I was cycling in the gym on Sunday morning when a face kept appearing on the TV screen. It was Terry Wogan.
I still hadn’t quite woken up, and at first, I didn’t think anything of it, but then I looked again, and saw the information on the screen – saying that the TV presenter had died.
To watch this article signed by Charlie, click play below:
Instantly, I felt really sad. He was someone I grew up seeing on screen – almost like someone I knew, part of the wallpaper of my life.
Cue numerous tributes on TV and in the press. The surprising thing though was seeing some deaf people’s responses on Facebook yesterday, asking who Terry Wogan was, or for more information about him.
There might be two reasons for Wogan being less known in the deaf world than the hearing, ‘mainstream’ world.
One is that a lot of his appearances on TV were at live events – such as Children in Need or the annual Eurovision Song Contests. Both are made accessible through (unpopular) live subtitles, which often contain mistakes and have a delay, so may not be viewed by a high number of deaf people.
Second, much of his work, especially in the last few years, was on radio rather than on TV – which isn’t accessible to deaf people at all.
Realising how Terry Wogan was so much less known in the deaf world than the hearing one – despite his fame, made me think about another recent celebrity death – of the musician, Davie Bowie.
Now, I knew about Terry Wogan pretty well, but David Bowie is someone who really passed me by.
Sure, I knew his face, saw him on TV a lot, and remember his appearance in the film Labyrinth (which I saw growing up). But was I aware of what he was actually well known for – his music? Not really.
The only song of his I know is Life on Mars, and that’s because it was the title song for a well-known BBC series.
So when people were so sad, shocked and upset at his death, calling him a genius (and it was a huge outpouring of grief for some of my friends), I felt like I didn’t get it. Like I’d really missed out on something.
I grew up in a deaf family and we didn’t really have music at home. When I was 11, I got into the Beatles and became interested in music, got a sense of most major artists and musical styles, but I missed out on David Bowie completely.
So, for me, it was revealing how these two recent deaths, of these two celebrities in Britain, seeing so many people talking about them and feeling so upset, showed how deaf people find themselves just a bit outside during these kinds of events, not so involved, and that might be because we’re not aware, or interested, or it might be because of communication and access issues when it comes to accessing TV or music, over many years.
Charlie is the editor of Limping Chicken, as well as being an award-winning filmmaker. He directed the comedies The Kiss and Four Deaf Yorkshiremen go to Blackpool, and his documentary Found, about people discovering the Deaf world, came out last year. As a journalist, he has written for the Guardian and BBC Online.
The Limping Chicken is the UK’s deaf blogs and news website, and is the world’s most popular deaf blog.
Find out how to write for us by clicking here, or sign a blog for us by clicking here! Or just email thelimpingchicken@gmail.com.
Make sure you never miss a post by finding out how to follow us, and don’t forget to check out what our supporters provide:
- Phonak: innovative technology and products in hearing acoustics
- Ai-Live: Live captions and transcripts
- Bellman: hearing loss solutions
- Deaf Umbrella: sign language interpreting and communications support
- Clarion: BSL/English interpreting and employment services
- Appa: Communication services for Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing people
- SignVideo: Instant BSL video interpreting online
- 121 Captions: captioning and speech-to-text services
- Doncaster School for the Deaf: education for Deaf children
- Signworld: online BSL learning and teaching materials
- SignHealth: healthcare charity for Deaf people
- CJ Interpreting: communication support in BSL
- Sign Solutions:, language and learning
- Sign Lingual: BSL interpreting and communication services
- Action Deafness Communications: sign language and Red Dot online video interpreting
- SDHH: Project Development and Consultancy
- Mykasoft: Deaf-run Web Design Studio
- BSLcourses.co.uk: Provider of online BSL courses
- British Society for Mental Health and Deafness: Promoting positive mental health for deaf people
- deafPLUS: Money advice line in BSL
- Hamilton Lodge School in Brighton: education for Deaf children
- Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support
- RAD: financial advice for Deaf people
- Krazy Kat: visual theatre with BSL
- Exeter Deaf Academy: education for Deaf children
Maggie
February 2, 2016
Omg!!! That is totally true!! Funny enough my deaf friends were laughing at me when I asked who is terry Wogan. Like you I know Bowie face but not his music. Interesting article!!
