‘Simple Jack’ popular for Halloween, survey says
October 15th, 2008
From Fandango.com:
When some 3,000 filmgoers were asked to choose the top movie-inspired costumes for Halloween, Ben Stiller’s “Simple Jack” character from “Tropic Thunder” was listed as #9 in the men’s category. The character, referred to in the film as a “retard,” stirred controversy among disability rights advocates who said its depiction of people with intellectual disabilities was insulting.
See also:
‘Tropic Thunder’ belittles people with mental retardation, by Kim Clark in the [Rochester,NY] Democrat and Chronicle
An excerpt:
We’ve come a long way in appreciating the abilities of all people. That said, how reckless for DreamWorks to whittle down decades of institutionalized anguish and torment to a mere snicker over a person who may talk slowly or have a crippled body.
DreamWorks, families like ours are not upset because you hurt our feelings; we’re upset because it reminds us that we’re still advocating for basic dignity and human rights.
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on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 3:04 pm and is filed under Tropic Thunder, celebrities, entertainment, intellectual/developmental disabilities, movies.
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October 15th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
To Ben Stiller: I guess your argument that your movie was not making fun of those with disabilities didn’t make it to the costume designers or those people who are dressing up as your Simple Jack character.
Do you think you bear any responsibility for those people dressing as the character you created to make fun of individuals who try hard every day just to be included? Do you think the statement you were trying to make about actors in any way counters the hurt you’ve caused and continue to cause to real people struggling with disabilities?
Unfortunately, an “I told you so” by disability groups won’t undo the harm you’ve done. If my 9-year-old daughter with Down syndrome opens the door on Halloween to one of these “funny” costumes, I’ll tell her you were just trying to make a statement about Hollywood actors — that should make her feel better.