Advocates For The Disabled Plan Boycott Of New Ben Stiller Movie

A coalition of disabilities groups is expected as early as Monday to call for a national boycott of the film "Tropic Thunder" because of what the groups consider the movie's open ridicule of the intellectually disabled. The film, a movie-industry spoof directed by Ben Stiller, is set for release on Wednesday by Paramount Pictures and its DreamWorks unit. "Not only might it happen, it will happen," Timothy P. Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, said of the expected push for a boycott. Speaking by phone, Mr. Shriver said he planned to be in Los Angeles with representatives of his group and others to picket the movie's premiere on Monday evening in this city's Westwood district. A particular sore point has been the film's repeated use of the term "retard" in referring to a character, Simple Jack, who is played by Mr. Stiller in a subplot about an actor who chases an Oscar by portraying a mindless dolt. Mr. Shriver said that he had also begun to ask members of Congress for a resolution ... (link)