Less is Moore

[JBoris]

A few thoughts on Michael Moore,
I am a little concerned about our confrontational friend. His last few television appearances felt, at best, awkward. Now, when we need people like him the most, he appears to be off his game. He comes off as nervous, and is ill prepared for a lot of the questions he is asked. His message seems skewed, mostly by the media but partly by him. To me the most important aspect of this film should be how the Bu$h administration exploited 9/11 to push their agendas. Most of what I hear when Moore talks about his latest film concerns the Bin-Laden family’s flight out of the country. While the significance of this event is not lost on me, I think it is not as important as exposing an administration of lies and greed. Okay, I know that aptly describes most governments. I mean the administration that sent our young soldiers to die for no good reason. Um, the administration that ignored the people’s will and appeased their party. … aw hell you know who I mean.

But as for the man himself, he is and will always be at his best while butting heads with America’s greedy and apathetic pundits. Not while being interviewed by David Letterman. I just wish we would have a little more perspective on his public image. His image affects all of us, right now he is the loudest liberal voice in the media, and the media is tearing him apart..
He should stick to what he does best, write and make films. I personally would rather read his words than watch him go up against Datline’s editing room. Or view his films than watch him attempt to be witty on Late Night. He should make like Bush and hide from the media and let the controversy sell the film.

Well I babbled on long enough. Anyone agree?

[NYCGirl]

1. Sorry, I disagree.

Moore's been wonderful in his public appearances of late. He's more polished and much more media-savvy than ever, perhaps due to learning from his brush-up at the Oscars.

[drthais]

2. cartainly

Michael Moore is not a natural public figure
he is, as you stated, at his best writing and making films

but, in the end (alas)
films must be promoted
and that's what all this bru-ha-ha is about
it might even be in his contract

so he has to trot out
in front of the american public

but, in the end, it matters not

do you have your tickets for Friday night?
thats all that counts

[JBoris]

I do have a few tickets

I tried to get more but I was limited to four advanced tickets for me and my friends

[Cha]

4. Yes! I got my tickets, sweetie!

nice post er whatever it was..prose?

[SheilaT]

3. Moore always looks nervous.

He truly is an ordinary blue-collar guy who happens to make movies that wind up putting him out in the public eye. He's not smooth and polished, just says what he honestly believes. He's not been coached by a lot of people who's job it is to make him look good on camera, and it shows.

There should be more people like him out there being themselves, being honest, and not letting the whole media machine control everything.

[Cha]

6. I really enjoyed Moore on Letterman last

Friday night...he was cracking Dave and everyone up...and the audience gave him lots of bursts of warm applause!

[JBoris]

8. True but

Moore never did really answer Dave's question about fact checking

[Zen]

11. He did say it was 100% accurate

n/m

[pathansen]

29. I disagree

I don't know about him not being polished enough but he did not appear that nervous when I saw him on Dateline. I feel he did surprisingly well with different people attacking him.
One very good argument he used was: How can anyone judge or criticize his film when they haven't even seen it yet?!!
He responded well to other attacks too:
AFter being criticized for producing such a political documentary,
he argued that isn't the news media also political and if his motives were purely political, he would be running for office himself instead of being a movie maker.

I was angry that they seemed to imply he did not have the right to criticize Bush. What about freedom of speech? The news media certainly critized Clinton during an election year.

In summary, he has placed himself in a very controversial position which takes a lot of courage and most people probably would not do well. Hopefully, the more practice he has, the better he will become.

[radwriter0555]

38. GOOD THING HE'S NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE!

He's an American, speaking his mind and operating under his RIGHT to speak his mind.

By the same laws, you're entitled to disagree.

Nobody says you gotta like him, like his message or buy tickets to his movie.

