Blacks, primarily, are complaining about the neo age of minstrel shows in theatre, but too many of us hAve been clone-nialized.

If Afrikan-Americans are scared to wear their Native garb, of course they're immune and in tune to white men, in Black face. I've written for years that you never see white directors having Blackmen playing white men, but movies are systematically directed to make Black people look inferior, inhumane, jovial, and as household pets.

Complaining won't do any good. Blacks need to boycott and picket Follywood, the Judeo-Christian movie industry, and all films that seek to niggardly portray Blacks.

People get paid to write articles like this?

IT. WAS. A. PARODY.

Now, if you didn't like it fair enough, but are you honestly trying to tell us that the intention of Downey's character was somehow to belittle black people? Somehow, you are the only one who gets how everybody should be offended. Good god man, get over yourself.

Sounds more like a South African accent to me! You guys do know that 95% of Australians do not speak in Broad Australian, that oh-so-often parodied accent which was introduced to you via terrible 50's movies and Crocodile Dundee, right? Common Australian is the dominant dialect and I've never heard an American actor attempt it.

And you bit, butthead!

Has anyone considered that not only is Downey sending up Russell Crowe, but perhaps also all of the actors and actresses who get into their roles so completely that they gain/lose a great deal of weight or take the time to perfect a foreign accent. Meryl Streep and her many Oscars comes to mind. Having a skin pigmentation operation in order to play a character is an even more over-the-top way for an actor to nail a role.

It's all parody. People should stop looking to be offended just so they can bitch and moan about it.

th' kay ta pleyin' in Ostriliyin ez ta riplice oll th' viwils iv stindird Amirakin spaech...

By definition, a white actor like Downey playing a black man amounts to a minstrel act.

By definition, putting "by definition" in front of an assertion does not make it a fact.

I saw the movie, thought it was funny, and yet somehow came away with the idea that Robert Downey Jr played a white Australian actor playing a black character in a fictional vietnam war movie written by a guy who was in the coast guard impersonating a disabled veteran.

Did I miss something? Oh yes, it also makes fun of studio executives, actors, agents, drug lords, directors, producers, explosive experts, and rappers who want to be actors.

I thought it was satire, silly me.

...came in Godfrey Cambridge's wonderful satire "Watermelon Man" (a title he hated, as do I, but was imposed by the studio; his planned title, "The Night The Sun Came Out," is far less offensive). Cambridge portrays a white advertising executive who wakes one morning to discover he's turned black, causing all sorts of havoc with his home and work life (it ends up radicalizing him). Cambridge does a pre-transformation segment of the film in a semi-effective whiteface that makes him look somewhat Caucasian. I'm surprised more people don't remember this film.

Maybe someone covered this already, but for a article featuring the subtitle "...why is no one complaining that RDJ is playing a black man?", this lists at least five or six complaints of exactly that nature.

Also, this article was dumb.

I love comedies of ALL stripes, but this movie was wretched.

For the record, Robert Downey Jr.'s character is completely inoffensive.

What IS offensive is that I actually paid to see this terribly half-baked movie.

If you're too lazy and stupid to get the point, which is evident even from the previews, then it's impossible for you to have a point of your own to make. Robert Downey Jr's character is a white actor.

Really, if the previews of a dumb comedy movie confuse you and befuddle you that much, then try something other than understanding things and writing about them for a living. Dumbass.

Actually, it wasn't really offensive, as it was built on the worst and most idiotic cliches about our culture and accent. It was more like somebody looked at a poster of Crocodile Dundee and thought that we were actually anything like that!

And RDJ's accent was awful... AWFUL! I can't believe he actually said "crikey". I've yet to see a good version of Common, Cultivated or even Broad Australian from an American actor/actress. I think it has something to do with their inability to soften vowels.

Oh my GOD, that is so stupid. Absolutely FUCKTARDED.

This whole article was trolling for comments.

You get the posse, I'll get the...hemp.

I didn't see the movie, but really, the very idea.

I agree with what everyone else here with a brain has been saying - RDJ is not playing a black man.

Therefore, no protests, duh.

The author obviously understands this in the body of the article, so why the provocative strapline and second (?) paragraph?

What on earth is the point of stirring up a "controversy" that doesn't exist?

I haven't seen Tropic Thunder yet, but I understand the argument made by disability advocates against Ben Stiller's depiction of a mentally challenged man. I don't agree with the controversy, but I understand their argument. On the surface it's a character making fun of people who aren't capable of understanding the intended satire and defending themselves. However, Ben Stiller is really depicting one of many well meaning, but self-absorbed Hollywood actors who think a couple of wild ticks and overly exaggerated emoting equals a dignified portrayal of a person with a mental disability.

Oh, dear...

Downey is not playing a black man. He's playing a white character who is playing a black man. That's an important distinction, enough so to negate this entire article.

As you were.

My offence at this movie (and decision not to see it) started when I saw RDJ give an interview explaining that part of his decision to play the character as Australian was that he could already do the accent, citing Natural Born Killers as evidence.