Call to Action!

In order to tell this story I have to spill the beans on my big addiction - reality TV! I can help it, I love it! Because of this addiction, I am a frequent viewer of Bravo TV because it houses some of my favorites such as Real Housewives, Millionare Matchmaker, Project Runway and Top Chef.

A few of months ago I wrote Bravo with a grievance about Project Runway. There was an episode in which the designers were asked to make a prom dress for high school girls. When they were receiving this assignment the girls were standing behind a transparent partition so that all you could see was their shadows. The program cut away to an interview with designer Kevin and he said that he wondered if he would be designing for "midgets". I was really shocked to hear that Bravo, whom I've always considered reputable, would allow this deragatory term to air. In my email, I took the approach that Bravo may simply be unaware of the terms offensive nature and I explained that it was a term that generally offended little people and their families. Needless to say I never received a response.

Flash forward to last nights episode of Top Chef. The chefs were asked to prepare dishes based on their favorite films. The team with the appetizer course chose Willy Wonka as their inspiration. One of the chefs wanted to serve the course as Ooompa Loompas and proceeded to do an impression of the characters on his knees. The show cuts away to an interview with Chef Dale who explained that Chef Andrew was doing an impression of the Ooompa Loompa midgets.

Now, to be fair, the Chef Dale did not seem to be in approval of the impression nor was the impression itself a big deal (it was about the characters and not of dwarfs in general). However, I am once again dismayed by the producers decision to include such casual use of an offensive term.

My one email obviously had no impact on the people at Bravo. I am asking my fellow bloggers and any family and friends who may be offended to write to Bravo about the use of the term. It doesn't have to be mean or nasty. I'm hoping that many simple letters explaining the offense will be powerful. I think it would be good for TV execs to know that there should be no place for the word on TV.

Here is the info:
First use of the term was on Project Runway, Episode 7 "What a Girl Wants". Air Date: Jan 9th, 2008
Second use of the term was on Top Chef, Episode 4, "Film Food", Air Date: April 2nd, 2008.
Contact Info:
Email: Bravo
or NBCUNI (I wrote to them, under heading Bravo) Write to:
NBC/Universal at

Bravo Viewer Relations
3000 W. Alameda Ave., Suite 250
Burbank, CA 91523

Let me know if you write!
Catherine
mother, blogger and newly appointed activist!