Posted on 08/08/2008 1:20:50 PM PDT by genefromjersey
(A good friend, who works with the mentally handicapped forwarded a copy of this letter.)
Contact Us | The Arc Website 1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 650, Silver Spring, MD 20910 | 301.565.3842 ACTION ALERT - Offensive Portrayal of People with Intellectual Disabilities in Movie Scheduled for Release on August 13, 2008August 5, 2008To: State and Local Chapter LeadersFrom: Peter V. Berns, Executive Director
The following is important information about a movie - Tropic Thunder - that includes a very negative portrayal of a person with intellectual disabilities as well as extensive use of the R-word. Release of this movie was discussed at the NCE meeting last week, as well as The Arc Board of Directors meeting on Sunday & Monday. We now want to make sure everyone has the most current information available.BackgroundTropic Thunder is a comedy/action/adventure scheduled for release on August 13 and promises to be one of the blockbusters of the summer. DreamWorks is the film's producer and Paramount is its distributor.
The film features popular actors Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black as self-absorbed actors filming a big-budget war movie on location. Through a series of freak occurrences, they are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.
Stiller plays Tugg Speedman, a fading action star who earlier failed in his bid for an Oscar as "Simple Jack," a man with an intellectual disability. "Simple Jack" is featured as a film-within-a-film, with Stiller sporting a classic institutional bowl haircut and bad teeth. The film within-a-film's promotional poster (below) bears the subtitle "Once upon a time there was a retard." Elsewhere is the slogan "What he doesn't have in his head, he makes up for in his heart." A satirical plot synopsis quotes a critic as saying that Speedman's Jack was "one of the most retarded performances in cinema history."While we have not yet seen the movie, from what has been publicly available it is clear that the film is a very negative portrayal of people with intellectual disabilities. There has been mounting outrage from the disability community. For excellent coverage of the issue, you may want to visit the website www.patriciaebauer.com and review her posts and responsive comments over the past week. Hundreds of comments have been posted on the blog expressing outrage about the movie. Promotional materials for the movie included an offensive website www.simplejakemovie.com that now appears to be no longer operational since since The Arc and other disability groups started asking questions about the film
I am flying out to Los Angeles on Wednesday August 6 to meet with DreamWorks Chief Executive Officer and studio executives from in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday, August 6. I will be joining Joe Meadours, The Arc board member and executive director of People First of California, as well as representatives of other national disability organizations. The purpose of the meeting is to express our concerns, request a viewing of the film, and discuss possible solutions.Call to Action Will FollowThe Arc national staff will be back in touch with you later in the week to provide an update about the meeting. Depending on the outcome of the meeting, one option being considered is to call for a national boycott of the film and to urge state and local chapters of The Arc to go to the movies on August 13, 2008 with protest signs as well as appropriate informational literature. As events unfold, we will send you additional information via email alerts. Also watch the hompage of The Arc website where we will plan to post talking points and other information to help you organize and take action. In particular, we will soon be posting to the site talking points about why the R-word is hate speech.In the meantime there are a few preparations you can begin to make:>review your communications options (email lists, etc) and think about how you will get the word out about this movie,>compile a list of local media that you will want to reach out to about the issue,>identify parents and self-advocates that you would like to have speak out,>begin to draft op-ed articles and letters to the editor about the issue,>identify other organizations that may be allies (e.g. ACLU, NAACP, other civil rights groups, other disability groups) that have networks you will also want to mobilize,>talk to younger staff about how some of the social networking sites could be used to take action.In short, please do your best to begin preparations for a massive action. Again, we will be back to you with further information after the meeting.Peter The Arc - Web Privacy Statement (Privacy Page)Community - Member Email Subscriptions (Email Preferences Page)
Shoot ! They’ll even smile back when folks are mockin’ ‘em !
That's strange, I just re-read my post and it didn't say anything like that. Oh well.
For an organization with the word retarded in it's name to complain about the "R" word is stupid.
Hey ! At my age I could use a lot of priaprism !
(Never mind. It would probably kill me.)
Same here and I don't think I'm going to wait for DVD either. I've had tears rolling down my face just from reading the reviews for this film!
I hoping I'm not disappointed.
Downey Jr. is one of the best actors in the country.
You’re not confusing him with Jon Cusack, are you? Their entire careers are similar, but I have yet to dislike one of JC’s performances. I’ve yet to even like one of RD, J’s.
But that’s what makes horse races. :)
They can protest my tagline whiel they’re at it. LOL
Can’t wait to see this movie, Downey’s character looks hysterical!
You guys have got to see the red-band trailer for this movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChN3ykk2hIw
Warning, the red-band trailer is itself rated R by the MPAA.
Oh man, that looks highly offensive! haha
The movie itself had problems but look at his work in Chaplin.
Hmm...I was figuring that one might be mentioned, it being the only one directed by someone capable of managing a large enterprise of those he has made. I actually expected someone to bring up ‘Less Than Zero’, which I think is his signature effort.
I will admit he worked hard on ‘Chaplin’, but I so dislike Charlie that it becomes a challenge to objectively assess anyone’s work. My general opinion is ‘why bother’ when considering a biopic of Charlie Chaplin. If you want to see the man, see his movies and leave his very tawdry private life to his biographers.
