"Tropic Thunder" - When Does a Movie Go Too Far?
Friday August 15, 2008
Disability blogs have been filled to overflowing this week with commentary on Ben Stiller's new movie Tropic Thunder. I haven't seen the film, so can't give a first-person report, but plenty of folks out there have - and have plenty to say about the use of the word "retard" and other offensive terms. In fact, according to my co-About.com Guide Teri Mauro, one interested blogger counted at least 16 uses of the term in just one scene!
If you're interested in hearing more about the impact that Tropic Thunder has had on the disabilities community - or in exploring opinions, watching videos, or taking part in boycotts and demonstrations - I recommend you visit the About.com site on Special Needs Parenting. Teri even includes a link to a video created by the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network which describes how "innocent" words can have real, negative power.
If you're interested in sharing your thoughts on Tropic Thunder and its questionable script - comment right here!
Comments
Interestingly, my son just heard the word last week and has been using it, of course inappropriately and it’s real hard to explain what the word means to such a little guy without bringing more attention to the word.
I think it’s a nasty word, however movie or not, the public uses this alot. My neighbors sister who was staying them called her own pre teen daughter this, I gave her an odd look and she said ‘oops, sorry’. I think if a movie has to use name-calling, they could had picked a more ‘acceptable’ swear word!
A lot of the people reacting defensively to the disability community’s anger at “Tropic Thunder” claim that the movie’s use of the R-word is not meant to be hurtful, because the characters using it are the ones being laughed at. If only things were that simple….
It’s funny to show that movie makers are pretentious, and that Hollywood exploits stereotypes to wring emotion out of performances that wouldn’t be moving without pressing our buttons that way.
But people with developmental disabilities aren’t pretentious, and aren’t exploiting anyone else. They are still being insulted, bullied, beaten up, and sometimes killed because of their disabilities. Why pick on them?
Fans of this movie are not necessarily subtle in their understanding of Stiller’s comedy, as shown in a few comments I pulled from the internet — responses to news stories about the controversy surrounding Tropic Thunder.
“And how are they going to boycott a movie, by refusing to sit in the Day Room when instructed by Nurse Crotchet??? Get back in the asylums, you jerks.” (Note: Nurse Cratchett was a character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a film about mentally ill people, not people with developmental disabilities. Confusing the two is similar to thinking all people of a given ethnic group look alike.)
“It is a comedy and retarted [sic] is funny.”
“If you don’t want to hear that word stay inside the rest of your life. And be happy there.”
“This PC garbage is part of today’s “feel good” culture of Liberal morons…Everybody gets a trophy for showing up and stinking up the game.”
These comments show that at least some people who liked Tropic Thunder believe a) developmental disabilities are funny; b) if a person with developmental disabilities doesn’t want to be insulted, he or she should stay home, or in an institution; c) people with developmental disabilities can’t be good at games.
If I were Ben Stiller, I would think twice about how my fans are interpreting my jokes. Nobody watches Jack Benny re-runs any more because of the racist stereotyping of the black character, Rochester. I have enough faith in human beings to believe that someday we will all understand why the R-word isn’t funny.
Why we are boycotting Tropic Thunder
Q. What is offensive in the “Tropic Thunder” movie?
A. “Tropic Thunder” repeatedly uses the R-word and portrays people with intellectual disabilities in a derogatory and demeaning way. Specifically, one of the film’s characters, Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) plays a role as a farm boy with a mental impairment in a movie trailer called “Simple Jack….Once upon a time there was a Retard.” Throughout the movie “Tropic Thunder” this character is played for laughs in a poor attempt at humor.
Q. What do you want the movie studios to do to make amends?
A. We want DreamWorks and Paramount to step up and help us eradicate this word from all forms of American popular culture. In addition, we want all the major entertainment heads to come together to address this issue and no longer use the R-word in film, television, music or any form of entertainment.
Q. Did DreamWorks seek counsel from disability groups when making that scene in the film?
A. DreamWorks did not seek input or counsel when creating the “Simple Jack” scene of the film. Studios will often seek counsel on sensitive topics from focus groups. It was clear that the producers did not see an issue with the demeaning content of this scene.
Q. Are you calling for a boycott of the “Tropic Thunder” movie?
A. We are calling the public to take action and let the Hollywood community know, especially DreamWorks and Paramount, that this type of language is defamatory and hateful, perpetuating negative stereotypes and the dehumanizing and devaluing of people with intellectual disabilities. Hollywood must take responsibility and accept a role in helping to eradicate this word from our language – NOT promote its use.
Q. Some people will argue that retard is a word that can be found in the dictionary and there is freedom of speech issue at stake. What do you say to them?
A. It is not the word that we object to. It is the use of the word in today’s culture in a demeaning and negative way. As to free speech, we have successfully over the years been able to make it socially and politically incorrect to use other forms of hate speech. It is time to make the pejorative use of the R-word equally unacceptable.
Q. What should concerned citizens who disapprove of this type of hateful language do?
A. Concerned Americans should go to http://www.r-word.org and become part of a community to promote inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities by eliminating the pejorative use of the R-word.
SOCIETY needs to stop using the R WORD!!!!!! it should be. PEOPLE W/ DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILTIES WANT BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND NOT PUT DOWN!!!!!!!!! DISABILITY ETIQUETTE IS WHAT WE VALUE!
I feel the same as everyone else here. The word is so hurtful to parents and children with disabilities. It makes me ill everytime I hear it.
When both my sons were diagnosed with autism/MR, I was devastated. Any time someone used the R word, I would chastise them, “teach” them that using that word was degrading and unappropriate. My boys have lived with this label for over ten years. Today, I do understand that there is a middle ground. The reason the R word is such a big deal is because most people who use it unappropriately have not been exposed to an individual with special or alternative needs on a personal family level. I am not as rigid as I used to be. I even took my boys to see “The Ringer” and we all laughed. The only reason that movie was accepted was because Special Olympics was backing it. I am going to see Tropic Thunder and decide for myself how I feel. My boys don’t even want to see it, even if they did, I wouldn’t let them, it’s rated “R”.
Ben Stiller has a track record of doing anything for a laugh
First of all, I would like to say that I have always been a fan of Ben Stillers…..up until I recently saw the movie “Tropic Thunder.” Not only did ben Stiller star in this movie, but he helped write and direct it as well.
I personally think that this movie was a slap in the face to 2 large groups of people. Firstly, all our veterans who fought in the Vietnam war, and secondly, people who have mental handicaps. This movie was made to make people laugh, just like other movies Ben Stiller has participated in. Well, thats all fine and dandy, but I think he should stick to making movies about meeting his girlfriend’s parents, or getting married to a crazy girl, or disfunctional famles or something. Making a movie about the jungles of Vietnam and trying to act out scenes that REALLY happened over there, and then turn them into something funny? That is a slap in the face. Thousands and thousands of men dies over there in that country, fighting for the freedom of ours, and people want to make a movie and laugh about it? I think it’s sick. As “movie junky” said…Ben Stiller has a track recors of doing anything for a laugh….well…because of his latest movie, I will be glad to speak for alot of people in saying, he now has a lot less of a fan club.
Next time him and his friends want to write a “war movie” then I suggest they sit down first and watch “We were Soldiers, or “Black Hawk Down” or even “Saving Private Ryan” and take notes. War movies should be always be made as a tribute to those who who fought and died, and for those who fought and lived. They should NEVER be made for a good laugh.
-Jenn