Instructions for Boycotting 'Tropic Thunder'
Filed under: Comedy, Paramount, Celebrities and Controversy
As is usually the case when people and groups make a lot of noise over a film's perceived offensiveness, I suspect all the ruckus over a planned boycott of Tropic Thunder over its perceived treatment of people with mental disabilities has only served to give it additional publicity. Nonetheless, organizations such as The Arc are going ahead with plans to call for a boycott of the film. Slate has found the organization's instruction sheet for putting together protests of Tropic Thunder, a six-page bulletin suggesting techniques and talking points for mentally disabled self-advocates and supporters. Sample talking point: "Movies and media, like the movie Tropic Thunder, encourage disrespect of people with intellectual disabilities. We want that to stop!" The whole thing is an interesting read. Ordinarily I'd say they haven't seen the film, but the organization claims that its leaders have had a chance to watch it and have concluded that "the film's depiction of people with intellectual disabilities is derogatory and demeaning." In that case, they've missed the point spectacularly. As others have argued, the film targets not the mentally disabled but Hollywood's infantile treatment of same. Simple Jack is a clever, incisive parody. And I say that as someone who thinks Tropic Thunder as a whole is pretty weak.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-13-2008 @ 9:16PM
PST said...
"the film's depiction of people with intellectual disabilities is derogatory and demeaning"
That's an interesting description of a movie in which no people with intellectual disabilities are depicted whatsoever. Saying that it encourages disrespect is one thing - I'd disagree with that claim, but at least you can point to scenes in the movie that support it, and that's certainly enough of a reason to take issue with the film without inventing another pretext - but to say it depicts such-and-such a thing in a certain manner when it doesn't depict it in ANY manner is basically a grandstanding lie. There are no intellectually disabled characters in the film; hence no depiction of intellectually disabled characters; hence no derogatory and demeaning depiction of people with intellectual disabilities.
Unless, that is, you want to argue that all of the characters but the one played by Jay Baruchel have 'intellectual disabilities,' which is just a weird argument.
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8-13-2008 @ 9:52PM
Mike De Luca said...
People with intellectual abilities understand little things like context. Those leading the protest clearly do not.
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8-14-2008 @ 12:33AM
YouFaceTheTick said...
The idea of Simple Jack was a brilliant dig on crap films like Forest Gump, I Am Sam and Jack. Anyone else remember Jack with Robin Williams? Ick.
Tropic Thunder -shockingly - turned out to be one of the only films I've seen this summer that was enjoyable from beginning to end. Ironman had no villain and a weak 3rd act. Batman had a tight film until what felt like a 4th act with the boring rise of two-face the ludicrous joker v. Batman fight sequence/ferryboat junk. Pineapple Express lost steam by the 3rd act and ceased to be funny (the epilogue did let the film end on a high note).
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8-14-2008 @ 7:30AM
Rich Drees said...
While I haven't seen the film, it sounds like it should be SAG put their protesting for its depiction of actors as self-absorbed boobs. As for the use of the word "retard," I defer to the far wiser than any of St. Thomas Aquinas who said, "Nothing is inherintly good or evil. Only its manner of usage makes it so"
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8-14-2008 @ 7:32AM
Rich Drees said...
Oh geez, that should be "it should be SAG out there protesting"...
Need caffeine....
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8-14-2008 @ 11:49AM
Malnar said...
What's actually more offensive is the fact that these groups feel the need to stand up and speak for those with "intellectual disabilities." I bet it makes them feel great and infinitely superior to those they represent that they can't speak for themselves.
"What's that Little Johnny? You don't think its all that bad? Well, what do you know, you're Intellectually inferior to me. I know what's best for you."
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8-14-2008 @ 12:01PM
eugene said...
Frankly, I think it's "retarded" that these advocacy groups decided to protest the movie that mocks the way mentally challenged people are treated by hollywood... instead of protesting the movies that actually DO mock intellectually challenged people.
These protests were the clinching factor in my decision to go out and see this movie in the theater.
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8-14-2008 @ 1:28PM
Michelle said...
To say that groups are standing up for people with disabilities to feel superior is ridiculous. As a parent of a child with disabilities, this is finally a time when inclusion is encouraged for our kids. I understand what they were trying to do in the movie and what they were trying to make fun of is Hollywood. What it shows is Hollywood and, evidently, a lot of peoples lack of sensitivity to people with special needs. This fall kids will go to school with the new phrase "stop being a full on retard". It was funny in the film right? Is it ok to say that to other people? No. It is hurtful. It's just hurtful. I'm sorry that some people aren't getting that message.
