Marlee Matlin says SNL crossed the line!
The Oscar-winnning actress was screaming over the show’s opening spoof New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg‘s sign language interpreter, Lydia Calas‘s VERY animated signing.
Marlee, who is deaf and is an outspoken member of the National Association of the Deaf, took to Twitter to express her disgust with the sketch, writing:
Millions of deaf people use sign. Why poke fun/fake it? Poke fun at ME but not the language. Would they do that to Spanish or Chinese? FAIL.
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) November 4, 2012
I’m referring to sign language parodies. Sign is not mime; it’ is a legit language. That’s why I developed an App #MarleeSigns to teach it.
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) November 4, 2012
Here’s my point. Deaf people HAVE a sense of humor. Ever see me on Family Guy or Seinfeld? But faking signs that we use isn’t the same.
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) November 4, 2012
Imagine if a show started making fun of Spanish (using fake Spanish) or Japanese. Do you think they’d actually get away with it? Uh, no…
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) November 4, 2012
That’s not a bad point!
Howeves, we don’t think the sketch is making fun of the language, they’re making fun of Calas’ way of signing.
This wasn’t making fun of the ASL, it was poking fun at the interpreter’s expressive style — like her accent. We all know SNL lurves laughing at accents. (DA BEARS!)
Press PLAY (above) to see a clip of Calas’ now-famous signing technique, followed by the “offensive” SNL sketch and make up your own mind!
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