Once Upon A Time There Was A Retard….
Such is the tag line to a new, big budget, R-rated summer movie opening this week. “Tropic Thunder” is a comedy produced by DreamWorks/Paramount, and directed and written by Ben Stiller, who also stars in the movie.
The plot includes a group of pampered actors, lost in the jungle while making a war movie. Tugg Speedman, Ben Stiller’s character, is a fading action hero who missed his Oscar opportunity with his portrayal of Simple, a character with an intellectual disability. Speedman’s portrayal of Simple is a movie within the movie, “Simple Jack.”
Already “Tropic Thunder” has presented audiences with a new go to phrase, “Never Go Full Retard.”
And for much less than the cost of a session with one of my son’s therapists, you can purchase a t-shirt declaring to the world that you are a Full Retard.
Charming, no?
The term ‘retard’ is nothing short of hate speech. The word piles insult and even possible harm on a group of people who already find it hard, if not impossible, to integrate into a society that values perfection above all else.
Of course DreamWorks and Stiller are trying to deflect the idea that “Tropic Thunder” is anything more than a comic satire intended to put down actors, not persons with disabilities.
There will be those who will be entertained for an hour or so with “Tropic Thunder”. There will be those that find wearing a t-shirt shouting the words “Full Retard” hysterical. Like Stiller, they will express their disbelief at how the word retard could offend anyone.
Each person who makes the choice to go and see “Tropic Thunder” helps promote the idea that hurting others for the sake of a laugh is okay. I humbly submit that the world is cruel enough. The damage caused by “Tropic Thunder” will last much longer than the movie’s 90 minute viewing time.
The use of the word ‘retard’ is setting how society views those with intellectual disabilities back a generation. Recently the announcement of a new early method of pre-natal testing for fetal Down syndrome was made. This announcement was made with great fanfare and excitement. Because the earlier parents know their child may be born with an intellectual disability, the earlier and easier it becomes to terminate that pregnancy. I believe the connotations that go along with the word ‘retard’ play no small part in this kind of thinking.
At the very least, ‘Tropic Thunder’ will make it much easier to cross the line of verbal abuse so often expressed toward individuals with intellectual disabilities
Unfortunately the only way to get this message across to Mr. Stiller and friends is to wake them up where it matters most……their egos and pocketbooks. Refusing to see this movie will address both of those issues.
I hope you will be willing to stand up for kids like my son, Parker, and for all of the others who live life with an intellectual disability.
My son spends enough time fighting for his life. He shouldn’t have to fight for acceptance in this world as well.
Together we can make a difference.
Please refuse to see this movie and ask your family and friends to also boycott this film.
To learn more and discover how you can make a difference, please visit these links:
“Tropic Thunder” Boycott Expected
What “Tropic Thunder” Thinks Is Funny
Nationwide Thunder Boycott in the Works
Advocates for disabled to boycott “Tropic Thunder”
Addresses to write to:
DreamWorks
100 Universal City Plaza, Bldg. 5121, Universal City, CA 91608
818-733-7000
Paramount/Vantage
5555 Melrose Ave., Ball/Lasky Bldgs., Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-956-2000
Ben Stiller, Writer/Director/Producer
Read Hour Films, 629 N. La Brea, Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-602-5000
70 Comments
Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight, Tammy. We love ya!
Thank you for explaining this so well. I have briefly looked at headlines saying why not to see this movie, I actually read yours, and I don’t intend to see it.
Well said, thank you.
My nephew was born both physically and mentally handicapped. He cannot walk or talk. Everyday is a struggle for his life as well. You can bet your ass I will not see that movie. I fint it deplorable that people still use those words to get a laugh. Especially someone that uses those words to get a laugh and to make money. It’s disgusting.
I have one sister, no other siblings. She has 3 children and I have one. Out of our 4 kids, 3 were born with some type of handicap. I have been fighting the fight for 11 years. I am an advocate for not just their rights, but anyone else who is discriminated against. Whether it be for their handicaps, their skin color, or what have you… No one deserves to be discriminated against for being who THEY ARE.
Thank you for this post.
Thank-you so much for writing this! I have a son with cerebral palsy, and the ‘r-word’ deeply offends and hurts me. No one has ever used it in reference to him, but I cannot help but hear it in the context of him. You know?
I will gladly be boycotting that movie.
My heart breaks to hear of the new pre-natal testing. I simply cannot imagine why we (society) feel it’s necessary to prevent life. Children with disabilities are some of the most blessed, most loving, most joy-filled and innocent. I can’t imagine my life without Braeden. My doctor knows me so well that she didn’t even offer the ‘triple screen’ testing to me for my 4th and 5th pregnancies.
I think to many times actors do and say things without thinking of how they effect others around them. I pray that Ben Stiller never has to be faced with the challenge of having a special needs child, but if he does, I hope that he will ask all of those that he hurt to forgive him for his thoughtless words. I have many friends that work with special needs children and my heart goes out to all the parents and families of these very special & wonderful children. They have a special place in God’s heart.
AMEN.
The character of Simple Jack isn’t an attack on those with special needs, but rather stupid actors who play condescending versions of them as a means of getting awards. If anything, you should be thanking the people who made this film for taking to task people who exploit disabilities for trophies.
