U.S. groups that advocate for the disabled protested at Monday night’s premiere of Ben Stiller’s “Tropic Thunder.” Furthermore, people who gathered outside the Mann Village Theatre in Los Angeles said that the production directed, co-written and co-produced by Ben Stiller, whose name is also on the cast list of the movie, degrades people with “intellectual disabilities.”

However, film company Dreamworks explained that the movie hadn’t the slightest intention of humiliating or harming people with disabilities.

“It’s supposed to be a parody, but it’s really a mockery of the word ‘retarded’,” said Myra Davola, of Advocacy, Respect and Commitment to people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities of California, as cited by USA Today. “It’s setting us back. It’s purposeful and hateful to people that have disabilities,” she added, according to the same source.

Moreover, Tim Shriver, chairman of disability group Special Olympics, said demonstrators felt especially insulted by the repeated use of the word “retard” in relation to a character played by Ben Stiller himself. He said that the employment of the word during the film was done “without any regard for the dignity of people with intellectual disabilities,” as quoted by BBC.

Actor Robert Downey Jr., who is also starring in “Tropic Thunder”, said that people did have the right to protest, although he added that the artist also has the right to create whatever he wants to.

On the other hand, Dreamworks spokesman Chip Sullivan said that his company had discussed with representatives of the groups that advocate for the disabled and “look forward to working with them in the future.”

“Tropic Thunder” is an R-rated comedy which presents a parody of the motion picture industry, of duplicitous and hypocritical agents, arrogant directors and insecure, shaky actors who will do just anything in order to be admired and given enthusiastic approvals.