House M.D.

I do enjoy the show although Hugh Laurie's crankiness has gotten a bit grating in the past two seasons. It is interesting how the writers so often refer to lupus as the potential cause of whatever ailments that episodes patient is facing. It makes sense due to the difficulty to diagnose the disease and the myriad of symptoms that are associated with it. I am conflicted though in that while it does bring a criminally underexposed and understood disease some well needed attention, I wonder if it makes lupus seem almost so rare and almost less severe. This is evidenced in the now almost catch phrase "It's not lupus." Google it and you will see t-shirts among other items with this emblazoned on them. While the line itself is clearly in reference to the show, most have a depiction of House's face on them, this phrase has also raised itself in perhaps more disturbing ways. On the ALR YouTube channel www.youtube.com/myalr, I have noticed many postings by people after a very powerful video 'Faces of Lupus" who respond with this catchphrase, often with an exclamation point. These posts are generally taken down, but still what point are the poster's trying to make. Did they even watch the video? Is someone else's suffering cause for a cheap joke? Or is this all really no big deal at all. I am not sure. I would love to know anyone's thoughts...