Advertisement Ben Stiller co-wrote, directed and stars in the comedy that is eliciting boycotts, protests and criticism for its frequent use of the word "retard" and its variations —16 times in one scene alone — and other demeaning references to people with cognitive disabilities like his "Simple Jack" character in a movie within the movie. The film's marketing includes T-shirts with the movie's catchphrase, "Never go full retard."
At Monday night's movie premiere, Stiller's co-star, Robert Downey Jr., told an Associated Press reporter, "I think it's open to interpretation and that's the great thing. You know, if I want to protest something because it offends me, that's my right as an American, and it's also any artist's right to say and do whatever they wanna do."
The coalition of groups boycotting the film — including Special Olympics — have been told they're taking the film too seriously, says Wipperfurth, executive director of the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society.
Though she assumes no malice on the part of the producers, she wrote on the nonprofit's Web site that "the sheer influence and scope of a project like 'Tropic Thunder' also bears consideration. The popularity and 'quote-ability' of such a film guarantees that increased use of 'retard' and the remarkably offensive tagline 'Never go full retard' will echo through school halls a couple of weeks."
Bad timing
"The timing just couldn't be worse," Wipperfurth added in an interview Wednesday.
The mother of two, a daughter, 3, who is typically developing and a son, 6, with Down syndrome, who soon will go back to school to start first grade, she said, "I don't want Max to go to school and hear that, because someday he'll realize what it means and it's scary. ... It's harmful because it prevents people from seeing individuals with disabilities as people with value to add to our community."
Russ Austin, a Madison father of two, including a 4-year-old with Down syndrome, says, "As a dad, it's challenging enough when you have a child with a disability ... and you're constantly fighting for them to have a place in society and to be respected.''
Now, he says, children will absorb the Hollywood message that such language is funny and OK. "Parents need to talk to kids about offensive language, whether it be racial language or language about disabilities."
Wipperfurth's online response to the movie includes this request:
"Say the word 'retard' out loud and pay attention to the image that immediately comes to your mind. Now think about what that image means to the men, women and children who fight through every day, working to overcome the barriers that society puts in front of them, along with their own personal challenges."
Athlete offended
Ann Hellmuth, 41, is offended when others use the word to talk about her cognitive disability.
"I heard people say it about me and I just ignore it. ... I think it's really inconsiderate," said Hellmuth, who defines herself by her abilities, as well as family connections as the sister of famed poker player Phil Hellmuth.
She focuses on her — and others' — abilities, which she has demonstrated through 15 years as a Special Olympian: "I'm a golfer, basketball player, and I play softball and volleyball, speed skate and play bocce."
She's concerned about the athletes she trains with and competes against feeling down if they hear language like Stiller uses in the movie.
So is Kelly Kloepping, a spokeswoman for Special Olympics Wisconsin: "We really want to focus on the ability of our athletes, not the disabilities."
Misconception
She's also looking beyond the 10,000 athletes her organization serves to the 3 percent of the world's population that has cognitive disabilities.
"When you hear the word 'retard,' you think it's a bunch of kids segregated from school and thrown into institutions," she said — a far cry from the scene she was about to witness Wednesday as Milwaukee's Miller Park filled with fans to watch more than 100 athletes competing in four Special Olympics baseball games and a home-run hitting contest.
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