48: Kudos to PepsiCo — Says A Lot About NAD!

To make this brief for y’all to follow up.  For the first time in eons, PepsiCo sought the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)’s help in developing the television commercial for Super Bowl Sunday based on the legendary joke within the Deaf Community.

The one that we knew where the couple went to a motel on a honeymoon.  The husband went out to get some supplies only to realize that he was not sure which the motel room was.  So he honked his car repeatedly — all rooms had the lights on except for one.  A-ha!  That one …

Here is the link to the television commercial slated to release on Super Bowl Sunday.  The commercial was simply priceless and fabulous.

This commercial simply showed the positive side of Deaf people.  This is the exact thing we needed to send in the media, television and films!   For years, Deaf people, much to the delight of McConnell and Fatterson and to my chagrin, has been portrayed as helpless and unfortunate victims of this, that and there.

But I want you to step back and look at the bigger picture — the position of NAD is becoming visible.  For years, the powers of NAD has been somewhat dormant and yes, weak.  True enough, the NAD was never on the same level with AgBAD, NAACP and AARP.  The politicians cannot afford to alienate the NAACP and AARP but they can dismiss the NAD.  And still do to an extent.

But in the last couple of years, the NAD has made such strides in addressing itself by pushing for visibility in the mainstreaming media.  Suddenly, I am beginning to see more and more corporations being aware of NAD’s position.  Now, the NAD was asked to work with PepsiCo for the commercial.

The NAD has changed a lot in the last 5 years and I expected the NAD to do more and emerge as the one of respected disability organizations in the country.  Nancy Bloch and Bobbie Beth Scoggins deserves the accolades and let’s not stop there.  Let’s do more.

If Bobbie Beth Scoggins decides to seek for 2nd-term as NAD President, I urge many to unite behind her — I am not sure if she plans to seek for 2nd-term in New Orleans this coming summer.   Unlike many before her, Bobbie made herself accessible to everyone else including my Mother.   That speaks volume about her character to reach out and work with — not for — Deaf people from all over the country.

Double Cheers to NAD and PepsiCo.  But I’m still a lover of Coca-Cola, so sue me.

Eric Malzkuhn Dead:  The Patriarch of Malzkuhns, Eric Malzkuhn, whom was well known for his love of theater arts, died recently.  He was one of few Deaf actors that gets to perform on Broadway in New York.  In fact, he worked and performed the famous actor Boris Karloff’s role on Broadway for one night.

Eric was a trailblazer in creating the opportunities for Deaf people related to theatre arts.  I do not need to list the accomplishments because it’d go on and on and on … to a point where the Model Secondary School for the Deaf named its auditorium after him, Theatre Malz.

His wife, Mary, was popular professor at Gallaudet for many years.  I did not enjoy her antics at times when we were in London.  Let’s leave this as is.  But one thing that kinda made me wince a little.  It is open secret that Eric first met Mary many decades ago when Eric was a high school teacher at Michigan School for the Deaf and … Mary was a high school student!

If this similar situation occurs today, he’d be in jail. However, Eric and Mary Malzkuhn are well-respected figures across the country.  Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about their children.

Cheers,

R-