[kj] OT Boycott the film Tropic Thunder

[blankwerks]

Again, isn't the inclusion of a clearly white, and not knowedgable about any
black issues, actor, blacked up and frankly ludicrous, just part of the
story to indicate clearly how out of touch and precious that this bunch of
actors are?

The whole thing surely is to demonstrate how ridiculously self obsessed and
self appreciating this bunch of idiots are, and how they clearly have
delusions that their "art" propels them to a status where they are free to
comment and judge, and indeed represent by acting any social racial or
minority group.

You are supposed to be laughing at their ridiculous behaviour and at the
fact that they ARE bigoted idiots obsessed only with themselves, not
laughing at the word "retard" or the fact that someone has "blacked up". The
whole point is that people like this and attitudes like that are outdated
and unwanted, and to ridicule people that hold those thoughts and are so
dismissive of anyone who doesn't hold the same status as them.

You are missing the whole point of those characters - they and their views
are the ones that are being ridiculed, not the subjects of their discussion.
Plenty of comedy and satirical films and programmes where main characters
are used in this way to portray the simple mindedness of the lead character,
wouldn't surprise me if the idea of this was lifted by Stiller from the UK
version of The Office and more specifically David Brent's treatment and
behaviour towards their employee who is a wheelchair user. The whole comedy
in those pieces was directed towards the ludicrous views of Brent, and not
towards the disabled person.

Incidentally, I'm no Stiller fan - but merely because he isn't funny, not
because he is some kind of racist disability hating Hollywood star.

2008/8/18 <cliffmonka at alaska.net>


> not to forget they have a white guy in black face,racist film aswell.they

> consulted

> the NAACP but none of the agencies serving people who experience

> disabilities.

> Go figure,why would they care if they make fun of a defenseless group,utter

> cowards

> these hollywood people are.Completly Fked off,Cliff

>

>

> > Isn't the film also about the ludicrous behaviour of a group of self

> > obsessed actors? surely their dismissal and mockery of any group is down

> to

> > the fact that they are in fact a load of complete wankers only able to

> think

> > about themselves?

> >

> > I don't plan on seing the film, but I know the general premise is that

> they

> > are arseholes who get taught a lesson and re-evaluate themselves. Their

> use

> > of the "retard" word just goes to show how out of touch they are.

> >

> > Oh and protesting about it will certainly do one thing - gve it more

> > publicity. And not get the studio to take it off release.

> >

> >

> > 2008/8/18 <cliffmonka at alaska.net>

> >

> >> Hiya ok here's a tv news story and daily news article from the protest

> >> boycotting

> >> the film Tropic Thunder we did on saturday,Peace,Cliff

> >>

> >> http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=8853261

> >>

> >> http://www.adn.com/arts/story/496381.html

> >>

> >>

> >> > http://www.adn.com/arts/story/496381.html

> >> >

> >> >

> >> >> Terrific article by Tim Shriver...

> >> >>

> >> >>

> >> >>

> >> >> *What 'Tropic Thunder' Thinks Is Funny*

> >> >> By Timothy Shriver

> >> >> Monday, August 11, 2008; A15

> >> >>

> >> >> I've been told = to keep my sense of humor about the film "Tropic

> >> Thunder,"

> >> >> which opens = this week. Despite my requests, I have not been given

> the

> >> chance

> >> >> to see = the movie. But I've seen previews, read about it and read

> >> excerpts = of

> >> >> the script. By all accounts, it is an unchecked assault on the =

> >> humanity of

> >> >> people with intellectual disabilities -- an affront to = dignity,

> hope

> >> and

> >> >> respect.

> >> >>

> >> >> Consider this exchange:

> >> >>

> >> >> Ben = Stiller's character: "There were times when I was doing Jack

> when

> >> = I

> >> >> actually felt retarded. Like really retarded."

> >> >>

> >> >> Robert Downey = Jr.'s character: "Oh yeah. Damn."

> >> >>

> >> >> Stiller: "In a weird way, I had = to sort of just free myself up to

> >> believe

> >> >> that it was okay to be stupid = or dumb."

> >> >>

> >> >> Downey: "To be a moron."

> >> >>

> >> >> Stiller: "Yeah."

> >> >>

> >> >> At= another point, about acting like a person with intellectual

> >> disabilities,<=

> >> >> BR>they say:

> >> >>

> >> >> Stiller: "It's what we do, right?"

> >> >>

> >> >> Downey: = "Everybody knows you never do a full retard."

> >> >>

> >> >> Stiller: "What do you = mean?"

> >> >>

> >> >> Downey: "Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look = retarded,

> act

> >> >> retarded, not retarded. Count toothpicks to your cards. = Autistic,

> >> sure. Not

> >> >> retarded. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, = yes. Retarded,

> >> maybe.

> >> >> Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off = Nixon and won a

> >> ping-pong

> >> >> competition. That ain't retarded. You went = full retard, man. Never

> go

> >> full

> >> >> retard."

> >> >>

> >> >> I worked with the = Farrelly brothers on a film on this topic. I know

> >> about

> >> >> edgy comedy. = I'm also told that movies are equal-opportunity

> >> offenders.

