Saturday 14 January 2012

"It’s behind you!”

‘It’ being the affronted parent, of course:
The 55-year-old funnyman, who lives in Rossendale, said seven-year-old Sebastian Pautsch, who suffers from autism, was in a group of children who were invited on stage during a performance of Aladdin at Preston Guild Hall last month.

Mr Robbins admitted suggesting the little boy’s behaviour was unusual, but said staff had failed to mention that he had autism.

He said he was ‘mortified’ and ‘genuinely sorry’ that he had upset the child, and that he had personally apologised to the family.
And that should be the end of it. Surely?
“He wasn’t upset on the stage. If I’d have known he was upset I wouldn’t have used any lines of jocularity.

“There have been times when I have thought a child was upset and I have said ‘do you want to go back to mummy and daddy?’ and made sure they got back with some sweeties.
Yeah, OK, that should do it…
“I’m not a cruel comic and I never have been. Anyone who knows me will tell you that, if anything, I’m overly soft.”
OK, fine, we get it…
“I’ve been in this business for donkey’s years and this is the first time anybody has ever complained about anything like this.”
Ah. *sigh* I see.

That’s the reason for this overly-fulsome apology. It’s your first time at this. Well, Ted, times have changed. Welcome to the new Age Of The Aggrieved.

And don’t think your grovelling apology is going to get you off the hook, either. Not when everyone else is keen to join the ‘I’m sorrier about it than you are!’ game:
Bernard Hayes, Preston City Council’s deputy chief executive, said an investigation into the incident was under way.
Well, of course it is! Clearly, there’s no other pressing matter in Preston that requires the intervention of the council, is there?
The family has been offered a free family ticket to attend next year’s panto at the Guild Hall, he added.
By which time, you might not be able to find any entertainers, so maybe the kiddiewinks can listen to a 3 hour recital of council minutes, instead? Guaranteed not to offend anyone (except maybe taxpayers).
A spokesman for the Guild Hall said manager Chris Haylett had also written a letter of apology to the family.
Anyone else? Is the theatre cleaner going to be roped in to this ghastly parade of ‘We’re so, so sorry!’?

Comments are worth reading:
Chris P Bacon says...

who said that wrote:

oldgit wrote:
Its a sad world we live in, Ted was having a laugh with the kids and his mother felt she had to complain, Once the British had the best sense of humour in the world, now were to scared to open our mouths without fearing we offended someone, whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but calling names can't hurt me.

Sorry oldgit, but I think you are wrong. This child has a disability and the last thing that he needs is ridiculing.

You say that at one time we had a good sense of humour. We also once had freak shows and thank goodness that those days have gone.

I hope that one day you don't get dementia and someone decides to use your condition to get a few cheap laughs!!

Ted has obviously reflected on what has happened and realised the hurt this will have caused the child and his family, whilst you on the other hand still seem to think that there was nothing wrong in what was said..........shame on you!

Yes, there should be a panel of 'experts' to whom the comments of the person on stage should be passed and once deemed acceptable, it's allowed to be uttered to the audience. Or to an individual. That's got to be the way forward, hasn't it?
Dear god, don't give them ideas, even in jest!

I can just see the likes of Internet Finder Of Offence, @mrsnickyclark (at it again last week, trying to whip up a Twittermob on some poor sod - funnily enough, another children's entertainer - who's humour failed her personal test), being the first person to volunteer for the role!

19 comments:

Zaphod said...

Me too! I'm sorry!

No, wait a minute, I mustn't be hasty. I'll form a committee to look into this.

Lessons must be learned. Procedures must be updated and issued to all concerned, in multiple languages.

Then we'll formulate a proper official apology. A press release will be issued in due course.

Woman on a Raft said...

The mother should not have allowed the child to take part in something he was not capable of understanding.

I suspect, however, it is not the child who was upset.

Tattyfalarr said...

No info whatsoever on exactly what he is supposed to have said.

"Investigation", they say ? I say "witch hunt".

*word verification is scarily appropriate... "dogring"...I swear these things are rigged.

Anonymous said...

I cannot decide if God gave this woman an autistic son as a punishment, or as a reward so that she has something to be outraged about.

If he's that uptight, lock him in a cupboard with a Rubik's cube.

Woman on a Raft said...

“This little boy, looking back now, did behave in a certain way and I said ‘have you had a lot of additives?’ or something like that.

“I think I said something along the lines of ‘there’s 500 kids in this theatre and I get this one’.

“He wasn’t upset on the stage.
If I’d have known he was upset I wouldn’t have used any lines of jocularity.


