Robert Downey Jr. To Play Black Man in 'Tropic Thunder'

Yes, you read that right. Actor Robert Downey Jr. is going to appear onscreen (at times) as a Black man. In the upcoming summer movie Tropic Thunder, Downey plays a White struggling actor who is cast as a Black soldier in a film. You can figure out the rest.

Already the comparisons/contrasts to movies such as White Chicks, Soul Man and Livin' Large have all been made...for better or for worse.

And yes, the name Al Jolson has too already put in an appearance. Yes, yes, we get the comparisons "mainstream media" but you, "mainstream media" haven't offered a lot of insight thus far beyond the obvious. Oh well, Mo'Kelly will have to do it it seems before long.

As for Downey's thoughts about the role, he had this to say...

''If it's done right, it could be the type of role you called Peter Sellers to do 35 years ago. If you don't do it right, we're going to hell.''

You got that ish right Bob; mess this up and you surely will be on the straight freight to career hell (again that is)...and Mo'Kelly will gladly punch your ticket and help you with your bags.

The movie stars Ben Stiller who also co-wrote and directed the film. From the very beginning he has acknowledged his uncertainty how the film will ultimately be received by African-American audiences, though accordingly to him it has tested well thus far.

"I was trying to push it as far as you can within reality,'' Stiller explains. ''I had no idea how people would respond to it. It seems people really embrace it."

We'll see...Mo'Kelly reserves the right to withhold his opinion until more comes out. Like anybody would expect Stiller to be honest enough to say...

"Yeah, it's patently offensive and at this point we expect to be boycotted, picketed and the movie will likely be pulled from theaters unless we revamp the whole character between now and release."

I take Stiller's words with a grain of salt at the moment. Testing the limits of comedy usually means a lot of uncomfortable if not offended people in the process. Nothing that "pushes the boundaries" along racial lines ever is "really embraced" by the larger portion of African-Americans initially. Richard Pryor and Dave Chappelle immediately come to mind. What saved them was that they were/are at least both African-American. Stiller and Downey aren't. A very key distinction.

To all readers of The Mo'Kelly Report, a request has been put in to Downey's publicist Alan Nierob for Downey to speak to The Mo'Kelly Report on the role. If you'd also like Downey to come into The Mo'Kelly Report, feel free to POLITELY reach out to Mr. Nierob at ANierob@rogersandcowan.com

And MAYBE...MAYBE, Mo'Kelly's eyes are deceiving him. But it SEEMS as if Robert Downey Jr.'s "nose" was widened/flattened and his bottom lip thickened to "enhance" his "authenticity."

MAYBE...MAYBE, Mo'Kelly's eyes are deceiving him. You tell Mo'Kelly.




UPDATE: 2:05pm

Subject:	RE: Phone/print interview request - Robert Downey Jr. for The Mo'Kelly Report
Date:	Fri, 7 Mar 2008 16:29:12 -0500
From:	"Nierob, Alan (LAN-RCN)" View Contact Details Add Mobile Alert
To:	"Mo'Kelly"

Thank you for your interest, but Mr. Downey is on location working and unavailable.


Mo'Kelly appreciates Mr. Nierob's quick and courteous reply, but Mo'Kelly would be VERY disappointed if Downey were to appear in interviews in the coming days/weeks without talking to Mo'Kelly. Mo'Kelly has long memory. Mo'Kelly has moments of not being nice.


Developing...

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The Mo'Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant. It is meant to inform, infuse and incite meaningful discourse...as well as entertain. The Mo’Kelly Report is syndicated by Newstex. For more Mo’Kelly, http://www.mokellyreport.blogspot.com.

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Morris W. O'Kelly can be reached at mokellyreport@sbcglobal.net and he welcomes all commentary.