--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I read the script [of Glee], the…" description: "\"When I read the script [of Glee], the whole premise was that all the high school kids were being cruel to this kid in the wheelchair, and then the quar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/zach-anner-4934_character_when-i-read-the-script-of-glee-the-whole_2609944.jpg" --- # When I read the script \[of Glee\], the whole premise was… ![“When I read the script [of Glee], the whole premise was that all the high school kids were being cruel to this kid in the wheelchair, and then the quarterback comes along and has a heart of gold and takes him out of a Porta Potty. That's too often what I see in media, that the characters with…” quote by Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/zach-anner-4934_character_when-i-read-the-script-of-glee-the-whole_2609944.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/zach-anner-4934_character_when-i-read-the-script-of-glee-the-whole_2609944.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/zach-anner-4934_character_when-i-read-the-script-of-glee-the-whole_2609944.jpg) > “When I read the script \[of Glee\], the whole premise was that all the high school kids were being cruel to this kid in the wheelchair, and then the quarterback comes along and has a heart of gold and takes him out of a Porta Potty. That's too often what I see in media, that the characters with disabilities are there to make other people seem like heroes for treating the character with a disability with respect. Those are the kinds of roles that are out there.” [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques media tropes where disabled characters serve only to highlight others’ heroism, calling for authentic representation. **In simple terms:** Avoid using disability as a plot device. Key Takeaway Promote genuine inclusion. Themes representation disability media critique Mood critical empathetic Type media activism When to use this quote - screenwriting workshops - advocacy campaigns - consultancy Key Concepts narrative ethics inclusion strategies Questions to Reflect On - How can media portray disability responsibly? - What stories need telling? A Different Perspective May overlook progress made. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Glee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glee/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart of gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-of-gold/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-kids/) [Wheelchairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheelchairs/) ## Related quotes > [Leo grabbed the neasrest thing he could find- a Porta-Potty seat- and threw it at the face. Leve me alone!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-grabbed-the-neasrest-thing-he-could-find-a-porta-potty-seat-and/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“There was another time when Mike was really foul mood and we had to make a pit stop so he could use a porta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/there-was-another-time-when-mike-was-really-foul-mood-and-we-had-to/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [I don't know what they are protesting at Occupy Wall Street but I'm on their side. But 10,000 protestors and one Porta Potty?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-don-t-know-what-they-are-protesting-at-occupy-wall-street-but-i-m/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I am blind. I am also a stand-up comedian and actor who has benefited from the desire of a very small number of writers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/i-am-blind-i-am-also-a-stand-up-comedian-and-actor-who-has-benefited/) [Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/) > [Basically, I've played a few blind guys on the telly and I am grateful for those opportunities. In spite of this though, I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/basically-i-ve-played-a-few-blind-guys-on-the-telly-and-i-am-grateful/) [Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/) > [Gordon Gekko was right: greed is good. Because, the potty-trained Republicans have now stepped forward - like the Koch brothers - to say, 'You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/gordon-gekko-was-right-greed-is-good-because-the-potty-trained/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I'd like to refocus everyone's attention away from the Kardashians and onto Doctors Without Borders or aid workers. Let's redefine scandal. Scandal is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/i-d-like-to-refocus-everyone-s-attention-away-from-the-kardashians/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [The principal said potty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-simpson/the-principal-said-potty/) [Bart Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-simpson/) > [Leo scratched his head. “Well I dunno about Enchiladas-“ “Enceladus,” Piper corrected. “Whatever. But Old Potty Face mentioned another name. Porpoise Fear, or something?