Production Notes: Interview with Director Howard Goldberg

Why did you choose “S&M SHORT and MALE” as the title for your documentary? Any person who mistreats short men is a bit of a sadist. Any short man who blames himself for being mistreated because of his height is a bit of a masochist. I am aware that these statements might seem far-fetched but please read on. Most of the time it’s painful to talk about what it’s like being short. It goes much further than the possibility of stirring up unpleasantly heightened memories of seeming inadequacy. Short men have been conditioned to think of their condition as something that shouldn’t really matter. Since most mature members of society do not feel that they have any bias against short men, it follows that if a short man is bothered by his height, it’s his own fault—it’s a result of his own psychological shortcomings. Whenever any of us shrimps complain about being short, we’re belittled. We’re not taken seriously. We’re lucky if we’re only laughed at. We’ve practically accepted the falsehood that to admit being short is a problem, is like confessing to a weakness of character. That’s masochistic. S&M: Short and Male, proves that short men have a legitimate beef. The prejudice against shorter men exists among all races and cultures, and it is big—according to Harvard psychologists, the prejudice against short men is as pervasive as racial prejudice. As John Kenneth Galbraith, the great (and tall) economic theorist stated: “The bias against short people is society’s last acceptable prejudice.” And since we all know that prejudice of any type is unacceptable, short men should begin to speak out. As a short man (5’3.5 inches) S&M: Short and Male is my contribution to the cause. How did you come up with this idea for a film? Three years ago, at the age of 47, I had my first serious conversation with another short man about what it’s like being short. He was painting the ceiling in my home and he wanted me to climb the ladder in his place because he was afraid of heights. I thought that was funny, and convenient for him because he was only about 5’3”. Anyway, we talked for about an hour about our experiences being short - all of the women who would have us as friends instead of lovers, all of the waiting in line to be served because you’re not noticed, all of the not being able to see the screen at movies etc. Even the experience of talking about these seeming shortcomings was cathartic; I resolved then and there to make a film about the short man in today’s world. Was it difficult to find participants for this film? Most short men couldn’t wait to participate in the film…Their reaction was usually “it’s about time…” How and why did you choose the tone of the film? The film isn't didactic. I hope that it entertains. I don’t think that the problems short men face are morally equivalent to the problems that other minorities are facing. So, in order to get people to listen, they must be entertained into listening. I hope that that is what Short and Male does. When the film is released, what kind of impact are you hoping it will have? This film will not only entertain and educate, I hope that it will allow short men to come out of the closet in a sense. The film presents the issue of short maleness in a serious enough light so that short men don’t need to feel ashamed about their own problems with height. The problems are real, and although there is a psychosocial dynamic at play, the problem by no means rests solely on the shoulders of the short man. After making the film, did you feel more or less proud of being a short man? I’ve always felt proud to be who I am. We are all dealt a certain hand and must make the best of it.