> >> >>

> >> >> So = here's an equal-opportunity response to the equal-opportunity

> >> offenders:

> >> >> People with intellectual disabilities are routinely abused,

> neglected,=

> >> >> insulted, institutionalized and even killed around the world. Their =

> >> parents

> >> >> are told to give up, that their children are worthless. Schools =

> turn

> >> them

> >> >> away. Doctors refuse to treat them. Employers won't hire = them. None

> of

> >> this

> >> >> is funny.

> >> >>

> >> >> For centuries, they have been the = exception to the most basic

> >> spiritual

> >> >> principle: that we are each equal = in spirit, capable of reflecting

> the

> >> >> goodness of the divine, carriers = of love. But not people with

> >> intellectual

> >> >> disabilities. What's a word = commonly applied to them? Hopeless.

> >> >>

> >> >> Let's consider where we are in = 2008. Our politics are about

> overcoming

> >> >> division, our social movements = are about ending intolerance, our

> great

> >> >> philanthropists promote ending = poverty and disease among the

> world's

> >> poor.

> >> >> Are people with intellectual= disabilities included in the mainstream

> of

> >> >> these movements? For the = most part, no.

> >> >>

> >> >> Why? Because they're different. Their joy doesn't = fit on magazine

> >> covers.

> >> >> Their spirituality doesn't come in self-help = television. Their kind

> of

> >> >> wealth doesn't command political attention. = (The best of the spirit

> >> never

> >> >> does.)

> >> >>

> >> >> Sadly, they're such an easy = target that many people don't realize

> whom

> >> they

> >> >> are making fun of when = they use the word "retard." Most people just

> >> think

> >> >> it's funny. "Stupid, = idiot, moron, retard." Ha, ha, ha.

> >> >>

> >> >> I know: I could be too sensitive.= But I was taught that mean isn't

> >> funny.

> >> >> And I've been to institutions = where people with intellectual

> >> disabilities

> >> >> are tied to beds or lie on = concrete floors, forgotten. I've heard

> >> doctors

> >> >> say they won't treat = them. I know Gallup found that more than 60

> >> percent of

> >> >> Americans don't = want a person with an intellectual disability at

> their

> >> >> child's = school.

> >> >>

> >> >> I've talked to people with intellectual disabilities who = cry over

> >> being

> >> >> insulted on a bus. I've received too many e-mails from = people who

> are

> >> >> devastated not by their child's disability but by the = terror of

> being

> >> >> laughed at, excluded and economically devastated.

> >> >> It wasn't funny when Hollywood humiliated African Americans for a

> >> >> gener= ation. It's never funny when good and decent human beings are

> >> >> humiliated= . In fact, it is dangerous and disgusting.

> >> >>

> >> >> This film is all that = and more. DreamWorks went so far as to create

> a

> >> >> mini-version of Simple = Jack and posted it online. The studio has

> since

> >> >> pulled it down, = realizing it had gone too far, even in an age of

> edgy,

> >> >> R-rated = comedies.

> >> >>

> >> >> So, enough. Stop the hurtful jokes. Talk to your children = about

> >> language

> >> >> that is bullying and mean. Ask your friends, your = educators, your

> >> religious

> >> >> leaders to help us to end the stubborn myth = that people with

> >> intellectual

> >> >> disabilities are hopeless. Ask Hollywood = to get on the right side

> of

> >> >> dignity.

> >> >>

> >> >> I hope others will join me = in shutting this movie out of our lives

> and

> >> our

> >> >> pocketbooks. We don't = live in times when labeling and humiliating

> >> others is

> >> >> funny. And we = should send that message far and wide.

> >> >>

> >> >> *The writer is chairman of = Special Olympics and a columnist for

> >> >> washingtonpost.com's On Faith = discussion site.*

> >> >>

> >> >>

> >> >>> It's received mostly good reviews:

> >> >>>

> >> >>> http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/tropicthunder

> >> >>>

> >> >>> That's a great website, btw.

> >> >>>

> >> >>> -Oliver

> >> >>>

> >> >>>

> >> >>> folk devil wrote:

> >> >>>> not sure i really want to....too many 'war' films...and a haha to

> bang

> >> >>>> bang doesn't really work for me at the mo..

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>> /"/

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >> >>>> Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:42:20 -0700

> >> >>>> From: saulomar1 at yahoo.com

> >> >>>> To: gathering at misera.net

> >> >>>> Subject: Re: [kj] OT Boycott the film Tropic Thunder

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>> Anyone seen the movie yet?

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>> ... ... ... ... ... ...

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>> /*[looking at the current state of things]*/

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>> 'Save me...

> >> >>>>   save me from Tomorrow..

> >> >>>>    I don't want to /sail //in this Ship Of Fools...!'   /

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >> >>>> Your PC, mobile phone, and online services work together like never

> >> >>>> before. See how Windows(R) fits your life

> >> >>>> <http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/108587394/direct/01/>

> >> >>>>

> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>> _______________________________________________

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> >> >>>

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