A Very Funny Retardation!

I’ve been looking forward to seeing “Tropic Thunder” all summer. I’ve so wanted to watch this movie, last week I said, “One for ‘Tropic Thunder,’” when I was actually trying to buy a ticket for “Pineapple Express.” I guess the titles could easily be confused. Or maybe I’m just retarded.

Wait, I can’t say the word “retarded,” can I? It’s a slur. It’s a slur against people with learning disabilities. When I use the word “retarded” to describe a person lacking in intelligence — even if it’s myself — that hurts the feelings of people who are really retarded, right? Thing is, I don’t use the word “retarded” to describe a person with an actual learning disability. And I don’t think the mentally challenged community is making any effort to reclaim the term. It should be up for grabs then. Alas, we can’t say it, not necessarily because it’ll hurt the feelings of people who have learning disabilities. No, saying it offends people who are members of advocacy groups for the mentally challenged. Those people are not retarded. They just act like it sometimes.

Take this tempest in a teapot surrounding “Tropic Thunder.” As I understand it, Ben Stiller’s character is an actor who tried to court an Oscar nomination with his role in a film called “Simple Jack;” the titular Jack is mentally disabled but can talk to animals. Later in the film, Stiller’s character is chided by Robert Downey Jr.’s character — a multiple Oscar winner — for going “full retard” in the role. I don’t know what “full retard” even means, but I know it sounds funny. I’m definitely going to see this on Wednesday. I should be able to find a good seat, too. According to Reuters, advocates for people with learning disabilities are calling for a boycott of “Tropic Thunder.” For one line of dialogue. From a guy in blackface.

I took an improv comedy class last spring. Apart from learning that I suck ass at improv comedy, I also learned about how make offensive material work. Insensitive humor only gets a laugh when the joke is on the joke-teller. You can’t make fun of people who have learning disabilities and expect audiences to double-over with laughter. You can, however, make fun of bad actors trying to gain credibility by playing mentally challenged characters. That’s what “Tropic Thunder” is doing. It’s not trying to be offensive to anyone with a learning disability. Rather, it’s trying to offend spoiled celebrities who want to win a pile of awards for pandering to audiences in actorly roles.

If anyone should be boycotting this movie, it should be celebutards.

-Brad Lohan

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