[progressivebydesign]

44. Many of us creative types are ill-suited for public display...

.. I'd probably faint away dead if I had to sit on the set of a national t.v. show for an interview... I've done local interviews, and it was excruciating. We get caught up judging people's actions as it relates to those who are trained and naturally inclined to do interviews, appear on t.v., etc. Some of us are just not born to do that.. usually those that work behind the camera, do so for a reason. That's why I love being a photographer, I NEVER have to be in front of the camera.

Moore's film should speak for itself. He gets all wound up and goofy when he has to be on camera in those public situations you describe. I'm equally guilty of that...

[camby]

5. The media are going to tear into him

regardless, because if they'd been doing their jobs, he wouldn't have had to make this film. So he's trying to sell his movie, and he makes an effort to come across as a reasonable guy, while the interviewers are trying to make him look about as nutty (and appealing) as last year's fruitcake. You're probably right. Maybe his best tactic would be to remain a man of mystery and let the film do the talking.

[Divernan]

7. First you trashed the Clinton book without reading it,

next you critique Moore as awkward, off-his-game, ill-prepared, etc. You're just a bundle of fun tonight! Can't wait to see who's next on your list of targets-du-jour. I'm betting on either Kerry or Senator Clinton.

The more press Moore gets, the better to get the word out to the viewing public about his movie.

[JBoris]

10. I didn't trash Clinton's book I quoted a review

and I am going to get his audio book
calm down I'm am not trying to trash anybody I am a huge Moore fan

[radwriter0555]

39. Good thing CLINTON isn't running for office EITHER.

Funny how that works.

How's bush doing?

[linazelle]

25. Isn't it funny how the opposition always throws in the word "our" with

their disparagement? Guess it's supposed make the attacks less suspect. :shrug:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

9. Disagree. Any publicity is good publicity for Moore, and...

...quite frankly, I've never seen him bested by anyone in the media.

[Zen]

12. I enjoyed him on Letterman - they both have a nervous awkward style...

It was nice to hear all the applause - people did acknowledge that Bush is a liar and a war criminal.

[JBoris]

13. The applause was good

except when the audience applauded Dave's comments about how ambiguous he felt some of the film's points were

[Kool Kitty]

17. That's not the impression I got.

I don't think Michael is off his game at all.

[Proud_Lefty]

14. I've loved his interviews

The media is trying to paint him as a raving lunatic. He has clearly demonstrated this to be false in his interviews by showing a humorous guy. They try to paint him as a non-patriotic hater of this country. His expressing his concern for the wellbeing of the troops was PERFECT. They said it was for money - I loved the wardrobe comments on the end of his Couric interview. Money on his clothes? lol

He was funny, but he was also sincere in his stance that another voice has to be heard, that it's the media's responsibility to ask the hard questions that we rely on them to ask, and it's patriotic to always question and expect answers from our DEMOCRATIC government. People aren't booing him. They are applauding and seem to be happy to have someone like Michael speak.

Even if people don't watch his movie (which I plan to), they will hear what he has to say, and at least think about it a while.

THANKS MICHAEL MOORE - YOU'RE AWESOME!

[Wind Dancer]

15. Moore is being attacked by

every single media outlet when he is interviewed with the exception of Canada. Theaters are being threatened, he has had to hire security guards simply because this admin. doesn't want this film out. They will do or say anything to discredit him so I would say, under the circumstances, he is doing great.

[camby]

16. You're absolutely right

They're scared shitless of the potential impact of this film. The full fury has been unleashed.

[pathansen]

31. Ditto!

:bounce:

[thebobartist]

18. He's always struck me as

the kind of guy who covers his ears and goes "LA LA LA LA LA" when you disagree with him, especially if you have any kind of good point. I'm sure that wouldn't show well on television.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

19. Moore has acquitted himself very well in interviews. Check out his

performance against Katie Couric's shameless attempt to media whore. He WILL NOT ALLOW her to shill for the RW and get away with it.

If that is too "confrontational" for all the "new DUers" on this thread, what would you prefer? That he roll over and play dead while the RW media barks their talking points over and over? That strategy hasn't worked too well for the Dems and there's been precious little truth told.

