I saw a clip from Conan. Take a look at the first 32 seconds.
It was meant to be funny. I get that. To Conan diabetes is a joke.
This morning Conan didn't wake up at three AM, test his blood sugar and find out he was 403. He didn't look at the result, look at his insulin pump and realize he was disconnected for hours and on his way to DKA.
He has never had a low blood sugar and fainted.
He doesn't solve an algebra equasion before every meal. Bolus = (x -- y/z -- a) + n/k
To him a Gusher is a type of fruit snack, not 10 blood soaked paper towels after removing a bad set.
He has never run out of test strips during an electrical storm, or worried about keeping insulin cold after losing power.
Losing a foot is an abstraction, not a reality he might one day have to face.
To Conan diabetes happens to fat people who deserve their fate. It doesn't happen to babies and toddlers. Or young kids. Mothers and fathers don't have diabetes. Only people who don't matter. People on the margins of society. People who deserve to be bullied.
Mr O'Brien, I have diabetes. I didn't deserve it. I live with it. It's hard. I prick my fingers 10 times a day. I worry about how every bite of food will effect my body. I live with a kind of vigilance you will never know. Diabetes kills more people than breast cancer and AIDS combined. If you wouldn't laugh at someone with breast cancer, or AIDS, don't laugh at diabetes. It's not a joke. It hurts a lot. You hurt the millions of brave people who get up and deal with diabetes every day. I didn't deserve to be laughed at. I deserve your support. Diabetes is already hard to live with. Please don't make it harder by laughing at me and taking pleasure in my pain.
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I have always disliked Conan - I try not to use the word HATE but I have now decided to make an exception for Conan and his idiot writing team. What an awful spoof. I hope he gets the hate mail I plan on sending and I pray he recognizes his horrendous error in judgment and publicly apologizes. What a dumbass. Thanks for bringing it to my attention Marie - when I get an address to mail hate mail to I will share it. Hugs friend.
ReplyDeleteWurd!!
ReplyDeleteI actually love Conan and think that he is very funny. I am also usually the first person to defend a comedians right to try to be funny. I generally feel that comedians should be given a certain amount of slack because the good ones are pointing out some vulnerabilities and make us a little uncomfortable at times.
Being the butt of a joke is never fun, but it is especially not fun when it is based on inaccurate information like this.
I'm torn about this because, like you, I'm not an over-weight lazy person that deserves diabetes. And to me, this isn't a game.
Thanks for your perspective!
I love humor. What I don't enjoy is bullying disguised as a joke. People living with diabetes deserve compassion, not ridicule. It's hard enough already.
ReplyDeleteWhat you said, Marie!
ReplyDeleteAgreed Marie! I used to like Conan and I also think that I have a pretty good sense of humor but I think that this went way over the line.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Conan should watch Baby Lucy get a set change. Maybe that will change his mind about how funny diabetes is.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zf6xp1qSPo&feature=plcp