Surviving Ben Stiller's comedy death camp

Ben Stiller handed them out to cast and crew at the conclusion of a punishing 13-week location shoot as a gesture of thanks, but also contrition: T-shirts that read "I survived Ben Stiller's comedy death camp." Currently filming "Night at the Museum 2," Stiller — who co-wrote, directed, co-produced and stars in the ensemble action-comedy "Tropic Thunder" — waved it away as a joke, a riff on marquee star Robert Downey Jr.'s acerbic nickname for the production, most of which unfolded in the steaming jungles of Kauai last year. But according to actor Jay Baruchel, Stiller might have had a different rationale for his choice of "wrap" gifts. He called Stiller a mensch and "one of the kindest directors" he's worked with but continued: "I think for everybody, it signaled the end of the madness. "The pressure got to every single... [read full story]