Shaun White, Olympics Snowboarder, Apologizes for Controversial Halloween Costume

Zachary Stieber
By Zachary Stieber
October 30, 2018Sports News
share

Legendary Olympic snowboarder Shaun White apologized to the Special Olympics for donning a controversial Halloween costume at a recent party.

Like a lot of Americans, White sought inspiration for his costume from movie characters and chose to dress as Simple Jack from the 2008 film “Tropic Thunder.”

But after posting a picture of himself dressed up, the 32-year-old got flak since Simple Jack was a mentally challenged character.

“It was a last minute decision,” he said on Twitter. “It was the wrong one. The Special Olympics were right to call me out on it. They do great work supporting so many tremendous athletes and I am sorry for being insensitive. Lesson learned.”

‘Causes Pain’

The Special Olympics had said in a statement that the Simple Jack costume causes pain.

“We are truly disappointed that Shaun White, an acclaimed Olympian, would choose this costume which is so offensive and causes so much pain,” a representative told TMZ.

The representative added that disability shouldn’t be considered a joke or a costume idea.

“Disability is not a joke nor should it be a punchline. We hope that Shaun White and others learn that this just continues stigma, stereotypes, and discrimination,” it added.

Ben Stiller at Japanese press conference for Tropic Thunder
Actor Ben Stiller at the ‘Tropic Thunder’ press conference at Peninsula Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 20, 2008. (Junko Kimura/Getty Images)

Simple Jack

Simple Jack was played by Ben Stiller, who also directed the film. The character was criticized at the time of its release by multiple groups, who picketed the premiere over the character and the film’s use of the word “retard.”

“It’s supposed to be a parody, but it’s really a mockery of the word ‘retarded,'” Myra Davola of Advocacy, Respect, and Commitment of California, to people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities told USA Today.

“It’s setting us back. It’s purposeful and hateful to people that have disabilities,” she said.

“Our message is pretty clear: We need people with intellectual disabilities portrayed with humanity and dignity,” added Tim Shriver, chairman and CEO of the Special Olympics at the time and brother-in-law to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “We don’t think it’s fair that this population is singled out. The word and the portrayal (of a mentally challenged person) are a source of ridicule.”

ntd newsletter icon
Sign up for NTD Daily
What you need to know, summarized in one email.
Stay informed with accurate news you can trust.
By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Comments