Robert Downey Jr. says Tropic Thunder (2008) was like "All in the Family" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 01-11-2024, 07:48 PM

Robert Downey Jr. Says Tropic Thunder is like "All in the Family", Railed Against "Tropes That are not Right"
by Emlyn Travis
January 11, 2024

Tropic Thunder and All in the Family have more in common that the casual viewer might think — at least according to Robert Downey Jr.

The Marvel star has addressed the continued criticism surrounding his controversial 2008 action-comedy, in which he infamously starred as a method actor who dons blackface in order to play a Black sergeant, saying the film's intent was to shine a spotlight on "tropes that are not right and had been perpetuated for too long," not unlike Norman Lear's pioneering 1970s sitcom.

“I was looking back at All in the Family, and they had a little disclaimer that they were running at the beginning of the show,” Downey said on Thursday’s episode of Rob Lowe’s Literally podcast. “People should look it up, exactly what it is, because it is an antidote to this clickbait addiction to grievance that [people seem] to have with everything these days.”

Downey then paraphrased the show’s disclaimer, but encouraged listeners to find it themselves. The Disclaimer reads, “The program you are about to see is All in the Family. It seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter, we hope to show — in a mature fashion — just how absurd they are.”

Lowe, who called Tropic Thunder his “favorite movie ever,” then suggested that Downey liked the “language” of the series’ disclaimer, with which he agreed.

“The language was saying, ‘Hey, this is the reason that we’re doing these things that, in a vacuum, you could pick apart and say are wrong and bad,’” Downey replied. “There used to be an understanding with an audience, and I’m not saying that the audience is no longer understanding — I’m saying that things have gotten very muddied.”

He continued, “The spirit that [Ben] Stiller directed and cast and shot Tropic Thunder in was, essentially, as a railing against all of these tropes that are not right and [that] had been perpetuated for too long.”

https://ew.com/robert-downey-jr-comp...family-8425363

01-11-2024, 07:48 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,168	Robert Downey Jr. says Tropic Thunder (2008) was like "All in the Family" *Robert Downey Jr. Says Tropic Thunder* is like "All in the Family", Railed Against "Tropes That are not Right"** by Emlyn Travis January 11, 2024 Tropic Thunder and All in the Family have more in common that the casual viewer might think — at least according to Robert Downey Jr. The Marvel star has addressed the continued criticism surrounding his controversial 2008 action-comedy, in which he infamously starred as a method actor who dons blackface in order to play a Black sergeant, saying the film's intent was to shine a spotlight on "tropes that are not right and had been perpetuated for too long," not unlike Norman Lear's pioneering 1970s sitcom. “I was looking back at All in the Family, and they had a little disclaimer that they were running at the beginning of the show,” Downey said on Thursday’s episode of Rob Lowe’s Literally podcast. “People should look it up, exactly what it is, because it is an antidote to this clickbait addiction to grievance that [people seem] to have with everything these days.” Downey then paraphrased the show’s disclaimer, but encouraged listeners to find it themselves. The Disclaimer reads, “The program you are about to see is All in the Family. It seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter, we hope to show — in a mature fashion — just how absurd they are.” Lowe, who called Tropic Thunder his “favorite movie ever,” then suggested that Downey liked the “language” of the series’ disclaimer, with which he agreed. “The language was saying, ‘Hey, this is the reason that we’re doing these things that, in a vacuum, you could pick apart and say are wrong and bad,’” Downey replied. “There used to be an understanding with an audience, and I’m not saying that the audience is no longer understanding — I’m saying that things have gotten very muddied.” He continued, “The spirit that [Ben] Stiller directed and cast and shot Tropic Thunder in was, essentially, as a railing against all of these tropes that are not right and [that] had been perpetuated for too long.” https://ew.com/robert-downey-jr-comp...family-8425363 Attached Images