The petition
This petition is in response to Dreamwork's new film, Tropic Thunder , directed by Ben Stiller and starring Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr. as a group of prima donna actors filming a Vietnam War movie when their fed-up writer-director decides to dump them in the middle of a real war. It is due for release on August 13, 2008.
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.
In a statement on Sunday, Chip Sullivan, a DreamWorks spokesman, said the movie was “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.” Mr. Sullivan, in the statement, added that the film was not meant to disparage or harm people with disabilities and that DreamWorks expected to work closely with disability groups in the future. But, he said, “No changes or cuts to the film will be made.”
In one scene alone, the word "retard" is used over 16 times. One of the movie's catch phrases is "never go full retard". T-shirts have already been made with the phrase "Full Retard".
Please sign this petition; I will be forwarding it to Dreamworks, etc., by the end of this week.
Also, find your local movie listings and get out there and protest!
Dear Mr. Stiller,
I haven't slept in 5 nights, and it is your fault. Here I sit, at 1:08 in the morning. I was in bed, but my mind has been racing, and I needed to come and write you a letter. You see, 5 days ago, I learned about your new movie. I also learned about one particular scene in that movie. And that is why I am awake. I need to get some things off of my chest.
A little background. In November of 2002, my husband and I welcomed our third child into this world. The morning after he was born, we learned that he had Down syndrome. Our lives were turned upside-down. We were thrust into a new world, which was scary and full of the unknowns.
Our new son had several challenges in his first few years of life. We had a few ambulance rides to the hospital. We had to learn all knew medical terminology because our son needed a cardiologist, an ENT, and an orthopedic surgeon, to name a few. He needed to have an occupational therapist, a physical therapist and a speech therapist (still does). He needs glasses, he has ankle braces. He has had 5 surgeries to put tubes in his ears. He had his tonsils and adenoids out. He's had swallow studies and sleep studies. He's had EKG's. He's been through a lot, and he's only 5.
We've met a lot of families like ours along the way. Some have children who have been very sick, and almost died. Some have had children who have been very sick and have died. Some of these kids have gone through more in their short lives than most adults ever will. They're fighters. Their parents are fighters.
It is my job to protect my son, to love and nurture him. I keep him safe while he's in our home. I can monitor what he sees, and what he hears. Nobody here will make fun of him. No one will call him names. He will never feel like less of a person when he is home. He has brought us all such joy, we cannot imagine not having him in our lives. He is very smart, and has the best sense of humor. He really loves everyone, and they love him in return.
Now, here is where you come in.
You felt the need to put a character in your new movie. A "special" character, mocking people with disabilities. You also felt the need to push the envelope a bit further. You threw the "r" word in there, too. And not just once. Many, many times. And you think that it's o.k. "in context" and it's really making fun of actors in Hollywood. Well, when people leave the movie, I'm willing to bet that quite a few are going to take your new tag line out of context and will be using it quite frequently. I have already seen the shirts on EBay, and the movie just opened today. Now, how am I supposed to protect my son from that? And, you say its rated R, so younger children and teens won't see it. You and I both know that these kids are going to watch the movie, in the theatres, on DVD, on Pay-per-view and are going to come away thinking it's funny to use the word "retard". They're going to see the "Never go full retard" t-shirts. You did this.
My son is going out there in the real world next month; he's starting kindergarten in public school. Our schools have a "No bullying" policy, and our superintendent has already been sent a letter warning him about the t-shirts, and they will not be acceptable. So, my question to you is, how do I get them off of the streets? How do we get the kids not to call their friends "retards"? Why did you feel the need to make my son the punch line of your joke?
Now is your opportunity to be a bigger man. Step up and apologize to the four million Americans with disabilities. Admit that you made a mistake; you THOUGHT that it would be o.k. in context. You didn't think ahead. You were wrong. Take some of your "Tropic Thunder" profits and start a Words Hurt campaign. Vow never to use the word again. Have your celebrity pals do the same. Maybe you'd gain back some respect. My husband and I have seen every movie you've been in; you've always been a favorite of ours. Our 10 and 8 year-olds loved Jack Black. We've all been crushed to learn how uncaring you both truly are.
