The Screening Room

Come on Stephen, you know as well as I do that no one can take a joke or have a sense of humor anymore. Maybe it's because I'm an upper middle class white male, but I just don't get why everyone is so offended all the time.

Learn to laugh...live longer and happier.

Tim,

Easy to say if you don't have a child or a freind or relative who is mentally challenged. From what I've read, the joke clearly is intended to be a jab at the stereotypes that Hollywood perpetuates. But as the father of a child with Down Syndrome, I have a hard time swallowing the use of the word retard in any context.

Wayne,
The world ain't gonna change on your account. The word 'retard' is here to stay and your child will deal with it by how you set an example, Downs or not. If, especailly you, can learn to laugh about a word, then others can laugh too and then by consequence the negative 'power' from that word gets stripped. When in doubt, mock the devil, I say.

I'm with you Wayne. What people fail to realize is that regardless of what the filmakers "intend" by their "satire" the outcome will be the same. Teenagers and young adults will walk away from this movie with new catch phrases to further insult our mentally disabled population. With that said, I have an idea for a Tee shirt that I find humorous. How about this: "Never Go Full Stiller" or perhaps: "You are are such a Stiller" or maybe even: "Once upon a time there was a Stiller" Perhaps "Stiller" will become synonymous with the word "jerk" Ok, I am only half joking here. My point is that this so called "comedy" pokes fun at a group of people that in most cases do not understand how or why "human beings" can be so cruel. I have a great sense of humor. I just don't happen to think making fun of the mentally challenged is funny! In my opinion, those who think the Simple Jack character is funny are simply "Jack Asses"

'My point is that this so called "comedy" pokes fun at a group of people that in most cases do not understand how or why "human beings" can be so cruel'
.....And that is the real joke of this movie. The The mentally challenged are blissfully ingonorant of man's cruelty. Hollywood has always celebrated that notion and is always portrayed as a virtue, i.e. Forest Gump. The joke is on the so-called 'normal' person who IS cruel and/or tries to corrupt the incorruptible 'challenged' character. If you are going to try to teach a dog how to disassemble, clean, and reassemble an M-16, who really is the more mentally challenged? You or the dog?
Those that think Mr. Stiller is poking fun at the mentally challlenged are the REAL mentally challenged ones.

John,

Perhaps you need to re-read the following:
'My point is that this so called "comedy" pokes fun at a group of people that in most cases do not understand how or why "human beings" can be so cruel'. The mentally challanged are NOT "blissfully ignorant of man's cruelty" as you put it, at least not in many cases. What I stated is that many of the mentally challenged do not understand "HOW" or "WHY" human beings can be so cruel not that they are unaware of such cruelty directed towards them. I don't for one minute think that Mr. Stiller thought it would be funny to make a movie insulting the mentally disabled. I think that he simply was not thinking at all. Perhaps all the dollar signs floating around in his brain clouded his judgement.

John,
Perhaps you need to re-read the following:
'My point is that this so called "comedy" pokes fun at a group of people that in most cases do not understand how or why "human beings" can be so cruel'. The mentally challanged are NOT "blissfully ignorant of man's cruelty" as you put it, at least not in many cases. What I stated is that many of the mentally challenged do not understand "HOW" or "WHY" human beings can be so cruel not that they are unaware of such cruelty directed towards them. I don't for one minute think that Mr. Stiller thought it would be funny to make a movie insulting the mentally disabled. I think that he simply was not thinking at all. Perhaps all the dollar signs floating around in his brain clouded his judgement.

Semantics. "Blissfully ignorant" is not a negative term, certainly not in Hollywood. Being incapable of awareness of cruelty directed towards me would take a lot less stress out of my life and in fact make the one directing it look more foolish as it would be impossible to acknowledge the cruel intentions. An exercise in futility. It would be like a white man putting on blackface to experience "The Real Feeling" of being black. It cannot be done. This movie is simply not to be taken at face value. Its asking that you find something more funny than simple slapstick and insult comedy, which I think is rare from Hollywood these days. I bet allot of the Studio execs were squeamish about this movie because they think Americans, particularly; central U.S. Americans are too stupid to get this kind of humor. Don't prove them right.

I haven't seen the movie, so I can't judge it. But I don't know why people get upset when an organization protests a movie. It's no big deal. It just makes people aware that some people out there disagree with it. The "people are too sensitive" argument is weak. Everyone is sensitive to something. If you thought someone was making fun of your sister, it might not affect me too much, but I can't act shocked that it would affect you.

If you're not offending someone through your actions at any given moment when you are out in public, you just aren't trying hard enough.

