

someone needs to make a made-4-tv action --> olympians vs. special olympians (i would pay $ to see that!!) instead of segregating the olympics, put the special action in between figure skating and archery.

[[aNNa]]

well, i don't know... i mean as long as they simulate
the same disabilities in the able-bodied contestants..

atleast they won't have the advantage they would
have if there was no handi-cap.

and if it's voluntary..

he can be accused of bad taste, but i don't see
any real wrong doing.

"Sometimes we just need to play a game and relax."

i'll go along with that.

i bet if they simulated the disabilities on able-bodied people, the truly disabled people would totally kick their asses.

they've potentially dealt with their disability for longer, and have learned to utilize their other senses to more of an advantage

[Infrared]

Exactly Anna.

I mean, look at Survivor, Fear Factor, hell...even Joe Millionaire.

All these willing contestants up there to gain popularity, win money, win a construction worker, and do some sickening and painful shit for public air time.

It's their choice, and others find it amusing. I'm not agreeing that it's amusing, but some find it so. I don't see anything inherently wrong with it.

coughJerrySpringercough

[[aNNa]]

lol.. a_a

i think the disabled people would have
the edge in this situation, because they
had to live with their afflictions for years
and years. they're used to it and they
know how to use it to their advantage.

while the able-bodied participants
would probably be stumbling all
over the place.

if anything, it would:
1) make me laugh at the so-called 'normal'
people and,
2) cause me to gain more respect for the handi-capped
and their ability to adapt and overcome.

[[aNNa]]

Originally posted by WarLord
The increasing objectification of humanity is troubling to me. The more we accept the idea that people are there for our amusement, the more innured we become to what Lincoln called "the better angels of nature".

Maybe I'm wrong here, but it seems as though everyday we more comfortable as a race of looking at other people as objects for us to use for our own ends rather than individuals worthy of respect until proven not worthy of it.

i really don't see that happening here.
i think it was meant to be a fun thing.

we treat men as objects.
we treat women as objects.

but we never say "gosh" for them.
we just say, that's how society is.

so now one of those men or women
who happens to be blind is treated as
an object and we say "gosh" because
he or she is blind?

i really don't see how this is any different
from fear factor or survivor or those
'let's get married' shows that clearly
exploit men and women.

to me, it's just another show.
i agree, it's getting out of hand, but
i also wonder, what types of shows
in this day and age go out of their
way to NOT cater to 'normal' people?

very few.

we should let them have fun.
if they thought it wasn't right in
any way, i don't think they would
have volunteered. maybe we are
reading too much into it.

[hepkatmama]

people make me laff

cause they are phunny ha-ha only sometimes

but regularly phunny hmmmm

so i objectify those i observe

technically

but i recognize that they do not exist merely for my amusement

that is just icing baby

[xryptic]

Originally posted by WarLord
And who said the Chinese don't value human life?

This is indicative of the general low value placed on people in Communist China.

Hong Kong is becoming more and more like its current rulers in Beijing.

If you think that's bad you should see some of the degrading shows that go on in Capitalist Japan.

Click Here to see poor Nasubi's plight.

[Infrared]

Originally posted by xryptic
If you think that's bad you should see some of the degrading shows that go on in Capitalist Japan.

URL]

Takashi's Castle is da bomb yo! lol

Poor Nasubi!!! that's some cruel shit!