Film director Michael Bay (Transformers, The Rock, Bad Boys, Armageddon) recently contacted Apple to get Cody an iPad. Kudos to Apple.
UPDATE: July 12, 9:58am EDT: Michael Bay has posted the following on his website:
I read some of the blogs people sent me from other sites, a couple have totally missed the point. Yes I could of bought one for Cody. Not the point, I’m trying to get Apple and Steve Jobs to understand what an amazing device they have – and never intended. Cody’s mother told me the device for communication they insure Cody for are basically shitty and cost 10k. No internet connection. Ipad $700. Insurance will not cover them because you can connect to the internet – are you kidding me. Insurance is always so lame and behind the times.
The point is to get the message out to that these devices like ipads can help kids like Cody.
Michael
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Nelson” for the heads up.]
Heartwarming!
Thanks to Michael Bay and Apple for their big hearts.
What a great story, and what a great guy (both of them!)
So, why did they give him am iPad 1 and not a 2? Either way, cool beans…though Bay should’ve just bought the kid one himself. Whaaaa?
How do you not know what Michael did or did not do? Maybe he was like my mom’s, God rest her soul, boss and when he heard the plight of someone who’s wheelchair was stolen, purchased one to replace (although not as snazzy as Cody’s). All he asked was to remain annonymous. He didn’t want praise for being someone with a little financial means for doing the right thing. Maybe Cody is riding in style because of Michael! You never know. Not everything comes at the behest of government or a government program. Some evil rich companies with greedy CEO’s occasionally have heart an do well by others!
Completely with you up to the anti-government twist. If I was disabled, I wouldn’t want to depend on groveling in front of rich people for charity. I’d want to live in an enlightened community that wants to be judged by how it treats the least among us. And note how the private-sector insurance carrier only covers the vastly more expensive, much less useful device.
Same thought.
Hell I don’t make nearly as much as either of them, and I wouldn’t ask anyone to help me do something like that.
Not putting either down.. It just always makes me wonder if the stuff like this are more for publicity rather than the right thing.
But yet another reason the iPad is changing the world, for the better.
Hats off to all involved in getting the guy an iPad, and also for Bay not blowing the guy off… So many in this world would.
Imagine a world where it was socially okay to ask for support, even encouraged. How different would the world be? I think this is a fantastic example.
Agreed, kudos to Apple!
I used to work for Piedmont Airlines back in the day. An employment perk was fly for free when space available. A friend of mine, she has Diverticulitis. Neither of us had much money back then. I wrote a letter to the higher ups, and they graciously offered a free round trip to any city on their route system in the US. Good for word of mouth PR, too…
I grew up flying Piedmont. I have a model of one of their planes in my collection! Great airline from back in the day !
It doesn’t really matter if it’s for PR or a higher cause (doing the right thing). In the end of the day, it helps and things are better for all parties, including us who only read the article. It feels good to read such a thing, you know, it feels like some part of the world still make sense…
Totally cool
Great news!
Is it easier just go to apple store and get one on his own?
Contact apple so he get a free iPad?!
Seriously Michael Bay couldn’t afford to throw the kid an iPad? LOL
I think the point was to raise awareness with Apple about how iPads are good for people with disabilities to communicate.
you mean to tell me at billionaire Michael Bay is SO cheap that he has to beg Apple to send Cody an iPad when instead Bay could just walk into the local Apple Store and buy one for Cody?
And Bay did something nice? Is he really that cheap?
Please…
Point completely missed.
i think most of those posting here have a few years on me, but i just don’t understand the sniping about not just this pretty human interest post, but almost everything. it seems totally silly to me, more like some snarky kids i know in high school.
getting m.bay to go to apple is a totally empowering thing for Cody..it’s allowing him to go through a normal consumer channel, (with a high powered middle man) not like pressuring m. bay, who he wants to act in a film for, to give him one, and possibly create what could be a kind of imbalance in a relationship. i bet the guy is thrilled to have bay’s interest and equally thrilled to have apple support his ability to communicate using the best tool available to him. good move by bay and apple, imo.
Amen Jan. You just can’t fix “stupid”.
http://bayhem.com/n8jDIF
I read some of the blogs people sent me from other sites, a couple have totally missed the point. Yes I could of bought one for Cody. Not the point, I’m trying to get Apple and Steve Jobs to understand what an amazing device they have – and never intended. Cody’s mother told me the device for communication they insure Cody for are basically shitty and cost 10k. No internet connection. Ipad $700. Insurance will not cover them because you can connect to the internet – are you kidding me. Insurance is always so lame and behind the times.
The point is to get the message out to that these devices like ipads can help kids like Cody.
Michael
thanks for posting this. the whole situation makes much more sense now.
Note to anyone else wanting to do things like this for disabled kids like Bay did. State this key part in the video next time and avoid the questions.
MDN, maybe can you edit your Article to link to Bay’s post?
and maybe give people a quick explanation of the video. Some can’t view the youtube video.
Could someone please tell me who Cody is? I don’t live in US and I have no tv either, so I’m out of touch, kind of.
I live in the US and have no ideal who Cody is.
Ahh can’t see the YouTube video?
nutshell:
Cody is a disabled kid.
He met Michael bay 18 months ago, trying to get into a movie of bays.
He can’t talk very well and uses an iPhone 4 to communicate. Types with his nose, Bay figured that an iPad would be better for him and contacted apple to get one for Cody.
