DISQUS

Josh Radde · 1 year ago

How come Scottish people didn't protest Fat Bastard? Myers is Canadian, Scotland! That's a slap in the goddamn face!

Bill Brasky · 1 year ago

I am protesting Bollywood ... all of it

Aaron Joseph · 1 year ago

OK Film School Rejects.. I have faithfully read your site over the past month and I feel it necessary to post now. I am a 2nd generation Indian of Syrian Christian origin (explains the name eh?) living in California. Why would you tell someone to stop protesting a movie that is outright offensive to an entire race of people? Telling the "Hindus to chill out" is not the most positive message for a website that is supposed to be about "film nerds getting news on stuff going on in an industry we really aren't part of". You will give press to fan circles protesting the Weinstein's altered "Fanboys" film but one about race isn't OK? Shows what really matters to you.

I worked a small stint as an intern working for New Line Cinema, and hearing stories about Mike Myers and his dry crappy physical comedy really turned me off to his whole shtick. I am not Hindu by any length or stretch but as an South Asian American who has lived here for 22 years, the idea of this movie offends me quite a bit.

The worst part about all of this is Sir Ben Kingsley, the man who I begrudgingly accepted as "Ghandi", is gracing this piece of sh*t with his presence in the film. I find this to be downright sad.

Microbefox · 1 year ago

Meh, more publicity. SCORE!

Cole Abaius · 1 year ago

I'm torn here. On the one hand, I disagree with almost anyone protesting movies - it only garners more attention and sometimes only serves as self-satisfaction or, even worst, self-aggrandizement.

But Aaron here has a point - what's the difference between the horrific cultural insensitivity of Vaudevillian blackface performers and what Mike Meyers is doing? Not much, I'd say.

I guess my main question is - what exactly is the stereotype that he's creating? If Hollywood is profiting from the creation of a stereotype, what is it? I suppose the reason that it's offensive is that it's presenting a serious person in a cartoonish way.

I'd be even more interested to know if there are any Hindus out there or people from the sub-Continent that don't find it offensive - and if not, why not?

Who knew a movie as shitty as this one is going to be has gotten me to think?

Rob Hunter · 1 year ago

Is the problem that Myers is playing a Hindu? A Hindu is no different or better or worse than a Christian or Buddhist or Muslim, and to protest a comedic portrayal of one is ridiculous. Are religious groups off limit as targets of satire or farce? They sure as hell shouldn't be... no group should be. Or is it that he's playing someone from another cultural background? No one complained when he played a British spy or a Scottish ogre. Or is the problem that his skin is darkened for the role? People love the idea of Robert Downey Jr playing a black man in Tropic Thunder or when Eddie Murphy lampooned the secret life of white people on SNL, and rightfully so, so what's the difference? (Aside from The Love Guru not looking to be that funny...)
The point is that all groups, religions, races, genders, individuals, etc want to be treated equally. Part of that equality is having a sense of humor about yourself and accepting comedy as comedy... even if it is in the form of a crappy-looking Mike Myers movie.

Josh Radde · 1 year ago

The IMDB story Kevin got this from also qualifies that Paramount is trying to get this group together to actually SEE the movie before protesting. It's most likely pretty harmless, and if we're meant to laugh at Myers its probably because of his character, not his religious belief or cultural background (not that we'll be laughing at all). I also think Rob has a solid point as well, because it's like that "Osama bin Laden on Family Guy" episode of South Park--All satire has to be ok, or NONE of it is ok.

And Carr, shouldn't that sentence read "INTENSIFY Alba's rep for making lame movies."

Patel · 1 year ago

For a colonialist mind, my religion is no more than a cult and you allow to yourself to make fun of my holy priests.

Jasman Singh · 1 year ago

I am a sikh/hindu religion. Personally, I don't think this movie is racist at any point. I mean,
so what if it does tend to stereotype hindus, but c'mon dude, have we all not done such
thing before. Plus, no one is actually going to take this movie seriously. I mean, if someone
was to watch this movie, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't think that all the hindus act that way.
Like dude, it's MIKE MYERS a.k.a AUSTIN POWERS. Of course he's going to act stupid, it's
what makes Mike, Mike. :P

So, to the people protesting, please relax. I do get offended when people stereotype, but
this is a movie made for fun and entertainment. Chill it. ;)

Francesca · 1 year ago

Protesting this-and not Zohan?!!!!