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8-14-2008 @ 2:46PM
eugene said...
Oh please, if you think kids and people weren't going to be mean to one another before this movie came out, you need to get your head out of the sand.
And I'm sorry, but there's a LOT of stuff in the movie that isn't right to do in real life... that's why it's a movie and not an instruction manual on how to be a human being.
How about you credit other people with some intelligence and decency. The type of person who would insult other people with derogatory words will do so regardless of the movie. And people who arern't assholes in real life aren't suddenly going to think it's okay. Or are you one of those people who blame the "media" for everything wrong in society?
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8-14-2008 @ 3:37PM
srog said...
Stiller as 'Simple Jack.' The discussion continues:
http://radar.net/see/1860206
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8-14-2008 @ 6:03PM
I Wonder said...
I wonder if Ben Stiller would feel the same way if people went around calling them "Kikes." What's the problem, is there a difference between that and the use of the word "retard" over 60 times in this movie. Or how about the "N" word? I'm all for free speech, but decency also has to prevail somewhere don't you think?
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8-14-2008 @ 7:35PM
Mike De Luca said...
I Wonder, are you Robert Bork? Because censorship is what you're avocating. Except, apparently, when it comes to typing out anti-semitic slurs in full.
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8-14-2008 @ 9:20PM
Michelle said...
I do agree on some level Eugene, the majority of the time people who are going to be ignorant enough to call kids names like retard will do so no matter what. And no, I don't blame the media for everything. I am not that person at all. But my head is far from in the sand. I live with a child with disabilities every single day. Believe me, my eyes are wide open. I really don't expect people to understand if they haven't lived it. It's hard to do. But I am talking about having some decency and it is my opinion that this crossed the line. They had all sorts of other groups screen their movie to check for offending people. But they didn't think of any of the special needs groups. I'll bet they think of it next time. I hope so, then it would mean someone somewhere learned something.
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8-15-2008 @ 12:13AM
eugene said...
Sorry, but just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean I don't understand. I also have a close relative who is challenged (downs syndrom) and growing up, I was the only kid who wasn't "white" in my neighborhood and in my school. I've been on the receiving end of all sorts of names and bigoted thinking from other kids and even teachers. But I'm not going to break out my picket signs just because, yet again, asians are depicted as jungle living sadistic killers. I have faith that the population at large knows the difference between entertainment and reality.
I think what you're missing here is the context. This movie isn't about mocking disabled people... which is what I feel movies like dumb and dumber and anchorman and other comedies did. I think you're doing a grave diservice to the movie going audience in assuming they don't know the difference.
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8-15-2008 @ 9:45AM
Raiko Mendoza said...
There is sure a lot of publicity being generated around this film and most of it stems from the language they choose to use about a character played with an intellectual disability. Words are pretty powerful, that’s for sure, but so is our pocketbook.
Please visit our blog as well. We are a not for profit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic play sessions to children with special needs www.ableplay.org
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8-16-2008 @ 7:54PM
lisa said...
What gets me is that fact that black hollywood is at the same time fighting for roles right now! We had to BOYCOTT nbc for them finally to start putting at least a few minorities in roles not regulated to crackheads, and as I black actress I have been told, we only have one slot for an african american, as I watch 100 white actors get the go ahead.
This is SHAMEFUL and a disgrace! Why dont you talk about the fact that the only role a black person can get, from all the movies and show, are for reality tv? Because we don't talk about this treatment in hollywood does not mean you can ignore it. Please answer that.
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8-16-2008 @ 2:40AM
gtdase said...
If you read Entertainment Weekly from cover to cover, devour the bonus features on your DVDs, and watch the E! network religiously, then Tropic Thunder is a comedy custom made for you.I m watched Tropic Thunder Here I've recommended it to a lot of people on here and I've gotten good reviews
http://www.80millionmoviesfree.com
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8-22-2008 @ 1:30AM
Candace said...
I personally think they should just chill out. It's just a movie. JUST A MOVIE. There are more pressing matters at hands like GLOBAL WARMING. Shut the hell up and stop worrying about shit that's not even happening. I HIGHLY DOUBT Ben Stiller meant to insult anyone. It's just a comedy. Family Guy is a comedy and makes fun of people all the time. Do you boycott them? Of course not. You waste your time on the inferior things. This is why I honestly dislike the human race.
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