Dear All:

I am livid.

There was a television show on Comedy Central last night called "Premium
Blend."  It came on at 10:00 and 10:30, and 11:00 PM.  I do not watch this
show but stopped on it tonight while channel surfing.

The 10:30 show, episode number 410, had a comedian who used the last bit of
time in his performance to exploit particular conjoined sisters, Reba and
Lori Schappell.

He made fun of them, the way they navigate, the fact that one of the sisters
wants to be a country western singer, and how it would be if they were to
have sex with somebody.  He actually did the humping motion while he was
making fun of them.

He had the audience too.  They were all laughing at the expense of these
women.  I couldn't believe it.  He couldn't have described their physical
appearance in an uglier way, and the audience thought the whole bit was
hilarious.

I just bought my TV a few months ago.  I couldn't afford to throw anything at
it.

These sisters, if you don't know who they are, have an interesting story.  I
saw a program about them on TV some time ago, and then a few months ago on
another show.  They went from an institutional setting to living in their own
place, and they are doing fine.  They have friends, and have their lives
outside of that damnable institution.  They are doing life!

So, this man learns about these sisters, and all he can think about it is how
they are good fodder for comedy material?  I can't even imagine how I would
feel if I had been his victim and saw all the people in the audience laugh at
my expense.

I caught the act too late to get his name, so I sent an e-mail to comedy
central asking for the point of contact for "Premium Blend."  In the
meantime, I'll compose myself and draft a letter.  I can plug in the name
later.

I need to find out about his entire act last night too, before I get started.
 Who knows what else he said that must also be addressed?

No, these woman are pretty fantastic to me.  You know how this world is.
Their circumstances are a bit rugged for a world such as this.  Just the way
that they spent their formative years in an institution, but kept it together
mentally to advocate for their own release impresses me.  When I saw this I
thought "You go for it.  Go for everything and take what you want in this
life."  It made me feel so great that they were continually overcoming
society.

I've heard comedians make fun of PWDs before, most of us have, I am sure.
This was an attack on specific people though.  He described them in such
detail that they could not have been mistaken for anyone else. This wasn't a
generic attack.

Betty