Time magazine, July 8, 1996:
Two dozen theater lovers—who happen to be deaf—had eagerly
plunked down $10 each for a live reading of
Lolita at 40 by film star
Jeremy Irons in New York City. It was to be delivered with the
help of a sign-language interpreter. But the group walked out en masse
before a word was spoken. As the New York Daily News reported,
Irons insisted that the interpreter move to one side so as not to
distract the 300 hearing audience members. Then he lost his cool. "Why
would deaf people attend a reading?" he snapped. "It's like a blind
person wanting to attend ballet."
†