Is there something noble about "trying" to offend someone. Sorry, I don't get that. Just the fact that someone thinks this word is funny or a joke is incomprehensible to me. Can anyone explain what is funny about a word that is meant to disparage another person. Yes, I agree that "comedy" is sometimes offensive, but there are words that have evolved into nothing more than a way to insult someone. The root of this word is a medical diagnosis. Retarded has been shortened to retard, just as the term negro evolved into another word to maximize its potential to express hate. Just because a word has become commonplace doesn't mean it has a place in civilized society.

I think that the joke is about the actors who portray the disabled, not the disabled themselves. Granted, I can see why it could be seen as inappropriate, but that is not who the joke is targeted to.

That doesn't mean it is not offensive, it very easily could be. (I haven't seen it, so I can't make a call one way or another.) All I am saying is that I don't think that they were trying to make fun of the disabled.

I think that the joke is about the actors who portray the disabled, not the disabled themselves. Granted, I can see why it could be seen as inappropriate, but that is not who the joke is targeted to.

That doesn't mean it is not offensive, it very easily could be. (I haven't seen it, so I can't make a call one way or another.) All I am saying is that I don't think that they were trying to make fun of the disabled.

Again, I don't understand why we are characterizing hate speech as a joke, or simply innappropriate. An audience member who thinks the word is funny isn't going to have the capacity to understand that the intent is to make fun of the actors. It was said earlier that "the word 'retard' is here to stay." What an indictment of our culture, but with movies like "Tropic Thunder" there's a good chance he's right.

I have for the past 41 years now spent my life educating those "uninformed" about children with developmental disabilities. I have explained to and educated "normal" people that my son is not " possessed by the devil" ,that his condition did not imply I didn't "pray or believe in God enough"...( and I am not kidding.. ) I have educated folks who stare and whisper and comment negatively that my son is a very special, loving person who is an like a child in an adult's body. In certain cultures "special' children are revered not hated or made fun of.. as are elders..
I have pretty tough skin but feel strongly that we must stand up for those who cannot and who deserve dignity not exploitation.

As a mother of a young adult who is has disabilities I am very offended by this movie. My child is high level and has been missed treated by supposely good people. He has been call the word by good people who do do not think about how it hurts. If you had a child with special needs you would feel different/

What is going on a lot is comedians and others "pushing the envelope" by going way beyond what is considered normal and creating new ground much like the, at the time, misunderstood comic's routine of Andy Kaufman. He went beyond and very few understood the comedy. I do somewhat.

However the problem is all this going beyond what is "normal" comedy range to the horribly offensive way past what would be a sensible limit. It's staying shy of what is excessive and harmfull that is the problem. That is you can "push the envelope" but watch out for going too far which in my personal tastes is way too far anyway despite getting a lot of the comedy concepts!

I have not and probably won't be able to see this movie until it comes out on DVD to determine if it fits into the far reaches of extreme comedy or has gone over the line.

It might have been "justified" in order to do the joke but they may have gone way too far and should have been carefull and done it differently yet still get the point accross.

Ironically it's the portrayal by non-disabled actors of people with disabilities when there is a HUGE number of actors with disabilities and great talent waiting in the wings.

It's almost as offensive (and sometimes is as bad) as a white actor doing "black face" depiction of a black person or other ethnicity when a non-disabled portrays a disabled.

So I would almost agree with that part of the story line especially if what I thought I read was true: there was a "white" actor who had a color change to portray a black person!

So if the movie did both and more outrageous themes and not just the offensive "Retard" storyline then it might be "acceptable". I might hate it, I might get it, but if all sorts of "offensive" comedy subjects were done like "black face" or other racism as well as the developmental disability story line then the movie might be ok.

In the world we live in today EVERYTHING is offensive, this movie intended to make fun of those who do use mental retardation as a joke. Now, I may not have a handicaped child so I'm sure I'll be attacted for not seeing it in that way, but I do have a cousin, and several friends who are directly related. People just need to learn how to choose their battles, Ben Stiller did not directly come to your house and call your child a "retard", that is a whole different ball game. Just let it go, teenagers used the word longgggg before it was in Hollywood. Just don't see the movie if it offends you, it's as simple as that, because it will still play in theaters no matter what you do.

I "Won't Back Down"!
I'm gonna stand my ground!

This movie’s dialogue is pitched to the public as funny and insightful.

When is it funny to call a friend, family member or co-worker; anyone, "totally stupid, mororonic, moronical, imbecilic and the “stupidest M….F…er ever?”

All on the backs of a individuals being homogonized as all of the same "qualities"?

To believe this is insight, someone (and author of the film, Ben Stiller) must believe that these are indeed the characteristics of people with disabilities. They must believe that people with intellectual disabilities are two dimensional, lacking in any depth or value.

