Bristol-based Aardman under fire for "poking fun" at leprosy in new film
Bristol-based animation company Aardman has come under fire for the trailer of its new film The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, which critics say "pokes fun" at people with leprosy.
The charity Lepra Health in Action has complained about a scene in the film, due for release in March, which sees an pirate losing an arm aboard a "leper-boat".
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A scene from Aardman's The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists
Lepra's president Sir Christian Bonington said: "It might make you laugh but leprosy stigma not only hurts, it is still forcing people to live a life on the fringes of society.
"Not only is the dropping off of body parts a total misnomer we have to ask ourselves, as we watch it uncomfortably, is it acceptable for us to be laughing at the millions of people who are disabled by leprosy?"
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Dozens of people turned to Twitter to voice their disdain for a clip using the hashtag #aardman.
Even Stephen Fry joined the debate, tweeting: "Hey! Cheap joke #Aardman, leprosy does not cause your arm to fall off".
A spokesman for Aardman , the company behind Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run, said it took the criticism very seriously and was reviewing the matter.
Watch the trailer for The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists
Comments
by Bristolexpat
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 7:47PM
“There's a charity for leprosy!???
Must be real busy here in the UK?”
by dais9ma9ie
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 4:05PM
“This is totally stupid, its a cartoon, the people that complain ought to get out a bit, they obviously have a really sad and boring life and just complain for a living. PATHETIC INDIVIDUALS”
by Pogo_T_Clown
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 3:48PM
“armless fun, no leg to stand on, pulling off your nose to spite your face, give my right arm for some perspective...
Leprosy is a nasty illness. We all know this. We all know that it's not contagious. We all know that bits don't actually fall off, apart from in extreme cases. We also know that it's a cartoon, that it's not real and that it's just entertainment.
If Newsnight showed leprous pirates shedding body parts, that'd be another matter. And it'd be a programme I'd watch, with a cold beer and a bowl of popcorn.”
by Charlespk
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 2:46PM
“"'ARMLESS FUN!"
Oh please stop it's hurting now!
http://tinyurl.com/6l4lzhz”
by Commenter42
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 2:22PM
“Some free publicity for Lepra!!”
by joning
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 2:00PM
“Are they for real? How many lepers are there in this country? Apart from the social one, Sir Christian Bonington.”
by Jenna_Talwart
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 1:26PM
“Soon no one will be able to joke about anything. There are worse things than being "offended".”
by MarkBS9
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 1:13PM
“Oh come on, it's only a piece of armless fun.”
by Clair_Bradley
Tuesday, January 17 2012, 1:02PM
“Er, get a sense of humour?”