I started an online petition 3 days ago, requesting the ban on the "r" word and "Tropic Thunder". I have close to 2,300 signatures already. You should really take the time to read some of the comments posted by the families. They'll break your heart (if you have one). http://www.ipetitions.com/peti...
Well, I could go on and on, but I won't. I am going to attempt to clear my head and climb into bed. I can rest a bit easier knowing that I am fighting for my son. I won't give up. He deserves to be respected. He deserves to be treated with dignity.
Hopefully the next time I see you on "Nightline", you won't be patting yourself on the back, you'll be issuing an apology.
Thank-you,
Melissa Hart
**I've noticed that my letter has been copied and posted to various websites. Feel free to do so, but only with my signature**
** Just added...Somebody keeps trying to sell the shirts on EBay. Report them as offensive (bottom of the page) and get them banned! We did it once, but they're back;
cgi.ebay. com/ws/eBayISAPI .dll?ViewItem&item=120294396327
cgi.ebay. com/ws/eBayISAPI .dll?ViewItem&item=120294212925
Robert Downey Jr. is managed by Creative Artists Agency, Ben Stiller is managed by Shepard & Associates and has a production company called Red Hour Films; Jack Black's agency is the Endeavor Agency and has a production company called Electric Dynamite Productions. Dream Works is owned by Viacom which also owns MTV and Nickelodeon and everyone else. This is Viacom's corporate statement:
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
UNRIVALED ABILITY TO EDUCATE, ENGAGE AND EMPOWER
Viacom's social commitment leverages the power of its brand and the strength of its audience relationship to encourage action on a variety of pro-social issues that are important to our partners, employees, audience, shareholders and communities alike.
Click on Our Initiatives to learn more about our programs.
Viacom's Corporate Responsibility Council Mission Statement
The Viacom Corporate Responsibility Council seeks to provide company-wide guidance and support to pro-social programs governed by our brands. While nurturing each business unit's distinctive identity, the Council collaborates on Company-wide pro-social efforts, as well as, projects at the business unit level. The Council educates employees and audiences about key pro-social issues to inspire, enlighten and ignite action in both the public arena and within our own employee family.
Also here is a press release regarding Jack Black's project "Acceptable TV" for VH1:
http://www.vh1.com/press/press...
PASADENA, CA, January 11, 2007 - VH1, Jack Black and the team from Channel101.com have announced the first step in reforming the runaway user-generated content movement with the newly formed "Acceptable TV." The "Department" will be responsible for a website that will launch in February 2007 followed by a weekly TV series premiering on VH1 Friday, March 23 at 10 PM*.
Jack Black, Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab became pioneers of the do-it-yourself TV movement with Channel 101, a competitive forum for digital shorts founded in 2003, anticipating the YouTube revolution by a several years. Realizing they could not stand by while the tidal wave of user-generated content threatened to overwhelm the internet, "Acceptable TV" on the principle that, in Black's words, "some stuff is just not acceptable."
Fax Numbers:
Dream Works Studio 818-695-9944
Viacom Public Relations 212-258-6464
Ben Stiller and Representation c/o
Red Hour Films, Inc. ((310) 289-5988
Shephard & Associates (310) 858-3947
Jack Black and Representation c/o
Electric Dynamite Productions, Inc. (818) 733-2651
Endeavor Agency (310) 248-2020
Robert Downey Jr. and Representation c/o
Creative Artists Agency (424)288-2900 212.277.9099
Viacom's Companies:
MEDIA NETWORKS
BET NETWORKS
BET
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MTV NETWORKS
ATOMFILMS
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MTV
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MTVU
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NEOPETS
NICKELODEON - NICK JR.
NICK AT NITE
NOGGIN
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TV LAND
VH1
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PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORP
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DREAMWORKS STUDIOS
PARAMOUNT VANTAGE
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HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Creative Artists Agency(Robert Downey Jr)
Los Angeles
2000 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
phone: 424.288.2000 fax: 424.288.2900
New York
162 5th Avenue, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10010
phone: 212.277.9000 fax: 212.277.9099
Richard Lovett, President
rlovett@caa.com
Rick Nicita, Co-Chairman
rnicita@caa.com
Lee Gabler, Co-Chairman
lgabler@caa.com
Kevin Huvane, EVP
khuvane@caa.com
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