[quote]
(March 9) -- Members of a support group for little people have a giant problem with a theme park in China that puts dwarfs on public display.
The park, which is called Kingdom of the Little People, is a $115 million enterprise in southern China's Yunnan Province that features as its top attraction a troupe of dwarfs who perform various skits including a slapstick version of "Swan Lake."
The Kingdom is the brainchild of entrepreneur Chen Mingjing, who told The New York Times that he sees the park as a way to help the less fortunate, in this case, the more than 100 dwarfs who he says might otherwise be scrounging for odd jobs.
Far-Out PhotosShiho Fukada, The New York Times / Redux49 photos China's Kingdom of the Little People theme park in Kunming is drawing controversy. Little People in the United States have criticized the attraction. But dwarfs who work there praise it as an environment where they can live together comfortably.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)[url]http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=705444&pid=705443&uts=1268151638[/url]
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Far-Out Photos
China's Kingdom of the Little People theme park in Kunming is drawing controversy. Little People in the United States have criticized the attraction. But dwarfs who work there praise it as an environment where they can live together comfortably.
Shiho Fukada, The New York Times / Redux
Shiho Fukada, The New York Times / Redux
However, that opinion gets short shrift from Gary Arnold, a spokesman for the Little People of America, a support group for Americans of short stature due to dwarfism.
He told The New York Times he thinks the Kingdom is "horrible" and elaborated to AOL News that he objects to the idea of cordoning off little people away from the rest of humanity.
"Putting all the little people together is a form of segregation and a sign of treating people differently," Arnold said.
Arnold said he realizes that the options from Chinese people living with dwarfism are limited, but he said that if those suffering from dwarfism were more integrated into the community, there would be more options for them.
It's a tall order for Arnold, who stands slightly above 4 feet. Still, he has to acknowledge some positives, including the chance for the little people at the Chinese park to hang out with others who also have dwarfism. Still, he worries that the way that park is set up will influence visitors to focus on the differences of people with dwarfism when "they are regular people."
Although Arnold objects to the Kingdom, he says that, overall, the perception of dwarfs is actually pretty good these days, thanks in part to shows like "Little People, Big World," a TLC reality series that documents the real-life experiences of the Roloffs, a six-member family of farmers living near Portland, Ore. Three members of the clan have dwarfism.
He says the show depicts people with dwarfism as normal people with regular jobs and families and, as a result, has a big impact on the public perception of people with short stature.
"The fact that the show has been on for (five seasons) is proof to that," Arnold said.
Arnold also has high praise for actors like Peter Dinklage, who is cast in roles because of his large talent, not his short stature, and Danny Woodburn, who, as Kramer's pal, Mickey, on "Seinfeld," helped diminish the use of "the M word" (midget) in recent years.
As a result, Arnold says that people are now more compassionate toward people with short stature than even 20 years ago. Back then, he says that he sometimes was subjected to people singing the "Oompa Loompa Song" from "Willy Wonka" when he walked by or shouted "Da plane! Da plane!" in reference to Herve Villechaize, the diminutive co-star of the ABC series "Fantasy Island."
But things still have a long way to go, and Arnold points to the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday as proof.
Because the Irish leprechaun is a major part of the day, many people of short stature look at the holiday the same way that Native Americans look at Thanksgiving: as a day of mourning.
"Some little people still cringe when they go to a bar on St. Patrick's Day," Arnold confessed. "It reinforces the traditional stereotype that we're non-human."
Arnold admits that his opinion isn't universally shared by all little people -- many of whom work as leprechauns or elves during the holiday season -- but points to a Craigslist ad he saw recently as a sign that what is happening in China could also happen here: A person advertised for a short person willing to dress up as a leprechaun on March 17 and go out with a leash around his body.
One person who doesn't agree with Arnold is Chris Fetterer, who runs Tiny Entertainment, a party planning service based in Chino, Calif., that rents out people of short stature to perform as leprechauns and elves at parties.
The 6-foot, 2-inch businessman expects to rent out at least 10 leprechaun impersonators on St. Paddy's Day with an average cost of $200.
That's more than what the small-sized entertainers in China are being paid, but he says that what they're earning at the theme park is probably more than what they would earn in regular jobs.
"I can understand why people could be offended by the theme park," he said. "But little people don't always have the same opportunities as everyone else. I think (Mingjing) is not just out to make money. It seems like he's doing it for the right reasons."
Fetterer, 32, has been offering the service for five years and admits it's only a tiny part of his income, but he says the key to his success is that the folks he represents are first and foremost good entertainers.
"The people I represent can turn down any job they want, but when they work, they are treated like celebrities," Fetterer said.
But he does admit he has to take caution.
"I've learned to weed out the crazies, and that's why I don't offer strip shows, even though there is a market for those."
Fetterer has no plans to start his own dwarf theme park stateside, but he does offer some advice for Mingjing.
"If the dwarfs are putting on a show, that's a good thing," he said. "But if they're just having people make fun of (the little people), it won't be a success."[/quote]
Source: [url]http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/kingdom-of-the-little-people-a-dwarf-theme-park-sparks-controversy/19389008[/url]
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Lord of the Rings: The fellowship of the little people (Where the fuck is Gimli?)
[sp] Get the movie reference in title and win an informative x1[/sp]
I don't see the big deal.
Big trouble in Big Town.
Why am I not surprised?
[editline]11:01AM[/editline]
[QUOTE=w 1 z;20649095][sp]Get the movie reference in title and win an informative x1[/sp][/QUOTE]
Are you kidding me? I thought it was a clever reference, but it's not difficult to get in any way. Big Trouble In Little China, with Kurt Russell. I'd be amazed if someone [I]didn't[/I] get the reference,
[QUOTE=lil_n00blett;20649211]Why am I not surprised?
[editline]11:01AM[/editline]
Are you kidding me? I thought it was a clever reference, but it's not difficult to get in any way. Big Trouble In Little China, with Kurt Russell. I'd be amazed if someone [I]didn't[/I] get the reference,[/QUOTE]
:golfclap: you win good sir
[QUOTE=radioactive;20649202]Big trouble in Big Town.[/QUOTE]
Naw, little trouble in Little Town. :colbert:
Big Little in Trouble Town. :smug:
[QUOTE=w 1 z;20649095]
Lord of the Rings: The fellowship of the little people (Where the fuck is Gimli?)
[/QUOTE]
Gimli would be non-existent in midget Lord of the Rings.
"Let us show how discrimination against dwarfs is bad by taking away their jobs!"
Needs more references to Big Trouble in Little China
[QUOTE=radioactive;20649202]Big trouble in Big Town.[/QUOTE]
Trouble big little in china?
[B]Edit:[/B]
Big little trouble china people in.
God damnit mind fuck brb raging.
[quote]It's a tall order for Arnold, who stands slightly above 4 feet.[/quote]
Well done, David Moye.
big towns in big people
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