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Director Brett Ratner Apologizes For Seizure Joke
Posted on Mon Sep 5, 2011 10:45 AM PDT
Director Brett Ratner has apologized over a joke made in the trailer for his new action/comedy Tower Heist.
In the spot, Eddie Murphy's character calls Ben Stiller's "little seizure boy." He says: "All the kids would be crying -- your eyes would be rolling back, the foam coming out -- it was very scary!" (watch above.)
Heroes actor Greg Grunberg, who has a 15-year-old epileptic son, called for a boycott of the flick, Tweeting, "TERRIBLY OFFENSIVE TRAILER for #TowerHeist – Making fun @ people w/ seizures is NOT FUNNY & WRONG! 'Seizure Boy!' REALLY? #Boycott RT." He said of the studio, "They probably just don’t even realize the people they are offending and how this could possibly offend people.â€
But Ratner (right) apologized over the weekend, saying, "I sincerely feel bad," and promising to ask Universal to remove the joke.
Meanwhile, Ratner is working to get Murphy as next year's Oscars host.
The flick also stars Gabourey Sidibe, Casey Affleck, Michael Pena, Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda and Tea Leoni. It's set for a Nov. 4 release.
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