ONE ARM Kid TV Show Host Creates Controversy | Cerrie Burnell & CBeebies | BBC
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Parents defend BBC's Cerrie Burnell against claims she frightens children. | CBeebies | ------ [FEB 2009]
When a handful of parents complained that the host of a British children's television show was scaring young viewers, comments exploded on Internet message boards -- some so vicious they had to be removed.
Cerrie Burnell, 29, who was born with one arm, sparked heated message board debate after she was hired a month ago to appear on CBeebies, the BBC's digital children's channel.
One woman who called herself "Chiara's mum," wrote, "My daughter won't watch with the new presenters. She is only 2 and notices the lady's arm has gone. She thinks she is hurt every day."
One father said the show would give his daughter nightmares, and others said their children were too young to cope or even that the BBC was too aggressive in its policy to hire "minorities" to meet quotas.
Since the initial comments appeared, advocacy groups and parents of those born with "limb deficiencies" have seized on the story as a teachable moment.
"I find comments from complaining parents very hurtful," said Julie Detheridge of Coventry, whose 9-year-old son who was born without a right hand.
"Should my son be kept locked away in case he frightens someone?" she asked. "He is no less of a person just because he was born with part of his hand missing."
And today, commenters on the CBeebies Web site were overwhelmingly dismissive of what they called a "handful" of parents who were uncomfortable with Burnell's disability, likening their reaction to racial prejudice.
Burnell, who has a 4-month-old daughter and works as a teaching assistant at a special needs school, called the host's critics "small-minded."
"It can only be a good thing that parents are using me as a chance to talk disability with their children," Burnell told ABCNews.com. "It just goes to show how important it is to have positive disabled role models on CBeebies and television in general."
CONTINUE STORY: abcnews.go.com/...
As a small child I never even gave her arm a second glance whatsoever!! Only as I got older I properly "noticed it" and even then it didn't bother me, and then my sister watched CBeebies and didn't notice at all. Scared?? I can understand a child being curious about her appearance , which is understandable. In that situation, the parent should explain to the child that she was probably born like it and is no different to them. Then there is no reason for fear is there ??
Thats it i agree, all they have to do is explain it to them, kids are the most neutral and like just good-hearted cause they're innocent.
Kids are kind of like teachers to us really, we can learn alot about them to check ourselves as "Adults", and make sure we dont stray too far into being like cynical, ignorant and vain. Cause many of us do get like that sometimes.
I wasn’t scared of her she was actually my favourite
She was my faveee
Me too i was sad when she left cbeebies but its because of the DUMB PARENTS
Same :)
Same and i didnt even know when i wss younger
Fr she was so pretty and had a lovely voice
My son was born missing his entire right arm. He's turning 5 soon and has NEVER even seen another person like him. Children and Adults are always staring and asking sooo many questions, which is not wrong, BUT if people were more open about their differences, the world would learn to accept other people's disabilities better, and people like my son wouldn't feel so isolated and alone ALL the time, they wouldn't be singled out nearly as much.
Just my opinion.
:-)
When I was a kid, I never even noticed she was missing her arm!
I didn’t notice until I was about 5. And even then when I did I just asked my mum and she said she was disabled and then I just went back to watching CBeebies without a second thought
@@toby718 sameee
@@macie-maex895 me too we were too young
I remember when I was young, going to school with another kid with one arm. I was never scared, in fact I was more curious than anything. I think it's the same reaction most kids have towards Cerrie.
I had a primary school teacher who had two false legs and one arm due to an accident involving a bus as a child, No body in our school (ages 4-11) was ever scared of her.. there was many school assemblies where her disability was discussed but nothing more. She was a great teacher as Cerrie Burnell is a good presenter so i don't believe any parent should complain.
This is ridiculous. If you are teaching children to be scared of people with disability, you are adding a lot to the stigma of disability and it's absolutely awful.
I’ll be honest, when I was little, I was never scared of her, I was scared of the idea you could lose an arm, I literally got over it within a few days, but the fact that parents wanted her removed because of this was a shitty thing to happen
I used to like her but the only thing that put me off was the fact her arm was missing but other than that, she's an amazing host and I'm upset that she left.
Tbh I never had an issue with it. I liked how unique she was. It never scared me
My son has watched Cerrie loads of times and never mentioned her disability. I think it's a good thing.
The thing is, people can say that they're kids are afraid of people with disabilities but kids generally reflect on how their parents act towards those people. If the parents seem uncomfortable when around them or watching them, then the kids will be too.
