Challenging Perception

I held off reviewing Warwick Davis’ show ‘Life’s Too Short’ when it was relevant because to be perfectly honest I remained undecided throughout. I know it will surprise you when you consider how much I refer to the thrill of comedy which challenges, but whilst I defended this show to those who dismissed it as having no value whatsoever, I also have to admit to squirming in my chair at times feeling uncomfortable at watching someone struggle with the circumstances caused by their condition wondering just what was funny about seeing someone suffer such humiliation.

I could quite easily see the humour in it, don’t get me wrong; but there were times I just felt that to laugh was somehow contributing to a negative image of dwarfism in general.

Having watched this interview, however, I have to stop and wonder if I didn’t allow the whole point to wash over me completely.

Warwick Davis: 'Life's Too Short reflected my world' - video
Actor Warwick Davis talks to disability campaigner Nicola Clark at Rada about growing up with dwarfism, and how it has affected his life - from doing the long jump to living life as if a contestant on the Crystal Maze. Though in constant pain when walking, Warwick struggles to label his condition as a disability, as it has brought him so much success over a 30-year acting career

As I heard Davis talk of the fact that the show represented simple exaggerations of real experiences, it suddenly hit me: this is exactly what every comedy writer does. Why then should we not feel able to sit back and laugh at the situation? Surely it is the case that my own discomfort as a viewer doesn’t come from the situation itself but rather my perception of it; and as such it becomes apparent that I and others like me are merely perpetuating the negativity through our attempts to the contrary. Especially when it is so clear that in Davis’ mind, his status as a dwarf (and yes, we are allowed to use the word!) is not at all debilitating having in fact opened doors for him and given opportunities he might not have otherwise had. Not only that, but if we decide it is not okay to laugh at such events, we are also denying him a voice and an opportunity to highlight his own experiences; and surely thus are also telling him (and others with what is perceived to be a disability) that in order for us to laugh along with them, they must conform to our idea of what is ‘normal’.

You have to wonder, too, is it the laughter that causes the discomfort? I used to watch the show ‘Little People, Big World’ in awe of the way Amy and Matt Roloff just got on with life in spite of their obvious difficulties. By far the most influential moment for me was an episode showing Amy grocery shopping and she simply scaled the shelves to claim something from the top. Although this seems a rather trite incident to draw anything from, it is one I could associate with. I am not blessed in the height department and often find myself unable to get the things I want when shopping, but I always shamefully asked for assistance… I realised when I watched that show that any barriers I was seeing were of my own making and as such I should look for solutions before looking to others – not just in terms of size but in every aspect of life.

So if I can glean a positive aspect from this show, why do I view Warwick’s efforts to similarly highlight his own life in such a different way?

You can call the exploitation card but what is more exploitative; to have someone tells tales of their own experiences in the way they choose or to place cameras filming every aspect of a family’s life to be picked over by editors and sub-editors having every moment analysed for its entertainment value?

And with all this in mind, I have to admit to the gleaming realisation that I wasted the time I spent watching the show worrying un-necessarily about things that matter to no-one but myself. After all, what is it telling anyone else if I laugh at a particular scene of a comedy show but that I have a sense of humour?

Is there any chance of a do-over now that I have made my own mind clearer? I’d quite like to go back and watch the series again with blinkers removed!