seven areas of representation-ability and disability

In our media lesson today we watched a presentation and then learnt about ability and disability.
Firstly we watched a powerpoint presentation by Jack and Dan on how ability and disabilty and the views of this have changed over the years. Also what is considered socially acceptable in this case. They also showed how ability and disability is portrayed in different genres to create different respones about the matter. For example, disability is often portrayed in comedies, maybe because the audience may be confused as how to react to seeing a disabled character normally and using this in a comedy allows you to not have to take the guilt or sad feelings into account and to put a light hearted spin on it.

We then watched a stand up comedy clip by Ricky Gervais showing stereotypical and patronizing views on disabilities. First of all he makes it clear of his racial ethnicity; Egyptian, and uses patronizing phrases and tones such as 'poor little fella' making him seem less capable then any other 31 year old man. Ricky Gervais also acts disgusted at his disability when he worries it may be contagious, this shows how 'normal' people feel about it as they dont want themselves to be in that 'condition'. He then uses the term 'leg mental' the word mental gives negative connotations and being disabled is not linked to any kind of 'mentalness'. He then makes the assumption that the disabled man must be gay as he wouldn't be able to find anybody due to his state. Which of course isn't necessarily true. Near the end of the comedy, he asks the man if he wants him to read him a book implying childish characteristics and making it seem that the man needs the supervision and reliability of adults that a child needs.