'Tropic Thunder' Boycott Planned?
Filed under: Comedy, Celebrities and Controversy, Dreamworks, Movie Marketing
"Not only might it happen, it will happen." Timothy P. Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, told The New York Times that he and representatives of his group and others will picket the opening of Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Reportedly, more than a dozen disabilities groups, including the National Down Syndrome Congress and the American Association of People with Disabilities, made plans over the weekend to start protesting on Monday.
Dreamworks already pulled down a promotional web site that was considered offensive a few days ago, as William Goss reported, and has altered some television advertising, but that's as far as they're going. A spokesman told the NYT : "No changes or cuts to the film will be made." Both Stiller and Dreamworks exec Stacy Snider insist they are not targeting the disabled, but the foolish ambition of certain actors. Shriver told the NYT he's asking members of Congress "for a resolution condemning what he called 'hate speech' in the movie." The film's repeated use of the term "retard" is "a particular sore point."
For personal reasons, I have a strong distaste for calling someone who's intellectually disabled a "retard" -- I think it's hateful and insensitive -- but I don't feel that a Congressional resolution or a boycot will do anything more than anger and harden the hearts of the very people who might rethink their vocabulary. To be fair, I haven't seen the movie, but Shriver and other protestors have.
If it happens, will you support the boycott? Or do you think this is another case of "political correctness" gone too far?









Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
8-10-2008 @ 6:49PM
Michael said...
That whole boycott idea seems pretty retarded to me.
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8-10-2008 @ 10:11PM
MCW said...
Agreed. Wow, 3 people from each lame organization are going to boycott a movie. I'm sure the box office will fall apart because of this. I'm not seeing it because all of the funny parts are likely in the trailer you've seen 20 times now (Just like with Step Brothers).
Yawn. Glad people are putting their energy towards boycotting movies - movies are obviously the root of all American EVIL!!! We mustn't let Robert Downey win!
8-11-2008 @ 5:40PM
Zach S said...
I had the chance to see TT at an advance screening, and consdering the fact that the parts of the movie in question are either looked at as wrong (Stiller's character's over-the-top portrayal of a mentally handicapped dude in his previous movie) or obviously in jest (Downey Jr and Stiller's conversation), they really shouldn't be all up in arms about it. The audience I was with, myself included, was laughing and generally remarking at the same time during these scenes about how wrong Stiller's character was.
8-14-2008 @ 6:30PM
Jim said...
Have to agree 100%. I am starting to get sick-and-tired every time someone feels offended because of a television show, movie, or book for that matter.
I want you to go back three decades and revisit "All In The Family". Although I didn't agree with what was being said (I was only ten at the time) you didn't see people complain.
I'll be honest, if these groups continue to act this way, I'll give my money to other causes.
8-10-2008 @ 7:00PM
Dylan said...
I don't care I'm going to see it.
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8-10-2008 @ 7:02PM
Alex Plank said...
Peter,
Calling an intellectually disabled person a retard or using the term in any other context is akin to calling a black person a n*gger or a gay person a f*ggot.
This boycott is not going "too far" unless you think that it would also be going too far to boycott the film if Ben stiller had painted his face black and they called him "n*gger jack."
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8-10-2008 @ 10:59PM
Scott K said...
Hah. Whether I like the movie or not, I better buy two tickets, just to cancel out one of the morons who thinks boycotting a movie is a worthwhile endeavor.
You don't like it, don't see it. Trying to get something edited or banned is cowardly.
8-11-2008 @ 2:15AM
LordPaul said...
I thought that was Robert Downey Jr's character???
8-15-2008 @ 5:43PM
Ramone said...
"8-10-2008 @ 7:02PM
Alex Plank said...
Peter,
Calling an intellectually disabled person a retard or using the term in any other context is akin to calling a black person a n*gger or a gay person a f*ggot.
This boycott is not going "too far" unless you think that it would also be going too far to boycott the film if Ben stiller had painted his face black and they called him "n*gger jack.""
If you called a retard a retard how would they even know? They would probably just smile and have that giant tongue lay on their Special Olympic medals, while their Moe Howard haircut bobs up and down as they jump in glee. Sir you do not know humor at all, so stop trying to control it, you NAZI.
8-10-2008 @ 7:21PM
Eric D. Snider said...
Humor impairment is the saddest form of mental disability.
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8-10-2008 @ 7:41PM
Tron said...
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8-11-2008 @ 12:15AM
John said...
You know, Tron, I'm not retarded but what you said offended me. I happen to know someone with down syndrome, and your view would be different if you knew someone personally too. "They can't even understand things are negative until someone tells them."? Really? Are you serious?
Keep the punk middle school humor out of here. No one ever chose to live with down syndrome, but some do choose to live as jack asses.
8-11-2008 @ 9:15AM
Stacy said...
My sister, Emily, HAS Down's Syndrome and I love her more than anything else in this d*mn world. HOWEVER, I am not offended that this movie is using that word or whatever. I can tell from the trailer alone that the movie is completely satirical and that is making a point about the level of stupidity actors and directors go to anymore.
So please do not speak for everyone who knows a "mentally challenged" person.
8-10-2008 @ 7:51PM
max said...
movie doesnt even look that funny to me, so this really doesnt change my not seeing it stance.
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8-10-2008 @ 8:08PM
Mr. R said...
Words are only demeaning when they are said with the true purpose of hurting someone. I am a Mexican and I can handle anti Mexican humor when it's meant to make people laugh, everyone else should do the same, otherwise, we will wind up with a ministry of fascist speech police telling people what to say and what not to. Some will be offended, but freedom of speech is no laughing matter.
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8-13-2008 @ 9:05AM
MTR said...
Beautifully Put Sir!!!
8-10-2008 @ 8:13PM
Jason said...
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8-10-2008 @ 9:20PM
steve007 said...
Seems like a very funny movie,but there is only one way to find out. I'll be there. Boycott, heck!This stuiff is getting silly. I'm offended that these effete wimps are offended.
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8-10-2008 @ 9:49PM
jake said...
I really thought the controversy would be about robert downey jr's character. Guess we've come along way since soul man.
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8-10-2008 @ 10:13PM
David said...
Isn't the whole point that the jerk actor thinks that the only way he's going to win an Oscar is to play this character? That's much more of an attack and a mocking of a prevailing Hollywood attitude than a specific group. Everything I've heard is that these actor characters are spoiled, self-centered morons -- and the use of the word "retard" is the point of view of the characters, not the movie -- which takes a pretty dim view of these kinds of actors anyway.
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