WI "Simple Jack" Were a Real Movie?

MerryPrankster · Sep 23, 2011

In the film Tropic Thunder, fading action star Tugg Speedman tried to revitalize his career by playing "Simple Jack," a mentally retarded farmhand who could talk to animals. It bombed terribly, but a bunch of drug dealers in Laos were fans and when they captured Speedman, forced him to act out scenes from the movie.

Here's the fake movie trailer, which was removed from the beginning of the actual film (which featured several such trailers) due to protests from advocates for those with developmental disabilities:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-n_zk7e0ZU

I imagine these same people would go totally berserk over an actual movie like this, even though it would, if it were real, probably be a parody of I Am Sam, Rain Man, and Forrest Gump rather than "hey, let's laugh at retarded people."

The Militant One · Sep 23, 2011

MerryPrankster said:
In the film Tropic Thunder, fading action star Tugg Speedman tried to revitalize his career by playing "Simple Jack," a mentally retarded farmhand who could talk to animals. It bombed terribly, but a bunch of drug dealers in Laos were fans and when they captured Speedman, forced him to act out scenes from the movie.

Here's the fake movie trailer, which was removed from the beginning of the actual film (which featured several such trailers) due to protests from advocates for those with developmental disabilities:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-n_zk7e0ZU

I imagine these same people would go totally berserk over an actual movie like this, even though it would, if it were real, probably be a parody of I Am Sam, Rain Man, and Forrest Gump rather than "hey, let's laugh at retarded people."

Ah, but as Kirk Lazarus said in regards to the three movies you mentioned: "Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not retarded. You know, Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded. Plus he was a war hero. How many retarded war heroes do you know? Peter Sellers, 'Being There.' Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001. 'I Am Sam.' Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed."

MerryPrankster · Sep 23, 2011

The Militant One said:
Ah, but as Kirk Lazarus said in regards to the three movies you mentioned: "Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not retarded. You know, Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded. Plus he was a war hero. How many retarded war heroes do you know? Peter Sellers, 'Being There.' Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001. 'I Am Sam.' Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed."

I doubt anyone would be bringing home an Oscar for a parody film, no matter how "full retard" they get.

(And one of my fellow escorts at a high school beauty pagaent had Down Syndrome. He wasn't nearly as moronic as "Simple Jack"--I'm pretty sure he knew that crying was crying and not his eyes raining and dreams were dreams and not "head movies.")

How over-the-top dumb the character of "Simple Jack" might be a problem though.