"Tropic Thunder" Boycott Call From Disability Groups

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.

Keep reading

-or-

Read Defamer's account of how "Simple Jack" disappeared from the film's marketing campaign

-or-

Watch the trailer:

Comments

[marignymitch]

Wanted: A sense of humor.

[yngcelt]

You know what offends me? This completely unoriginal and completely false way that ethnic comedians portray white people in their so-called comedy routines. How many white people do you actually see talking with a deep, monotone voice anunciating every syllable of every word while stiffening their neck and tightening their buttcheeks?
Imagine if a white comedian went on stage portraying blacks as Satchmo or mexicans as speedy gonzales or asians like Mickey Rooney in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"!
What a duoble standard we have in this country.

[pixelslinger]

um.. that happened. It was called "Entertainment until the late '60s"

[pixelslinger]

You can still catch some of it any time a cartoon character takes a face full of dynamite.

[yngcelt]

And what? That makes it OK for ethnic comedians to do the same thing? Is this the liberal idea of "justice"? Two wrongs make a right...er, leftist?

[Getbent]

I'm offended that whiners are constantly offended by almost anything.

[nyc4obama123]

Well i can surely see why the are intellectually disabled!

[yngcelt]

This reminds me of the protest a few years ago by advocates for mental health over a teddy bear that came out around valentine's day. The teddy bear was in a little straight jacket with the words "I'm crazy for you" on the front of it. These humorless advocates came out in droves to protest a freakin' TEDDY BEAR!
Where were they when Batman Forever came out and portrayed Two Face as a villain with MPD? Where were they when Silence of the Lambs came out? Or any of the hundreds if not thousands of films and television shows that portray mental illnesses in humorous ways?
God I miss the days when people had a sense of humor and thicker skin!

[pixelslinger]

Nobody wanted to admit seeing Batman Forever.

[yngcelt]

LOL
Oh come on! Didn't you like seeing nipples and cod pieces on Batman and Robin?

[jhoughton1]

Wait -- a "mindless dolt"?? Let's picket Huffington Post, too!!

[UGAgirl]

Where are all the stoners protesting The Pineapple Express? Oh, right, they're probably at home, minding their bongs and their business!

[andvoodoo2]

LOL!

[pixelslinger]

Wait... what?

[WolfLarsen]

This lawsuit is retarded......

[DangerDave]

No disrespect, but... Aren't Ben Stiller and Jack Black mentally disabled? I mean.. Is it all that offensive if it comes from those guys? Anyway, people should lighten up some IMO.

[glewis4457]

Hell, Americans elected the intellectually challenged to the presidency in 2000 and 2004

[Getbent]

lol

[4johnny]

I'm offended by people constantly imposing their offendedness upon me.

[lvogt]

Some characters murder people in films but I guess that's not as bad as being insensitive.
It's a frackin character in a movie! He's not real and on 60 Minutes.

[pixelslinger]

And for god's sake, don't show a nipple! It'll be the end of civilization as we know it!

[ElPerro]

Lighten up, T A R D S

[Irons]

LOL!

[Mort]

You can't buy this kind of publicity. Nothing makes people want to do something more than someone telling them not to. To quote a famous "slow" person... "stupid is as stupid does."

Stiller's movies are hit and miss. Some original and funny, some where you get tired of his same, neurotic ham. I plan on seeing it for Downey. The previews of his character are a riot. He may be a troubled soul in real life, but he's an actor with incredible range and great comedic timing.

[Veri]

For the love of God, these people need to get a freakin' sense of humour. Don't watch the movie. This sounds like an HOA full of busybodies who can't keep their noses out of their neighbor's sex lives and thrive on making others miserable.

We have a whole industry in America consisting of people who are offended about everything, everywhere. This movie is a non-issue. If I wanted to be bored and completely inoffensive, I'd move to Austria and develop their national psychosis of melancholy.

Not try to make a national issue out of nothing because I like make others feel bad and enjoy seeing them miserable. Like these screwballs.

[ailbhe]

You said exactly what I was going to say! Agree 100%.

Can't wait for the movie to come out either, it looks great. On the bright side, these busybodies provide great publicity for a film.