So two nights ago at the premiere of Tropic Thunder, dozens of demonstrators showed up outside the theater to protest the movie's repeated use of the word "retard." Members of the Special Olympics and the American Association of People with Disabilities carried signs that said things like "Tropic Thunder: Colossal Blunder!" "We have abilities, not disabilities!" and "R word is hate speech!"
You know, with all due respect to the amazing cast of Tropic Thunder, between the movie and the protest, which do you think would've been funnier to watch for a couple of hours?
(Yeah, I know -- I suck. As always, feel free to direct your complaints here.)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Berated "R"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
20 comments:
I'm still pissed at the fact The Blackeyed Peas changed the song "Let's Get Retarded in Here" to "Let's Get it Started in Here" and not only changed it for use on the Barbership soundtrack but reissued the original album with the song altered, too.
My wife works with kids with special needs and using "retard" and "retarded" as general insults is an issue for folks in that field. It reminds them that the people they work with are subject to a lot of misunderstanding and hassle from people who are either ignorant, or hateful. Much like the casual use of "gay" as a negative descriptor is with some homosexuals and sexual assault victims sensitivity to some online gamers use of the term rape when they win in the slaughterfest of the week. (X-Box Live, I'm looking at you here)
Now I'm not saying that protesting a crap-tacular movie is worth the effort. I'm just pointing out that there are lots of people out there in a lot of social subgroups where certain words and phrases have a much stronger effect and meaning than our casual use of them in other contexts. I'd say both sides are at fault. We probably all need to grow thicker skins and think a little more before we speak.
Thoughtful comment -- thanks.
What about in "Something About Mary" when Matt Dillon said he worked with retards? That the kid had a forehead the size of a drive-in movie screen?
I could go on but I'm laughing out loud at my desk and people are starting to look at me like I'm a ......
The comment about working with retards is the funniest line in that movie. It's just the earnest way he delivers it.
Reminds me of that time I raped that retarded gay nig...
Once upon a time, we would refer to someone with an intelligence quotient of less than 20, 50 or 70 as an idiot, an imbecile or a moron, respectively. These were neutral terms that simply described a defining characteristic.
Once those words fell into common use as perjoratives, some well-meaning souls demanded that they be replaced with the less-useful euphemism "mentally retarded." Of course that term became a common insult as well, so we moved on to such terms as "mentally challenged," "developmentally disabled" and the ever-popular "special."
Experimental psychologist Stephen Pinker dubbed this process the "Euphemism Treadmill." Given current trends in our society, I assume the process will continue until the "accepted" terms become too long and unwieldy for anyone to use unless they are required by law to do so.
One positive aspect: previously unacceptable terms can eventually be acceptably reused, once the negative connotation has been lost. Calling someone an idiot was once considered a crude insult toward the differently-abled. Now the term is used with alacrity even in otherwise polite conversation, usually when discussing politics.
This film does a yeoman's job of comically skewering such ouroboroid linguistic fallacies, with no intention to harm or belittle the intellectually challenged. I think it's important to understand the difference before deciding to organize a pointless protest.
Unless, of course, you're special.
Man, you get a mega-triple-word-score for "ouroboroid."
There was a comic, a former teacher, now passed away I think, that used to do a routine explaining the words idiot, imbecile and moron. His bit ended with a kid coming home from school (on a short bus no doubt) and yelling, "Mom, I'm not an imbecile anymore - I'm a moron!" and she replying, "Oh, honey, we're so proud. Now stop playing with those kids down the street - they're idiots!"
"Those goofy bastards are about the best thing I've got going in this crazy world."
http://www.reelwavs.com/sounds/aboutmary/aboutmary15.wav
Mostly O/T, but since we're talking about a film and some lines from films are getting tossed around, I just want to say that, having seen "Pineapple Express" this afternoon, one of new favorite movie lines is:
"Prepare to suck on the cock of karma!"
Tropic Thunder: Rated "PWID" for "People With Intellectual Disabilities" (as Tim Shriver would put it), or just "R" for short (bus).
Honestly, I think this movie will receive a larger box office gross in spite of the negative publicity it's receiving.
Hell, I want to go watch it now just to see what the big (fat, morbidly obese, torpid) deal is.
Also, is "ouroboroid" the new PC word for "tail chaser"?
votar...love it.
I refer to Bush as a retard, imbecile, idiot, and moron among others. Am I being insensitive?
You can't even call this 'controversy' retarded because it's too corny a joke. The characters who make the 'offensive' comments are comically dumb. The joke is on Hollywood, not the developmentally disabled. This is just PC police bullshit and oversensitivity, and the whining about it does nothing but provoke backlash. If the people 'protesting' the movie wanted to have an affect rather than get publicity they would quietly hand out non-confrontational pamphlets or Internet links to information about the people they are advocating for, rather than try to shame people for going to a movie and get bogged down in a laughable controversy.
If a Klan member says "nigger" in a movie it's not offensive. If a Nazi says "Kike" it's not offensive. Context is king. Wake me up when a film, or even an admirable intelligent character, insults developmentally disabled people.
Has protesting "edgy" comedy ever worked? Ever? In the history of the United States? These advocacy groups never learn. It's like they're
...retarded?
And the best part about this whole thing? There is a guy in BLACKFACE prominently displayed, and yet nobody is saying crap about that.
Why? Because we black folks get the goddamn joke.
Not even Chez-favorite Al Sharpton has brought the pomade out for his media tirades. Even he, of the consistently antagonistic nature, isn't protesting.
That right there is the funniest part about this whole mess.
I am a homo and Votar is a child molester. We are who we are and make no qualms about it!
Once again the whiney prats of the country get al the press and the issues that REALLY matter continue to be ignored...........
Is ouroboroid a real word? Does it have something to do with chewing the cock off of karma?
Post a Comment