Tropic Thunder: Have They Gone Too Far?

Whit Honea — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:47:00 GMT

Tropic Thunder stars some of our favorite celebrity dads: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey, Jr., and Tom Cruise, and it opens on Friday. It is already pissing people off.

Apparently the film makes a lot of fun at issues that some find taboo. The majority of complaints are coming from the various groups that represent people with mental disabilities. Dozens of people from these organizations picketed the premiere of Tropic Thunder.

The movie is about a group of Hollywood actors that blur the lines between fiction and reality. The actors themselves are characterized as stereotypes and many of their actions are unthinkable- it's a comedy.

The uproar stems from a movie within the movie in which Stiller's character has portrayed a mentally disabled person in order to achieve Oscar consideration, spoofing the likes of Rain Man, I am Sam and Radio, to name a few. Their handling of the subject matter and the wordage used to describe the character isn't PC, and for better or worse, such things are no longer deemed acceptable, not even in a comedy.

A Dreamworks representative says, "We have had productive discussions with representatives of disability advocacy organizations and look forward to working with them closely in the future. However no changes or cuts to the film will be made.

"Tropic Thunder is an R-rated comedy that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses, and makes its point by featuring inappropriate and over-the-top characters in ridiculous situations. The film is in no way meant to disparage or harm the image of individuals with disabilities."

I'm torn on such things. On a personal level, the one I teach my children, I am 100% against discrimination against anyone based on anything (within reason), but as a whole I'm sick of America being handled with PC gloves. I prefer a society with a backbone, not hurt feelings and lawsuits (the favorite pastime out here in CA).

I like a little offense in my comedy. I get what Stiller is doing and it sounds funny. I want to laugh at something because it is absurd and ridiculous- things I know better than. Unfortunately, not everyone does know better and often the result of such comedy is that it carries out of the theater and into the daily scheme of things. It's a catch-22.

What do you think?

Source/Source

Muslims Protest Jolie-Pitt Twins?

Whit Honea — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:24:00 GMT

There is a clip here where the media, or Access Hollywood anyway, is trying to spin a Muslim protest outside of the Nice hospital as being related to the birth of the twins. I'm guessing the people in this video have more pressing issues than some celebrity babies. I hope.

What is interesting is that Dr. Sussman says it only took 30 minutes to deliver the twins via C-section. Magic hands, that guy.

Here's the video:

Photo/Video

Courteney Cox-Arquette is a P.T.A. Mom

Whit Honea — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:06:00 GMT

What is this, Harper Valley? Courteney Cox is ready to sock it to them, hence the sign of marker and passion.

Calm down, Tom T. Hall, this picture protest is actually a scene from a movie set, Bedtime Stories, which also features Keri Russell and Adam Sandler. I hope the sets have a nice daycare or this mob may turn ugly.

Photo: Celebrity Moms

FameCrawler : protest

Tropic Thunder: Have They Gone Too Far?

Muslims Protest Jolie-Pitt Twins?

Courteney Cox-Arquette is a P.T.A. Mom