ABSTRACT
In 2010, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin criticized the show Family Guy for the portrayal of a character with Down’s syndrome accusing the show of making fun of her young son, Trig. The voice actor of the character, who has Down’s syndrome, said that the show was not making fun of Trig but his mother and that the former governor doesn’t “get the joke” (Itzkoff 2010).What followed was an interesting, and sometimes heated, public discussion between Palin and Family Guy producers. Down’s syndrome advocates such as Gail Williamson, executive director of the Down’s syndrome Association, argue that asking for, “full inclusion in the world, we should appreciate full inclusion with other genres. Even if those genres are not what we appreciate” (Itzkoff 2010). Could Itzkoff’s argument indicate a case of “any publicity is good publicity” for disabilities in the media? Fortunately for Family Guy producers, this discussion waged on and further explanation was given regarding the character, but not all television shows have the ability to explain their side to the general public. So, what if there are other portrayals where viewers do not “get the joke?” What are the ethical implications of these ‘inclusive’ portrayals in the media?
