Am I missing something here? Am I just an intolerant jerk or is this a legitimate question?

[*Anne*]

Oh, that's awesome! ^

 

[Magic Man]

Well, sure, mball. I can see what you're saying as well. I guess my problem is at least as much with the announcer himself as it is with the TV station. I have to wonder why he thinks that this particular venue is best for him and for his anticipated audience. I mean, I'm an extrovert, love to be on stage, and look pretty good for a 49 year old woman - I could probably sashay down a catwalk with the best of 'em, and I'd certainly have the NERVE to do so. But would that make it a wise career choice? And would I be angry if people responded negatively to me modeling Victoria's Secret thong underwear? Would I expect VS to hire me and back me just because I had a passion for their thong underwear and modeling and thought I should choose that for a career? Or would I be perhaps better suited on some other side of VS product development or marketing?

I don't think there's anything wrong with trying something. If he wants to be a weatherman, he's welcome to give it a shot. If you want to be a Victoria's Secret model, go for it. If either of you is successful in getting an opportunity, that's great.

I think you're reading too much into this. We have no idea (as far as I know) what the circumstances of this guy's getting the job are. I agree that he shouldn't just expect to get a job like that. But as long as he's not getting angry at people for responding negatively to him doing the job and he didn't force anyone to give him the job, I don't see a problem.

 

[Kathryn]

I don't have a problem with it MORALLY - I just think it's weird as hell that anyone would choose a career which ACCENTUATES and draws attention to a prominent weakness.

Most people choose careers which accentuate their strongest traits.

 

[gzusfrk]

I don't have a problem with it MORALLY - I just think it's weird as hell that anyone would choose a career which ACCENTUATES and draws attention to a prominent weakness.

Most people choose careers which accentuate their strongest traits.

Maybe he started the career, befor his disabilty.

 

[Kathryn]

Maybe he started the career, befor his disabilty.

Could be, but I doubt it. He's very young, and his speech impediment sounds like a common type that's usually present from very early childhood.

 

[Seymour]

OK, so I'm watching the local evening news, on a station that's an award winning, top rated local station, and lo and behold, the weekend weather guy has a speech impediment. I mean - a noticeable, pronounced speech impediment.

Now - I'm all for equal opportunity, but honestly - am I just a jerk or am I justified in wondering why a person who has a speech impediment would choose a career which focuses attention on that one particular area of weakness?

Is this taking reasonable accommodation too far?

In all honesty, it's probably political correctness going too far. This reminds me of the story "Harrison Bergeron" in which all news announcers had speech impediments so that nobody would feel bad about themselves. You can google the story.

I know a girl who wanted to get a job as a news announcer, but was turned down for having so much as a slight southern accent (in North Carolina nonetheless). But she was otherwise comprehensible. I actually found her accent to be quite attractive. In fact I prefer it to the California "valley girl" accent.

 

[Chisti]

Differently enabled people need all the encouragement they can get. And since the op asked for an opinion (whether or not she was a jerk), yes, the op is a jerk.lol.

 

[Kathryn]

Differently enabled people need all the encouragement they can get. And since the op asked for an opinion (whether or not she was a jerk), yes, the op is a jerk.lol.

Advanced math is very difficult for me. This apparently is genetic, since it is very difficult for my entire family. Should I go into Mathematics as a career and expect people to make exceptions for my "disability?"

 

[Kathryn]

In all honesty, it's probably political correctness going too far. This reminds me of the story "Harrison Bergeron" in which all news announcers had speech impediments so that nobody would feel bad about themselves. You can google the story.

I know a girl who wanted to get a job as a news announcer, but was turned down for having so much as a slight southern accent (in North Carolina nonetheless). But she was otherwise comprehensible. I actually found her accent to be quite attractive. In fact I prefer it to the California "valley girl" accent.

I agree on all counts!

 

[HerDotness]

While I'm all for giving people with various disabilities an opportunity, it needs to be a realistic one that won't subject them to ridicule. This guy, assuming he's a meteorologist, might do very well working behind the scenes to feed weather information to the on-camera person during a storm alert or assembling information on the day's forecast.

As a former speech teacher, I agree with Kathryn that the on-camera weather person should be able to speak clearly and distinctly. A noticeable speech impediment distracts from what the person is attempting to convey. If it's something like a well-controlled stutter which only results in a pause now and again, not such a problem. But just as a tv station wouldn't put on air a person with the form of Tourette's that manifests in outbursts of swear words, I don't think it advisable for them to air someone with speech that is repeatedly marred by an impediment.