Then read Bay’s comment from above, from Nelson.
Thanks FTB, your explanation was really appreciated.
I assumed that the point was that Apple provided a larger than normal keyboard on the iPad.
Verysad
Who, or what, is Cody?
Cody thinks before he types with great difficulty. Maybe you should too.
For those who keep asking:
Cody is a child who did not have an iPad but now does.
Nailed it!
An interview with Michael Bay that has been inoculated from my attempts at snark. All those clever Transformers quips are now muted because you come off as a good guy.
Damn you Michael Bay. Damn you to hell.
He’s still the worst director ever, who apparently can’t speak in complete sentences. But good on him anyway. 😉
@TheMacAdvocate – I know, I’m upset too. I love to hate Michael Bay. We all need our hobbies. Sadly, I thought before I bashed and actually watched the video. I’m in pain. I agree with Michael Bay. He comes off as a decent human being. Oh that hurt to type.
The point isn’t one $700 gadget, the point is to get Apple to donate millions of $700 gadgets to kids with CP or whatever Cody has.
‘Not putting either down.. It just always makes me wonder if the stuff like this are more for publicity rather than the right thing.’
Possibly but I do not think so in this case. Apple was uninformed at the time and we ALL know they have a special place in their corporate heart for the handicapped. Moreover, Michael Bay has directed so many successful films, he does not need any publicity.
I think it is because Cody won Michael’s admiration for his persistence in trying to be in one of his movies that in a way, this ‘video’ accomplishes just that.
Brilliant Mr. Bay. Well played sir!
since you quoted me..
I’ll say it now, I apologize to Cody and Michael Bay.
The short video he posted didn’t include the explanation Bay later provided. Which would have thrown out my question, and many others like it.
Hey Apple, Launch the iPad 3 with an iPad video like you did at the iPad 2 launch.
Staring Cody.
@FTB…it was not my intention to diss you as that was my initial impression as well. So often this is the case that I imagine most of us think that way. After seeing the video, I just thought of the ‘satisfying Cody’s aspirations’ angle and thought I would share a different interpretation.
I didn’t take it as a “diss” of me.
Have you ever said/post something that while isn’t bad.. you later find out the whole story and you just feel bad for what you said?
yeah, thats why i apologized.
After reading Michael Bay’s comments on his forum (Thanks Nelson) I was going to respond to my first post… then saw you quoted me.
I should have clarified it a bit more, but was kinda in a hurry this morning.
the “publicity” i was referring to was more of “Hey look at me! I’m not a total jerk after all” kind.
Many don’t Like Bay’s work, I like it for what it is. Entertainment.
And yes I saw Transformers 3, in 3D. and i did like it. (the girl could have been better, but the story had believability.)
@FTB I think most of us are inclined to diss Michael Bay. There is probably some PR angle to this – he does need an image fix. If he does things like this on a regular basis (and he may – I heard he was very upset about that puppy tossing video last year), it could rehabilitate his image – assuming he cares. He makes kajillions on his bad movies and he is recognized more than most directors so does he care? I don’t know. My guess is probably, its the more human reaction to not want to be universally hated but he has a very nice pillow to cry on if he does care about his image.
Thanks to Michael Bay, Apple and many others, opportunities and innovations are making life better in any ways today. Maybe Apple needs to advertise and demonstrate how they are now able to be a big part of helping those who really need help. Cody is available for an add or testing R&D innovations from a disabled users perspective.
Note: It used to cost several thousand dollars for communication devices less capable than the iPad. Thank you Apple for making a difference in our world today and tomorrow!
Why does MDN just assume that everyone knows who Cody is?
Wow… I’m amazed about some of these comments! Michael Bay is an amazing individual, he “gets it”. He was so impressed with Cody J LaScala (my son) using his nose to use his iphone he contacted Apple to make them aware of how this device has changed Cody’s life and could change the lives of others with disabilities around the world. Can you imagine being his mom and watching him venture off on his own! With his iphone, he can call me and I can call him anytime (just for peace of mind). Cody used his feet for computer access all his life. He relocated himself from Iowa to California November 08 and ready to find his way onto the big screen 🙂 I bought him his first iphone and attached it to his chair and added myself and 911 to his favorites so he could hit it with his nose. It was a new skill and I was a bit worried until I started getting text messages an hour later! When Michael Bay met Cody he understood how amazing this device was to those with disabilities. He also had insight on how Cody could be more efficient and quicker if he didn’t have to struggle with such small buttons. I couldn’t believe how Michael Bay took time out of his busy schedule to make this happen for Cody, giving awareness to how this could benefit others. Many families struggle to find communication devices for their children. Insurance companies may approve a communication device which is “solely used for communication”, which does not include and iPhone nor the iPad. This is based on information we received in April 2010. The devices we looked at ranged from $5000 – 10,000. Thank you Michael for your compassion and taking the time to make a difference! And… Thank you Apple for giving those with Disabilities new Abilities!
Lynette, to be honest those of us who live and work in and around Hollywood are SHOCKED Michael Bay “gets” anything. As I said above, if this is who he really is he has a huge image problem. That said MB hit the nail on the head when he said “insurance sucks”. Insurance doesn’t get anything. Like how much they would save by paying for an iPad or iPhone vs a $10K device.
I hope Jobs gives one of these iPads or iPhone (depending on the person) to everyone who needs one.