Australian Ninja Warrior viewers outraged after deaf contestant disqualified
Social media was in uproar last night over the way a deaf Australian Ninja Warrior contestant’s disqualification was handled by the show’s editors and producers.
Paul Cashion never heard the siren alerting him that his turn had ended after his foot slipped into the water on the first obstacle. Cashion continued through the course until his son, Josh, caught his attention and gave him the news via sign language.
Viewers have taken to Facebook and Twitter to slam the moment as insensitive, humiliating and disgraceful.
“Shame on you Channel 9,” one Facebook commenter wrote. “You don’t show all of the people who make it through, but you highlight the confusion of a deaf athlete who was unaware that he was disqualified. This segment could have been edited to empower Paul, but you chose humiliation instead.”
understand that rules are rules but the editing & the way it was handled was disgraceful, turns me off the show #NinjaWarriorAU
— Tayla Richter (@tayla_richter) July 16, 2017
#ninjawarriorau execs 'So we have this footage of a deaf guy looking confused after being eliminated'. channel 9 'Oh show that, great TV!'
— Daveo (@inflammatorydev) July 16, 2017
“I want all deaf people and all people with impairments to see me tonight and think that they can be on the show too,” Cashion told the cameras before his attempt at the obstacle course.
Did you think the moment was insensitively handled? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.