Comedian Will Ferrell announced yesterday that he has decided not to participate in a comedy film project about Ronald Reagan suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Despite the trade press reporting that Ferrell would star in and produce the film, the actor's statement made it appear as if he barely heard of the project.

New York Post:

“The ‘Reagan’ script is one of a number of scripts that had been submitted to Will Ferrell which he had considered. While it is by no means an ‘Alzheimer’s comedy’ as has been suggested, Mr. Ferrell is not pursuing this project,” the rep said.

The rep wouldn’t say whether the decision was a direct result of the outcry from Reagan’s daughterPatti Davis, who on Thursday called the movie “cruel” and Farrell “heartless.”

The flick offers an “alternate take” on history and is set at the beginning of Regan’s second term —when he’s struck by dementia, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which scored a copy of the script.

Comedic bits center on the idea that president had no clue where he was or what he was doing through the term, the showbiz news site reported.

In one scene, a low-level aid is tasked with convincing the commander-in-chief that he is an actor playing the president in a movie.

In another, there’s a mix-up over a wardrobe assistant named Libby and the country Libya. “I want Libby gone. No more Libby!” Regan proclaims — leading to the bombing of Libya.

Hardy har har. Perhaps Ferrell's spokesman would like to explain how the film "is by no means an ‘Alzheimer’s comedy’ as has been suggested." Sure sounds like they're making fun of someone with Alzheimer's disease to me. But then, I';m not a liberal and can't grasp the nuance that Ferrell can.

Also, compare the statement above about Ferrell "considering" starring in and producing the film with what the trade press was saying.

The Wrap:

Will Ferrell will play President Ronald Reagan in “Reagan,” a political satire written by Mike Rosolio, whose script was voted to the 2015 Black List of Hollywood’s best unproduced screenplays.

Ferrell will produce under his Gary Sanchez Productions banner. The funnyman is no stranger to political comedies, having starred in “The Campaign” and “Dick.” He also played President George W. Bush on “Saturday Night Live” and the Broadway show “You’re Welcome America.”

The story doesn't say anything about Ferrell "considering" participating in the project. In fact, the implication is that the project has already gotten off the ground if they're looking for a director. 

We might hope that this would be a career killer for Ferrell, but the nauseating insensitivity demonstrated by the actor has already been thrown down the rabbit hole. The film will still probably be made but without a big star. 

That's show business.