Wow, these guys are fucked up. First off how can there ugly asses mock anyone elses looks? seriously.

Poor guy. Good for him turning this into an anti-bullying experience though.

I'm curious...

How is this any different from the many threads and comments on here making fun of everyone from celebs to posting oh so hilarious gifs and pics mocking random unknown people who simply made the mistake of posting a picture of themselves online?

Guess it's ok to do this kinda thing as long as the person you are making fun of never finds out.

JustErin said:

I'm curious...

How is this any different from the many threads and comments on here making fun of everyone from celebs to posting oh so hilarious gifs and pics mocking random unknown people who simply made the mistake of posting a picture of themselves online?

Guess it's ok to do this kinda thing as long as the person you are making fun of never finds out.

Celebrities are fair game to make fun of. They might as well dress up in duck costumes and ride around on conveyor belts. I'll take a shot at that any time I feel like it.

Mocking the disabled for being disabled is really mean.

Pretty fucked up culture to say that anyone deserves to be humiliated.

I didn't say they sereved to be humiliated. But if they are going to make a living from being a public figure then people will have opinions and talk about them. They're a common point of reference for us to talk about.

Making fun of the disabled is just mean.

Talking about someone or giving an opinion on them is completely different than all out making fun of them.

Thinking you have the right to make fun of someone simply because they are in the public eye is just some lame excuse to justify being mean.

It's really no different than making fun of that random person that walks by.

Being made fun of is humiliating....period.

Isn't it ironic that Shaq supports the actions taken by the NBA after Donald Sterling showed how judgemental he is to people different than him?

Shaq called him to say he was sorry.

That's pretty cool right there in my book.

This is one reason I stay off the internet for things like this. You don't mean any harm but when it goes public, all of a sudden there is a riot.

did they know he was disabled or did they just think they were making fun of some crazy looking dude? I'm not defending anyone but when I see the pic that Shaq posted alongside his, I don't see a disabled guy. I know it now of course...the interview gave a much better indication of his condition than the selfie did. It really looks no different than any other crazy ass pic you see online. It's hard for me to believe that any of those guys would have knowingly done something as shitty as mocking a "disabled person". Hell, I'm even bothered that they refer to him as disabled. I'm not convinced this is a case of "online abuse" as the news piece claims.

and did he say that he's watched Shaq play basketball "this whole season"?

JustErin said:

Stymie said:

JustErin said:

I'm curious...

How is this any different from the many threads and comments on here making fun of everyone from celebs to posting oh so hilarious gifs and pics mocking random unknown people who simply made the mistake of posting a picture of themselves online?

Guess it's ok to do this kinda thing as long as the person you are making fun of never finds out.

That's why I don't get the whole people of Walmart site.

I don't know why people go to that site when they could just go to wal mart...if thats their thing

orger said:

Stymie said:

JustErin said: That's why I don't get the whole people of Walmart site.

I don't know why people go to that site when they could just go to wal mart...if thats their thing

People like to watch train wrecks. It's the same reason why Jerry Springer and the middle class version Dr. Phil show are on the air.

I've seen Shaq's Instagram page and he posts lots of himself with others where he tries to mimic their expression, including Shrek and a pug. I've always viewed them as being more about him than the other person or thing.

But anyhoo...

Shaquille O'Neal apologizes for Instagram post mocking man with rare disorder

http://www.nola.com/pelic...s_for.html

DETROIT -- Ex-NBA star Shaquille O'Neal has apologized to a Detroit man with a rare disorder for making fun of his appearance in an online post.

Best known as Shaq, the former NBA player announced the apology in a Twitter message Tuesday.

"Made a new friend today when I called and apologized to Jahmel Binion. Great dude," the tweet said.

O'Neal followed up Wednesday with a tweet that said: "Had the opportunity to talk to Jahmel Binion yesterday and apologize about the post on IG!"

now imagine those people being PAID to do that...

JustErin said:

Talking about someone or giving an opinion on them is completely different than all out making fun of them.

Thinking you have the right to make fun of someone simply because they are in the public eye is just some lame excuse to justify being mean.

It's really no different than making fun of that random person that walks by.

Being made fun of is humiliating....period.

those are really good points. i wonder, is the stance you take above altered in any way at all by considerations related to either of the following two components:

1. public figure, public work - inviting criticism and response and covered by the 'public figure' legal doctrine which permits a more extreme reaction from the public; and

2. comedy for comedy's sake - for example david letterman has never spared anyone's blushes and the content of some of his comic pieces could be considered to be cruel and in bad taste, yet because of the venue in which he works, are accepted as comic relief?

thank you.

[Edited 5/1/14 11:53am]

orger said:

did they know he was disabled or did they just think they were making fun of some crazy looking dude? I'm not defending anyone but when I see the pic that Shaq posted alongside his, I don't see a disabled guy. I know it now of course...the interview gave a much better indication of his condition than the selfie did. It really looks no different than any other crazy ass pic you see online. It's hard for me to believe that any of those guys would have knowingly done something as shitty as mocking a "disabled person". Hell, I'm even bothered that they refer to him as disabled. I'm not convinced this is a case of "online abuse" as the news piece claims.

and did he say that he's watched Shaq play basketball "this whole season"?

I couldn't tell that he was disabled either. I just thought he was making a funny face. I think that if Shaq had known about his condition he wouldn't have gone there.