Political Correctness Rings Hunchback Death Knell

Reuters ^ | 6-28-2002

[Cagey]

LONDON (Reuters) - A British theater company has dropped the word hunchback from its stage adaptation of the classic novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" to avoid offending disabled people, newspapers reported Friday.

Oddsocks Productions has renamed its touring production "The Bellringer of Notre Dame" after discussions with a disability adviser raised the possibility of offending people with spina bifida or the disfiguring scoliosis of the spine.

"We have not changed the novel in any way, we simply felt changing the title would cause less offence of people," producer Elli Mackenzie was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.

French author Victor Hugo's classic 1831 novel, set in 15th century Paris around the cathedral of Notre Dame, tells the tragic story of a deformed bellringer Quasimodo and his love for a beautiful gypsy girl Esmeralda.

The novel has been translated into 20 languages and adapted several times for the stage and screen -- including a 1939 Hollywood film starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara.

The original title of the novel was "Notre Dame de Paris," but its name was changed when the book was translated into English and the hunchback has remained part of the title until now.

Libby Biberian of the Scoliosis Association told newspapers she was pleased at the change.

"I would be embarrassed and offended by the original title," she said.

[Cagey]

Next, "The Elephant Man".

[SouthernFreebird]

Snow White and the seven vertically challenged....

[zarf]

I hope this won't effect the new Playboy release of "Saving Ryans Privates II"

[Gaston]

A rose by any other name...

[EggsAckley]

Arrgghh! Mr. Hugo just rolled over and groaned.

[dighton]

"Notre Dame" (Our Lady) may offend non-Catholics. Best to scrap the whole thing.

[ClearCase_guy]

I hear they're making a new movie about Helen Keller. It's an inspiring story of a girl who becomes famous while being able to see and hear perfectly well.

The producers feel that earlier versions of the story were offensive because those depictions always made deafness and blindness seem like "bad" things that needed to be "overcome". The new version tells her story without that baggage. (/sarcasm)

[ladtx]

Right about offending non-Catholics. Probably should be "The Bellringer of a Big Building".

[general_re]

Still not PC enough. "The Bellringer of the Oppressive Patriarchal Eurocentric Institution".

[B-Chan]

Followed by Joseph Conrad's "The African-American of the Narcissus".

[general_re]

Followed by Joseph Conrad's "The African-American of the Narcissus"

"African in America", thank you. "The African-in-America of the Narcissus"...

[FirstFlaBn]

I'm shocked and offended at the mistreatment of these poor unfortunates. Anybody with even a single atom of sensitivity would understand we have to be especially kind to People of Hump.

[Paul Atreides]

"I would be embarrassed and offended by the original title," she said.

How on Earth does that cluck think she can manage in the real world?

[TomGuy]

especially kind to People of Hump

That is bad! How could you???

I'd type more, but the tears in my eyes makes it difficult to see the screen. I'll write a proper retort -- after I stop laughing. Bad! Bad!

[r9etb]

People of Hump

ROTFLMAO!!!! I'm rolling, and my co-workers are rolling! ROTFLMAO!!!!! (Gonna giggle about that all day long...)

[chiefqc]

Just when I think that the day will be a total loss with nothing to look forward to, BANG, along comes an article that is so stupid that I have to read it twice because I was laughing so hard that the tears in my eyes obstructed my view.

Thanks for the refreashing article. It does my heart good to know that when you think nothing more stupid can be said or written, presto, I been proven wrong again.

[Tourist Guy]

>>>Oddsocks Productions has renamed ...<<<

HEY! I am offended here!!!!

How DARE they call my mis-matched socks odd!!!

They had better change the name of their business pronto or I'm gonna sue!!!!!!!!!

[Orual]

French author Victor Hugo.

An affront to losers everywhere.

[par4]

Whoa, slow down - they didn't change the story, just the title?

I have always been offended by the characterization of Esmerelda as a "gypsy". After all the connotation is demeaning - obviously she is an attarctive "Hungarian-French" lady of limited means. /sarcasm.

At first, I thought that this was from The Onion, but then again, truth is sometimes stranger that fiction.

[Billthedrill]

"Hump? What Hump?"

"Oh, master, never in tails..."