Little people call for FCC ban on ‘midget’

Little people call for FCC ban on ‘midget’

NEW YORK — Little people are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to ban the use of the word “midget” on broadcast TV.

The group Little People of America said Sunday the word is just as offensive as racial slurs.

The request was prompted by an April episode of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” that the group said was demeaning.

In the episode, contestants created a detergent ad called “Jesse James and the Midgets.” The contestants, including Joan Rivers, suggested bathing little people in the detergent and hanging them to dry.

Calls to the FCC and “Celebrity Apprentice” host Donald Trump were not immediately answered Sunday. NBC Universal representatives didn’t immediately respond to e-mail messages, and the telephone rang unanswered at their Los Angeles office.

Today’s birthdays

Actor William Schallert (“The Patty Duke Show”) is 87. Actress-singer Della Reese is 78. Actor Ned Beatty is 72. Singer Gene Chandler is 69. Country singer Jeannie Seely is 69. Actor Burt Ward (“Batman”) is 64. Actor Fred Dryer is 63. Actor Sylvester Stallone is 63. Actor Geoffrey Rush is 58. Actor Grant Goodeve (“Eight is Enough”) is 57. Singer Nanci Griffith is 56. Actress Allyce Beasley (“Moonlighting”) is 55. Drummer John Keeble of Spandau Ballet is 50. Actor Brian Posehn (“Just Shoot Me”) is 43. Rapper Inspectah Deck of Wu-Tang Clan is 39. Rapper 50 Cent is 33. Actresses Tia and Tamera Mowry (“Sister, Sister”) are 31. Actor Jeremy Suarez (“Bernie Mac”) is 19.