Advocates For The Disabled Plan Boycott Of New Ben Stiller Movie

New York Times:

A coalition of disabilities groups is expected as early as Monday to call for a national boycott of the film "Tropic Thunder" because of what the groups consider the movie's open ridicule of the intellectually disabled.

The film, a movie-industry spoof directed by Ben Stiller, is set for release on Wednesday by Paramount Pictures and its DreamWorks unit.

"Not only might it happen, it will happen," Timothy P. Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, said of the expected push for a boycott. Speaking by phone, Mr. Shriver said he planned to be in Los Angeles with representatives of his group and others to picket the movie's premiere on Monday evening in this city's Westwood district.

A particular sore point has been the film's repeated use of the term "retard" in referring to a character, Simple Jack, who is played by Mr. Stiller in a subplot about an actor who chases an Oscar by portraying a mindless dolt.

Mr. Shriver said that he had also begun to ask members of Congress for a resolution condemning what he called the movie's "hate speech" and calling for stronger federal support of the intellectually disabled

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[research]

Watch Mind of Mancia.

[kwright]

I for one will check this movie out. I happen to think Ben Stiller is one funny dude. It's called entertainment. When I pay to be entertained, I like to laugh, not to be freaked out by offensive movies like Saw(never seen it) or other sick crap that is out there. It's just a movie for heaven sake. Ben Stiller makes fun of every one and every thing. Who cares? Really.

[FullOnReality]

ben stiller has sharply rebuked this idea that his film is offensive. check out this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

[MarciL]

It's not about over-sensitivity, it's about having ANY sensitivity to the feelings of others, which I am sad to see so many of the posters here lacking. If YOU had a family member who was intellectually disabled, you'd be singing a different tune.

[WSAY]

My mother was disabled all her life (from age one) and I do not find this offensive. What I DO find offensive is the idea that America is becoming a land of overly sensitive pansies who are willing to sell out free speech at the drop of a hat.

[Chicago48]

I can't say if it will make money or not, but the preview I was at the whole audience was in stitches. Laugh a minute movie, if you get "it". If you remember laughing at Stiller's Something about Mary, then you will laugh at this. Sure, you can look at every group he mocks in the movie from Blacks to Asians to the disabled and the "retarded", but it's funny as heck.

[WRPrintz]

If you get the chance, go to Youtube and check out Retarded Policeman. Ponce, the guy who plays Retarded Policeman, is a Downs Actor, and he loves the role, and the films are hillarious.

I have no problem with people boycotting this film, but I am going to see it none the less. We have in fact become too sensitive, on both sides.

[fightoffyourdemons]

Congratulations! You've all missed the point! I'll go see it twice.

[hydenorhare]

By all means.
Get Congress involved.
Maybe they'll come back into session to vote on a freakin' movie to placate the PC crowd.
THEN we can force a vote on drilling.
SURPRISE!

[MajorKong]

Great. I look forward to saving 3 cents a gallon in 5-7 years.

[WSAY]

Actually, even the government says it would be 2030 at the earliest.

[LeonBNJ]

From what I have heard about this movie and now adding this latest item, there is something just not right about it. That it is being put out in August suggests that the studio even worries that this will be a dog. To me it sounds like a heavy handed, offensive and horribly done satire. Hopefully, due to the internet allowing instant comments and reviews, it will get such bad ones that it will kill off any audience. It seems to me too many in Hollywood forget their is a world outside their city or NY City or their own closed world of people that leads to such junk.

[JulieSA]

Soooo, why did my comment get deleted? I'm just idly wondering, because these things seem to happen randomly--there's no point in trying to understand what the rationales are.

[DavidAF]

This country is full of over sensitive morons who cry about anything and then try and protest what "hurts their feelings". This country is becoming more and more neutered each day by "self-esteem groups", “feminists”, "race hustling affirmative actions groups", which all basically helps America lose face or all since in logic.

What I’m waiting for, in regards to this movie, is the race hustling pieces of trash (Al Sharpton) to cry about Robert Downey as a black man, when and if they do, they will contradict themselves because there was a movie called “white chicks” and that can be considered racists towards whites. Where were the affirmative actions groups on that one? That would be a classic case of “cherry picking”.

[Helzapoppin]

I really had not planned on going to see this movie, but now I think I will just to spite all the anal, thin-skinned, PC control freaks.

[Oomingmak]

RIght on, brother.

[JulieSA]

test

[gevan]

"Intellectually disabled"? . . . that's sooo stoopid.

[Oomingmak]

Jeez, man, get with the program will ya?

It's not "short people" anymore, they're the Vertically Challenged.

At last the Dodo said, ‘everybody has won, and all must have prizes.’

[rainey]

Ben Stiller is a nasty, tasteless man who's so desperate for attention that he'll exploit anyone.

[Chuckwheat]

Call them Republicans instead.

[MaracaKabob]

Ha ha ha,
You jealous!