Natalya D
February 2, 2016
I did know a tiny bit of Bowie but yes I relate to a lot of this, many of my friends are very musical and their sadness at the death of musicians passes me by cos I’m like “huh, who?”… I find my accessing music is very different from hearing people’s. I have to work at it, so for me, music isn’t usually something I can just passively absorb, I have to work at it and when I’m using all my capacity listening, music isn’t necessarily what I want. I do listen to some, but a very small amount and I prefer for it to have a connection. For that reason much of the music I do listen to is not in English and I prefer it that way. 🙂
Caron Wolfenden
February 2, 2016
Hey Charlie…I was on a beach today travelling when I saw your post about Bowie v Wogan. It struck me that this is something I think about often, that however much I immerse myself in ‘Deaf world’ and however much I provide access as an interpreter, what am I really providing access to? You comment that you grew up with Wogan while Bowie passed you by…I grew up with the Beatles, Liberace, Cilla Black and then Bowie appeared as Aladdin Sane and I can honestly say, it changed my world.
Why was he so important? The world had been quite grey and dull…music wise, many good sounds came out of the hippy era but Bowie rocked. He was different and challenged all our perceptions of what was possible…make up, clothes, sexuality, drugs and dancing…he was the opposite of what a lot of our parents stood for. He asked, without asking, that we look at the world we live in. As I read your post, I was lying in the sun with headphones on, listening to the best of Bowie.
I grew up with Bowie, from the same part of London and to me, he meant challenge and never stand still. I don’t do Facebook, but I guess a comparison might be that social media has now opened up the Deaf world in a way never before thought possible…your parents felt safe in the world they knew…but now Deaf people can move, create and challenge across the world. However, most of Facebook (what I see) is boring and only every once in while does something get posted that grabs your attention. That’s a Bowie moment.
I can’t sign this right now so sorry this is in English only…but what I do want to sum up with is…
Keep moving, keep creating and keep dancing…to the end. I’d take Bowie over Wogan any time.
Caron 🙂
Noel Campbell
March 31, 2016
Well said Caron. I have been a Bowie fan since i was twelve. I am now 56. I find Charlies and others reactions sadden me. I have had hearing problems all my life but David Bowie expressing his sexuality did more for me than any deaf so called deaf community. David Bowie is also very much a visual artist as well. The reactions to his death are global and from all walks of life from other music artists across the genetations to the theVatican From astronaughts and world leaders and he has even been cited by the German government for helping to bring down the Berlin wall. He was the first white artist to fully embrace black music in the 70s and was the first white artist to appear on Soul Train an all black music show in the USA. I think that speaks volumes in itself. Instead of moaning and whinging go educate yourself about one of the greatest artists of all time
You are building walls and divides where non exist. Deaf people of course have trouble accessing music because their deaf. Its not hearing peoples fault you dont get it. This whole cultural divide stuff you talk about is nonsense. The way we change/ challenge views is through education and integration not through isolation and alienation.
Cathy
February 2, 2016
This is really sad, not just about Celebrity deaths, but the fact so many deaf people are barely aware of what is really going on in the world.
I loved Terry Wogan and he has done more than Children in need. He was a true legend and is going to be sorely missed.
I also knew of David Bowie as my sister used to sing pop songs to me. Both deaths have hit a cord around the country, amongst others but not the deaf community.
This emphasises how deaf people miss out in the world: through having no access to music, unless one has hearing aids or an implant. Even with hearing aids I can only access music if the words are written out in front of me, so I can follow the song. Or somebody sings it for me so I can lipread.
The shortcomings of being deaf are not lost on me, I feel the deaf community is only half alive when they spend time amongst each other: constantly visiting pubs, playing bingo and all going on holiday together, rather than joining in the mainstream, for obvious reasons.
Our demise is unlikely to change anytime soon, when communication between hearing and deaf people provides a gulf and low reading skills amongst some deaf people does not help them access subtitling; whilst sign languaged programmes are broadcast while we sleep! Happy Days!
RIP to all the wonderful Celebrities all suddenly gone…..
Lana
February 2, 2016
Terry Ruane said to me…”Again someone from my generation” passed away… he is now seeing many celebrities he had some contacts through his theatre work disappearing since the New Year.
svknyc
February 2, 2016
“Both are made accessible through (unpopular) live subtitles, which often contain mistakes and have a delay, so may not be viewed by a high number of deaf people.”??
MAJORITY of deaf and hard of hearing people (about 98%) DON’T know sign language – it’s MAJORITY that relies on captions and benefits from them! Not to mention hearing foreigners and many others who need captions for various reasons.
