Some Vets Condemn 'Wedding Crashers' Site

[Piasabird]

DENVER (AP) - Some military veterans and law enforcement officials are angry about a Web site promoting Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn's comedy "Wedding Crashers."

To win the affections of attractive bridesmaids in the movie, two fun-loving partiers pretend to be Purple Heart recipients.

New Line Cinema's movie Web site includes a fake, paper Purple Heart to cut out, with the spoof: "Carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze."

"I challenge the producer of that movie to go to Walter Reed Hospital and walk through the ward and see if he still wants to print out a fake Purple Heart," said Thomas Cottone, Jr., a special agent with the FBI who enforces a federal law that prohibits wearing, manufacturing, buying, selling or trading a Medal of Honor.

"Talk to some of these people who don't have legs anymore and see how funny they think that movie is."

New Line Cinema, (please click on the link to read the rest)

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050724/D8BI1EEO0.html

[Kisseslikepearls]

Re: Some Vets Condemn 'Wedding Crashers' Site

Wow, for once, I don't really have an opinion!!! My first thought was that they were being overly-sensitve, but at the same time, if you've lost (a) limb(s) for your country, you have the right to be senstive about it!

[skinnyby25]

Re: Some Vets Condemn 'Wedding Crashers' Site

Okay, I saw this movie 2 weeks ago. I laughed my *** off. I don't know why there always has to be some group who is overly sensitive to things like this. They forget to mention that the particular scene lasts less than 2 mins. They say they're going to pretend to be purple heart recipients but it's not like the go into detail. They use the line, "We lost a lot of good men out there." (But they use that line in a lot of scenes.) In the movie they also pretend to be investment bankers, Jewish, Italian, Irish, Asian, East Indian, sports players.....and I don't think that's even all of them.

No, I'm not trying to compare these ploys to pretending to be a veteran but come on, it's just a movie.

Besides, when do you hear people complain about average Joe's trying to pick up on women in bars by claiming they are in the army or navy? You can't tell me that they're isn't some schmuck out there who hasn't used a similar line about receiving a purple heart!

Just my 2 cents! The movie is hilarious!

/KIM

[Piasabird]

Re: Some Vets Condemn 'Wedding Crashers' Site

Some military veterans and law enforcement officials are angry about a Web site promoting Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn's comedy "Wedding Crashers."

I think it's the web site for the movie that's what has most people pissed off.

New Line Cinema's movie Web site includes a fake, paper Purple Heart to cut out, with the spoof: "Carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze."

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it. But, when I first read the article, I did think that perhaps the people who are complaining are going a bit overboard. But then, I've never gone off to fight in a war and been wounded. Only the people who have actually been in that situation can know what that's really like. So, I think I would tend to listen to what they have to say.

However, I definately think the web site is going too far. In my opinion, it's very tacky and insensitive. I think that the veterans are justified in being angry about it.

[not2late]

Re: Some Vets Condemn 'Wedding Crashers' Site

However, I definately think the web site is going too far. In my opinion, it's very tacky and insensitive. I think that the veterans are justified in being angry about it.

I agree with you there.

I'm not in the military, but I have relatives who fought in WWI and WWII (never met them though because my family has a tendency to drop dead in our 50s and 60s). But I have had the honor to meet and talk to WWII vets when I worked at a Veteran's Administration Hospital. Some of them were POWs in Europe and the Pacific and you can't but help to admire their resilency and will in light of the hardships they suffered those camps.

So yes, I can see why they would be offended by the website, because a paper cut-out Purple Heart does seem disrespectful to the men and women who put their lives on the line and received it (and some of the recipients receive it posthumously).

[FightingTheFight]

Re: Some Vets Condemn 'Wedding Crashers' Site

I think that the veterans are justified in being angry about it.

I agree

[Piasabird]

Re: Some Vets Condemn 'Wedding Crashers' Site

Phony Purple Heart Taken Off Film Web Site



By JENNIFER TALHELM
The Associated Press
Monday, July 25, 2005; 7:46 PM


WASHINGTON -- Following complaints from a congressman, the producers of "Wedding Crashers" on Monday yanked from the movie's Web site a printable Purple Heart advertised as a gimmick to pick up women and get free drinks.

The movie characters _ played by Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn _ use the medals to pick up women. But advocates for a bill introduced by Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., say it's no joke _ impostors also use the fake medals or fraudulent stories of medals to get ahead in business.

"We understand the sensitivity regarding the medals and did not intend to make light of their significance in any way," New Line Cinema spokesman Richard Socarides said Monday.

Wearing, manufacturing, buying, selling or trading a Medal of Honor is a crime. Salazar's Stolen Valor Act, introduced Friday, would expand the law to include more medals and would allow prosecution of anyone who falsely claims to have earned a military medal or a Purple Heart.

His office drew attention to the Web site. On Monday, he claimed victory.

"If any movie-goers take the advice of the 'Wedding Crashers' and try to use fake Purple Hearts to get girls, they may wind up picking up an FBI agent instead," Salazar warned in a statement. "I am pleased that New Line Cinema has agreed to take down offensive parts of the Web site. Our veterans and FBI agents are working hard to make sure that we honor our true heroes, no one should undermine their efforts."

The movie's Web site included a ....... (the rest of the article is here)http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...501291_pf.html