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-scratched-his-head-well-i-dunno-about-enchiladas-enceladus-piper/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I enjoy being Jewish, but I'm an atheist... I hate fundamentalism in all its forms. Jews, Catholics, Baptists, I think they are all potty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mitchell/i-enjoy-being-jewish-but-i-m-an-atheist-i-hate-fundamentalism-in-all/) Warren Mitchell > [I gotta go to the bathroom," Emby mumbles. "You should have thought of that before you left," says Hayden, putting on his best mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/i-gotta-go-to-the-bathroom-emby-mumbles-you-should-have-thought-of/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [A child can go only so far in life without potty training. It is not mere coincidence that six of the last seven presidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/a-child-can-go-only-so-far-in-life-without-potty-training-it-is-not/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Brianna is supposed to go potty INSIDE but sometimes has accidents OUTSIDE! And Daisy is supposed to go potty OUTSIDE but sometimes has accidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-ren-e-russell/brianna-is-supposed-to-go-potty-inside-but-sometimes-has-accidents/) [Rachel Renée Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-ren-e-russell/) > [In Paris in 1964 was the first time I ever heard Dylan at all. Paul got the record (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan) from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-paris-in-1964-was-the-first-time-i-ever-heard-dylan-at-all-paul/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I think-I need to ask an embarrassing question. Do you think I could borrow a pair of scrubs? I-uh-my pants-" "Oh!" Cried the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-think-i-need-to-ask-an-embarrassing-question-do-you-think-i-could/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More by Zach Anner > [I just love all the music. My grandma was a church organist for 40 years, and she got me into jazz music and great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/i-just-love-all-the-music-my-grandma-was-a-church-organist-for-40/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [The most important thing is to have the conversation, and let people who do make mistakes feel comfortable enough to continue the conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/the-most-important-thing-is-to-have-the-conversation-and-let-people/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [I talk about Breaking Bad being the most brilliant show ever, and even minor characters have subtle nuances and are fully drawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/i-talk-about-breaking-bad-being-the-most-brilliant-show-ever-and-even/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [I used to be an insult comic, and I didn't end up liking the way that I felt about myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/i-used-to-be-an-insult-comic-and-i-didn-t-end-up-liking-the-way-that/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [Religion is such an important part of so many people's lives, and I don't understand it at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/religion-is-such-an-important-part-of-so-many-people-s-lives-and-i/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [My grandma was a church organist for 40 years, and she got me into jazz music and great songwriters, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/my-grandma-was-a-church-organist-for-40-years-and-she-got-me-into/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [This country is pretty amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/this-country-is-pretty-amazing/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [You may not have a physical impairment, but you have things, whether it's finances, self-esteem, it doesn't matter. It's cut from the same cloth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/you-may-not-have-a-physical-impairment-but-you-have-things-whether-it/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [For me, cerebral palsy wasn't the biggest deal, because I always had it. You know, you always work with what you got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/for-me-cerebral-palsy-wasn-t-the-biggest-deal-because-i-always-had-it/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [I didn't feel like I was putting anything good into the world, even though it was funny. I wanted to do something more positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/i-didn-t-feel-like-i-was-putting-anything-good-into-the-world-even/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [My parents instilled in me a sense of self that I was more than just a diagnosis or a condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/my-parents-instilled-in-me-a-sense-of-self-that-i-was-more-than-just/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [My parents and my brother instilled in me my sense of humor. That's kind of the way we communicate with each other, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/my-parents-and-my-brother-instilled-in-me-my-sense-of-humor-that-s/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [My stance has always been that my issue compared to everything else going on in the world is really, really small. Once you realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/my-stance-has-always-been-that-my-issue-compared-to-everything-else/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [Depending on where my self-confidence was, growing up, I would use humor either to bring people closer, or to keep them away from certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/depending-on-where-my-self-confidence-was-growing-up-i-would-use/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [I have one of the worst voices in the history of recorded time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/i-have-one-of-the-worst-voices-in-the-history-of-recorded-time/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) [Explore all 105 Zach Anner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I read the script [of Glee], the whole premise was that all the high school kids were being cruel to this kid in the wheelchair, and then the quarterback comes along and has a heart of gold and takes him out of a Porta Potty. That's too often what I see in media, that the characters with disabilities are there to make other people seem like heroes for treating the character with a disability with respect. 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