 

[Chisti]

Advanced math is very difficult for me. This apparently is genetic, since it is very difficult for my entire family. Should I go into Mathematics as a career and expect people to make exceptions for my "disability?"

Differently enabled people can do it successfully, even if they do it with a little difficulty. You, otoh, cannot do it at all. That's the difference.

 

[Kathryn]

Differently enabled people can do it successfully, even if they do it with a little difficulty. You, otoh, cannot do it at all. That's the difference.

Oh I could do it - it would just be slower and less accurate and I would need accommodations made for those factors. Maybe more time than other people and someone to double check my work. But HEY - I want that job and it's my right to pursue it!

HerDotness is right - the guy's speech impediment is very distracting. An integral part of his job description is CLEAR SPEECH - which he DOES NOT HAVE. So I would say that he's not doing his job successfully.

 

[waitasec]

OK, so I'm watching the local evening news, on a station that's an award winning, top rated local station, and lo and behold, the weekend weather guy has a speech impediment. I mean - a noticeable, pronounced speech impediment.

Now - I'm all for equal opportunity, but honestly - am I just a jerk or am I justified in wondering why a person who has a speech impediment would choose a career which focuses attention on that one particular area of weakness?

Is this taking reasonable accommodation too far?

heard of the movie,
the kings speech?

 

[Kathryn]

heard of the movie,
the kings speech?

Yes, I have. Last time I checked, this guy wasn't born into royalty and didn't have the job forced on him.

 

[Reptillian]

The preacher at my mom's church has a speech impediment, and he still manages to give some pretty good sermons. He also taught classes at a university for decades. Two speaking careers despite sounding like Sid the Sloth from Ice Age.

 

[waitasec]

Yes, I have. Last time I checked, this guy wasn't born into royalty and didn't have the job forced on him.

well what i was getting at is, perhaps this is what he needs to do in order to either deal with his problem or it's a form of therapy.

is he at least good looking?
:sarcastic

 

[Kathryn]

well what i was getting at is, perhaps this is what he needs to do in order to either deal with his problem or it's a form of therapy.

is he at least good looking?
:sarcastic

LOL not particularly! I mean, he's OK. I know you're kidding, but I don't care what a newsperson looks like as long as they carry themselves professionally and their looks are not DISTRACTING.

 

[waitasec]

LOL not particularly! I mean, he's OK. I know you're kidding, but I don't care what a newsperson looks like as long as they carry themselves professionally and their looks are not DISTRACTING.

i just had a thought....oops

perhaps you feel uncomfortable because he is forcing you to deal with your uncomfortableness ... i live in los angeles and the odds of our weather men/women having a speech impediment are so small, i don't know what that would be like. but i'm guessing i would probably feel the same way you do.

 

[Kathryn]

i just had a thought....oops

perhaps you feel uncomfortable because he is forcing you to deal with your uncomfortableness ... i live in los angeles and the odds of our weather men/women having a speech impediment are so small, i don't know what that would be like. but i'm guessing i would probably feel the same way you do.

Actually, being an extremely open minded person who encourages people to overcome their disabilities (and has actively hired people with disabilities in the past, joyfully giving them opportunities), I'm not uncomfortable at all with the idea of the disabled working in situations that may even require me to be more patient, more accommodating. Not only do I not mind it, I am glad to see it and glad to be able to be gracious and supportive.

I just think that we all have limitations and most of us may even have some form of disability. I wouldn't seek out a specific job where my weaknesses were a distraction from my strengths. I just think it's odd.

 

[HerDotness]

well what i was getting at is, perhaps this is what he needs to do in order to either deal with his problem or it's a form of therapy.

Then, the station should put the guy at the receptionist's desk where he can get his "therapy" in more limited public exposure or another off-camera position where he'll be speaking only to technicians and other station employees. That's enough therapy and practice dealing with his problem.

Have we gotten so carried away with giving the disabled opportunities that we think a disabled person must be placed in a position he obviously cannot do effectively? That the station brought in a guy who could speak clearly one night when storm alerts needed to be given says that even they are aware that the regular guy isn't capable of performing reasonably well.

Bet the guy is a relative of the station's owner.