Inquisitive kids, I think we've all had those moments. I recall being at the pool with a 4 year old. Big muscular bloke with a birthmark comes in.. "Eeeeew, WHAT'S THAT?" kid points at him from like 10 feet away. I see a fine opportunity to teach kids to not fear disability. Those that have disabled parents do ok, so why not the rest? DC
Anyone notice that she swore when saying about her singing?
Wow - the amount of closed minded and idiotic comments on here is ridiculous!
Anyway, I'm 14, and incredibly great-full I was raised well enough to not need some TV show to teach me disability is not something to fear. I don't like the idea she was only really hired because of her disability - doesn't seem fair, and is discriminating towards her on one or two levels. However, she seems like a lovely women, and I CAN totally understand the BBCs point of doing it.
When I was young I used to be afraid of the headless shop manequens things. But did up a satue with no arms from ancient Rome and it's art!
i used to love her she was my favourite cbeebies host when i was younger and i thought her having one arm was super cool, almost like a superpower
All I ever thought when I was young is that how she lost her arm but I never was scared of her, I believe she was a great asset and CBeebies would not be the same without her
This was such BS! Kids grow up with her and it helps them learn that she is just like everyone else. I know this is old news now but its still relevant. Today in 2020 i am noticing all this "progression", and yet it only seems to be focused on Black and LGBTQ. What about progression for people with disability.
Lets start seeing more disabled actors on tv in our tv series and even movies more plz.
If I was a kid with no experience or education in disabilities of people I have to admit, I would probably freak out.
if the disabled people who represents 15 percent of world population approx, were to be recognised, greater protection for disabled ppl against discrimination can occur
its stupid that people are saying its gonna scare their kids...if their that worried about it...then stop them watching cbeebies!!! shes only human...she didnt choose to be born with one arm!!!! its exactly the same as racism...you dont choose what colour youre born? did you? i am at a school where i am the only native english person in a class of 31... i get accused of racism all the time...i just say i didnt choose what colour i was born and neither did you so just shut up and geet on with it.
I'm crying because no one should ever feel that there scary or a monster when I watch it i aceped her just the way she is she's beautiful❤️👸🏼
Whoever is reading this have the best day/night 😘💞
(I don't want hate or likes)
❤️❤️❤️
No point highlighting it to youngsters, disabilities like that recieve little discrimination anyway and I'm sure the kids will learn about all of that themselves when they are older. She should cover the end of the arm up with her sleeve, kids want happy care free television, they do not need a grim disability in their faces 24/7
I JUST CAN'T LOOK ANYWHERE ELSE.
love in the info bit of the video it says a "handful" of parents
I think if you child is frightened, you search for a new program.
And I think if you explain to your child that they don't have to be frightened and that she was born this way.
And you talk about them and how they don't have to be afraid of losing their arms... then everything would be fine.
I think it'd start being controversial if there's HD-moments of her arm, if she'd wave with that arm, if she'd move around the arm distractingly, etcetera. As far as I know, that doesn't regularly happen on the show.
Maybe there should be (if there isn't any) an episode where they talk about her arm and she tells another host, about what things she can do with her arm.
Or how she learned to use her half-arm as a full arm. Maybe she has a prostethic arm...they can carefully introduce that, keeping it lightly ofcourse.
Edit: I just noticed she said she didn't have a prosthethic arm, so you can ignore that part in my comment.
I Salute you Cerrie Burnell!!!
People These Days, What So Everyone Who Has 2 Arms And Legs Are Perfect? Pfft What Nonsense! Hasn't History Taught Anyone Anything About Prejudice?
If Your Kids Don't Understand Why She Has One Arm Just Tell Them SHe Is No Different From Everyone Else, Geez Its Like People Never Heard Of Disabled People WHo Seem To Be Way Nicer Then so Called "perfect" People
children are more interested in spinning round in circles or pretending to be a dragon then whether or not someone is missing an arm.
I think it's brilliant that this woman is brave enough to say; 'here I am, and I'm disabled', knowing full well she may come under fire. It's individuals like her that are going to change people's opinions and shake off the stigma attached to being disabled.
i get where there coming from but i dont think its right
however i do think she should wear her sleeve over it or something just because its like not to pleasant idk
FUCK THE HATERS< CERRIE IS GREAT ON TV, ARMS, ARM, OR NO ARMS AT ALL, KIDS NEED TO LEARN ABOUT THIS STUFF 1 DAY, Y NOT NOW FROM A FRIENDLY TV PRESENTER ON THERE FAV TV SHOW ! WE SHOULD HAVE MORE DISABLED TV PRESENTERS
@bonnieladscotty You are a sick sick individual. Have some respect, she's very brave not only showing her disability to others on TV but trying to raise awareness of the disability. Why should she cover up for someone with as little respect as you
I'm still traumatized by exposure to two disabled people I encountered in kindergarten; one was a boy (a friend of mine) who lost both his eyes in an awful accident 2 months into the school year (he was run over by a leaf truck) and a teacher's assistant who had lost all the fingers and half her thumb in waterskiing accident. Both of these examples freaked me out (e.g. I've always been terrified I might go blind, especially as I'm nearsighted.) Should kids REALLY be exposed to this stuff on TV?
