Board index › General Discussion › Autism Politics, Activism, and Media Representation

R. Kelly Insults Autistic fan, family sues

Page 1 of 1 [ 16 posts ] 

Previous topic | Next topic

ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,415
Location: Long Island, New York

16 Nov 2017, 3:16 am

R. KELLY ACCUSES AUTISTIC FAN OF 'SMOKING PERCOCET'

Quote:
. Kelly bullied an autistic fan into singing one of his songs, then ridiculed him and accused him of being high on Percocet

Lenny Felix was out in Hollywood when he ran into Kelly outside a nightclub. You can tell from a video Kelly shot and posted, the 27-year-old fan was star struck. The singer and his crew responded by baiting Lenny into singing, "I Believe I Can Fly."
Instead of showing warmth or appreciation, Kelly looked into the camera and mockingly sang, "I believe that you high ... smoking on that Percocet."
Kelly's pals burst into laughter, but Lenny's family was shocked and feel he was victimized. They tell us Lenny's reaction to the clip was, "I don't want him to think I'm dumb. Do you think he was making fun of me?"

R. Kelly posted a video apology after we called for comment, and in it he explains he did not think Lenny had Autism the night they met.
Kelly says he thought Lenny was drunk, and security had to keep him back because he got a "little too close" ... but says "it was all good" and he happily engaged the fan as he sang.


R. KELLY FAN'S FAMILY Your Apology SUCKED ... WE'RE SUING YOU!! !
Quote:
But the family's spokesman, Lenny's uncle Scott Lettieri, tells TMZ ... the apology was insulting because Kelly "would not take responsibility for disrespecting and getting a laugh at the expense of a sensitive young man who suffers from autism."
Lettieri went on to say Kelly used "Trumpian rationalization for shaming and bullying a sweet autistic young man ... [and] we feel there is no recourse but to pursue legal action."


_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity

It is Autism Acceptance Month

“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman


ASS-P
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 9 Feb 2007
Age: 64
Gender: Male
Posts: 8,980
Location: Santa Cruz , CA , USA

16 Nov 2017, 3:35 am

...Would you piss on it? :) :twisted: :wink: :P


_________________
Renal kidney failure, congestive heart failure, COPD. Can't really get up from a floor position unhelped anymore:-(.
One of the walking wounded ~ SMASHED DOWN by life and age, now prevented from even expressing myself! SOB.
" Oh, no! First you have to PROVE you deserve to go away to college! " ~ My mother, 1978 (the heyday of Andy Gibb and Player). I would still like to go.:-(
My life destroyed by Thorazine and Mellaril - and rape - and the Psychiatric/Industrial Complex. SOB:-(! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!


cyberdad
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Feb 2011
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,284

16 Nov 2017, 4:05 pm

Dave Chappelle did a great parody of R Kelly

On a serious note rappers probably need to reign in their anti-disability behavior as its not funny or relevant anymore (neither for that matter is "gansta life")

Prominent African Americans put rappers who spout prejudice against gays or the disabled on a pedestal only tarnish their communities image especially when they themselves are subject to discrimination



smudge
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Sep 2006
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,716
Location: Moved on

16 Nov 2017, 4:59 pm

R Kelly was telling the truth, to me. How would he have known that guy was autistic? R Kelly was taking the mick in a friendly way cos he thought that guy was drunk, he wasn’t being horrible. Him and his friends laughing wasn’t in a mean way.


_________________
I've left WP.


CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,527
Location: Stalag 13

01 Dec 2017, 9:04 am

Quote:
On a serious note rappers probably need to reign in their anti-disability behavior as its not funny or relevant anymore (neither for that matter is "gansta life")


I agree. This day in age? Come on!


_________________
Who wants to adopt a Sweet Pea?


League_Girl
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 27,205
Location: Pacific Northwest

01 Dec 2017, 3:13 pm

I think I discovered a hidden rule, if you are a celebrity, do not use people for your jokes because they might have a disability. You're famous, the parents know you have money so they can sue you to get some of it.


_________________
Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.

Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.


