A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of - Etheses - Queen Margaret ...

What‟s going on?
Emma Bowler recently cited Deal Or No Deal as a positive example of TV‟s increasing
incidental inclusion of disabled people (Bowler, 2009: unpaged). Having watched Rhys‟s
Game more times than I care to remember I have to question whether this is really progress.
Rather I would argue that Edmonds, Rhys, the studio audience including his mother, and the
other contestants, are actively involved in reinforcing the cultural myth that disabled people
are tragic victims.
Speaking of Leon, who described Rhys as an inspiration, Ali said:
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you can argue about that guy who says that... he‟s just any old guy... they‟re just
naive and say stupid things... I think it‟s just a crock of shite coming out his mouth...
I don‟t blame him because he‟s not... it‟s like he hasn‟t been brought up in a world
where... he probably hasn‟t been around that many people who are disabled... it‟s
just like his way of going oh well... you‟re not like me, so... I don‟t blame him in a
sense because he‟s not been brought up around people who are disabled...
(l.3:292ff.)
While Young has stated that relations of structural oppression between social groups do not
always fit the paradigm of conscious and intentional oppression of one group by another, she
emphasises that she is not denying that specific groups are beneficiaries of the oppression of
other groups and thus have an interest in their continued oppression (Young, 1990:41).
While Leon, Sandie, or any of the other participants surrounding Rhys in Deal Or No Deal
may not regard themselves as actively re-enacting and materialising disabling social relations
within popular culture, this is what is happening. In celebrating Rhys‟s rejection of
impairment as a valid life experience or basis for identity, they reaffirm their own normality.
Rhys performs the disabled role in his rejection of impairment as something there is anything
to be gained from. He is confirmed in this role both in the pitying glances and in the praise
he receives for his determination to be cured.
Sarah remarked that:
You‟re constantly like reminded of the treatment element there... it‟s always... it
creeps back in... when you think they might actually move away from it, it creeps
back in... and I think that‟s like... him... but for the audience as well... it‟s like
constantly reminding them this is what this person‟s about... (l.3:394ff.)