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Show 8 Junk Drawer 'Tropic Thunder' draws fire from drug dealers Thursday, August 28. 2008 Poppius McGee Triangle, however, now intend to do far more than that. In the film, Stiller, along with coBen Stiller's recent comedy Tropic stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Thunder makes jokes at the expense Black, are dropped into a real-life viof a wide range of targets, and as is olent conflict after the director fails inevitable with these types of films to get the best out of the actors on in today's hyper-sensitive society, a traditional movie set. The cast is many of the targets have taken pub- stalked and eventually attacked by a lic offense at slights real or imagi- ruthless group of drug traders in the nary from the irreverent script. The volatile and lawless Golden Triangle more vocal of these offended groups region. Stiller's character is taken includes advocates for the mentally hostage and during the course of his disabled, who take issue with Still- captivity is tortured and eventuality er's 'Simple Jack' character, and vet- forced to reprise his role from Simple erans of the actual Vietnam War, for Jack for the drug farmers and manuwhom the gratuitous violence and facturers' entertainment. gore and cheesy war-movie cliches In the film the drug manufacturers demonstrate improper respect for are portrayed, as most 'bad guys' in the men who were subject to the hor- action films, as ruthless but also simrors of jungle combat. None of those ple and stupid. groups, however, have done anything -Khun Sa, a notorious drug lord more than raise a stir in the press. who has been exporting heroin to the The drug producers of the Goldan world market since the 1960's, takes RED PULSE CONTRIBUTOR Trevor Hale issue with that portrayal. "We are not stupid. We would not be the type of people to be impressed by Simple Jack," he wrote in a press release seized with a kilo of heroin seized by DEA officials last week. "And if this director wishes to call us savages, then we will instruct him as to the real meaning of'savage.'" Stiller, for his part, was unfazed by the threat. "Where I come from drug dealers threatening to break your legs or kill you was an everyday thing. This is like being back in New York on those streets. I'll just have to ride strapped, is all." The idea of those offended by a film threatening violent revenge on its actors and producers is not new. Charlton Heston received death threats from Mexican activists in the wake of his performance as a Mexican detective in the Orson Welles picture Touch of Evil, and Jesus- reportedly & rx threatened to shank Martin Scorsese over his controversial 1988 film The Last Temptation Of Christ. Though Stilier was not particularly perturbed by Khun Sa's message, his main co-stars Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. have reportedly increased security at their homes until the danger passes and have hired bodyguards to accompany their entourages. The ability of Khun Sa, beseiged by the Vietnamese military and the subject of an international effort by the DEA, CIA and Interpol to arrest him, to effectively carry out 3 hit on well-protected actors on the other side of the world is somewhat in doubt, but Downey said he was taking no chances. He told a reporter earlier this week, "They're always trying to take the black man down." Editor's Note—This column is intended to be satirical and should in no way be taken seriously. f lPlil#Staff Picks ] RED PULSE EDITOR; 1, BACK TO SCHOOL - Everyone gets a little excited to start school again, even if it's because you just want an excuse to quit your job and check out your new classes for that hot new transfer student you always see in movies. Unfortunately, after about three . weeks the excitement wears thin and you start skipping classes in anticipation of fall break, because that's what school is all about. ^-\.l^P >;.;. :, ;r,^/. ;.*crfyj$™z *.2. OUTDOOR CONCERTS - You've made the most of them all summer long, and now it's time to take in the last two or three before winter rears its ugly head, darkens the sky and it becomes too cold to leave the house, let alone sit outside for three hours. Make sure you choose wisely, though. You don't want to spend the next seven months regretting skipping Bob Dylan in favor of the Sandy Amphitheater or something. £ 3. MASSHISTORIA.NET - Since you've read every Far Side comic a dozen times over, it's time to find a new calendar. Emmy Award winner and former Daily Show scribe Chris Regan updates his site every day with a fact from this date in history and makes fun of it. For those of you going through AMERICA: The Book withdrawals, this is the siteforyou. i " fev^>^^^ 4. THE* OLYMPICS (or how we're glad they're over) - Sure there were a few highlights like Michael Phelps anH the Redeem Team, but there was also a lot of boring filler as well. Ifflgw you can get back to watching old "Walker, Texas Ranger" episodes on Sat- urday night instead of wondering why you're wasting time on Women's Badminton or a four-hou&televised marathon with commentary more boring than the actual race. -T;: *? Addiction when it comWt'Cu:! Old habits* du.; . coffee -6hopsr: NJD home away fromjiome whpn you've ,i?ght the barista howito maktfyour drink , jusT'EhT way^yotrwwanr -i , hardly ever work out. Eftit ^-. - *-«-^__, .^g _ _.. >to make. -ffiat''dedsioS Two CreeTboff^^duse ehoXUd be lit the topot your list. •. - T ^ ' * •*•' -' • "'•* fW^t^'located-at^ii^E. Third ^ ^._ _,„__.. j ^jmpw^ou weA supposed to lobk forjf, you'd^rob;siL Tnwe's no blazingjieoiisj^iuput front elrHO e the txafiidiEajiHRs bike racjsris. as ,the*parMb23pt,iVKhich enr : to take .a: route.' Jdingvitse^ "Tciftsacof you wpujc fable 1 lse;* rnside 5. B D B K A F T E B : - SHADING - "No Country For Old Men" showed that the Coen Brothers were back in top form after a few mediocre at best films. They've already got another one coming out, this time with John Maliovich, George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Even if "Burn After Reading" is only half as good as "No Country For Old Men," it will still be a huge step up from "The Ladykillers." (opens Sept. 12) . _.•_ ..._.„ redpulse@chronicie.utoJuedu % that it> us 'pir-don?:! time CQffe# shop hangout. «3L ->-B tV§!''i tiggm3%. < • ' |