I read this post and felt the need to comment. While what they are doing in the movie can be hurtful and is a word that shouldn’t be used to demean a person – at the same time, look at some of the hate these posts have included. People have condemned Ben Stiller as a whole when this movie literally just gives a passing reference to the Simple Jack movie. The entire movie is a parody of the stupid things that actors will do to obtain a gold statuette.
I agree that the t-shirts are ridiculous! Was the use of the phrase ‘retard’ necessary? No, they probably could have used another term but the whole point was to show how someone with disdain for the challenged will use them to try to get an award. Many actors portray mentally and physically challenged people in movies and TV. Maybe we should be asking why we consider it acceptable that they play these roles rather than use those with the real challenges?
If you take this movie for what it was really meant to be – a complete parody on the movie industry – rather than an attack on the challenged, you’ll see that the message isn’t an attack at all.
and here lies part of the problem with the world today….totally insensitive people. Immune to other’s feelings, uncaring……it’s just wrong.
Found you via Julie’s link at Abbily Ever After.
I’m so sorry you even have to spend time and energy fighting for this. How could the people involved in the movie not know that this is unacceptable?????
As insignificant as it might be, two more people (my husband and I) won’t support this movie (and that is because of your post). I wasn’t aware – thanks for the warning, I would have been disgusted if I wasted my time and money seeing such crap.
@Jules, (this is Susan here… one of the writers here at 5 Minutes for Mom)
Tammy and the rest of us understand very clearly that the movie intended to make fun of Hollywood actors and that “the entire movie is a parody of the stupid things that actors will do to obtain a gold statuette.”
The problem is that while using satire to make their point about stupid actors, they used hateful language and vulgar humor to make fun of innocent people.
The laughs are at the expense of the intellectually disabled as well as at actors. And the problem is that the intellectually disabled cannot afford to have those blows against them, whereas actors are at no risk of suffering.
Great post as usual, Tammy. My favorite line was that Parker had to fight for life- he shouldn’t have to fight for acceptance. Amen.
As a mom of a DD labeled as mentally retarded, I agree that it is inappropriate, insensitive and sad that the movie and shirts were even made. I certainly will not see the movie and am disappointed in Ben Stiller, et al. Though I am not really offended by the word retard, even when used derogatorily, because I know what my child is and how amazing she is despite any disabilities she has. She will have to deal with insensitive, unaware, unintelligent people all her life, so I take every opportunity to tell her and anyone else that will listen that she is amazing (even just being alive, let alone the other things she can do). To anyone who looks down on or mocks my daughter or anyone who is mentally challenged I say – “she has a brain injury – what’s your excuse?”
And the truth of the matter is that some will think that using that word and that plot point in that movie is funny and not making fun of the mentally challenged, because they don’t get the hurtfulness of it. They may even think, like above, that it is somehow helping the society’s view of the intellectually disabled. It is not helping – helping is respecting, accepting, loving and caring for them.
Tammy, thank you for your post and I wish the best to you and your family, especially Parker.
Exactly what I was afraid of the minute I learned my grandson has DS: A cruel word in many respects, insensitive and ignorant, with too many enablers of the long term misuse of the term, which I hesitate to even spell out.
Joe
Thank you for the addresses! I have written a letter but the websites of Dreamworks and Paramount have no place for comments or addresses to send things to. I wonder why?
Thanks for taking a stand against this wretched movie. I have been encouraged that so many have responded positively to our protest. Yes, some
people are clueless and prefer to remain that way, but most people can see the harm in hate speech if we help them to see the impact it has on those targeted by that speech. Please keep up the good work.
You can show your support against the use of the r-word by going here and getting a button for you blog…
http://www.r-word.org/
Wow. You really didn’t get it. Ben Stiller is not poking fun at the mentally challenged, he is poking fun at pretentious actors who would arrogantly attempt to portray a mentally challenged individual in a vain attempt to be recognized as an oscar worthy actor.
Oh and also you must be aware that any attempt to publicly boycott this film will only result in a higher interest for it and will only serve to propel it to number one faster. Whereas if you had been able to shrug it off the film and offending word would have been forgotten much more quickly.
Okay you are offended, but you do not have the right to ban any for of expression or any word. There is a reason free speech is protected by most western countries and that is if you ban even one word you set a dangerous president as you are effectively controlling an individuals right to free thought.
You all have the right to protest your views for/against something, the right to try to educate others and the right to leave a theater if offended but NEVER the right to tell others what they are allowed to see.
I think you’re all retards.
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[...] This post broke my heart tonight. I have spoken before about my love for special needs children in a previous soapbox rant. I will admit, I really wanted to see this movie. It looked funny in everything I had heard and read about it. I tend to really like Ben Stiller movies. But I will not be going. Nor will I catch it on video. I really hope you will let your conscience guide you, but consider doing the same. And consider telling others to do the same. I sent out an email to most of my address book to tell about what I had discovered even though it made me slightly uncomfortable. I really just don’t feel like I can be silent about this. If the first post didn’t seal the deal for you, I hope this one will. [...]
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