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Protesting Tropic Thunder
Filed under: Film Flickers
Several groups that advocate for the disabled are calling for a boycott of the new film Tropic Thunder, starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Tom Cruise and Robert Downey, Jr.
The groups state that the movie is depicting a negative portrayal of those with "intellectual disabilities."
The flick is directed by Stiller and is set to be released this Wednesday.
There are currently 22 disability groups protesting the movie's satire.
Many of the groups also plan to protest the movie's premier today in Los Angeles.
Peter Wheeler, a spokesman for the Special Olympics, says "We are asking people not to go to the movie and hope to bring a consciousness to people about using derogatory words about this population. That will be the start of a nationwide protest. We will continue to be vocal about the destructive effect of this film."
Wheeler says the groups are particularly offended by the repeated use of the word "retard" in regards to a subplot character that Stiller plays called Simple Jack.
Representatives from several groups such as the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Congress, and the American Association of People with Disabilities met last week with execs from Dreamworks to discuss the film, though no changes were made.
The groups presented various ideas to the studio, such as requesting an apology or fixing the film before its release, in order to produce a national education campaign.
A rep for Dreamworks says, "We have had productive discussions with representatives of disability advocacy organizations and look forward to working with them closely in the future. However no changes or cuts to the film will be made."
Adding that "Tropic Thunder is an R-rated comedy that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses, and makes its point by featuring inappropriate and over-the top characters in ridiculous situations. The film is in no way meant to disparage or harm the image of individuals with disabilities."
Hmmm…
What do U think?
humorless = sadness & dictatory
Ignorance and prejudice is what disabilty groups are fighting, and based on these comments, they've got a long, long way to go.
I think it's a free fucking country. That is what I think. If you don't want to go see a movie like this then don't go see it. It's not like they are requiring everyone to see it.
If they can put a show on HBO at 11:00pm showing sex toys, labia and full penetration (Katie Price sex toys show) then I'm pretty sure they can show a movie that makes fun of retarded and disabled people. We've been doing it for years why stop now?
GOD this country is getting so fucking PC it's sick.
Love you.
I usually think these people are losers, but I have to agree with them. I saw the R rated trailer for the movie a few days ago, and it showed the scene where Ben Stiller was acting as a developmentally delayed man and I didn't think it was funny at all. It was distasteful and insulting. I mean there are limits, yknow? They could have made it funny, but it just wasn't. It was stupid and rude and pointless.
Hahaha! I'm going for sure now, i can't believe people would take any aspect of this movie seriously !?! lighten up
There are only two social groups in the world that are considered okay by the dipshits of America to make fun of (my case about the idiots is proven by the charmers your site seems to attract) are the disabled and the fat. Somehow people seem to think that it is okay, because in all actuallity it is endorsed. I am deaf in one ear and suffer from multiple bone disorders, including scoliosis. I see how it is to be ridiculed every day, and in all honesty I think these groups have every right to be pissed off. If it was derogatory towards MEN of another ethnicity/racial group something would be said. If it had to do with using words against the queer community, something would be done. But when it comes to the disabled, fat, or in many cases women and racism/sexism no one gives a rats ass. It is sad to see the quality of human being who thinks comments on these boards, saying who cares. I'm sure they would care if they were the ones criticized because they talk differently, act differently, and such due to genetic or physical disabilities they can not control nor fix.
this is redic.
like seriously
these people should know that these kinds of comedys poke fun at EVERYONE
suck it the fuck up!
if they cant get that, theyr living in the wrong WORLD.
I think I'm going to see that movie. (:
They make us call them "special" so we can use "retard" as much as we want.
In PROTEST of the PROTEST, I'm going to go out of my way to call every stupid thing I see "retarded," and call my friends "fucking retards" every time they do something stupid…I mean retarded.
I can be so retarded sometimes. What a fuckin' retard I am.
OH PLEASE!!! They need to get over it because there are many other movies that use the same word or even worse and I never saw them protesting those ones!! Its for attention!!
