Big Blunder on Big Brother

Contestant’s insensitive comments cause uproar and force non-profit to shut down.

     At first glance Adam Jasinski looks like a cartoon character. Big broad shoulders, bug eyes, curly hair. Every time he moves it seems as though he’s stepping over mountains to get from one place to another. On any given day, Jasinski might leave that same impression with anyone he comes in contact with, but for members of the autism community, Jasinski will forever be known for his ignorance as he proclaimed on national television that children with autism are “retards.”
     Jasinski is currently a cast member of CBS’s reality show Big Brother. As a member of the show Jasinski has to outlast other contestants in order to win a grand prize of $500,000. Each week viewers get to decide who gets evicted from the Big Brother household. It didn’t take long for Jasinski to make his mark. On episode two of the show’s ninth season, the 29-year-old Florida resident claimed that he was a marketing director of a newly formed non-profit organization called the United Autism Foundation (UNIAF). He expressed to his fellow housemates that his goal with the organization was to build a “hair salon so all the retards could come together to get their hair done.”
The remark enraged Sheila Kennedy who was paired with Adam as a partner on the show. Kennedy responded, “you can’t call them that, they are not retarded.” Jasinski didn’t feel that way. He shrugged her off and replied, “I can call them whatever I want. I work with them all day, okay?”
     Well here’s the problem with that: Jasinski doesn’t actually work with anyone who has autism. Categorize what he said as free speech, but he lied about who he is. In fact, as it turns out Jasinski was never given the title of marketing director. According to his former boss, Olaf Hampel, a Miami area businessman and former professional football player, Jasinski embellished his role with UNIAF. “He worked here less than six months,” Hampel says. “And he was never in contact with anyone that had autism.”
Unfortunately for Hampel, Jasinski’s comments caused uproar in the autism community, which led to a three-week whirlwind that would call for an investigation of his organization. Eventually the negative attention grew so great that Hampel shut down his 10-month-old non-profit organization. “All we wanted to do was raise money for people who needed it,” he says. “I’m the only one in the country trying to put together the first dental center for special needs children.”
     Questions as to whether Hampel’s organization and efforts were legitimate also surfaced. New York-based Autism United led the charge and asked the Florida state attorney general to launch an investigation. “I’m trying to apologize to everyone I talk to about what Adam said, but I promise to everyone that what we were trying to do here was real.” In 10 months UNIAF raised just over $5,000, even after a successful fundraising event in December 2007.
     Media and activist groups raised more questions because UNIAF’s Web site was littered with Jasinski’s photos and ways to purchase merchandise associated with Big Brother and Jasinski’s name. In January of this year Hampel admits that he had to cut back on salaries and Jasinski was one of several employees let go. He asked to stay on as a volunteer. Visitors to the Web site were confused. If Jasinski was fired, why did UNIAF’s Web site become a fan page for Jasinski? At one time every link was either a way to donate or buy Jasinski merchandise. Oddly, a Web site with the domain address BB9Adam.com was identical to UNIAF.org. “I was away on business in Los Angeles,” Hampel explains. “I had no idea what was happening with the Web site. I register hundreds of names, it’s hard to keep up with all of them.”
     Hampel lays the blame on a web designer with whom he is no longer working. He adds that the registration of similar Web sites such as BB9Adam.com and 1buck1cent.com, were all done by the web designer under Hampel’s name and without his consent. “This is what happens when you try to do something good and don’t really have the money to do it,” he says. “You are forced to work with people that aren’t out for your best interests.” Hampel says that the web designer thought it would be a good idea to use Jasinski’s newfound fame as a way to get some attention for UNIAF.
Attempts to confirm this story with members of his board of directors or employees of his company were unsuccessful. Hampel went as far as sending a mass email to everyone he’s worked with at UNIAF. No one responded.
     Autism United also called for an apology from CBS for allowing insensitive comments about individuals with autism to air. “Don Imus was fired for less,” says executive director John Gilmore. “This is the same network that fired Imus for making insensitive racial comments about a women’s basketball team. What makes this any different?”
     CBS refused to apologize for Jasinski’s comments, even after two major advertisers (Lowes and Geico) decided not to air their commercials during the show.
“At times, the houseguests reveal prejudices and other beliefs that we do not condone,” CBS explained in a statement. “We certainly find the statements made by Adam to be offensive, but believe they were countered by the immediate reaction of shock and condemnation from a fellow houseguest (Sheila). Any views or opinions expressed in personal commentary by a houseguest appearing on Big Brother  are those of the individual(s) speaking and do not represent the views or opinions of CBS.”
     A CBS employee, who requested anonymity and has close ties to the Big Brother program, admits the show isn’t always real. “There are certain members of the house they cast for a reason,” the employee said. “Whether it’s to rile people up or plant someone they know will do whatever the producers want them to do.”
     When asked whether the network does background checks on their contestants, the employee said, “They do, but when a potential contestant fits what they want, a few white lies won’t stop them from casting that person.”
     Jasinski was arrested in February 2004 for having 10 pounds of marijuana delivered to his former Manhattan apartment via Airborne Express. At press time, Jasinski could not be reached for comment, because he is still a contestant and unreachable by anyone outside the Big Brother house.