Comedy Central seems like an odd choice for someone like Tim Shriver, Chairman, Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the Special Olympics, to talk about the  ”r-word”…or is it?

With over a million viewers, Shriver with Colbert took a bold step to address a population of people where the “r-word” is no doubt used. As you would expect with Stephen Colbert, the conversation was light and amid laughter, Shriver cleverly drove his, “People First” language home by poking fun at Colbert and without coming off as authoritative. No doubt discussing the r-word during the show in a comedic, quick-witted environment somehow diffuses the power that the word holds and teaches us to be aware. Policing people with the expectation of erasing the word’s existence seems to raise emotions, bearing weight to its darker side. Shriver states, “I don’t want to be a cop, I want to be a teacher” and asks for social awareness for a “forgotten population of people.” Shriver makes an appearance on yet another controversial program on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, tonight at 10 pm.

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