I just saw her in Waitrose 10 seconds ago
Nope.
She's lovely.
I was never scared of her, and neither was my little brother. She was my favourite. How would she be scary??? I asked questions, but never felt fear.
@SimplyWillz no one asked
I am scared of the cbeebies bugs
How can anyone be scared of gentle Cerrie? The parents doing the complaining are the ones saying she's "scaring" kids. The parents are the ones who are being nasty about her.
My 2 and half year old LOVES Cerrie! He gets so excited when she comes on TV and claps his hands and shouts, "Mummy, its Cerrie, its Cerrie!" he's not in the slightest bit "frightened" of her. In fact I didn't even notice that she had a missing arm and I don't think he does.
I hope Cerrie reads this because she has a two and half year old fan in Wales who absolutely loves her to bits! He even cries when CBeebies ends and Cerries "goes away"! He says "All gone! Cerrie's gone!"
poor cerrie ... stay strong gal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She was the only presenter i remembered, and she was my favourite!! I only realised that she had one arm as a kid a few years of watching her 😂 and then i just thought it was normal, which it is and its fine!
this is ridiculous kerry has evry right to be a presenter..
No person that can appear on childrens TV daily should have to face this its disgusting...disability rights & laws were brought in such a long time ago so that nobody should have to feel like poor Cerrie must have felt the day she was informed that 'a very few' complains had been received from viewers claiming her appearance had 'scared' their children...grow up and teach ur children to grow the proper way too...that we are all the same but all a little different and that a person missing a limb or with a distinctive disability isnt scary just different from you or I... I have mental health problems which most people wouldnt even know until they got to know me but if I wore a label on my forehead would you 'usher' ur kids away from me in public because I have a 'Mental' health 'Disability' and might scare them??? You keep going Cerrie you dont let ur disability or ignorant arses get in the way and I admire anyone for that:) xxx
I never noticed as a child, and only now, I'm like;
What?
When will adults see, they're the judgemental ones, the child only follow in their footsteps
Maybe I was just a stupid child but for years I never even noticed that she had a missing arm until my mum pointed it out. She was the best CBeebies host at the time.
That’s ridiculous, I’m so glad to have been growing up watching her on CBeebies and it made me grow up not to see people with a physical disability as strange.
I remember watching her on TV. I was never scared of her; I was just confused at first. But after my mum explained, I was fine. It's really not a big deal and I just thought of her as any normal person. In fact, I remember my mum telling me that parents were complaining about her and at a young age I remember being horrified!
I didn’t care that she had one arm I loved watching her when she stopped appearing on CBeebies I lost interest in that channel
I love Cerrie she's amazing and I love how she and all the other people with a disability don't let it effect their lives
awe, shes so sweet, as a child I was never afraid of her, shes amazing
She didn't scare me, I loved her. I have to admit, it did confuse me but I wasn't really concerned.
Cerrie is quality my daughter loves her!
She was chill . I never really focused on her arm she was entertaining me😂
I was never afraid of her as a child, I thought she was amazing. I can also relate to her as I am disabled my self and I get questioned by people as well.