Re: sahaira – So Sahaira, If they were using the phrase, "That's gay" or the word Fag, or something like that, would you feel the same way? Just curious. It seems to me that some people would be upset by that and some people wouldn't (even if they were gay). My point is, no matter what the subject matter, or who they are making fun of, you are going to offend SOMEONE. Political Correctness has gone WAY too far in this country. It's a comedy for crying out loud. No one is safe in a comedy and we (as a country) should be able to laugh at things. We are way too uptight in the U.S and it's getting out of control. Pretty soon, we won't even have freedom of speech for God's sakes!
It's completely ridiculous. Lighten up, America!
When this movie is over will you be more encouraged to make jokes of white men dressing up as black men or will you be more inclined to make fun of "retarded" people who can not stand up for themselves? The portrayal of the mentally disabled in this film will let ignorant people make senseless jokes and have a further misunderstanding of the emotional aspects these disabilities bring to families and the helplessness that these people face. In the eyes of someone who has had a relationship with a mentally disabled person for their entire life, it is not funny to see them put down more than they already are just with stares when they simply go to a restaurant with their family. I wouldn't be able to sit through this movie and see people laugh at the way the disabled are represented. Congratulations to the advocacy groups speaking up for the people who can not do it themselves because there are far too many people who remain ignorant in regards to these types of disabilities, from reading most of these comments posted here it is clear there are a lot of you.
RETARDS!
In Los Angeles 90% of pregnancies are terminated due to the pre-diagnosis of Down Syndrome during genetic screening. Studies show that parents considering terminating their pregnancies do so because of the fear of how society will treat their child and their family. If society didn't great a negative stereotype regarding disability, would this be as big of an issue?
The problem here is that the careless use of the word "retard" and the references to the "retarded" character as the "stupidest m***** fu**** in the world" simply perpetuate the negative stereotypes that run rampant in American Society and contribute to actual discrimination in daily life that goes far beyond just words.
The issue here is not one of political correctness. It is one of respect.
So go on ahead, keep saying retard, i really don't care, but the next time you see a person with a disability, treat that person with respect, give that person the same opportunities that you afford others and don't use hate language towards them like is done in the movie. Because if your argument is that it's just a movie and it's over the top and inaccurate, I challenge you to not act in the same way that the characters in the movie do.
And just remember - Disability doesn't discriminate, it could happen you at anytime no matter your race, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, or age. It could happen to you or someone you love at any time.
Um, that's really stupid.
WHO CARES if they use the word 'retard'.. I mean it's like using the word 'gay', no one gets offended, and no one cares. This whole issue is bullshit, just let the movie go on untouched. It won't be funny if they replace every 'retard' with 'intellectually challenged'
I guess the mentally disabled community doesn't understand the word SATIRE.
Chill ppl it's just a movie!
Whatever just another thing to complain about. Do we have to live in a society that makes big deals out of everything??? Retard Retard Retard Retard Retard Retard Retard Retard Retarded
Disgusting, but most movies are tasteless now adays!
Are there only a bunch of ill-educated morons in here? What do you think these protest groups are doing? They are giving a voice to the seriously challenged, who don't deserve to be made fun of, because Americans are too mentally stilted to find anything but retard jokes entertaining. Anyone who has ever tried explaining something to a mentally disabled person, and seen them cry with frustration, or only gotten 11 years with them because that's all you had, or worked with em- will hate with a burning passion these infantile jokes that are "satire" and "harmless", and just a movie, do hurt people. I can't fathom why the studio couldn't lay off the jokes a bit. The character Stiller plays here is not the idiot savant— I don't get. Tear me apart- go ahead. How many of you volunteer with the disable or have had a family member die in you house that was challenged?
For the record, there have been protest group at the Ringer and other movies as well. Now go ahead and tear it apart. It is our duty as people to act humanely to one another.
People are too sensitive about things today, Hollywood should give them Valium.
jeeeezzzz its just a movie!