Simple Jack is Simple Satire

This morning I received an email regarding the new Ben Stiller movie, "Tropic Thunder." In the movie, Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black and a cast of other comedians play actors who think they're in a war movie, but find out that they are actually smack dab in the middle of a real war. The email suggested that we in the disability community should prepare to take action against this movie because it makes fun of people with intellectual disabilities.

Apparently, Ben Stiller's character, Tugg Speedman, is a fading action star who years earlier failed in his bid for an Oscar as "Simple Jack," a man with an intellectual disability. Jack sports a bad "bowl" haircut, bad teeth, overalls, etc etc - all a true mocking of the way Hollywood sometimes portrays people with disabilities. The tag line reads, "Once upon a time there was a retard," and, "What he doesn't have in his head, he makes up for in his heart." Apparently, as part of the movie synopsis about "Simple Jack," a critic is quoted as saying, "one of the most retarded performances in cinema history."

Okay, it's offensive. Okay, it uses the "R" word, a lot. But should we picket this movie? Do we have the right to call for censorship? Does that truly empower people?

I struggle with the idea of taking "massive action" against a movie, especially a movie that is clearly a comedy. Are they really picking on people with intellectual disabilities? Nope. They are picking on Hollywood, making a satire of the industry and how foolish actors and studios can be when it comes to portraying real life and real people.

Besides, to truly protest this movie because of "Simple Jack," gives it more "power" if you will - people will want to see it when folks in the disability community say not to. It's human nature - when you tell someone not to do something, well, they want to do it. Why not let people see this movie and draw their own conclusions? I bet most everyone who sees the movie understands that it is a play on Hollywood, not on people with disabilities.

We should not fuel this political correctness hulabaloo if we want people to take the important issues seriously. When we attempt to censor people, people first language becomes "PC," instead of a movement or a philosophy. Perhaps instead of calling for massive action and censorship we should embrace this movie BECAUSE like our philosophy tells us, we want people with disabilities to be treated like everyone else and trust me, Hollywood portrays any and all people for entertainment purposes, and they don't always do it well or with respect.

I think this is proof that people with disabilities are more accepted members of society, when people are brave enough to include them in satire... don't you?