She was my favourite when I was younger. Her arm didnt bother me at all
I am 45 I was born with one arm 1971, children chased me round the playfround they thought I was the bionic kid. I was popular with kids my own age they loved my force arm and my stump. Teachers reactions were to dress me up in dressing up clothes every day to cover my arm up saying it scared the children, it never it scared the Adults. I was forced to use my force right side arm from elbow down ans tie eleastic band to it and write, I wasnt allowed to be left handed. I am a level 3 counsellor I am a criminology student and if I disclose my arm to employers I do not hear back from them I am dismissed and avoided. I drive, I tow a caravan, and park it up, I learnt this by watching you tube. I also am a machinst making pelmets and curtains cushions and blinds & quilt covers. I play snooker, I can cut food with a pizza wheel, I use electric tin opener. Kids are ok with it, dogs notice babies sometimes notice its not there, some kids dont notice until they are older, hence my nephew was 5 he said wheres it gone it was there yesterday. I am still unemployed Sad but Adults are cruel and wicked and ignorant not all adults, lack of empathy and react without recognising they are hurting people, shame cos they are in your jobs.... lots of kids see my arm and say like cbbeebies, so I watched her... I had kids lining up to touch it at a boot fair ages from 5 to about 7. this changed the world when they put her on there. Too much discrimination. unfortunately we do not suffer coping with activities we suffer with societies assumptions and behaviour towards us. :)
I dont think I actually noticed her arm until I was about few years old, and even then I was just a bit confused about it and sometimes I thought that it was the camera angle that was hiding her arm (stupid, I know, but I didn't really understand), but I was never actually scared of it
Omg 3rd and bird
I wasn’t scared of her when I was younger. I was actually quite accepting of her visible arm difference.
the parents who said that are the scary ones, disability is not scary and carrie is not scary she is nice
Bruh she made my childhood CBeebies was so good back then
children r very inquizative n stare thats children but to be sed that she scares children n i dont want my child watching cbeebies cos of it THEIRS ENOUGH EVIL IN THIS WORLD SHES A BEAUTIFUL LADY N FANTASTIC WITH CHILDREN SHES A DISABLED PERSON FOR GOD SAKE LEAVE HER ALONE THE QUESTION IS WUD YOU GO ON LIKE THAT IF YOUR CHILD WAS BORN WITH ONE ARM? SHES HUMAN END OF
I am a member of the war amps program in Canada, which is an amputee program aimed at helping people of all ages become active and not be limited to what they can do by their amputation. I think its amazing that she is on a tv show that way it can show kids that there are people that are different but that are the same as anyone else. I am very proud of who i am and would NOT change the fact that I only have one arm and i would hope Cerrie is not discouraged by some peoples comments.
some kids are scared of the toilet. and others are scared of puppets and where would childrens tv be without puppets. and where would our society be without plumbing? Just tell them not to be scared are the missing arm will come and get them in their sleep that should fix the problem.
*eyeroll* The whole reason some kids think disabilities are "scary" is because the parents try to pretend they don't exist.
cerrie is iconic and i loved watching her growing up, my fave fave presenter, so these parents are just weird if they think she's scary.
I met Cerrie yesterday, and she was lovely.. Very friendly and helpful and couldn't have been any nicer to me... Not once was her disability mentioned and nor should it have been.. Let her get on and enjoy her life without hurtful comments made towards her.. She has enough everyday problems to overcome without sicko's making her life any harder for her... Lovely girl and i wish her lots of happiness in the future
I know Claire (Cerrie), i've known her all my life, and i hate to see/hear people say such bad things about her, she is one of the loveliest people i know.
The discrimination towards her i think is terrible. If parents over protect their children, they will never learn the real facts about life which could damage them in later life.
How is it scary if a disabled person appears in a kids TV program?
I think this is despicable, I thought it was a good thing her bieng on Cbeebies, it helps children to understand that she is normal wen they see her. To any shallow parents out there who say shes scaring thier kids, think about this. What if YOU had accident and lost your arm?? What wud you say to "your child" then?? Also what if YOUR child had accident that disfigured them in some way?? Ignorant, shallow people I hope the paralympics has made people think differently now.
i totally agree, young children are easily influenced and if they see people with diffrences like this ladys disability it wont become a strange or scary thing at all. I went to school with a boy with one arm but because we were all so young we didnt think it was scary or weird, we just asked what happened he said he was born like it and that was the end of it. Parents need to teach their childrens about things like this early on otherwise they will end up bullies
When I was little, I never even noticed! I thought she was lovely!
Also, if my son DID notice that she only had one arm and ask about it (which he hasn't) I'd just tell him thats the way she was born. No biggie. Some of the stupid and ignorant responses here show how endemic prejudice against disabled people is and hopefully getting children to understand disability at an early age will prevent another generation being like this.
Do these same parents complain when a student who has a disability is in their child's class? Who do these parents think they are? This is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard, and furthermore, if these parents talked to their children more instead of putting them in front of the TV, maybe they could teach their children how to deal with people who are different.
I actually am furious ! What sort of people say this !? My god she is missing an arm that is no reason to get the girl kicked of a job that shes great at !!!
this is a disgusting comment. Cerrie is a talented presenter, who has a friendly and warm personality - she deserves this job and it's lovely to see that the casting directors aren't being shallow
I love this character im a girl I was always cuddling with mum watching this lady when I was 5 I love u I hope u have a great life ❤
Should a Black woman go on TV and explain why White children shouldn't be frightened of the way she looks? Seems like double standards to me.
