Rosie Jones shares reason for doc title as she gets emotional over backlash
Rosie Jones addressed the recent trolling she experienced over the name of her new Channel 4 documentary as she explained why she felt it was important to choose a controversial title.
The comedian joined Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary on Tuesday's This Morning to discuss the backlash surrounding her upcoming documentary Rosie Jones: Am I A R*tard.
Explaining why she opted for an offensive word as part of the documentary's title, Rosie said: "I really felt passionate about the title because sometimes you need to tackle a subject head on to really talk about it....and [hopefully] stop that kind of language."
"I wont lie to you at the beginning that was difficult for me fortunately my director of the doc is one of my best friends and he directed all my comedy shows, all my travel shows," she continued.
Rosie Jones opened up on her documentary's backlash (ITV)"With all the abuse online I kept cracking jokes and my director to took me to one side and said, 'You don't need to do that, you don't need to break the tension,' and I said; "I don't know how not to do that."
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The comedian added: "For years I have had to use comedy to make people feel more comfortable around me."
Interjecting, Alison said: "It's not your job to do that, you shouldn't have to do that."
"It was quite liberating for the first time to say it's not up to me to make you feel comfortable it's up to you to help me," Rosie replied.
The Channel 4 documentary's title angered many due to the use of the highly offensive word and led to a few of the disabled contributors withdrawing from the show. The Channel 4 documentary was made to educate people on the abuse faced by people with disabilities.
During a recent appearance on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour on Thursday, Rosie broke down in tears as she discussed the backlash to her documentary.
"It's not been my easiest few weeks because having criticism that comes from within your own community hits harder," she explained. "I have had cerebral palsy for 33 years and that means going through school, walking down the road and now having a public platform on social media, I get to experience that word used at me as a weapon nearly every day.
"Somewhere I will hear it. And you saw me come in today with headphones because I do not walk down the street without wearing headphones to protect myself from hearing that word or ableist slurs."
She continued: "So I know it's controversial but I needed to use that specific word in the title of the documentary to start the conversation around slurs and ableism. It is my opinion that it is not taken as seriously as other slurs."
Addressing the backlash to the documentary, Jackie O'Sullivan, Executive Director of Communications, Advocacy and Activism at learning disability charity Mencap said: "The ‘r’ word has been used as an offensive slur directly towards people with a learning disability, or referring to them, for years. People have told us that they are shocked and upset by the title of this documentary.
"As a campaigning organisation we understand the desperate need to get people talking about the incessant bullying and outdated attitudes towards disabled people. But using triggering, upsetting and harmful language to spark debate comes at a cost. If offensive words are to be eliminated in the narrative around disability, they must be taken out of circulation entirely. They should be regarded as truly unspeakable.
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"We’re concerned about how the views of people with a learning disability were considered in this situation. We have contacted Channel 4 to ask them about their editorial decisions and will invite them to discuss the genuine inclusion of people with a learning disability, whose views so often go unheard."
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