Please read the following excerpt from Johnson's article titled "Managing Mr. Monk: Control and the Politics of Madness" before watching the two videos and answering some of the prompting discussion questions.
Managing Mr. Monk: Control and the Politics of Madness:
"In 2002, USA Network premiered its new comedy series, Monk, featuring award- winning actor Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, the ‘‘obsessive-compulsive detective.’’ Monk breaks new ground by presenting a protagonist who suffers from a serious mental illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Monk is not the first television show to feature a character with mental illness, but it is one of the first to receive widespread critical acclaim for its ‘‘positive, accurate and dignified portrayals of people with mental health problems’’ (‘‘SAMHSA Honors Film,’’ 2005). Monk is part of a broader shift in patterns of representation in which negative, derogatory images of insane ‘‘Others’’ are being replaced by heroes, celebrities, and normal, everyday citizens. These affirming images emerge in tandem with anti-stigma discourses celebrating ‘‘neurodiversity’’ and condemning outmoded stereotypes of madness."
"In 2002, USA Network premiered its new comedy series, Monk, featuring award- winning actor Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, the ‘‘obsessive-compulsive detective.’’ Monk breaks new ground by presenting a protagonist who suffers from a serious mental illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Monk is not the first television show to feature a character with mental illness, but it is one of the first to receive widespread critical acclaim for its ‘‘positive, accurate and dignified portrayals of people with mental health problems’’ (‘‘SAMHSA Honors Film,’’ 2005). Monk is part of a broader shift in patterns of representation in which negative, derogatory images of insane ‘‘Others’’ are being replaced by heroes, celebrities, and normal, everyday citizens. These affirming images emerge in tandem with anti-stigma discourses celebrating ‘‘neurodiversity’’ and condemning outmoded stereotypes of madness."
Discussion:
- What are some of the stigmas towards the mentally ill represented in the media found in the YouTube video and those gathered from your own personal experiences?
- Given the clip provided, how does Monk challenge society's established derogatory images of the mentally ill?
- Where do you think the stigmas toward mental illness come from, and are they ever justified?
- Which representation do you feel is more accurate in structuring societies real perception of mental illness?