SNL Pisses Off T1D Mama

“McDonalds has announced it will be offering two new versions of the Big Mac—one for each type of diabetes”—Colin Jost in SNL’s “Weekend Update” Saturday January 21, 2017.

The latest offering in a long buffet of diabetes jokes leaves a bad taste in our mouths. Why is it still acceptable to make jokes about serious, chronic and life threatening conditions or about any medical condition? One mother’s response to SNL’s attempt at funny.

An Open Letter to the Creators of SNL:

July 12, 2013 was the day my entire life changed, dramatically. I should have been doing the final touches on my daughter’s first birthday party, instead I was sitting in an emergency room fearing for my daughter’s life. Her blood sugar was 453, she was extremely dehydrated and her body was poisoning itself. Her blood was acidic and she was experiencing a life threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. A complication caused by a disease that we had never had any knowledge of, type 1 diabetes.

My daughter was 11 months old when she was diagnosed with a chronic illness. The day before her first birthday she was fighting the fight of her life and I was helplessly looking on while nurses and doctors poked and prodded and gave her medication to keep her alive. She is perfect to me and I wouldn’t change a thing about her. But what I do want to change is the way the world views this disease.

The January 21, 2017 episode of Saturday Night Live had a Weekend Update section that absolutely floored me. Saying “McDonald’s has announced they will be offering two new versions of the Big Mac, one for each type of diabetes.” is NOT a joke. It offended myself and many others who live this disease every single day of their lives. I am absolutely shocked that a broadcast company such as NBC would make light of two very serious diseases.

My daughter is only 4 1/2 years old and she doesn’t know that this kind of insensitivity and ignorance exists in this world. I am her voice and as long as I’m alive I will always protect her from these ignorant stupid jokes. Diabetes is not a joke and you should be ashamed that you allowed that to air. I demand you post a public apology to all those who suffer from either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. What you said was ignorant, insensitive and absolutely out of line!

Sincerely,
One pissed off type 1 diabetes( T1D) mama!!!

*This is a picture of my 4 1/2-year-old daughter who has type 1 diabetes. This is who you made fun of. A defenseless child—there is no excuse for that.

Read Is Type 1 Diabetes a Disability? by Elizabeth Salko.