And, to tell the truth, there’s a case where Jon Cusack might have done an even better job.
Oh it was a poor, misuiguided film. They barely showed the man at work! You know the stuff he’s actually famous for. But Downey did a great job. He was great in Zodiac recently as well...which is a great film.
Then I’ll make an effort to schedule ‘Zodiac’ on NetFlix. I lived in the area during those days and was grossed out then. I’m not sure I’m up to what Hollywood might think I need to see on the subject. Once upon a time I could assume that the process of catching the bad guy would suffice, but now it seems I’m required to suffer along with the victims, as if I wasn’t going to sympathize with murdered people simply by hearing about their demise. Truly, that much information really does suffice.
In any case, my problem with the film which is the topic of this thread is that it stars three gentlemen of whom only one have I even moderately been impressed by (Jack Black, believe it or not). Stiller made one great film (Zoolander) and has been phoning it in ever since. I’ve rather made my opinion of Downey clear. And I’ve even seen this narrative before: ‘Three Amigos’, which is a very poor film itself. The concept of three amateurs turning out to be heroes is a prime candidate for either straight-out farce (so that’s why I enjoyed ‘Delta Farce’) or screwball comedy (know anyone who can do Lubitsch these days?).
I just don’t know that this film is more than straight-up high-concept Hollywood summer fodder and don’t have the spare cash to see it until its either on DVD or free TV.
Zodiac isn’t what you think. People were expecting some Silence of the Lambs type exploitation garbage and got a thoughtful film about obsession and the simple fact that life doesn’t resolve things the way one would like. And it thankfully doesn’t glamorise the killer at all. Everything was done with heavy involvement of the victims’ families and survivors and for the one murder which there were no survivor...they didn’t stage out of not wanting to speculate about a tragedy like that.
That is very reassuring. Like I say, it probably merits being rented from NetFlix. There has been a rather effective documentary on what is known, what is suspected and what must be but may never be known, so it would be only for the art that I would watch it. Not the worst reason, yes?
As the father of a 5yo with Down syndrome I will say my view on it is entirely different. While I never used the words before he was born, they just weren’t in my vocabulary, they have taken on an entirely different meaning when I hear them now.
Yes, “retarded” is a clinical term. When used as such it is perfectly fine. When used as a put down or in a deragatory fashion it’s a bit different, no different than racial or religious slurs used to hurt the target. And I can’t say that outside of clinical usage that it or “retard”, I’ve ever heard it used as a pet name or just in fun.
Why is it acceptable to target those less able to defend themselves than a race or religion that is perfectly capable of doing so? Either way the person had no choice on the matter. Many of us are willing to stand up for our loved ones. While they are more like you and I than they are different, in general my son is more affectionate with anyone he meets. While he would probably never respond physically if taunted, there are those of us willing to do so in their defense.
Although I suppose just as there will always be bullies who go after those they deem safe targets in order to feel better about their pathetic selves, there will always be assholes who target people like my son. And just as the bully eventually finds someone who will fight back, so will those that need to pick on people with disabilities. Even if it’s a third party.
I just want to give my little guy a big ol’ bear hug and be thankful that most people aren’t assholes and think it’s funny to make fun of those with developmental issues.
The irony is that in my personal experience those who use “retard” or “retarded” regularly, whether as an insult or just in passing, are definitely on the lower end of the IQ scales themselves.
I’m sure it will be pointless to keep an eye on this thread, since it’ll probably just be filled with more short bus jokes and pics. I’m sorry for whatever happened to you in the past that you feel the need to compensate for something.
Simple Courtesy and Common Courtesy went out the window with Common Sense.
So “retard” isn’t meant as a disparaging remark? It’s just a sign of affection?
While I don’t use the terms, I’m not offended by any of the racial and religious slurs (none of which apply to me). Is it just PC run amok or are we better off without those words in every day use?
Thank you for responding !
I’m probably no better or no worse than anyone on this site,but it galls me to see people - some of whom claim to be very devout - grumbling because they are being asked to show a little respect for others.
I have a good friend who works for ARC,and who tell me stories sometimes that would make Simon Lagree weep. She also speaks eloquently of the small triumphs-someone who would have been warehoused 20 years ago getting and holding a small job,for example.
When I was about 4, my two brothers and I went to a foster home (and were later adopted).Our adoptive mom had a niece she was taking care of. As an infant, she had fallen off a changing table,and had sustained severe brain damage. It made her very much like those who are born that way. We all helped care for her,and we all learned something as a result.
There’s no halo around my head,and,considering my age,I doubt there ever will be one; but I was taught common courtesy,and wish it were truly “contagious” !
Thanks gene. I’m far from a saint myself. Maybe I’m over-sensitive when it effects one of my kids. As an overweight, bald, glasses-wearing, caucasian, Conservative, Protestant (albeit non-practicing) male from the Northeast I’m the butt of many a joke and can take it and have less of a problem when the lampooning targets anyone and everyone (a la Larry the Cable Guy, South Park or Family Guy). When it singles out those with ID it just bothers me since it’s so cowardly.
Thanks again. It sounds like your adoptive mom was a special woman.
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