Deaf News: Simpsons deaf episode; ASL Mama pendants; Ava app and “CODA”
Here are three Deaf News briefs.
Simpsons episode with deaf characters voiced by deaf actors
The first: Variety reported that this Sunday’s episode of “The Simpsons” will have deaf animated characters who are voiced by several deaf and hard of hearing actors. The story is more focused on speaking deaf people and cochlear implants than ASL and Deaf culture, but it will be the first time that the Simpsons has sign language in it.
The story will be about Lisa Simpson meeting her musical idol Bleeding Gums Murphy’s son Monk, who was born deaf. In the story, Monk is a young adult and wants a cochlear implant. Lisa will try to help him but there may be some drama.
The writer of the episode, Loni Steele Sosthand, said the episode was inspired by his deaf brother, Eli Steele. She said it was tricky to use ASL for the animated characters because they only have four fingers.
There will be a flashback scene in which Bleeding Gums discovers that his son is deaf. Sosthand said the scene is based on how her parents found out that her brother was deaf.
The voice actor for Monk is John Autry II, a hard of hearing actor who once appeared on “Glee.” Another voice actor is deaf comedian Kathy Buckley.
Variety said there will be three deaf child voice actors from a nonprofit called “No Limits” which is a program in California that helps deaf children to speak using theatre settings. Several years ago “The Daily Moth” covered an episode in which the program was criticized for seemingly dismissing ASL as a language with a heavy emphasis placed on speaking ability as an indicator of success.
I’m not sure how this episode will work out with all the different things and potential issues in it, but there’s only one way to find out — watch it on Sunday night on FOX. I’ll provide a recap on Monday.
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“Millie ASL Mama” pendants
The second news: Deaf actress Millicent Simmonds, who is 18, and her mother Emily have worked with jeweler Cut and Clarity to design a two-part pendant called “Millie ASL Mama” for Mother’s Day. The pendants combine to show the sign for “mother” by one piece showing a woman’s profile and the other piece showing the “5” ASL handshape. The Simmonds are selling the pair of pendants, which are 14K gold, for $300 with the profits going to the SKI-HI Deaf Mentor program.
This program sends mentors to families with deaf children to teach them about ASL and Deaf culture. The Simmonds said it was because of the SKI-HI program that Millicent learned ASL.
Millicent said in a press release that “Right now, only 8% of hearing parents who have a deaf child learn sign language. I hope this pendant inspires parents to learn the language that is most accessible to deaf children…”
Ava app used in “CODA” production
The third news: Have you used the Ava app? It can use your smartphone to pick up nearby voices and provide a live transcription. One of the ASL masters on the set of “CODA,” Anna Tomasetti, said she used the Ava app with big groups of hearing people by putting her phone on the table and seeing whatever she could catch as it transcribes what people are saying.
I was informed by the Ava team that one of their co-founders, Thibault Duchemin, is a CODA from France. Both his parents and his sister are deaf and use French Sign Language (LSF). Another co-founder, Skinner Cheng, is Deaf and from Taiwan.
Tomasetti also said she used the Cardzilla app, which is a large-text notes app created by a Deaf team, Ink & Salt.
So, it’s Deaf/CODA apps for the win!
That’s the three Deaf News briefs for today.
Variety Article: https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-simpsons-deaf-voice-actor-sign-language-episode-1235227673/
Previous Daily Moth episode on No Limits: https://www.facebook.com/TheDailyMoth/videos/668050023396901
https://cutandclarity.co/collections/millie-asl-mama-charm
SKI-HI: https://deaf-mentor.skihi.org/