Post by ~ ♥ Mariska ♥ ~ on Mar 4, 2009 7:53:44 GMT
Advocates for disabled to protest "Tropic Thunder"
Groups that advocate for the disabled called on Sunday for a national boycott of the Ben Stiller comedy "Tropic Thunder," citing what they say is its negative portrayal of people with intellectual disabilities.
"We are asking people not to go to the movie and hope to bring a consciousness to people about using derogatory words about this population," said Peter Wheeler, spokesman for Special Olympics, one of 22 disability groups nationwide protesting the satire.
The film, directed by Stiller, will be released on Wednesday by Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures and its DreamWorks unit.
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The groups plan to picket the movie's premiere on Monday evening in Los Angeles's Westwood community.
"That will be the start of a nationwide protest," said Wheeler. "We will continue to be vocal about the destructive effect of this film."
He said the groups are particularly offended by the film's repeated use of the word "retard" regarding a character, Simple Jack, played by Stiller in a subplot about an actor.
Representatives of the Special Olympics, the Arc of the United States, the National Down Syndrome Congress, the American Association of People with Disabilities and other groups met with studio executives last week to discuss the film, but DreamWorks did not make any changes.
Peter Berns, executive director the Arc, said in a memo the groups presented various ideas to the studio, from requesting an apology to fixing the film before its release, to producing a national educational campaign.
Chip Sullivan, a spokesman for DreamWorks said: "We have had productive discussions with representatives of disability advocacy organizations and look forward to working with them closely in the future. However no changes or cuts to the film will be made...
"'Tropic Thunder' is an R-rated comedy that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses, and makes its point by featuring inappropriate and over-the top characters in ridiculous situations. The film is in no way meant to disparage or harm the image of individuals with disabilities," he said.
The film also features Robert Downey Jr. as a white actor who changes his skin color to play a black soldier.
Sullivan said that prior to the meetings, DreamWorks had taken down an online promotion, removing references to Simple Jack it felt could appear offensive when taken out of context.
The film was shown in more than 250 promotional screenings around the country since April.
Source: Yahoo
Matthew McConaughey just posted an entry to his MySpace Celebrity page, praising his latest film, Tropic Thunder. In the film, the 38-year-old new dad plays Tugg Speedman’s (Ben Stiller) moronic agent Rick Peck (”Pecker”). Here’s what McConaughey had to say:
“Hey all, I went to [the] Tropic Thunder premiere last Tuesday night. All of the cast was there–really funny movie–there are surprises all over this film. And just when you think you know where the movie’s goin’, another surprise entrance by some character or plot twist surprises you. What a cast of characters! You will see actors you like doing things you’ve never seen them do before. Stiller did a top job directing too. The movie knows what it is and keeps delivering. There’s a lot of protests surrounding the pic, but if you see it, I think you’ll agree that all the “touchy” humor is in context, and in no way mean spirited or irresponsible. It’s just funny. I hope you enjoy the film. I had a blast steppin’ in to work on this project for just a few days. It’s another “brand” of comedy and a comedy team (Stiller and gang) that I wanted to play with, and am happy I did. Never lose your sense of humor, and just keep livin, McConaughey.”
Source: JJ