League_Girl
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 27,205
Location: Pacific Northwest

01 Dec 2017, 3:20 pm

Okay I saw the video and he appeared drunk or on drugs. How are you supposed to distinguish between that and autism? If your autism is that severe it makes you act that way, you should wear a special bracelet or something or wear a sign on you saying you are autistic. Yes some people with medical issues do actually do this such as diabetics for example or those who have seizures so they are not mistaken as being on drugs because their problem is that bad.


_________________
Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.

Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.


green0star
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Apr 2016
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,415
Location: blah

01 Dec 2017, 4:31 pm

R kelly is an anal wipe, is he even relevant anymore???



Lintar
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Nov 2012
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,777
Location: Victoria, Australia

06 Dec 2017, 7:37 pm

Oh for God's sake, they're suing him?! Didn't he apologise? Didn't he not admit that he did not know the fan had autism? Isn't that enough?



Lintar
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Nov 2012
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,777
Location: Victoria, Australia

06 Dec 2017, 7:38 pm

They saw an opportunity to get rich quick, and that is why they are suing him. It's that simple.



League_Girl
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 27,205
Location: Pacific Northwest

07 Dec 2017, 9:33 am

Lintar wrote:
Oh for God's sake, they're suing him?! Didn't he apologise? Didn't he not admit that he did not know the fan had autism? Isn't that enough?



Yes he apologized and said he had no way of knowing the guy was autistic and the family still didn't like it.

He did look like he was on drugs or drunk and even I wouldn't have guessed. Now I understand what autistic people mean by when they say they get mistaken being on drugs because every autistic person I have known never appeared that way.


_________________
Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.

Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.


cyberdad
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Feb 2011
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,284

07 Dec 2017, 3:30 pm

League_Girl wrote:
Yes he apologized and said he had no way of knowing the guy was autistic and the family still didn't like it.

It's not rocket science...most rappers use profanities that often ridicule/offend a wide range of people including those with disability. I think the parent's may be overestimating R-Kelly's capacity to understand what he has done.



ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,415
Location: Long Island, New York

07 Dec 2017, 3:31 pm

In my younger adult years, people would ask me if I was high. I was not


_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity

It is Autism Acceptance Month

“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman


cyberdad
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Feb 2011
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,284

07 Dec 2017, 3:55 pm

People go into danger mode when they see a person behaving differently. Many people with cerebral palsy are mistaken for somebody having a seizure or on drugs. They are also easy targets of ridicule. It doesn't help when the POTUS thinks it's funny to make fun of them as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX9reO3QnUA



Lintar
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Nov 2012
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,777
Location: Victoria, Australia

07 Dec 2017, 6:37 pm

cyberdad wrote:
People go into danger mode when they see a person behaving differently. Many people with cerebral palsy are mistaken for somebody having a seizure or on drugs. They are also easy targets of ridicule. It doesn't help when the POTUS thinks it's funny to make fun of them as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX9reO3QnUA


POTUS? Didn't you mean POS?



Sweetleaf
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Jan 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 34,461
Location: Somewhere in Colorado

07 Dec 2017, 6:58 pm

cyberdad wrote:
Dave Chappelle did a great parody of R Kelly

On a serious note rappers probably need to reign in their anti-disability behavior as its not funny or relevant anymore (neither for that matter is "gansta life")

Prominent African Americans put rappers who spout prejudice against gays or the disabled on a pedestal only tarnish their communities image especially when they themselves are subject to discrimination


I know there are rappers who would not behave like that, I mean my main problem with a lot of rap/hip hop in the mainstream is the rappers creating it are really garbage, not just making up crap lyrics but the crappy attitude of glorifying thug life and mocking disabled people and degrading women for instance. However I can appreciate it when it has good lyrics about real issues...or is genuine blowing off steam about their own experiences in life.

I mean the fact that a lot of mildly racist 'white trash' right winger types listen to that kind of stuff says something. Like maybe they still don't like black people but they'll certainly listen to any who glorify acting like a thug and degrading women.


_________________
We won't go back.