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Autism Group Seeks Apology After 'Big Brother' Remark

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The Associated Press

Published: February 19, 2008

NEW YORK - A national autism advocacy group is demanding an apology from CBS over a disparaging remark a contestant on the reality show "Big Brother" made about people with the disorder.

John Gilmore, executive director of Autism United, said Monday that his group has been trying to speak with CBS executives since last week's broadcast.

On that episode, contestant Adam Jasinski, who claims to work for an autism foundation, said he would spend his winnings on a hair salon for people with developmental disabilities "so retards can get it together and get their hair done."

His partner, Sheila Kennedy, told him: "Don't call them that."
Jasinski responded: "Disabled kids. I can call them whatever I want. I work with them all day, OK?"

The show's Web site describes him as a 29-year-old public relations manager from Delray Beach.

There was no immediate response Monday to a call seeking comment from CBS.

"Big Brother" also has been condemned for contestants' remarks on incest, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Some contestants have been removed following incidents that were deemed violent or racist.

The premise of the show is that contestants - or "houseguests" - are isolated from the outside world while under constant surveillance. Once a week, they vote to evict a member of the group.

When just two people remain, a jury of voted-off contestants picks the winner of the $500,000 grand prize.

Autism is a complex disorder that involves poor social interaction and communication skills.

CBS RENEWALS: Late last week, as part of a post-strike fiesta in the television world, CBS announced it would renew 11 series for the 2008-09 season.

There were no surprises: All three "CSI" series, "Criminal Minds," "Cold Case," "Ghost Whisperer," "NCIS," "Numb3rs," "Two and a Half Men," "Without a Trace" and "The Big Bang Theory" will return.

Fans of "The Unit," "Shark," "Rules of Engagement," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Jericho," "How I Met Your Mother," "Welcome to the Captain" and "Moonlight" will have to wait to find out the fates of those shows. Also, "Cane" never received a full-season order, so things look bleak for that series.

GETTING "LEVERAGE": TNT has added another drama to its roster of original series.

"Leverage," from producer Dean Devlin, stars Timothy Hutton as a modern-day Robin Hood, a former insurance investigator who turns against the corporate interests he used to work for to help the downtrodden.

TNT has ordered 13 episodes. It will premiere later this year.

Hutton ("Kidnapped," "The Good Shepherd") plays Nate Ford, who has a sterling record of recovering stolen goods for his insurance firm. When his company denies claims for his dying son, Nate turns his back on the corporate world and goes freelance, working first for an aeronautics executive to recover stolen airplane designs.

The cast includes Beth Riesgraf ("Alvin and the Chipmunks"), Christian Kane ("Angel," "Close to Home"), Aldis Hodge ("Friday Night Lights") and Gina Bellman ("Coupling," "Jekyll") as members of the team Nate assembles.

"'Leverage' is great entertainment. It's fast-paced, smart and just great fun," says Michael Wright, who oversees original programming for TNT. "Timothy Hutton is outstanding, and he and the cast around him have a great chemistry. This is a new genre for us in our series efforts, and it's great to be able to tackle it with Dean."

Information from the Los Angeles Times and Zap2It.com was used in this report.

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