What did he know?
&
When did he know it?
Michael Moore - of course. While he’s busily scurrying about screaming about the silencing of dissent, the profound censorship and how Jeb Bush is truly the one behind the forced Disney ban on the distribution of his latest Bush Bashing Fodder, Fahrenheit 911 - - it seems that this is not a new story for Mikey.
It seems that Moore knew all along that the distribution was a no go. Riding on the glory of all this self-created publicity right before the Cannes film festival - - Moore acts shocked and outraged at the fact that he can’t move his film an inch off Miramax shelves. Except - it seems that Disney informed Moore that they had no intention of being involved with the film. And Moore knew it.
So….
Moore - the victim of censorship at the hands of a large corporation who is in bed with the Bush Administration?
Or….
Moore - the opportunist creating his own shitstorm of controversy to boost publicity as the Cannes Film Festival looms on the horizon for him? Honking his own horn. Beating his own war drum. No one is silencing this blowhard - - he’s making noise out there all by himself.
I vote opportunist.
Big, fat, hoggish opportunist.
Oh! And it appears that Moore’s accusations that Disney is just bowing down to kiss the butt of the Bush Administration - and the President’s brother, Jeb - are baseless:
Publicity-hound Moore’s allegations about Disney ring false. The very same Disney Company — through its Hyperion division– just published Pacifica Radio host Amy Goodman’s new book “The Exception to the Rulers” – a volume brimming with just as much lefty fringe politics and anti-Bush theorizing as contained in Moore’s films. Indeed, Goodman’s book is a blunder-buss assault on corporate media conglomerates– like Disney!
Bah!
Tip via Marc Cooper
My husband often talks about moving to...
10:36 pm on May 5th, 2004
Open Mic Night Guest: Lisa
I’m not ashamed to admit, though I should be.. I just logged into Michele’s blog with the username ‘meatwad’. Why did I log in with the user name ‘meatwad’? To shamelessly plug my sites here, here and here. meatwad? I’ve…
12:00 am on May 6th, 2004
I’m not surprised to learn that Moore is out and about creating controversy where none exists. While I confess, a friend convinced me to watch “Bowling for Columbine” and I thought he made some interesting points, they were colored by the fact he shamelessly manipulates situations to present the story the way *HE* thinks it ought to be spun… sad part is he’s not alone among the media these days…
9:36 am on May 6th, 2004
There’s no such thing as bad publicity
Lisa has assembled a few choice links on the Michael Moore/Disney brouhaha. In a nutshell: It seems now that Moore knew for about a year that Disney would not be distributing his movie, but he crafted his press release (or,
9:53 am on May 6th, 2004
Stumbled in from another site and I’m glad I did! I’m going to link you but you don’t need to link back–I only link to certain sites because I like the content. If people want to link to me for a reciprocal link that’s cool, but I don’t always require it.
Agreed that Moore knew well in advance Disney had policies concerning his Miramax production. This is just another one of his whoring antics to stir up controversary in the hope that the hype will increase ticket sales.
Blah.
11:38 am on May 6th, 2004
*gulp*
I’m in the minority here (in that I dislike Bush, not yet sure of Moore) but I *would* like to be able to read his books and see his films (alongside other views) and make my own mind up.
Moore might indeed be creating a publicity stunt to boost ticket sales but it pales in comparison to the lies and manipulation employed by all politicians (not just Bush, not just in the US).
11:55 am on May 6th, 2004
It isn’t surprising at all that Moore knew all along the Disney deal was a no go — this is such follywood bs that is the norm for folks like him
12:25 pm on May 6th, 2004
What a lying sack o shit! This guy really makes my blood boil!
And off topic… Happy Nurses Day Lisa! Thanks for taking care of people.
2:35 pm on May 6th, 2004
Wow, Lori - thanks!
Not even my employer remembered that today is National Nurses Day!
3:24 pm on May 6th, 2004
If Moore is good at anything besides eating, it’s at self-promotion. How else could a fat-ass socialist like him have ever gotten noticed?
6:51 pm on May 6th, 2004
You gotta get outta my head. I just blogged on this same topic.
I’ve thought Moore to be dispicable for long time, so it my just be my prejudice at work. Lying to make a buck (or at least to make more bucks than you’d make anyway) is just dispicable. But, really….I don’t expect any better from Michael Moore.
(And yes, Happy Nurses’ Day. With an RN who is a newly minted nurse practitioner for a SIL, it’s one holiday that is always on the calendar here!)
8:09 pm on May 6th, 2004
MICHAEL MOORE HAS A ROLE IN BIG FAT LIAR II!
I think that Michael Moore should apply for a leading role in Big Fat Liar II! … I wonder if the Democrats will continue the boycott of the Walt Disney Company… Related: My post, MICHAEL MOORE’S NEW FILM: “~488 CELSIUS” (05/13/03).
4:21 pm on May 7th, 2004
I have yet to see a right-wing hate rant about Mr. Moore that doesn’t metion his weight. If he weighted 170 and looked like Brad Pitt, you’d almost have nothing to cry about (of course, you have so little to cry about now, but it doesn’tseem to stop y’all…)
4:47 pm on May 7th, 2004
Was I crying about his weight?
Nope - just stating the obvious.
Who knows - if he were 170 lbs and looked like Brad Pitt — I might criticize him by saying something like:
cute, sexy, but selfish, opportunist.
But he’s not - so I didn’t.
