The "R" word and Ben Stiller's New Movie

[SandrainNC]

I don't know if any of you have heard this or not, but Ben Stiller's new movie makes fun of people with disabilities and throws around the "r" word a good bit. The link below has a lot of information about it. There are such phrases as "once there was a r____d" and "never go full r____d" which is already on a t-shirt at cafe press. Anyway just passing this on. I have asked all of my friends not to go and support this movie. Ben Stiller and Dreamworks should be ashamed!


http://www.patriciaebauer.com/

Sandra

 

[SueM in MN]

thanks for the heads up.
That word seems to be 'in fashion' right now (terrible fashion, if you ask me).
I had the TV on several Saturdays ago when Saturday Night Live came on. That word was used a lot (which makes people who watch the show think it's a great word to use).

 

[KPeveler]

there actually is a VERY big protest right now at the studios and even some people in DC

 

[SueM in MN]

there actually is a VERY big protest right now at the studios and even some people in DC

I noticed quite a few 'hits' when I did a google search. It's nice to see people standing up against something like this.

 

[KPeveler]

They claim is it satirizing hollywood for placing inappropriate or exaggerated characters in films. however, the average 17 yr old guy will not get any satire that may be there... they will just buy the t-shirt "once there was a r______" and laugh and the word will become even "cooler." ben stiller might "get" it but no one else will get it.

 

[SandrainNC]

Yes, there is a link on the patricia bauer site with the CNN coverage at the movie premier last night. It is just wrong and sick. And I think Ben Stiller knew absolutely that it would be offensive and just doesn't care. I don't care what he says in his interviews.

Sandra

 

[uva185]

I don't know if any of you have heard this or not, but Ben Stiller's new movie makes fun of people with disabilities and throws around the "r" word a good bit. The link below has a lot of information about it. There are such phrases as "once there was a r____d" and "never go full r____d" which is already on a t-shirt at cafe press. Anyway just passing this on. I have asked all of my friends not to go and support this movie. Ben Stiller and Dreamworks should be ashamed!


http://www.patriciaebauer.com/

Sandra

First I do not think it is fair for anyone to fully comment on a movie unless they have seen it. Taking things out of context is recipe for disaster.

That said I believe there are far worse words out there....you cannot just go banning words. That goes against the 1st Ammendment and what this country is founded on.....FREEDOM

Based on the quotations listed on the website you linked to it appears the R word is not directed at a "mentally handicapped? person but instead used in a demeaning manner. I think there is a huge difference there too.

I don't want to further speculate about something I have not seen.

 

[KPeveler]

The special olympics president has seen it, and has called it offensive. It is no less offensive to use the word as meaning "stupid" as it is to say it to someone's face. And I believe, upon reading about the movie, that one of hte character plays a character "in the movie within the movie" who is supposed to be mentally or intellectually disabled, and plays it in an exaggerated or offensive manner.

This thread was not mean to be a debate about the use of the "r" word, but information for those of us who would most likely find it offensive. I don't think any of us here are suggesting a change to the first amendment, but that we personally find this film's subject matter offensive and suggest that others who think similarly not see it.

I think your comments contain incorrect assumptions about what we are saying. I dont think anyone here is suggesting we dont believe in freedom or the first amendment. I think you ought to be careful suggesting the "offensive level" of the "r" word to a group of people who largely include mothers of disabled children.

 

[uva185]

The special olympics president has seen it, and has called it offensive. It is no less offensive to use the word as meaning "stupid" as it is to say it to someone's face. And I believe, upon reading about the movie, that one of hte character plays a character "in the movie within the movie" who is supposed to be mentally or intellectually disabled, and plays it in an exaggerated or offensive manner.

Well that is the definition of satire, so at least that is in line with what Still has said about the movie.

I again think it is better to evaluate material for ones self instead of relying on someone else's interpretation.

That said I can also sympathize with those who feel they are directly targeted by this controversial "humor".

This thread was not mean to be a debate about the use of the "r" word, but information for those of us who would most likely find it offensive. I don't think any of us here are suggesting a change to the first amendment, but that we personally find this film's subject matter offensive and suggest that others who think similarly not see it.

I apologize, I crossed the information I read in the linked article. In the article they did state they wanted to ban the r word.

 

[KPeveler]

I refuse to see it, because I do not even want to give $1 to Ben Stiller for creating something offensive. If he makes all kinds of money off it, then he will never learn... I will see it through netflix or something like that where it won't boost his box office numbers, or look for clips online.

