I am not a dwarf (little person, whatever) and don’t know any personally. I don’t mean to offend, but I have a question.
Has anyone seen that TV commercial where the dwarf can’t get onto the rollercoaster so he uses the internet email group to call on all his little buddies to come attack the coaster operator?
Am I the only one who thinks that that commercial is offensive?
Haven’t seen it, but I just wanted to be the first to claim “Offended Dwarf Brigade” as a great band name.
I haven’t seen the commercial either, but I doubt I’d be offended. Has it gotten to the point that we can’t laugh at something ridiculous? The mental image I have is of a bunch of dwarves attacking a roller coaster. Should I have to apologize for finding that funny?
YaKnow, divemaster, you’re right.
When I saw it, I said to myself, “Boy! That has got to offend somebody!”
But I realize now that there is a big difference between me realizing that something might be offensive and me being offended by something.
YaKnow?
Because the subtlety of language is lost somewhat on a message board, I feel the need to emphasize that my questions were generated toward society in general, not at the original post or Original Poster.
I can get very cynical and frustrated over what I see in society, especially PC crap and thin-skinned people who get offended at every perceived slight.
Of course, if this post seems unnecessary, just see the first part of sentence #1.
Teach your kids to bungee jump.
One them might have to cross a bridge someday.
mangeorge and divemaster:
Am I missing something? 
Those little people are probably delighted to get the work and make some easy money. Acting in advertisements pays well doesn’t it? Dwarves have a long history of making a living in the entertainment industry. Remember the dwarves entertaining the crowd at the execution portrayed in the movie “Braveheart” ? Court jesters, “The Wizard of Oz”, “Fantasy Island”…the list goes on. While I’m sure there are lots of members of this visible minority leading normal lives - one of our local top selling real estate agents is a dwarf (which I think is defined as someone under 4’8") - they’ve always been able to grind out a dollar in show biz.
Remember back in the eighties when there was a big fuss about “dwarf tossing” in bars? For entertainment drinkers could pay to toss a dwarf wearing a helmet across the barroom into a net. The politically correct faction was outraged but the the dwarves involved were having fun and making money.
The advertising business is always trying to find new ways to catch and hold the consumers’attention. Whether they are using dwarves or supermodels doesn’t make much difference. Somebody is always going to be offended. Anybody out there under 4’8" with an opinion?
I haven’t seen the commercial in question, so I don’t know if it’s offensive, or funny, or both.
But if I were a dwarf, or midget, or whatever, I think I’d be getting pretty weary of always—and only—being seen as an object of fun or ridicule. Even when dwarves are used in “serious” roles (remember Night Court, and L.A. Law?) it’s always, “oh, isn’t that funny—a dwarf lawyer!”
I think after a lifetime of that, you’d get awfully dispirited.
I remember that fellow - it was great to watch Dan Fielding catch a ration when the guy turned out to be his boss.
I honestly don’t think that commercial is offensive - it’s about a guy fighting back against being an object of fun/ridicule and getting all his buddies to pitch in. I laughed my head off seeing the ticket guy tied up and gagged in the front seat.
All I wanna do is to thank you, even though I don’t know who you are…