Marlee Matlin Slams "Dumb" Saturday Night Live Parody of Sign-Language Translator Lydia Callis

Deaf actress takes SNL to task for making light of the sign-language interpreter who's become a viral sensation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy

By Josh Grossberg Nov 05, 2012 4:50 PMTags
Celebrity Apprentice, Marlee MatlinVirginia Sherwood/NBC

Marlee Matlin is giving Saturday Night Live an earful.

The Oscar-winning actress took the NBC sketch comedy series to task this weekend on Twitter for a show-opening skit spoofing New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sign language interpreter, Lydia Callis, and her extremely animated signing during the former's Hurricane Sandy press conferences.

"Millions of deaf people use sign. Why poke fun/fake it? Poke fun at ME but not the language. Would they do that to Spanish or Chinese? FAIL," the 47-year-old Matlin tweeted.

Guess she's never seen Fred Armisen's "Showbiz Grande Explosion" bit.

The funnyman played the mayor in the skit while SNL costar Cecily Strong took on the role of his lively translator—this after clips of the real Callis went viral earlier this week, making it easy comedic fodder.

But Matlin, who's deaf and is an outspoken member of the National Association of the Deaf, was unhappy about it and explained why.

"I'm referring to sign language parodies. Sign is not mime; it is a legit language. That's why I developed an App ‪#MarleeSigns to teach it," she wrote in a follow-up post. "As I've said, I don't mind fun poked at me, as I poke back. But at the language that millions use? It feels childish and insulting."

The 47-year-old thesp noted that while she can laugh along with everyone else, there's a big difference between actual signing and the mock signing which Strong deployed in the sketch.

"Here's my point. Deaf people HAVE a sense of humor. Ever see me on Family Guy or Seinfeld? But faking signs that we use isn't the same," the Celebrity Apprentice finalist said

She added: "Imagine if a show started making fun of Spanish (using fake Spanish) or Japanese. Do you think they'd actually get away with it? Uh, no."

Matlin concluded her rant by saying there's a right way and a wrong way to do deaf jokes and Saturday Night Live chose the latter.

"The jokes about sign cold be funny if done right.. Seinfeld, Family Guy, My Name is Earl WERE funny. This stuff is just dumb," she tweeted.

A rep for SNL could not be reached for comment.