Friday 19 November 2010

BBC3 documentary: Love me Love my face

There's been precious few 'shock docs' on lately; me and my best mate used to base our social life around shows like 'The Boy Who's Skin fell off' and the latest progeria doc. People go 'freak show' but that's not what it's about. These programmes are where you find out what people are really made of; and what society is made of.
This story follows Jono, who has a genetic condition called treacher collins, that means he's basically got no bones in his face. To describe him I'd say his face looks weirdly melted. He kind of looks like a Who from Who-ville, and is more weird-looking than ugly. He's unusual, like he should be in a Tim Burton film, or a cartoon. But he's no more strange looking than half the people you see on Jeremy Kyle each morning (audience members included), in fact, he's much more normal.
Wow, his parents gave him up for adoption because of the way he looked. How horrific.
He's got a pretty girlfriend, and people can't quite wrap their head around it. Sad really, isn't it. I can already tell by the end of this show I'll be used to how he looks. So what is everyone's problem? They both seem like really decent people- is it so hard to believe that she could love him?
Jono is looking for his birth parents, even though they were 'horrified' by his appearance. How heartbreaking. Did his mum not love him and want to protect him? I can't understand that. If he doesn't find them, I hope they watch this show and feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
Jono; I don't think the mullet is helping, though. He's slagging off bowl cuts! I've got a bowl cut right now. Watch what you're saying, young man.
Really sad when he was talking about his parents and if they celebrate his birthday, or if they don't mention it. I bet a million quid they're not still together; how could they look at each other?
I'm blubbing now! Oh dear. His adopted mum is so lovely. God, it's so unfair the way some complete wankers can have kids and some really good people can't; the world is fucked.
Jono also has hearing problems. Sucky. I was wondering when plastic surgery was going to come up. Conform! Look like everyone else! But aren't we all guilty of it?
But he doesn't want surgery. You get used to your face, don't you. I respect that.
You have a 50/50 chance of passing on this condition to the baby. But how could you not do it; especially after your parents gave you up? It'd be like saying your life isn't worth living, when it is.
For some reason Jono is now sitting in a wheelie bin full of cold water; not entirely sure why.
I don't think his parents are going to want to know. People like that don't change. Oh fuck,have they rejected him again? OMG what is wrong with people? How can you have no heart like that? It's devastating.
It's obvious this show is just him trying to reach out to those cunts. It's just one big scream of 'I'm here!' and who can blame him? I hope they can't sleep at night. Evil, evil people, and I don't bandy that word around.
I am agog at the cruelty of his parents. Abandoned once; but then just told to fuck off again? Oh god, and he's still making excuses for them! God, don't they realise what they're missing out on? This is a subject that touches a nerve for me; heartless parents who don't give a fuck about their own children. I hope they rot.
Thank god for his adopted mother. I am proper sobbing.
I liked his girlfriend's attitude to it; calling them heartless and castigating them for putting him up for adoption within a few hours. I sometimes wonder how I can live in this world with people like his parents in it. We really are doomed. It really, really is their loss.
Jono went to visit the parents of a little girl who had the same condition as him. She looked lots like him, but her parents kept her.
Turns out his 'real' grandma wrote to him and visited him a few times when he was little. So the whole family weren't callous arseholes. She sent him £30 every Christmas and birthday. I wonder what she thought of her daughter or son's behaviour? Fucked up.
Good luck Jono and Laura; I hope it all works out for you guys.
I leave with you with this thought from Morrissey; 'if the people stare, the people stare. I really don't know and I really don't care.'

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

v. interesting and thought-provoking blog, must read more often

lightupvirginmary said...

Thanks for reading & the comment :)