Audiences are probably used to being offended by Adam Sandler by now, but this time he may have gone too far. The upcoming film The Ridiculous Six – a western comedy starring Adam Sandler, Nick Nolte, Steve Buscemi and Vanilla Ice, which will debut exclusively on Netflix – is reportedly so insulting that multiple cast members have walked off the set.
Approximately one dozen Native American actors and actresses, as well as the film’s cultural advisor, have publicly left the production of Ridiculous Six, because the film “repeatedly insulted native women and elders and grossly misrepresented Apache culture,” according to Indian Country Today Media Network. Among the offenses listed are naming the female characters “Beaver’s Breath” and “No Bra,” and a scene where a Native American actress urinates while smoking a peace pipe. The article also describes multiple historical inaccuracies, including the costumes and teepees depicted in the film.
Among the actors who walked off the film was Allison Young, a former film student, who says, “We talked to the producers about our concerns. They just told us, ‘If you guys are so sensitive, you should leave.’ I was just standing there and got emotional and teary-eyed. I didn’t want to cry but the feeling just came over me. This is supposed to be a comedy that makes you laugh. A film like this should not make someone feel this way.”
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The full story that appears on Indian Country Today Media Network features multiple disconcerting behind the scenes stories from the Ridiculous Six set. The film, a spoof of the classic western The Magnificent Seven, is already being defended by Netflix, who released a statement claiming, “The movie has ridiculous in the title for a reason: because it is ridiculous. […] It is a broad satire of Western movies and the stereotypes they popularized, featuring a diverse cast that is not only part of — but in on — the joke.”
But not everyone is laughing. Netflix isn’t even disputing the content of The Ridiculous Six, they are simply arguing that it is supposed to be funny. That’s an assertion which is not being disputed, but “it’s just a joke” has never been a valid defense for racist caricatures in the media. Mickey Rooney’s portrayal of “Mr. Yunioshi” in the 1961 comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s was only supposed to be a joke too, but it is now considered one of the most shameful examples of Hollywood’s reduction of non-white cultures into offensive stereotypes. (Maybe Warner Bros. was on to something when they dropped Ridiculous Six in October 2014.)
Naturally, we have not yet seen The Ridiculous Six since the film is currently in production. If the film really does satirize Hollywood’s history of offensive ethnic stereotypes with intelligence and grace, maybe it will be immune to criticism upon its release. But since Adam Sandler’s previous Happy Madison films have already argued that child abuse is funny and bullying is awesome, and since no one is suggesting that the offending portions of Ridiculous Six aren’t in the film, we can’t help but think that these actors might have a legitimate point. Certainly they are within their rights to turn down an acting job that they believe portrays their culture in a stereotypical and offensive light.
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
