‘Thunder’s preemptive strike on race sensitivity

‘Thunder’s preemptive strike on race sensitivity

The cast of Tropic Thunder

When news leaked that Robert Downey, Jr. would be playing in modern blackface for the comedy “Tropic Thunder” a few talking heads and bloggers squawked about the move’s inherent racism.

Hard to take a chance like this in our uber-sensitive times and not expect some blowback.

So it’ll be interesting to see how the public – and the pundits – react to the actual movie when it opens on Wednesday (Aug. 13).

Saw “Tropic Thunder” last night, and I suspect sensitive types won’t like some of what they see. Downey, Jr.’s performance may be terrific, but it could play poorly in Punditland, a place where citizens live to be offended.

I’m guessing there won’t be much strife about it. For starters, the PC Police already assaulted star/director Ben Stiller for how the film portrays a movie-in-a-movie about mental retardation. And much of the “it’s racist!” charge got played out when the casting news was first announced.

(Photo: Robert Downey, Jr., center, plays an Oscar winning actor who alters his skin pigmentatin to play a black soldier in “Tropic Thunder.” Ben Stiller, left, and Jack Black, right, co-star.)

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

MonkeyNo Gravatar August 9, 2008 at 3:32 pm

I really cant wait to watch this, i saw the trailer in the cinema last night and nearly wet my self. PC can kiss my ass

cftotoNo Gravatar August 9, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Going anti-PC can be a real boon for comedy, Monkey

WadeZNo Gravatar August 9, 2008 at 9:51 pm

The 2 comedies I’m looking forward to are this and An Americain Carol. Hope you liked this one.

cftotoNo Gravatar August 9, 2008 at 9:53 pm

I’ll try to post more info — and a trailer — of “Am American Carol” asap, WadeZ

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