i wanted to give you some background for the jacket design for HYN. My husband and I designed the jacket concepts and saw the production through to the very last detail, including hand stitching all the embroidery on the denim jackets. When we were brought onto the project, we were immediately given photos of the iconic vintage bus. Since our specialty is vintage clothing we were a perfect match to create very tasteful, yet fun retro wardrobe choices. The blazers are far from “comical blue jackets with red lapels”. The lapels are navy with a very tailored red and white grograin trim. They are patterned after ivy league school jackets from the 1960s (a very sought after jacket with the hipster set).Keeping with the same era, the “field jackets” if you will, are authentic 1960s vintage Levi’s jackets hand embroidered with custom chenile patches. We used the denim jackets with the “club patches” to convey the family type bond of the HYN cast and crew. We can’t deny a hint of whimsy to the jackets, it was intentional. When you meet the journalists they have a fun energy that is warm and infectious…we thought the wardrobe should match!

I’m glad Arthur has joined the discussion, so I’ll close with a response to using the word disability. Jeremy uses it to describe himself when he explains that he has Williams Syndrome, why wouldn’t I? But it doesn’t define him, it merely describes a condition that creates some challenges along with some wonderful qualities and an enormous amount of musical talent. I hope you keep watching the show.

CYA

http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/2009/02/doc_soup_hows_your_news.html

But when MTV sells it as “From The Creators of South Park,”
and I consider the comedy of Johnny Knoxville and co.,
I have to wonder if the wider audience will get it.
The South Park guys have been behind the show for
awhile, so I assume their hearts are in the right place.
But when you look at the show in the context in which
it’s being marketed, will the audience be laughing with
people with disabilities rather than at them? Or maybe
it doesn’t matter. I am not sure.

I think it’s unfair to characterize my portrayal as “bizarrely offensive,” when I explained clearly that my adjectives only reflect what I consider the core slacker audience of MTV would project onto your show. Again, if it appeared that was my sentiment, I apologize. That was never the case, and as you see I don’t hold those views. I only fear that this would be the prima facie interpretation of a show about a crew of mentally disabled newspeople.

That said, if HYN was on Discovery Channel or TLC (I wish it was, actually) my comments, expectations and judgment would be rather different. As such, you are known by the company you keep. That happens to the a slate shared with other MTV programming. Remember, this *is* the channel of Beavis and Butthead.

As for quotes on ’special needs’ comes down to my lack of sophistication about the politically correct terminology. Frankly I was surprised Ken used the word “disability” to describe Jeremy. Perhaps that’s the accepted lexicon, but again, this is something a Wikipedia article could help with. If you point out the preferred terms, I’ll use them.

You points are well taken. But I still contend the show is still overwhelmingly at risk of being portrayed as exploitative theater.

I should remind you this gonzo interview genre has been dominated by such characters as Tom Green (MTV), Ali G (HBO) and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (Conan). Hardly a noble set of trendsetters. When Bobby earnestly asks a subject “ … booya?” is the idea to admire the kindness of the response, or to laugh at the questioner and the awkwardness of the interviewee? You have to recognize the latter may well be the dominant takeaway for the MTV crowd.

I dearly hope you are right and this is a surprise sensitive eye opening hit among a sea of MTV dreck. You may just be onto something here by sneaking in a Trojan Horse. Viewers may think they are watching to gawk, but come out learning and appreciating people in a new light.

As an aside, I notice each reporter uses a handheld shotgun mic, though I notice the audio doesn’t seem to track the strict directionality of the pickup. Are they mostly props, and an overhead boom mic is used, or some combination of the two? Is there a reason they don’t use a standard handheld ENG mic?