Comedian Ricky Berwick took issue with MTV after they attacked Avengers: Endgame for “ableism.” In fact, Berwick became Thanos, donned the Infinity Gauntlet, and absolutely dusted MTV’s Vilissa Thompson.
Berwick began his video saying, “Excuse Me! Excuse Me! I’ve seen the Avengers: Endgame two times. Two. Mother f******. Don’t speak for us. Don’t speak for the disabled community if you aren’t disabled. You know what MTV? Go play some music that’s what you were good at. Don’t come after us. Don’t speak for us.”
He then wears the Infinity Gauntlet and dusts a photo MTV’s Vilissa Thompson.
Berwick’s response comes after Thompson wrote an article at the beginning of the month claiming “Avengers: Endgame’s 3 hour runtime is a stark reminder of Hollywood’s hidden ableism.”
Thompson writes, “For disabled fans, however, particularly those whose disabilities interfere with their bladder control, the runtime can feel daunting and inhibitory.”
Thompson adds, “Expecting disabled people (or anyone for that matter) to hold their pee for three hours is exclusionary, particularly when you add into the equation the full dynamics of the moviegoing experience, which include not just the length of the film itself, but also the customary mid- and post-credits scenes and the concessions a moviegoer looks forward to consuming.”
The MTV writer even cites one person who says they will have problems if they buy a soda. Drew C. tells Thompson, “Having spina bifida does affect the bladder. If I’m going to a movie theater, I’m likely going to use the bathroom before a movie starts at a theater.” Drew adds, “But if a movie is over two hours long and I buy myself a medium or large drink for myself, the chances of needing to use the bathroom are pretty good.”
When discussing potential solutions, Thompson claims there isn’t “one solution.”
“The reality is that there is no one solution because everyone’s needs are diverse. This is particularly so with the disabled community — what works for one person may not work for others.”
What do you make of Berwick’s response to MTV and Vilissa Thompson? Do you buy MTV and Vilissa Thompson’s argument?