 

[uva185]

I refuse to see it, because I do not even want to give $1 to Ben Stiller for creating something offensive. If he makes all kinds of money off it, then he will never learn... I will see it through netflix or something like that where it won't boost his box office numbers, or look for clips online.

I felt the same way about Fahrenheit 9/11 and giving Michael Moore money for a piece of propaganda. I paid for another movie and walked into the Fahrenheit 9/11 theater. Problem solved

 

[SandrainNC]

First I do not think it is fair for anyone to fully comment on a movie unless they have seen it. Taking things out of context is recipe for disaster.

That said I believe there are far worse words out there....you cannot just go banning words. That goes against the 1st Ammendment and what this country is founded on.....FREEDOM

Based on the quotations listed on the website you linked to it appears the R word is not directed at a "mentally handicapped? person but instead used in a demeaning manner. I think there is a huge difference there too.

I don't want to further speculate about something I have not seen.

Well, just an FYI, I have read part of the script and I have seen part of the movie online. So, no I have not taken a thing out of context. And I know that Ben Stiller plays a mentally handicapped person in the movie. How on earth is "once upon a time there was a r--t--d" (that is without the "ed" on the end) not directed at a mentally handicapped person??? In the movie, Ben Stiller is trying to be a character who is mentally handicapped, so Robert Downey Jr (who plays an African American person in this scene) is telling him how to do it correctly so he uses that term over and over again in that scene telling him how to act that way. So, no it is not out of context at all. I refuse to give money to this piece of trash, so no I will not be seeing it. However, as someone above said, people from various groups were allowed to see it and said it is horrible. The "r" word is just as offensive as the "n" word (instead of being mean to a race you are being mean to a person with disabilities who lots of times can't take up for themselves) and they decided to leave the "n" word out. To me it is one of the worst things people can say because it is hate language. That and the "n" word. Since they have FREEDOM of speech, why didn't they leave the "n" word in the movie and see where it got them? Why come the dude from Seinfeld got in so much trouble for the "n" word if he has the freedom of speech to say it? Because it is wrong, hurtful and ridiculous. We shouldn't have to ask them to ban the words, because they should know better than to use them in the first place. No matter what Ben Stiller says he should have known better.

This shows a clip of the scene I was talking about.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Mov...est.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch#cnnSTCVideo

Sandra

 

[KPeveler]

I felt the same way about Fahrenheit 9/11 and giving Michael Moore money for a piece of propaganda. I paid for another movie and walked into the Fahrenheit 9/11 theater. Problem solved

well i use a wheelchair, so they would notice if i was in a different theatre... i can see enough online to know i would find it offensive...

 

[cathy_s]

Not getting involved in the first amendment debate but I know that I wouldn't use a particular word if I knew it would offend. Maybe that's just me.

For those of you who actually WOULD be offended by this word, why not check out this web site....

www.r-word.org

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Has anybody seen the thread on the CB? I've been trying to explain why it is offensive, but I don't seem to be having much luck (not sure anybody is even reading my posts). How can I explain it better?

 

[PlainJane]

Has anybody seen the thread on the CB? I've been trying to explain why it is offensive, but I don't seem to be having much luck (not sure anybody is even reading my posts). How can I explain it better?

I'm right there with you, I'm at a loss for what to say to them. Some people just aren't touched by this issue personally because they don't have a friend or family member who struggles with this disability everyday. It seems people should have empathy regardless, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[mechurchlady]

I live in analogies and similies it seems. I explain how retarded people are great people and it is an insult to discribe something as retarded because it insults those nice people. If sympathy and the realization of it being offensive does not work then I use substitution. How would you feel if people said "That junky car is so Hispanic". That is when they are like no way that is not right. So it is wrong to use Hispanic but ok to use retard. Usually their brain starts clicking.

Education is very import in stopping this matter. That or a rolled up newspaper to the back of the head. Honest it was a twitch of my arthritic arm.

 

[Nik's Mom]

This reminds me of that Jonny Knoxville movie from a couple of years ago. I can't think of the name of it now, but he pretended to be disabled so he could perform in the special olympics.

Anyway, yes I do find the use of the word as being offensive. So I will not see the movie.

 

[mechurchlady]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0267891/
The Ringer

Another stupid movie meant for people who would find shooting cats funny.

 

[Mrs. Pookie]

People are just so callous! It is downright cruel and wrong to make fun of people with disabilities, and I will boycott anything with that subject matter. So evil!!