MOUNT VERNON — The opening of the Ben Stiller movie “Tropic Thunder” was met by protesters Wednesday in Mount Vernon. The protesters were members of People First of Ohio, an advocacy group for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Many members of the group are self-advocates who themselves suffer from disabilities, but maintain mainstream lives, holding down jobs and paying taxes like any other citizen. And they are upset over the use of offensive terms to describe a character portrayed in the movie, co-written and directed by comedian Ben Stiller, who also stars in it.
Stiller is well known for a style of comedy that makes either Stiller himself or other characters the subject of intense humiliation. But MRDD advocates feel that humiliation spills over from the screen when Stiller plays the role of a Hollywood actor portraying a character named Simple Jack.
Tammy Grogg is a disabled person who is upset.
“It made me feel like I’m nothing,” Grogg said as she stood on a picket line on the sidewalk outside Premiere Theatres on Upper Gilchrist Road. Her fellow protesters agreed.
“It makes me feel terrible and yucky,” said Lynette Hackman.
Deanna Hasty said it worried her.
Jay Piazza, who suffered an accident at age 17 which cut off the oxygen to his brain, causing intellectual disability, had a question for the filmmakers and anyone else who used the offensive language used in the film.
“What gives you the right to call me names?” Piazza asked.
The protesters were met with a supportive response from many passers-by on Upper Gilchrist Road. Passing drivers beeped and waved at the advocates, who waved back.
Although employees of Premiere Theatres made sure the protesters kept off company property, directing them to park elsewhere and remain on the public sidewalk in front of the parking lot, Assistant Manager Melinda Levings had no objection to the protest.
“They have their freedom of speech,” Levings said.
She expressed appreciation that the group called the cinema the evening before the protest to let them know it would occur, and that they had the required permit from the City of Mount Vernon.
Joellen Hunter, advocacy director for People First of Ohio, said the movie perpetuates negative stereotypes.
“People are not open minded enough because they don’t know people with disabilities,” Hunter said. “We try to educate.”
Mary Ann Haughton, the mother of a disabled person, said she was proud to join the protest.
“I’m so offended by the word ‘retarded,’” Haughton said, adding that she was very disappointed that the well-known actors in the movie, who include Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr. and Nick Nolte, would participate in it. She added that there is a danger that unrestrained use of offensive language desensitizes people to it. The film is said to contain such derogatory terms as retard, moron, imbecile and simple.
The initial showing of the film offered few signs of benefiting from the negative publicity, as only six tickets were sold. The national advocacy group The Arc is calling for a National Rally for Respect, starting with Wednesday’s protests and continuing through Sunday.