Editor
February 2, 2016
I’m not arguing with you – I use subtitles to watch tv!
My point is that compared to pre-recorded subtitles, live subtitles can make some programmes hard to watch and that can affect the number of deaf people who watch those live programmes.
I personally don’t really enjoy live events like Eurovision or Children in Need for that reason, but if they had pre-recorded subtitles, I’d enjoy and watch them much more.
Charlie (Editor)
Martyn Brown
February 2, 2016
An interesting article, which does underline the fact that deaf people can and do miss out on elements of the hearing world. I suppose if a leading light in the deaf world passed on, most in the hearing world would have no idea who they were. The difference, of course, is that ‘we’ are in the minority. I can understand how millions can miss Terry Wogan, as they woke up with him each morning. I can’t appreciate radio myself, but I can understand the importance of it, particularly for those who live alone. In my younger days, with better hearing levels, I could access some of David Bowie’s music. He was never a favourite, but I have a lot of respect for someone who turns down an honour. John Lennon was another. Mr Wogan accepted his – even though he was Irish!
Editor
February 2, 2016
I think Lennon accepted his, but later returned it?
Anonymous
February 2, 2016
I am hearing and 38 years old but I only found out about the existence of Wogan and Bowie once I was in my twenties, and although I had appreciation for their talents they certainly didn’t change my life and were not a significant part of my life at all. The fact is that I have never been particularly into popular culture and have instead spent my time doing a lot of maths, origami, juggling, woodwork……….I would say that most hearing people have no idea about deaf culture and you could say that all these hearing people are missing out on all that is going on in the Deaf world…..There are lots of parallel universes and as I have highlighted with my own example there are many parallel universes even within the hearing world – just because I am hearing doesn’t mean that Wogan was a part of my childhood. Interestingly a well known interpreter has told me that ‘world knowldge is extremely important for the role of sign language interpreter’ and she said that she had never come across anyone so lacking in world knowledge as I am! That comment came when she discovered that I didn’t understand a reference to ‘yellow brick road’ and I also didn’t know what a ‘ninja’ is!
Hartmut
February 3, 2016
Silence is golden, as the proverb goes,
I would enhance this to say ‘Silence is music’.
I observed that some hearing people, decreasing their interest to listen to music, once they learn sign language and appreciate the musicless world of the Deaf.
I know of many big names of hearing musicians, like Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Jack Lennon, Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson, and now Josh Groban, I did not cry any pearly tears when they died. I indeed thought, them better be dead, for they ruined the culture of the hearing, how they turn millions of hearing people into mad, frenzied, and convulsing zombiesm and made them also drug addicts. Thes super wealthy musiciand don’t even donate their wealth to drug rcovery programs.
Emma
February 8, 2016
I’ve noticed that my sister doesn’t really watch live programmes, unless it’s Strictly Come Dancing, and even then she watches it with me so I can translate what the judges are saying, because the subtitles are jumping about so much. As well as not keeping up with what is spoken, they have a tendency to cover the faces of people on screen so they are impossible to lip-read. It makes us both annoyed.
I don’t know if this is the same for others but she was more affected by Alan Rickman’s death because she’d seen him acting on screen as Snape in Harry Potter. In terms of popular culture she’s much more in tune to actors and actresses (being able to watch their films and tv shows) than tv presenters and music artists. She did it earlier today – my mother and I were watching Call the Midwife and when my sister walked in she instantly pointed to the screen during one scene and said “that’s Helen from Strictly Come Dancing.” For us it definitely depends on specific aspects of popular culture.
Hartmut – I know I don’t speak for every hearing person out there but I’ve always loved music and have grown up with BSL as my second language since I was 4. I completely admit that a lot of singers are incredibly problematic and have issues with fame and it’s a reason why I don’t cry tears over their deaths but they have impacted others and culture, and that opinion ought to be respected. It isn’t easy to be fully integrated into a Deaf community when you live quite a distance away from the nearest Deaf club and other Deaf people and the only interaction is that of the hearing world. When my sister drives me crazy I use classical music as a means of escape so you can say she has heightened my interest in music and it’s capacity to calm me down. However it will be different for everyone.
A.Margaret Demaret
February 8, 2016
Well I suppose it’s the same for us hearing people when some well known role model to the deaf community dies-we have no knowledge of who they were, or what their influence was.