Jim Emerson Smacks Down 'Tropic' Boycotters
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Awards, Casting, New Releases, Paramount, Celebrities and Controversy, Box Office, Fandom, Images
Whether or not you're offended by the use of the word "retard" in Tropic Thunder, it's hard to deny the difference between the intention of the humor and the ire of the groups protesting it. When Ben Stiller's character, Tugg Speedman, learns that he was mistaken in going "full-retard" with his miscalculated awards-bid performance as a mentally challenged man in Simple Jack, you either laugh or you don't, but you definitely get it. Stiller's point is that self-important actors often take crass or poorly formulated roles on the basis of subject matter simply so they can get a chance at the podium. At no point are we forced to laugh at a character meant to be taken as actually retarded; instead, we only get Tugg Speedman's really bad, really offensive interpretation of one. At his Scanners blog, Jim Emerson gets this point, and smartly rails against complainers like the Special Olympics for making such a big deal out of a scene before even coming to terms with its purpose. He also brings up a brilliant historical parallel: In 1977, Randy Newman's single "Short People" was pulled from the air because it supposedly offended, uh, short people. "If you do satire or parody, you have to expect there will always be fools who will take it literally," writes Emerson. "Those people are called 'literalists.' And there ought to be a law against them."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-13-2008 @ 11:09AM
Kurt said...
I'm reminded of Starship Troopers--a brilliant riff on militarism that never once batted an eye or winked at the camera. And the Washington Post decried it as a celebration of fascism. Morons.
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Good lord, but I write like a posh twit sometimes.
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8-13-2008 @ 6:06PM
Gary said...
It has always been said that Americans just do not get irony or satire, I think there is a lot of truth in that. I know that there are many Americans who do get it, so please no flames but as a generalization I think it has some merit.
I think many people in the US believe whatever is served up to them unless it has a wink or a nod, not just in movies but in everything. The idea that a politician can speak to a camera and apologize for being a [Insert random sin here], talk about god and love for a few minutes and get away with it is just so American. It would not happen in Europe, people would just not believe him.
This is why there is a feeling that American audiences need things served up to them on a plate and require everything to be explained to them. Many people dismiss it but the evidence speaks for itself, look at the Soprano's ending outrage, or the need for the movie 'The Descent' to produce a different version for the US market with a different ending.
America places too much trust in its media and as a consequence many Americans will take everything at face value. There is no room for satire in a good proportion of the audiences heads.
We know there is some great satire coming out of America now, there are many writers and directors who have been raised on English comedy, who get it. And of course there is an increasing number of movie fans who get it too, this stereotype is certainly not as bad as it used to be. But there are still some very, very, stooooopid people watching movies out there.
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8-13-2008 @ 6:23PM
Eddie said...
As an occasionally proud US American(now being quite firmly in the 'not proud' column)... is it really inappropriate that I thought "Yeah, those people are retar... uh..."?
8-15-2008 @ 8:52AM
mary said...
I'm American, and I understand satire. And yes, I got to screen the film before it came out. As the mom of a special needs child I was hurt and offended by the film. That's my right, yes? I certainly don't consider anyone stupid because they don't get how I feel. I just assume that if you don't have a special needs family member that you love and cherish you don't get what the rest of us are saying. I'm not sure why there is the need to attack people because they believe in something different than you do. The right to protest is also our right. Just like Ben Stiller has the right to use the word retard seventeen (but whose counting?) in one scene. We should just all agree to disagree. My only point is that you are grownups who understand the difference between reality and satire. There will be lots of teenagers going to see this film despite it's R rating. There will be lots of younger children seeing this film at home when it comes out on dvd. I'm not sure that they will get the satire and just think it gives them license to laugh and hurt people with cognitive disabilities, just like Ben Stiller did. Just something to think about.
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8-18-2008 @ 7:34PM
Marquita said...
I agree with Mary. I also have a special needs child. I hope Ben Stiller or anyone else that had anything to do with this movie never has a child with a disability. Then they might know how we feel!
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