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Disabled Claim 'Dancing' Is Doggone Unfriendly

Posted Jul 15th 2009 1:43AM by TMZ Staff

Dancing With The StarsTwo physically disabled people are suing "Dancing with the Stars," claiming the show's studio is so disabled-unfriendly a cameraman threatened to run over a service dog.

Robert Carr and Arnie Pike claim in a new lawsuit they went to CBS Television City in L.A. last March to watch the show. Carr is a double amputee who is confined to a wheelchair. Arnie Pike is a quadriplegic who also requires a wheelchair.

The men claim they arrived with two companions and a service dog and were forced to watch as the majority of the audience was let in ahead of them.

The suit claims the studio has no "designated accessible seating for persons with disabilities." They claim the staff has "a policy of placing disabled persons where they cannot be seen by the camera or the public."

DWTS CurseAccording to the suit, Pike was placed behind several rows of seats where he could not even see the action on the stage. The worst slight of all -- allegedly -- "his service dog was placed in the aisle where the camera man threatened to run over the dog."

The suit -- which also lists CBS as a defendant -- claims "Dancing" violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and asks for an order forcing the show to institute disabled-friendly policies. The plaintiffs also want damages.

Tags: cbs, dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, disabled, dog, DWTS, lawsuit, service dog, ServiceDog, wheelchair

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61. There's an industry out there of people who go and "test" businesses and then sue them for non-complaince to AWDA. This sounds like that. There was a great article in SF weekly about a San Francisco lawyer that was suing all kinds of small businesses for the most minute of infractions - a doorway 1/2 inch too small, a ramp 1 degree to sloped - the end motive was always money. My thoughts: handicapped doesn't mean you get let in first and the front row. And the reality of tv shows is yes, cameras need to move.

Posted at 2:05PM on Jul 15th 2009 by Cita

62. EPIC FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
***
Why don't we just the BLIND sue the (((airline))) companies to let them become (((pilots)))!!!!!!
***
Get over it, whiny little bitches. :-D

Posted at 2:44AM on Jul 16th 2009 by Mason Pratt (London, Ontario, Canada)

63. You know what? Screw these whinners! I am sick and tired of everyone sueing and pissing and moaning. Get along. I am sorry you have a dissability. My heart goes out to you. Why should everone else PAY YOU because you are mad? Answer that you ass pipes!

Posted at 2:07PM on Jul 15th 2009 by HIGS

64. This is so stupid i don't believe it they just want money how sad try getting a job! Okay it would be fine if they just wanted them to make the changes so it would be wheelchair accessible but they also want money that's low-class i don't give a crap if they are disabled they're still jerks! It's bad enough they have half of all the parking spaces EVERYWHERE, i thought they just wanted to be treated like everyone else? Well i'm sorry sometime average people don't get what they want ....welcome to being treated like everyone else! I hope they don't get a PENNY!

Posted at 2:56PM on Jul 15th 2009 by Veronica

65. I've been seated last and have had crummy seats before ... that's life!

Posted at 3:06PM on Jul 15th 2009 by joannie

66. Guess they've never been to that kind of show. If their tickets were what they call papering the house they might not have even been let in after waiting in line for a few hours . I've been seated last and have had crummy seats before ... that's life!

Posted at 3:13PM on Jul 15th 2009 by joannie

67. This is what happen when an Obama is "elected" into office! All of a sudden every whining crip thinks they deserve a government handout. Wha wha wha! Go cry your retarded tears in France you freaks. All crips and retards are socialists anyway and should be shipped off to the Middle East!

PALIN 2012!!!

Posted at 3:21PM on Jul 15th 2009 by Tru Conservative

68. No matter what station involved this was not a way to treat disable citizens. When I was in a wheelchair for a while, my family loved it because when we went to Disneyland we were let in first on all the shows and had fabulous seats and one exit was used for just the disabled.
As for suing for money is not making a statement of poor treatment - it looks like they are looking to make a quick buck more than getting fair treatment.
If this had happened to me would I have sued? No I would have made a complaint to the studio to right a wrong.

Posted at 3:36PM on Jul 15th 2009 by sassykittie

69. most shows seat the disabled first. Having said that, the disabled want to be treated as equals, yet if they ARENT treated as equals, they get all pissy. Maybe i should sue because as an able bodied person, i didnt get to have front row seats. Too many people are jamming up our court system with these stupid suits.

Posted at 3:44PM on Jul 15th 2009 by deb

70. Isn't "Dancing with the Stars" an ABC Show? Why is CBS involved?

Posted at 3:43PM on Jul 15th 2009 by herla

71. #9, the plaintiffs are suing CBS because DWTS is filmed at CBS Television City in LA, but the show is aired on ABC. alot of shows are filmed at the CBS studio but aired on different networks

Posted at 3:45PM on Jul 15th 2009 by Tavis

72. I went to DWTS (Which is taped at CBS studios) In general as with most shows they put the best looking people in front. I went dressed up like the ticket states however the girls way behind us in line showed up looking as if they were ready for prom and were sat in front. Most shows do this. The younger better looking people get the good seats. And as far as the aeating its all stairs. We were crammed in. The free seating is in the balcony. The rest of the seats below are only filled when vip guests dont show. Its very sad but I just dont see where they could put wheelchairs. I dont agree with it. But really it looks much bigger on tv than it really is. We were number one hundred something and we only got in as seat fillers. We couldnt even sit together. The staff (who I dont believe are cbs employees Which I could be wrong) I think they are from aundience unlimited or something like that were not the friendliest but what do you expect for free.

Posted at 4:09PM on Jul 15th 2009 by Calimom

73. I am just curious to know....where, and how do you let the wonderful people at TMZ.com that they are doing a great job, HOWEVER.....Dancing With The Stars airs on ABC not CBS. Therefore, it stands to reason that ABC is named in the lawsuit filed by Hobble and Wobble.

Posted at 4:35PM on Jul 15th 2009 by explodingchicken

74. So, now that I pointed out TMZ's mistake in the channel that airs DWTS, I can tell you that this article is really funny when you think about it. These two gentlemen probably filed this suit not so much about the way they were treated, as the fact that they got a little bitter about the fact that the closest the will come to dancing is throwing themselves on the floor and flopping around like fish

Posted at 4:36PM on Jul 15th 2009 by explodingchicken

75. I am disabled. I have a service dog. I have a scooter. This is horrible behavior. Service dogs(real service dogs) are extremely well behaved. There is no need to put someone disabled in the back. much less two people.

Posted at 4:43PM on Jul 15th 2009 by honesty

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