Recently Disney yanked the eagerly anticipated Season 3 opener of Hannah Montana, the popular preteen show starring Miley Cyrus. Among diabetics, the preseason hype was positive: A major star in a major show (its viewers may be small in stature, but the show draws 3.5 million of them) was going to spend significant air time focusing on diabetes.
In prepping the episode, Disney told E!Online that it conferred with medical experts to make sure the show’s content was handled responsibly. And it timed the episode’s airing to coincide with American Diabetes Month.
But the network’s awareness effort was scuttled when a few parents of type 1 diabetics saw an episode preview and ratted it out for promoting diabetic stereotypes.
A celebrity news writer got the scoop from one of them. The unnamed parent said the episode, in which shaggy-haired Oliver is diagnosed with diabetes and Hannah Montana tries to keep him from eating sugar, reinforced bad stereotypes about type 1 diabetes, such as type 1 diabetics can’t have sugar (they can) and sugar causes type 1 diabetes (it doesn’t). According to the source, Oliver is also never shown taking insulin or checking his blood sugar (both of which are realities of type 1 diabetes).
I have not seen the episode (though I have seen the show before—for months my four year old has been waging an unsuccessful campaign to watch it), but the title alone, “No Sugar, Sugar,” gives me an idea of where the Disney folks ran afoul. Sugar has been associated with diabetes for many decades; around some elderly people you’ll still hear the phrase “sugar diabetes.” But it’s an outdated reference.
Scientists don’t know the specific cause of type 1 diabetes, but they do know that the body’s ability to produce insulin is either damaged or destroyed due to an autoimmune response. Genetic and environmental factors are at the top of the list of possible causes, but sugar is not one of them.
Type 1 diabetes advocates often make this point, especially when they feel efforts to fight the disease are being overshadowed by its bigger brother, type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are 24 million diabetics in the U.S.—only 3 million have type 1.
Next page: We’re not stuffing our faces with sugar!
Comments (24)
This is really interesting — I had no idea that diabetics can have sugar, and I’m glad they pulled an episode that would have furthered the stereotype. I think I’m thrown off by all of the food in the grocery store (and chocolate shops) that is touted for diabetics. That solidified my assumption that diabetics couldn’t have even a little sugar. Huh! Thanks for enlightening me!
Are you serious!?! People need to stop whining and being so sensitive!
It’s not a matter of sensitivity, it’s a matter of accuracy. Perhaps you need to stop being so ignorant and uneducated.
What a lot of babies. It’s a sad day in America when a “Small Group” of parents, or anyone for that matter can cause a show to not be aired. Last time I checked this was America, not Russia. I’m ashamed of Disney for bowing to censorship. No one was going to force anyone to watch the program. Has everyone forgotten there’s an off switch on the TV?
Get a grip, it’s a fictional program, not a medical documentary.
Oh Cmon! I hate the fact that every time when I have a chocolate bar or have a glass of wine people look down on me. I CAN have alcohol and sugar when I want to, even if I have diabetes. Moderately of course.
I have a young grandson with Juvenile Diabetes. It takes effort by all family members to keep this horrific desease under control. If any TV show uses this topic, it should certainly be completely accurate.
I am glad that Disney is reviewing the episode.
Just change the channel? How insensitive. Come tell my ten-year-old sister to change the channel. She’s living with diabetes 1, and adores HM. She would be crushed to see those things going on – assuming this article accurately relates the events.
Hey Robert Jones Maybe you should take a walk in my shoes. Take my child for a day, you do 15+ blood checks on little tiny fingers, you figure out how many carbs are in a piece of bread, you calculate how much insulin to give her, and while you are doing that, take into consideration how much active insulin she has in her body, when she exercised last, is she going out side to run, or sit down and play a game, will she have a snack later, is she going to take a nap, or be in the car.. ALL OF THESE THINGS EFFECT HER BLOOD SUGAR.. every single last one of them. Parents of children with diabetes are being babies.. How you you like it if your child/mother/brother had cancer and they called him/her cancer boy/girl?? this is what was going on in the HM episode, is it OK for someone to call a child with diabetes ’sugar boy’???? is it ok to call someone is a wheel chair ‘criple boy’? is the SAME THING, its BULLING and NOT OK.. maybe you should find out the ENTIRE STORY before you open your ignorant mouth! I’m glad disney pulled the story, but upset they have explained why, just that parents complained. I hope to god that you never have to deal with diabetes in a child, its an aweful disease that is LIFE-THREATENING.. Yes, its a fictional program BUT they have the RESPONSIBILITY to BE ACCURATE on such an important issue!
