Is 'Missing Model' Reality Show Exploiting the Handicapped?

By Mike Hess Posted Dec 1st 2009 03:33PM

Reality shows tend to fall into two classes: smart-informative and trashy-exploitative. Oftentimes, a key factor determining which side of the dividing line a show will fall into is whether a competition is involved. In the case of 'Britain's Missing Top Model,' the competition aspect of the show seems to be overwhelmingly turning what could have been an eye-opening look into human impairments into one of controversy, thanks to the fact that women missing limbs are competing against deaf women with no visual signs of impairment.

'Missing Top Model,' a BBC series coming to American television, documents a modeling competition between female contestants who have disabilities of varying forms and severity. Some are amputees, some are paralyzed, and some are deaf. The participants must go through challenges like any other modeling reality show, with the endgame being a Marie Claire magazine spread.

How would being deaf adversely affect an attractive male of female from pursuing a career in modeling, and why would they be lumped into a group of contestants with very visual disabilities? It's decisions like this that have some questioning the intentions and decisions behind 'Missing.'

Mary HK Choi, an entertainment writer for the news blog TheAwl.com, thinks that 'Missing Model' "is hideously exploitative and inane. How is this real? It would be a hysterically apt indicator of the end of the world were it entirely fictitious and created for an apocalypse movie wherein humankind is destroyed for being revolting." She goes on to argue the point "that deaf people are lumped in with women with physical deformities for sufficiently 'missing' or 'lacking in something' is ridiculous. Even the rhetoric of the show is gross."

AOL Television editor Kelly Woo agrees, saying that "including deaf contestants seems a bit unfair since their disability isn't apparent on camera."

And judging from some episode pullquotes printed in the New York Times, the 'Missing' contestants aren't fans of the format choice either.

For instance, after one competition, Sophie -- a 23-year-old paralyzed contestant who is in a wheelchair -- vents about how her deaf competitor Kellie wins a challenge despite not having any visual impairments. "The chance to meet a designer who is willing to put a disabled girl in his show is such an opportunity, but I want someone to choose a girl with a really obvious, really visual, really kind of blatant disability," Sophie says after Kellie wins an audition. "So that it makes a change. And choosing someone like Kellie is not really the same - it's the same as just picking a girl that speaks French."

So, while the contestants may willingly be on the show as a way to show their natural beauty no matter what the conditions, the show's decision to equate all disabilities seems to be the show's downfall.

Tags: britains missing top model, BritainsMissingTopModel, models

Comments

(25)

Tuesday 01 December

By mike hunt

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Sounds revolting.

Thursday 03 December

By Wish Belkin

It's the end of the world and TV is leading the way.

By Mike

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Reality television is cancer to the air waves. Fake reality shows sadly are here to stay. People nowadays don't value good TV shows anymore. Why do you think there's so much crap on television now? It pains me to think of the people who believe in, accept and make time to watch this mind numbing tripe. If someone was to base their conclusions on society in general by what is offered on television nowadays, they'd think it was a pretty dumbed downed society. Fortunately many people are appalled by the raw sludge that the major and cable networks attempt to sling at their viewers. Right now the only media form of any real worth is the internet. The internet isn't 99.9% dumbed down like television is.

By colleen

I think the show has more than one downfall....

By steve

The key phrase is VISIBLE DEFORMITY. I watched the show and two of the judges were in favor of the deaf girl but the judge in the wheelchair seemed to have more clout using the argument that VISIBLE deformity is crucial.

By rwk

never watch any reality tv. unheathly content poisons the mind, body and soul !!

By nj

People with disabilities want to be accepted. I dont like reality shows but seeing a person with a disability be accepted in a world that is very visual and judgemental can be so inspirational to others with disabilities. These women are all beautiful. I hope that they succeed and inspire others.

By Dan

I can see what's next...models missing a brain. The only problem will be trying to tell the difference between contestants, judges, and viewers.

By robin

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good one!!!!!!

By tcmr1t

If there was to be a distinction made between those with visible disabilities and those with hidden disabilities then that would be suggesting that one group is better than the other. Yet those with hidden disabilities aren't accepted fully by those with no disabilities.

I believe the ultimate point of the show is to point out that those with disabilities are just as capable and just as attractive as those without disabilities. I just wish they had found a different type of reality show since to be beauty pagents/modeling contests do nothing but exploit women for the pleasure of men.

By Liz

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Tiger needs only to apologies to his wife and family the rest of us can go pound sand

By tinas

Modeling is showcasing clothing, not the model's physical beauty. Period. Having a physical disability does not make a woman or man unattractive, however this is modeling. How does one showcase the clothing while in a wheelchair or missing limbs? Too much like a carny freakshow for my taste and seemingly another case of wanting what is not possible. I can't swim. Would you want me to be a lifeguard?

By Carrie-Lee

Putting a deaf woman up against an amputee or someone in a wheelchair is simply unfair. The most beautiful woman on a runway could be deaf and no one would know the difference.

When does/did this show air? When I went to the permalinks for these videos, they were posted in July 2008. Over a year and a half ago?

By Mindy

The only thing that would make this show worse, would be if Heather Mills somehow got involved.

By John

I'm still not sure I believe what I've just read. Is anyone really so vile and ignorant as to produce a show like that? It's mind boggling.

By fatherdjohnson

The opening line of this piece says it all: if anyone supposes that the phrase "smart-informative" can be used in the same sentence with "reality television show", then all of what follows it was written by a nitwit. There is no surer sign of our collective idiocy and downward mental spiral than the oxymoronic phenomenon of so-called 'reality television'

By BL

If this is what THEY chose to do, then why are we even questioning this? There is always someone out there trying to make a big-deal-out-of-nothing!

By Lisa

I think this is macabre. Sophie, the 23 year old paralyzed contestant who resented the deaf contestant who won???...her remark was precious..."it's the same as just picking a girl that speaks French".??? The analogy eludes me.

By Chris D.

It only matters that tigers wife and family accept his apology......we don't really matter.

By Robin Bray

The correct term is Disabled not Handicapped. A disability is what has naturally happened to someone. Handicapped is a label put on by others who see a disabled person as someone on a lesser level. A disability does not mean that someone is less able to perform the same action as anyone else. it just mens that they may or may not need to use a different approach to reach the same goal as others.

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