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Christopher Reeve Connects with Disabled on Radio
Supports Key Legislation, Making Movies with Accurate Disabled
Characters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 8, 1998
CONTACT: Greg Smith, Host, "On A Roll Radio," 937-767-1838
http://www.onarollradio.com
Yellow Springs, Ohio – Actor Christopher Reeve voiced support for
legislation that would give Medicare recipients the choice between
nursing homes and personal attendant care in their own homes in a live
radio interview Sunday evening, June 7. Reeve was the guest on "On A
Roll – Talk Radio on Life & Disability," a nationally syndicated
commercial talk program on disability issues. He was interviewed by "On
A Roll" host Greg Smith, also a full-time power wheelchair user, and
took calls from "On A Roll" listeners.
"I’ve always called nursing homes human parking garages because not
enough is done to be proactive with patients," said Reeve when asked if
he would add his name to a list of supporters for HR 2020, the Community
Attendant Services Act. "People tend to really lose heart in nursing
homes. I’ve visited many of them and I see people and I look in their
eyes and see that they have lost hope. They stop eating properly and
they sort of get parked there. I think the home environment is much
more psychologically conducive to health than a nursing home environment
so I would certainly support that."
Reeve also said that he felt a responsibility to make motion pictures
that do a better job of projecting a proper image of people with
disabilities. "Typically in movies featuring someone who is disabled,
often the disabled character is a villain, or somehow mired in self
pity," he said. "Or it is someone who is very bitter. I’m about to do
a film in which the character is a vent C2 vent-dependent quadriplegic
and he’s a hero in the movie," he said, referring to a remake of Alfred
Hitchcock’s "Rear Window." "It’s going to reveal how the new assistive
technology is used so the hero can survive and prevail. It’s very
high-tech, very cutting edge showing what’s possible."
In the one-hour interview, Reeve deflected criticism that his
involvement in the disability community is strictly focused on a cure to
spinal cord injuries. He pointed out that he is the Vice Chairman of
the National Organization on Disability and that 30% of the Christopher
Reeve Foundation’s funding goes to quality of life issues for people
with disabilities.
"I think Christopher Reeve is in the process of possibly evolving into a
great advocate for people with disabilities someday, but it’s a long
process," said On A Roll host Greg Smith after the interview. "What he
can do for our public image through his movies alone is a tremendous
opportunity. And I was happy to hear him voice support for the
Community Attendant Services Act, one of the most important issues
facing people with disabilities today."
Smith has muscular dystrophy and weighs just 65 pounds. He uses a chest
strap to sight upright in his power wheelchair. He is a 20 year radio
veteran who resigned as Research Director at Pulitzer’s KTAR/K-Lite in
Phoenix five years ago to pursue the dream of combining his profession
with his life experiences to create a change for people with
disabilities. On A Roll now airs on 20 radio stations across the
country, and six new stations carried the Reeve show as a live spcecial
event. Smith is married and the father of three non-disabled children.
He drives an adapted mini-van, but does his show from home with
computerized digital audio pre-production and an ISDN connection for the
live feed.
For more information about "On A Roll," or to order a cassette tape of
the broadcast, call 937-767-1838 or e-mail greg(AT)onarollradio.com