Will Ferrell Plans “Comedy” Movie Mocking Ronald Reagan’s Battle With Alzheimers

Will Ferrell Plans “Comedy” Movie Mocking Ronald Reagan’s Battle With Alzheimers

Will Ferrell Plans “Comedy” Movie Mocking Ronald Reagan’s Battle With Alzheimers

Typically when one thinks of Will Ferrell, if they think of him at all, his career as a comedic actor portraying an Elf, an Anchorman, or lampooning President George W. Bush on SNL comes to mind. Well folks, another movie is in the works. And no, its not Anchorman 3.

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Instead, he’s planning to portray another President. With a not so funny twist.

According to Variety, the former “SNL” cast member is set to star as President Ronald Reagan in the planned film “Reagan.” The publication reports that “the story begins at the start of the ex-president’s second term when he falls into dementia and an ambitious intern is tasked with convincing the commander in chief that he is an actor playing the president in a movie.”

Here’s the problem with this “film” script that won rave reviews on Hollywood’s Black List.  It has no bearing on the reality of who President Reagan was at that time according to Young America Foundation director, Amy Lutz.

She went on to say the movie portrays Reagan “as a caricature that college professors often paint of him,” which she described as “a bumbling, forgetful man, wrestling in the throes of Alzheimer’s and beholden to ‘devious’ advisors.”

“The screenplay, though written to be a humorous satire, rather makes light of Alzheimer’s and undercuts President Reagan’s accomplishments in his second term,” Lutz added.

That right there is why people across the spectrum are taking exception to this proposed movie. Alzheimers is a dreadful disease that strips one of their ability to remember who they are, who their loved ones are, and more. The patient and caregivers are thrust into a “Long, Long Goodbye” that can leave the family heartsick, tired, and discouraged. Even more so when you no longer have the ability to share more than 50 years of memories with each other because of this disease.

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I completely understand the reaction and response to this so-called ‘movie.’ I know people who are in their own long goodbye and what they are dealing with bears ZERO resemblance to comedy for them or their families.

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Ronald Reagan’s daughter, Patti Davis penned an eloquent letter to Will Ferrell.

Alzheimer’s doesn’t care if you are President of the United States or a dockworker. It steals what is most precious to a human being — memories, connections, the familiar landmarks of a lifetime that we all come to rely on to hold our place secure in this world and keep us linked to those we have come to know and love. I watched as fear invaded my father’s eyes — this man who was never afraid of anything. I heard his voice tremble as he stood in the living room and said, “I don’t know where I am.” I watched helplessly as he reached for memories, for words, that were suddenly out of reach and moving farther away. For ten long years he drifted — past the memories that marked his life, past all that was familiar…and mercifully, finally past the fear.

There was laughter in those years, but there was never humor.

Alzheimer’s is the ultimate pirate, pillaging a person’s life and leaving an empty landscape behind. It sweeps up entire families, forcing everyone to claw their way through overwhelming grief, confusion, helplessness, and anger. Perhaps for your comedy you would like to visit some dementia facilities. I have — I didn’t find anything comedic there, and my hope would be that if you’re a decent human being, you wouldn’t either.

Ronald Reagan was a President who used humor with class and grace. He appreciated good jokes, even ones at his own expense, and usually had some kind of quip or zinger to send right back. However, Reagan also knew when not to step over the line into cruelty. This so-called movie wouldn’t be comedy, it would be cruelty. Alzheimers, Will Ferrell, isn’t a laughing matter. I hope you never have to find out why.

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