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Adam Sandler has finally responded to criticisms that his upcoming comedy filmed for Netflix, “Ridiculous Six, ” is offensive to Native Americans. About a dozen Indian actors walked off the set of the movie back in April complaining that it portrays a negative image of their people.
Mr. Sandler told the Associated Press that, “It was just a misunderstanding and once the movie is out will be cleared up.” He also called “The Ridiculous Six” 100 percent pro-American Indian.
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The actor also told Screencrush, “I talked to some of the actors on the set who were there and let them know that the intention of the movie is 100% to just make a funny movie.”
“It’s really about American Indians being good to my character and about their family and just being good people. There’s no mocking of American Indians at all in the movie. It’s a pro-Indian movie. So hopefully when people see it — whoever was offended on set and walked out, I hope they realize that, and that’s it. It was kinda taken out of context.”
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The movie, which is co-written by Sandler, is clearly meant to be a spoof of ”The Magnificent Seven.” It is due out in 2016 and of course co-stars Steve Buscemi and David Spade.
The people who bolted the production back in April, which is taking place in New Mexico, included actors, actresses and even the film’s Native cultural advisor. They were mostly from the Navajo nation. They felt that “The Ridiculous Six” is insulting to Apache culture and uses offensive names for Native Americans like “Beaver’s Breath” and “No Bra.”
Navajo Actor Loren Anthony told ICTMN, “I was asked a long time ago to do some work on this and I wasn’t down for it. Then they told me it was going to be a comedy, but it would not be racist. So I agreed to it but on Monday things started getting weird on the set.”
“We were supposed to be Apache, but it was really stereotypical and we did not look Apache at all. We looked more like Comanche, ” he said. “One thing that really offended a lot of people was that there was a female character called Beaver’s breath. One character says ‘Hey, Beaver’s Breath.’ And the Native woman says, ‘How did you know my name?’”
“They just treated us as if we should just be on the side. When we did speak with the main director, he was trying to say the disrespect was not intentional and this was a comedy.”
Here are some examples of the script’s offensive dialogue:
Sexy Woman: Morning Three Knives. I had a dream about you
Tommy: That’s Nice Sits-on-Face.
Frank: Wow, someone’s got an admirer…
(Sits-on-Face squats down behind the teepee and pees while lighting up a peace pipe.)
Not offensive enough yet? Well how about this:
Flaming Wolf: Me never hear of him. I know a “Five Hairy Moles” and a “One Eyebrow” and my cousin “Four Pickles” but no “Three Knives.” Sorry.
These are in addition to what was described by an extra named Loren Anthony who told The Indian Country Today Media Network, “One thing that really offended a lot of people was that there was a female character called Beaver’s breath. One character says ‘Hey, Beaver’s Breath.’ And the Native woman says, ‘How did you know my name?’”