Thank you to the author of this acticle for being acurrate and saying what disney should have been saying all along!
the above should be PARENT’S OF CHILDREN WITH DIABETES AREN’T BEING BABIES (NOT ARE, SO SORRY!!!)
While HM is a fictional show, the kids that watch this show look at her as a role model and believe what they see on TV.
I do hope to see Disney redo the episode with accurate information and air it later this season.
BTW.. I am one of those baby parents that complained to Disney. I guess if you believe we are over reacting babies, you are one of the idiots that would believe the sterotype information that was in the episode, and you are the exact reason we are so overly joyed that Disney pulled the episode.
I am the “unnamed parent” :) quoted in Liz Barrett’s column (she does name me at the end). And it wasn’t just a small group of parents – it was a concerted effort by HUNDREDS of parents of children with diabetes, adults with diabetes, friends of children with diabetes, and the children themselves who all banned together to get this episode pulled. If you haven’t read the comments I made on the entertainment site, please do.
Disney Channel is running a very helpful segment on Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers who is Type 1. He is shown testing and making diet choices.
Perhaps the Jonas Brothers’ upcoming series, “J.O.N.A.S.”, will provide accurate information. Miley Cyrus dated Nick Jonas, and Disney should be commended for first, attempting to present a diabetic character and second, responding to valid criticisms.
How refreshing to see such an intelligent, accurate and well written article on T1 (and 2)Diabetes. Thankyou Sean Kelley!!! If only there were more reporters around like you, maybe we wouldn’t be battling so many misconceptions about T1.
And yes..I’m another ‘baby’ parent ;-) Robert Jones and Captain Crunch.. try living ‘a day in the life-of’, before making ignorant comments.
Hey Captain Crunch – You’re an idiot. We’re not whining, we’re trying to educate people. There is a big difference. Shows like this can have a huge impact on people’s perception and for something like this Disney needs to do a much better job of fact finding. The entire Type 1 community would have openly supported and promoted this show – but it needs to be accurate. That could have been 3 million supporters.
Next time think before you say something so stupid.
I am not a fan of Disney to begin with. This situation only strengthens my disliking. As a Diabetic myself, I often struggle with people who say things like, “God, how much did you eat to get THAT disease?” or, “OH RIGHT! You can’t have sugar.” My efforts to re-educate these people (who can be very susceptible to TV) are completely decimated by programming like this. Are they going to listen to a 13 year old, or a supposedly well researched TV show?
I give thanks that the parents who complained were heard and appeased. Erica, tell your friends about this event and your new-found knowledge. Jones and Captain Crunch, GROW UP! It is a proud day in America when the voice of reason and morality is heard, and the media responds. That’s what sets us apart from other, lesser nations. Oh, and Russia isn’t Communist any more!
im veary sorry for you. I have been looking for websits for i can talk to you this is a way.aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.I cant talk got to go send me back pls.
i just read ur health promblem why dont u take care of ur diabetes ha type back pls!
Hey Tammy, Michelle, etc.,
Way to go in your efforts to get Disney to come to its senses. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this when I first read about parents who saw the episode, but when I started thinking about all the (wrong) preconceived notions of diabetes that I run into, I felt strongly your efforts were worthwhile.
Even though I’m not a type 1 diabetic, the stereotypes I face with type 2 are similar. I hope when Disney eventually runs the episode, your concerns are addressed!
hannah montana this is going to be the last time in my life i am going to see hannah monmtana i am going to tel it to every body
i hate you
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see you!
uw3qyP this http://www.google.com is google
You are the best acteur in the world,your voice is beautiful and your songs two.Your movie was the best movie ever,I wish that when I grow up that I could be famous like you.
I wish that you receive this comment.
Your biggest fan Ahmed,bye miley
I am sorry. TO Miley..Why can’t she share? Its not fair…But they can do cancer, death but DIABETES??