ROSIE O’DONNELL’S AUTISM “JOKE”: A CORRECTION AND AN UPDATE.

On March 5th, I posted a blog discussing an especially vile, unfeeling “joke” Rosie O’Donnell made about her children, while speaking before a women’s group.

Key excerpts:

This past Sunday, she was at Caroline’s in Manhattan, doing a turn for an event sponsored by the Women’s Equality and ERA Coalition.  And this is what Ms. O’Donnell thought would be appropriate material for that gathering:

“I had four teenagers when I decided to adopt a newborn baby. You might ask why.  I needed to remind myself that I actually do love children, because I would trade each teen for autistic triplets. I’m just saying I would.”

Do you find that funny?  I know I don’t.  And neither did the audience, some of whom, according to article in the New York Daily News (no paradigm of good taste in its own right) spontaneously gasped.  Ms. O’Donnell’s answer to that reaction?

“I’ve got some spectrum kids. Shut the fuck up.”

…what effect will it have with people who have autistic children?  Do you think they laughed at her “humor”?

And what effect will it have on her children – the ones who still have to face schoolmates; the ones who might have a brother or sister, or cousin, or member of a friend’s family with autism; the ones who were personally compared disparagingly to autistic triplets by their own mother?  Did Ms. O’Donnell think about that for even a second?

…if Rosie O’Donnell had any class (a definite “if”), she would have already apologized for what she said.  Profusely.

I will be surprised – very surprised – if an apology is ever made.

First, a correction:  Her comments were not made the Sunday before March 5th, they were made on Sunday, February 7th.  I apologize for the misinformation.

Now an update:  It is over a month later, and a google check (the first three full pages) generated one article from the New York Daily News and one on yahoo.com.  Absolutely nothing on ABC, or NBC, or CBS, or the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, or any of the other usual mainstream media suspects.

As for any “apology”, according to TMZ.com, this what she had to say:

“Although it was not my intent to hurt people, I realize I did.  It was my fault.

“I have 2 children with spectrum disorders.  I am aware of the challenges and stigma associated with autism.”

That is as close as she got to saying “I apologize” or “I’m sorry”.  Those words, so far as I can tell, have never been said.

According to the TMZ article, after hearing about this “joke” a representative of the National Autism Association called Ms. O’Donnell “A piece of dog shit”.  That is entirely understandable.

The only real “joke” here is mainstream media…which have, again, protected Rosie O’Donnell (as they protect other hard-left show business personalities) from being nailed for this latest sick outrage – one which would summarily end the career of any political conservative, in or out of entertainment, who ever said the same words.