Coverage of ‘Tropic Thunder’ premiere
August 12th, 2008
From the Associated Press: “Mental disability groups protest Tropic Thunder”
AP reports that “dozens” of protesters turned out for the “Tropic Thunder” premiere in Westwood, carrying sings with slogans such as “Call me by my name, not by my label.” They chanted phrases like “Ban the movie, ban the word. Among those shown in accompanying photos was Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver (at left). An excerpt:
… “When I heard about it, I felt really hurt inside,” said Special Olympics global messenger Dustin Plunkett. “I cannot believe a writer could write something like that. It’s the not the way that we want to be portrayed. We have feelings. We don’t like the word retard. We are people. We’re just like any other people out there. We want to be ourselves and not be discriminated against.”
… “If you want to pick on people, as the old playground saying goes, pick on people your own size,” said Timothy Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, who is calling for a boycott of “Tropic Thunder” along with the other groups. “This population struggles too much with the basics to have to struggle against Hollywood. We’re sending a message that this hate speech is no longer acceptable.”
With photos.
USA Today describes the protesters as “at least 50 people, chanting and holding signs such as “Eliminate the R word.” Headline: “Disability groups vs. Tropic Thunder.” An excerpt:
The protesters called for a boycott of the movie and want it pulled from release. Timothy Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, said: “I don’t have any illusions about that happening, but I’d like people not to see it. I’d like (disabled) kids going back to school in the fall to not have to deal with other kids saying, ‘Are you a full retard?’ “
See also:
- Is Ben Stiller a ‘Tropic’ Blunder? audio from National Public Radio. Essay by Lennard J. Davis, professor of disability studies at the University of Chicago. “If one group laughs at the expense of another, we don’t call that humor. We call that humiliation.”
- Stiller’s ‘Thunder’ under fire from disability groups, with video from ABC News
- Local disability activists join boycott of film, with video, from ABC24-TV in Memphis. In an extended interview, intercut with clips from the film, Diane Grovers says it’s time for abusive language to stop. “He’s trying to have a few laughs at the expense of my daughter, and I’m not okay with that,” she says.
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on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 5:35 am and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, Tropic Thunder, advocacy, celebrities, intellectual/developmental disabilities, language, movies.
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August 14th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
The controversy surrounding this movie and their use of the word “retard” should finally spur the APA to omit the words “Mentally Retarded” from the DSM and come up with new words to describe this handicapping condition. These words have a derogatory meaning and is used very commonly in our society. The movie and all those associated are not to blame, they are merely a reflection of society, which has now embraced the use of these words in our everyday lexicon to make fun of others.
Years ago, people who were retarded were referred to by class as either Morons, Idiots, or Imbeciles. These were clinical descriptions listed in the DSM that have long been discarded (and rightfully so). The reason for this is because of what we are seeing today with the use of the phrase “retard”. It has now slipped into our everyday vocabulary and is now an acceptable way to poke fun at others.
Again, the APA needs to do away with the words “mentally retarded”, and come up with something different.
I believe the APA will eventually do this, (just like they banned the words idiot, imbecile and moron), but it will take time.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I’ve read so many comments on here that ask the question, “How do I explain this to my child?” Have you considered that that isn’t the problem of those making movies? Parents who have issues with violence, sexuality or rough language on TV make the same complaint: How do I explain this to my kid?
Your deficiencies as a parent, whether your child is disabled or not, are not the problem of the American public … least of all its entertainers. Figure it out for yourself.
Additionally, if you are that concerned by the self-esteem of your child, maybe it would do his or her ego some good for you to not be reading and commenting on blogs all day … rather than spending some time hanging out and doing some parenting.
August 12th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
How nicely ironic that a guy named after the fella who wrote the Declaration of Independence and did more than most to champion the rights of the common man should spew such awful tripe.
The new Thomas Jefferson offers proof of the hurtful nature of the term retard, using it quite perfectly as a bigoted slur, twice.
Other than the greed factor, I can’t quite get how it is that we needed a satire about the shallowness of Hollywood. Is that somehow hidden? A deep and guarded secret? Am I the only one in the US that got that long ago?
Satire my foot – Tropic Thunder is no more than a demonstration piece showing us quite graphically just how dim a “star” can be.
The real Mr. Jefferson may be spinning in his grave.
Please stay home and urge all of your friends to do likewise.
What the Hell is a waterhead?
August 12th, 2008 at 11:45 am
In response to Thomas Jefferson, it is the ignorance of people like you who continue to add fuel. I can tell 100% you have never had someone in your family who is disabled because if you had you would understand. The people who are protesting understand it is a satirical movie, we get that, but what you don’t get is how this will fuel fire in schools and at people who we love. The use of the “R” word is very derogatory to us whether it is geared to us or supposed to be comical. It is not funny when the newest phrase out there is to “never go full retard” while so many of us have worked hard to educate people and eliminate this word from society especially because it is used to mean something it does not and that is offensive to many people. I imagine nothing here of what I have written will mean anything to you or change your mind in any way, yet I will continue to fight this fight and one day somebody will get it.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Wow, I didn’t know they had blogs about retards. How cute.
You people need to get a grip on reality. This movie is a satire about hollywood, not a referendum on the competency and capacity of the mentally retarded. It is people like you who make these unfortunate diseases ripe for ridicule. If you would just go about your lives without making a stink everytime you feel life isn’t fair, people wouldn’t make fun of retards, but everytime the real retards, you guys, come out spouting about how awful a little humor is, we, as freedom loving Americans, just want to lampoon you some more. So I bid you, and your waterhead kids, adieu.
August 12th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Thanks for posting this! As a mother of a 3 year old girl who has Down syndrome and a caregiver to another 3 year old girl who also has Down syndrome I find this movie to be appalling. Actors whom I normally love - I will never watch again.
Here is a link to a petition a friend of mine started. Please feel free to post it and or forward it on to all you know! Thanks!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopTropicThunder/index.html
Lisa
August 12th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Ben Stiller inadvertently did us all a favor by raising everyone’s consciousness. Now he should do the right thing and apologize.