Producers of Tropic Thunder anticipated taking heat from casting Robert Downey, Jr. as an Australian darkening his skin to play an African American, but it probably came as a surprise when Special Olympics chairman and CEO Timothy Shriver and other leaders of disabled advocacy groups slammed the film for "use of the r-word" (retard) to describe people with intellectual disabilities. 

 The film does indeed make light of mental disabilities. Ben Stiller’s character, a Hollywood actor who is chided for taking a film role playing a mentally handicapped person in an unsuccessful attempt to win an Oscar, discusses, and replays, the issue at length.

"Both the use of this word and the appalling portrayal of an intellectually disabled character in this movie are incredibly damaging to people with intellectual disabilities," American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) President and CEO, Andrew Imparato said after viewing the film Monday. "This movie perpetuates use of a hateful word the disability community is trying to eradicate from our country's vocabulary. Although the movie is considered satire, this depiction of a person with intellectual disabilities is far from funny."

The advocacy coalition staged a protest Monday night outside the Westwood premiere of the DreamWorks/Paramount film. The protesters are also calling for a Tropic boycott.

 “The film is in no way meant to disparage or harm the image of individuals with disabilities," DreamWorks spokesman Chip Sullivan told The Hollywood Reporter. "We have had productive discussions with representatives of disability advocacy organizations and look forward to working with them closely in the future. However, no changes or cuts to the film will be made."