David Paterson

So, after searching very, very hard on the internet and not finding anything, I decided to hack David Paterson's email. If you are not aware, David Paterson is the New York governor and is also legally blind. SNL recently made an "offensive" skit involving him, making fun of his blindness. Now I present you David Paterson's email response to NBC and SNL.

Dear NBC and writers for Saturday Night Live,

I am very offended by your recent skit involving me. I have not seen it personally, but I have heard the details of it and I am not amused. By casting me as a bumbling oaf, you have given America simply another stereotype about the blind. Yes, it's true, I have bumped into my share of things, but I'm sure you have too. I was informed that your skit involved me holding a graph upside-down but that would never happen. I always have somebody else hold my graphs for me, make my powerpoint presentations, or anything else visual so that I do not find myself in a similar gaff. If you wanted to have an honest representation of myself, you should have had that shrill harpy of a Weekend Update co-anchor help me with my presentation. Also, whenever I am on TV, or at least when I'm told I'm on TV, I do not move. This helps me avoid moving into the way of the camera. So the physical comedy that you made at my expense would have been moot.

Now, I am not opposed to comedy. Just not ocmedy about myself. I would not be adverse to skits involving myself, just please don't make fun of my disability. I have some pretty interesting skit ideas that could use my blindness in funny, but not offensive ways. One skit could involve me meeting Eliot Spitzer's hooker and not realizing that she isn't his wife, because I'm blind! Funny, huh? Or, I could walk into the governor's office and start talking to Spitzer while he is attempting to become intimate with his hooker but I don't realize it because I'm blind!

See, public figures can be used for comedy without being mocked, humiliated, or ridiculed. I would like to continue hearing about your hilarious sketches from friends, but not if it continues to offend myself or other disabled people.

Thank you,
David Patterson

Dictated to Ashley Alexandra Dupré or Kristen