The nature of autism is that children cope very poorly with novel situations for which they haven't been prepared - like going up on stage.

If a child has a disability which is going to affect how they behave, it is only sensible to warn other people or to have a helper with that child, or consider not having them do an activity if they can't be supported in it.

I can see how the mother might be upset but she should not have expected a panto comic to be psychic or to instantly take on what was her responsibility, not his.

Anonymous said...

".... but she should not have expected a panto comic to be psychic or to instantly take on what was her responsibility, not his...."

Clearly she did. Really she knows it is her fault and she is deflecting blame big time. With some people it is always someone else's fault. Knowing parents with autistic/aspergers kids, they are very careful of who and what their children interact with. This woman was stupid.

Why there's going to be an investigation is beyond me.

jaded said...

I'm going to the casino tonight to play blackjack,can I borrow this kid?

Lynne said...

Oh FFS!

Furor Teutonicus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Furor Teutonicus said...

XX XX We also once had freak shows and thank goodness that those days have gone. XX

Obviously never seen "Today in Parlaiment" then.

XX The family has been offered a free family ticket to attend....XX

Chubby Brown?

Frankie said...

Whilst carrying out his role as children's entertainer, Mr. Robbins was clearly unwise not to have consulted his crystal ball before appearing on stage, to divine whether or not he would need to take additional precautions before engaging any of the participating children with his repartee. Very remiss of him.

Now he has been forced into a grovelling apology for something he probably did not even concieve could possibly be a problem. I think that anyone who goes up on stage to participate in the entertainment, or the person who consents to their participation, in the instance of a child has to understand that it is a live situation and their sensibilities may be offended or that they may be exposed to ridicule, in the name of entertainment... If they don't want to take a risk on being offended, don't go. Simple as that.

I do not suppose that Mr. Robbins would dream of intentionally offending a child with autism, and that, I submit, is the essential element. What was his intention? I think that the complainant has chosen to be offended because that is exactly what type of person she is, one who is looking for the opportunity, in order to exploit the situation for her own agenda.

Mick Turatian said...

...the complainant...is looking...to exploit the situation for her own agenda

Yes, or she is so self-absorbed that she takes her personal circumstances to be a universal given.

OT

I know that there are many "friends of Yazza" here. I'd urge you to read Craig Brown's "diary" in the current Private Eye.

Captain Haddock said...

Perhaps this somewhat dim mother would prefer it, if her son had to wear a sign reading "I am Autistic" hung round his neck ?

At least then everyone would be forewarned & thus forearmed ..

Stonyground said...

I have a nephew who is autistic. His mother is intelligent enough to realise that he would be quite upset to be put in the unfamiliar environment that this child was put into. She is also good humoured about situations that arise due to him interacting with strangers who are not familiar with his condition.

OT, His plastacine models are amazing.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX Captain Haddock said...

Perhaps this somewhat dim mother would prefer it, if her son had to wear a sign reading "I am Autistic" hung round his neck ? XX

Fuck no! You are suppossed to "Pick up the vibes" and just KNOW these things by some form of symbiosis.

Anonymous said...

banish entertainers - no problem.

SadButMadLad said...

I'm a bit confused about the family grouping. The boy is called Sebastian Pautsch, with sister Natalie Pautsch, but the mum is Rowena Face whilst the father is Wayne Cunningham.

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/panto_star_says_sorry_for_onstage_child_gaffe_1_4122957

Ms Face is quoted as saying "We left that theatre that night in tears. Sebastian was clearly upset and hurt. Anyone who meets Sebastian can tell straight away that he has special needs.

You can only imagine how Sebastian felt when he came back to his seat. He just sat there, with his head down, crying."

As a friend has an autistic child, so I'm an expert on the disability, the reason for the crying might be more to do with being put into a strange place rather than the "abuse" from Ted Robbins.

JuliaM said...

"Me too! I'm sorry!"

:)

"The mother should not have allowed the child to take part in something he was not capable of understanding. "

Sadly, unlike stonyground's nephew, many children are unfairly served by their partents.

"I'm going to the casino tonight to play blackjack,can I borrow this kid?"

LOL!

"I have a nephew who is autistic. His mother is intelligent enough to realise that he would be quite upset to be put in the unfamiliar environment that this child was put into."

Ah, if only everyone really put the welfare of the child first, rather than their own cause...

JuliaM said...

"I'm a bit confused about the family grouping. The boy is called Sebastian Pautsch, with sister Natalie Pautsch, but the mum is Rowena Face whilst the father is Wayne Cunningham."

Welcome to modern families!

Actually, that's probably why that SNAP!-based card game has fallen out of favour...