6:12 pm on May 7th, 2004
Ok, I don’t like to generalise, and I’m speaking as an outsider (English) looking in without all the info, but America seems to me full of greedy, fat, money obsessed, right wing, xenophobic (patriotic) bigots - people who care more about big business than individuals - unless they’re banging on about an individual’s right to own a device to kill other individuals. Worse still, you seem to be over-run with christian fundamentalists - the most bigoted and hypocritical people around. Sorry if that pissed anyone off, but before you start telling me that I’m a worthless piece of shit, or that America could beat the shit out of England (true but irrelevant) have a think about what I said. Surely America needs MORE people like Michael Moore?
7:44 pm on May 7th, 2004
It’s all a matter of perspective, Tim.
America is full of a whole lot of different types of people (not simply limited to the few groups that you mentioned).
I happen to love England.
As for Michael Moore? I just disagree with you.
3:46 am on May 8th, 2004
It was just an impression, obviously not all (or even most) Americans are like that - presumably bigots tend to stand out more.
I got to this site via the raving atheist (and I’m nosey and like reading other people’s blogs) - atheism and some kinky stuff … not generally “conservative” things …?
9:23 am on May 8th, 2004
Well, Tim - it’s a rare thing that I delve into politics over here..but it does tend to bleed out on occasion.
Makes sense that you found me via RA - he and I have linked each other for a few years. I’m an atheist, don’t ‘cha know? Now doesn’t that blow your perception of right wingers, eh?
Oh and the kink thing? That too
Doesn’t mean I blog about it every day, though. I blog about whatever happens to come to mind.
Like it or leave it - but you’re certainly welcome to stay
5:32 pm on May 8th, 2004
I’ll drop in from time to time
Tell me to shut up if I’m boring you now, but I was wondering where your political views came from. I mean, your lifestyle is hardly “conservative” ….. Ok, life isn’t straightforward with everything fitting into a neat compartements, but even so ….
8:45 pm on May 8th, 2004
I would never tell you to shut up, Tim - - well, unless you’re just being stupid. Then I might tell you to shut up with the best of intentions to prevent you from looking the fool
My lifestyle is very conservative, actually. I believe in a hard days work and working hard for the things that I achieve in life. I don’t believe in dependance upon my government to solve all of life’s little problems. I am pro choice, pro gun, pro death penalty, pro military and against taxes, big government and against unions.
Not all conservatives are god fearing christians. Not all conservatives are straight-laced and repressed, sexually. Actually, I would venture to guess that I know quite a few conservatives who are pretty kinky folk!
Visit any time you’d like, Tim.
12:25 am on May 9th, 2004
i’ve been reading/viewing a lot of michael moore stuff recently because i think he’s diong good things.
he can’t have been that surprised that disney werent up for his project though, considering one of the early episodes of the awful truth.
however i think michael moore is doing good things for the US. but also, i’m an aussie, so I can’t say terribly much.
lets say though, that i’m particularly interested in how the US would be shaping up if RFK was never killed as well.
xJ
1:00 am on May 9th, 2004
Tim, if you want to avoid being slammed, you might want to avoid insulting comments, such as equating patriots with xenophobes, and both of them with bigots.
Another red flag is your sarcastic remark regarding private gun ownership: “an individual’s right to own a device to kill other individuals.” That is, at the least, bigoted and insulting. If you don’t want to own a gun, fine; but don’t paint with such a broad brush, amigo. I thought you Euros were supposed to be the folks with all the nuance, while we ‘Merkans were all “cowboys.”
Uh, oh: “fundamentalist == bigoted & hypocritical!” Talk about painting with a broad brush! Commenter, heal thyself! You’ve just slandered an entire category of Christian Americans, based on what you’ve (apparently) read in the papers. Would you say the same thing about fundamentalist Muslims, Jews, or Hindus?
Ah. In your follow-up comment you say that “It was just an impression…”
I want you to do something for me: mentally replay your remarks that American patriots are xenophobic bigots, and that Christian fundamentalists are hypocritical bigots (you seem to be rather fond of the term “bigot”), then add the postscript that it was an “impression” on your part.
I have to ask: who’s the bigot here? Really, Tim? Have you ever been to America? How many devout American Christians (of any stripe) do you know? How many patriotic gun-owners do you know? Do you, in actuality, have any factual basis for your opinions?
Could you take seriously the opinion of an American who rather obviously gets his idea of England from James Bond movies, and “Trainspotters,” with “Are You Being Served?” thrown in for comic relief? Someone who thinks that “Benny Hill” is a shining example of British cultural repartee?
Lisa, I apologize for the rant. Feel free to spank me if I’ve gone out of bounds…
1:07 am on May 9th, 2004
The day I ask you to apologize for your rants, Casey..you can spank me back
7:36 am on May 9th, 2004
Casey - no need to be so defensive. I know that the media image of the UK is hardly accurate, and therefore neither is the image of the US. As an outsider I only get to see the best and the worst of a country (and even that isn’t likely to be that accurate). I was just showing what some of the worst things might be in the hope of getting some opinions from people who are more likely to know the truth.
A few points however:
Fundamentalist does tend to equal bigoted & hypocritical, as fundamentalists are so convinced that they’re right that they are unlikely to be interested in anyone else’s view. And hating bigots doesn’t make me one - for example I am strongly anti religion - not so much because religious people belive things that clearly aren’t true (that’s their problem not mine) but because they try to force their views on others (which particularly disgusts me when they try to teach such things to impressionable kids).
Patriotism - I have a short article on this here - feel free to leave feedback there.
Guns - do you not think Michael Moore made some valid points in Bowling for Columbine?
7:48 am on May 9th, 2004
P.S. - Yes I would say the same thing about fundamentalist Muslims, Jews, or Hindus?
7:38 pm on May 9th, 2004
I’m conservative, kinky, and dangerous. I even like rap. So there.