I am appalled by the deep roots this sort of prejudice has—even in respected community members.
I pity Stiller and others whose life experiences have been so narrow as not to allow them a more accurate and nuanced view of people with disabilities—and I am appalled that Writer's and Producers would make their boorish, insight-less remarks in a public forum in 2008!

WHY SHOULD WE JUST STAY HOME AND TAKE IT?

IT'S time to stop the INDIFFERANCE and MARGINALIZATION perpetuated by the use of WORDS.

This is not something you just "let go." Yes, teenagers have been using this word a long time and this movie will certainly add years to its life. Is the reasoning here "teenagers use it all the time; it must be okay." I personally correct the offender EVERY TIME I hear the word. I have no intention of seeing the movie, but I will continue to educate that the use of this word is hurtful, cruel, and promotes hate. Believe me, most people understand once you explain it to them. My own father had to be corrected because he was telling people he was "retarded", rather than "retired." Movies like "Tropic Thunder" will only add years to the educational process of bringing our society into the 21st Century. No, I don't have a child with an intellectual disability, but I'm a human being. I'm a filmmaker as well, and I did a documentary about a young girl, age 5, who was placed in the "Home for Unteachable Idiots." in Rome, New York. She remained institutionalized for 48 years. Her only crime? That's right...she was a "retard." New York State closed down these pits of hell in the 1970s. We're still waiting for Texas to develop a social conscience.

This movie is NOT poking fun at those with mental/intellectual disabilities. It is poking fun at the crass and offensive actors who only see those people as fodder to feed their own already huge egos. It is a crass and offensive word that is used by crass and offensive people.

I would never dare call your child "a retard", nor would I make excuses for anyone who does. But I'm all for making hollywood stars look like idiots.

I never once stated that it was ok to call people "retards" I'm just saying that this movie creates no change to how teens use the word. I'm not here to protest your protesting, but choose your battles. It's a movie, that's all it is, interperate it as you want. This movie was not made to social humiliate those who are mentally handicaped, it is just a subplot in the movie. Louise sounds like this is Ruby Briges, where they are segregating 2 different types of people. It's nothing like that, nobody says anything near "Retards are the scum of the earth, let's lock them up and hide them from society" there is no discrimination here, it is just a subplot in a movie. What do you think the movie is even about?

We have choose our battle and it is time that we stand up for our family members that have intellectual disability. I do not care if it is a movie it should have never been done. I have gone to very funny movies that does not use this language. Just think how you would feel if it was your child. Parents need to teach there kids how to treat people with disabilities. Our kids deserve respect and to be treated with dignity.

If you don't find this behavior disturbing, than you didn't have a very good upbringing. I am a mother of a child with Down Syndrome. Even before we had him that word was horrible, but now it is even worse. These people in movies are influencing our children, who then turn around and use this bad behavior. Do you see why we as parents get upset.

Having finally seen the film, my beliefs are completely affirmed: The boycott is utter nonsense. No one's making fun of the handicapped, unless you consider awards-hungry actors and money-hungry executives handicapped.

A word is a word. The only power a word has is the power you give it. If you're concerned about the effect this will have on your kids, then BE A PARENT and don't let them go see AN R RATED MOVIE. You are supposed to be 18 to see an R rated movie, and by then, if you've done your job as a parent, your child should have the good sense to make a decision for themselves whether Mr. Stiller's comment was in bad taste.
Before you get back on your soap box, I've been called as many words as you or the next person; I've woke up to a cross burning in my front yard; been beat up because the color of my father's skin was a different color than mine, taken beatings for my mentally handicapped friend while in school myself.
When my daughter comes home upset because of something someone said, I teach her that people's words only have as much power as you give them. I am confident and secure that my child will be able to navigate through life and understand that satire and comedy are to be taken in context and not used as another reason why life isn't fair. Guess what, it isn't, and the sooner you prepare your children for that reality, the better they will be.
If Mr. Stiller's words have affected you, then it is because you have given them the power to do so. I choose not to let a WORD in a MOVIE which is clearly satirical have that much power in my life. You make the choice for yourself.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter".....

and for me and my son...and the other 350,000+ effected by cognitive delays, it matters.

I/we choose NOT to be silent.

I have long been concerned about the evolution of our taking ourselves too seriously. Humor can be such a break to that and we seem to take that too seriously, as well. It is good to be able to laugh at ourselves, our follies, our weaknesses, even those that we can do nothing about. I have a daughter with Down syndrome. We encourage her to have a sense of humor about things that are difficult for her and to the sometimes senseless reactions of her peers. It's much healthier than anger and outrage. This is not to say I'm incapable of being outraged about anyone mistreating her...but I would be outraged if anyone mistreated anyone of my children. I haven't seen the movie, and don't personally use the word "retard", but sometimes I think people are looking for reasons to be offended.