Tropic Thunder - Dozens Protest at 'Tropic Thunder' Premiere

After seeing the movie, I can both see why people love it and hate it. They love it because quite honestly, it was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. I couldn't bring myself to find fault in the Robert Downey Jr. character, because it was just so perfectly executed. I mean, the movie in itself was a work of art, Ben Stiller did an excellent job directing and the casting was perfect. Yet, I could sympathize with the people protesting, because the movie was over the top. To me in a good way, but I guess I can see where some would not feel the same way. So, I am giving the movie a cautious two thumbs up, which means, If you are overly sensative, stay home, but if you want to laugh til your sides hurt, go see the movie.

http://www.blacktree.tv

Stiller, Downey Jr. and Black lead an ensemble cast in 'Tropic Thunder,' an action comedy about a group of self absorbed actors who set out to make the most expensive war film. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys.

Dozens protest at 'Tropic Thunder' premiere

Story Highlights
"Tropic Thunder" contains frequent use of disparaging term for mentally disabled
Advocacy groups upset; one person called it "offensive from start to finish"
Special Olympics chair calling for boycott
Film stars Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. as self-absorbed actors making film
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- "Tropic Thunder" is pushing the envelope too far for groups representing the mentally disabled.

Dozens of people from organizations such as the Special Olympics and the American Association of People with Disabilities protested the movie-industry spoof across the street from the film's Los Angeles premiere at Mann's Bruin Theatre on Monday. The protesters held up signs with slogans such as "Call me by my name, not by my label" and chanted phrases like "Ban the movie, ban the word."

The groups are outraged over scenes featuring the liberal usage of a disparaging term used to describe the mentally disabled. In the movie, director and co-star Ben Stiller plays a fame-hungry actor cast in a war movie who previously had a role as a mentally disabled character named Simple Jack.

The DreamWorks film, which opens Wednesday, also stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black.

"When I heard about it, I felt really hurt inside," said Special Olympics global messenger Dustin Plunkett. "I cannot believe a writer could write something like that. It's the not the way that we want to be portrayed. We have feelings. We don't like the word retard. We are people. We're just like any other people out there. We want to be ourselves and not be discriminated against." Watch why critics are calling film "Tropic Blunder" »

Andrew J. Imparato, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities, said he and other representatives from advocacy groups representing the mentally disabled met with DreamWorks co-chair Stacey Snider and watched a private screening of the film Monday morning. Imparato called the movie "tasteless" and said it was "offensive start to finish."

"I have a sense of humor," said Imparato. "There were parts of the movie where I laughed, but it seems to me that the movie tried really hard to go too far and then pull back on everything that was offensive except the issue of people with intellectual disabilities. I just think Ben Stiller and the people involved in this movie just didn't think it was going to be offensive."

Following the original complaints from the advocacy groups, DreamWorks pulled some promotional materials, including a Web site that promoted the film-within-a-film starring Stiller's character which contained the tag line "Once there was a retard." DreamWorks spokesman Chip Sullivan previously said in a statement that "no changes or cuts to the film will be made."

"If you want to pick on people, as the old playground saying goes, pick on people your own size," said Timothy Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, who is calling for a boycott of "Tropic Thunder" along with the other groups. "This population struggles too much with the basics to have to struggle against Hollywood. We're sending a message that this hate speech is no longer acceptable."

http://www.blacktree.tv

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• protest

[NewbsHaven]

Charlie Sheen just went Full Retard...

[AKg0Lden]

BIG ASS TITTIES

[3Deity]

What happened to "Imitation is the highest form of flattery"?

[BlackIce3190]

I'm sorry...they protested using the word 'retard' but they didn't protest Pineapple Express. Know where, where they not only sold weed to middle school kids, but they smoked it with 'em. Fucking stupid politicaly correst dumbasses.

[UntilWeMeetAgainVic]

God damn retarded ass-pussy protesters...

[jackdezy]

@Ebagramirez agree agree agree!!!!! pple take things to serious

[Taylor2V]

why protest? ITS A FUCKING JOKE!!! if u cant take the humour of life then whats the point in living?

[lanunselat]

People who get offended easily are either people with hidden agenda or people with serious self-confidence issue

[noodlezombie]

Oh boo fucking hoo. The onus is on you to be offended, it's your problem. This goes for anything, I honestly don't understand people who claim to be 'offended' by things. Yes, there are things that annoy me and piss me off, but I can't really say I'm offended by anything. Being offended isn't a reaction, it's something you have to actually work at, take a good running start at it. You have to WANT to be offended.

[Mrreebo]

@mouchochi13

ya, ya.......i did watch it again after i watched this................

It wasn't as horrible as I gave it credit for.

It was actually a lot better then i remember it.

[mouchochi13]

@Mrreebo watch it again, i hated it the first time i watched it as well, now i find it hilarious

[buzzclick500]

Damn! I'm out of shoe polish. ;])