@unclekevo
you misunderstood, i called the people that were leaving horrible comments trolls, not disabled people.
Those parents scare me.
She brilliant at her job
I'm so glad she got to stay in cbeebies for the full term until she made the decision to resign (instead of her being asked to resign). I've watched cbeebies all my life all the way until Alex resigned, but then I did revert back to it shortly afterwards but stopped watching it again when Carey resigned. It's not the same anymore 😔
I remember this story being in the news and thought it was disgusting. The kids probably never even noticed I never straight away I just thought oh there's a new presenter. What's up with normalizing disabilities both physical and hidden disabilities. Good on cebeeies for ignoring the pathetic complaints. My son and daughter both have disabilities and they liked her. Yes teach them not to stare, point and talk about the disabled child or adult in front of them and their parents like their not there. It is rude after all which is what they would be told if they never had a disability. I would rather they ask questions. I once had a child ask me why my daughter wears a blue thing on her head. He ment her soft shell helmet. I just explained she has epilepsy and it's to protect her head when she falls. I would rather that than the adult that asked if she was going boxing. 🤔🙄That dad that said about his daughter having nightmares his child could have got meningitis and have to have limbs amputated.
Cbeebies cancelled in 2017
This is now three and a half years old and I hope the people that hated Cerrie have changed their minds. She is still on Cbeebies and does a wonderful job, all the presenters do, but she is especially good at the "bedtime hour" because she is calming and not hyper. If people still have a problem, then maybe they should either turn over or even better, take their kids away from the TV and do something more productive, that writing nasty emails to the BBC or on Mumsnet.
Scare the kids? Ahahahahaha.
I've got one hand, and I always find it funny.
The kids are staring, pointing, "Hey Mom! Look at that!" They're curious. They want to know. I'll answer, I'm fine with that. I answer, and then the kids are OK with that.
But the parents are like, "STOP STARING!" They're the ones wigging out. They're the ones that are scared!
Parents-just explain that's how some people come. Some people have blue eyes, some green eyes, some with 2 hands, some with one.
She was one of my first crushes 😂😂
watched her all the time when i was younger and wasnt scared. absoloutely ridiculous.
I quite fancy her
I am disabled like her, I think like talking with me is easy for people is my other half of hand is covered with for example sleeve. It is ok i can live with it now, it was hard just in elementary school and it ended in 100% in high school. I think that disabled people have more abition and talents in some categories. So its like i don't have an arm but i have something more for that. I find it funny when people discover that i have no arm. they are like wtf happend and i'm like lulz, from birth
since posting my comment my neice and i and my sister watched Cerrie today and we asked her about Cerrie missing her arm and she my neice said i dont care about her missing arm dont notice it now but she said i want my hair curled like her when i se santa next week as Cerries hair was all in loose ringlett curls but its true after a while you dont notice it
I don't think it's discrimination against disabled people I think its just the fact that it scares kids abit! It's the same as if a kids tv presenter had a burka on their heads...kids would be scared and that wouldn't be a discrimination issue, it's just kids!!!!
Just remeber it's people like her that means now I have more than the average number of hands.
I'll tell you what I bet the people who complained and wanted her off TV feel bad now, becus of the paralympics showing that people with disability r human biengs and just as good as any1 else.
Its a parents role to teach their children that everybody is different, parents should explain to their children why infact Cerrie has this disability .. easy she was born this way
Its funny, there was a bit of tension from the presenters who came across in support of these attitudes. I think she hamdled herself very well though. Good for you Cerrie.
hi sam!
I was never scared of her tbf she was my favorite presenter
This is about as ridiculous as a group of parents holding a prejudice against a humans ethnicity. People are people, we're all equal. We have no time for this type, or any type of discrimination or bigotry. Learn to love one and other, maintaining a mutual respect for one and other and pass the moral onto your offspring. Maybe that way, someday soon people in the near future wont have to put up with this bullshit anymore.
@controlfreakcms What a horrible thing to wish, that somebody be born disabled to teach SOMEBODY ELSE a lesson?
Yep, I'm one accident away from losing a limb, becoming paraplegic, blind or what have you. I've also got a .44 Special in my gun safe to solve THAT problem if it happens to me.
If more people had my attitude, you'd see health care costs go down (and maybe more money put into research for regrowing limbs, repairing spinal cord injuries ect. because it would be a life-or-death issue!)