Go Michael Moore.

http://63.111.71.60/7/538/1243/127323453520000000/ak-msnbc.msnbc.com/video/100/tdy_couric_moore_040621.asf

[JBoris]

20. I had not seen that

he did much better in that interview. Maybe he is better in the morning

[thebobartist]

21. I don't see

what any of that has to do with "LA LA LA"-ing.

What exactly are you talking about, again?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

23. Do you see MM going LALALA when he disagrees with Couric? Or

making his point?

[thebobartist]

24. No, I wasn't sure

that was what you were getting at.

I watched it and I think he did a pretty good job, though she did make some points about his movie being biased, if what she described of them was correct.

Then again, one would expect him to be biased. Everyone is biased, and the point is to sway people to your bias.

[Cha]

27. Exactly!

couric was being disingenous( she sure snaps to for GE)..

Here's Roger Ebert's account of a documentary..
Snips~
"In your articles discussing Michael Moore's film 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' you call it a documentary. I always thought of documentaries as presenting facts objectively without editorializing. While I have enjoyed many of Mr. Moore's films, I don't think they fit the definition of a documentary."

That's where you're wrong. Most documentaries, especially the best ones, have an opinion and argue for it. Even those that pretend to be objective reflect the filmmaker's point of view. Moviegoers should observe the bias, take it into account and decide if the film supports it or not.

Michael Moore is a liberal activist. He is the first to say so. He is alarmed by the prospect of a second term for George W. Bush, and made "Fahrenheit 9/11" for the purpose of persuading people to vote against him. End Snips~

More on Moore..
http://www.suntimes.com/output/eb-feature/cst-ftr-moore18.html

[redqueen]

49. Why do you think he strikes you that way?

Have you visited the site he uses to address all the 'good points' made about his movies?

What 'good points' in particular, make you 'feel' as if he's not addressing the points?

:eyes:


And as an aside: :wtf: is wrong with this country when a man like Moore can be trashed in the media to the point where supposedly Democratic-minded people on a Democratic site refer to him in this manner?

:nuke:

[farmboxer]

22. Moore Is An American Hero!

It takes guts to stand up to the fascists! I like Moore and appreciate what he has done for America.

[pathansen]

32. Ditto!

:loveya:

[genius]

26. I think he comes off a a regular person. That's good.

I wouldn't trust someone who came off totally smooth.

[mvd]

28. We need Michael Moore out there

Until Air America gets bigger, he's the respite from the corporate media. He's a fighter and we certainly need someone like him to go on the shows and speak up. The more he goes on, the more refined he gets, too.

Fahrenheit 9/11 is receiving mostly good reviews (78% Fresh rating at rottentomatoes.com,) and that gets him credibility.

[ArkDem]

30. Here lies Les Moore

four shots from a .44
no less
no more

[Bandit]

34. Should that be construed as a threat to Moore?

Is that from a computer game? Did you find the gold pieces under that tombstone?

[Bridget Burke]

36. It's from a Johnny Cash song.

On his "Ballads of the True West" album.



Edited to add: It's also a play on words--thread title is "Less is More"

[ArkDem]

42. It is the message on a grave marker in Tombstone, Arizona

[gasperc]

33. Couric"why didn't you put more balance in your movie"

you know to quiet some of the critics, and as Moore said why? you guys did such a great job of telling us how terrible Saddam was and how necessary it was to invade.
He makes this little movie showing another side of the story and all hell breaks loose.

begs the question, why don't the Bush lovers make their own movie about Saddam's atrocities and how glorious invading and "freeing" Iraq has been? anyone, anyone?

[NYCGirl]

35. They have...

begs the question, why don't the Bush lovers make their own movie about Saddam's atrocities and how glorious invading and "freeing" Iraq has been? anyone, anyone?

They already have — it's called Fox News Channel

[Beam Me Up]

41. Got that right.

That's why I not only don't watch FOX, I don't watch TV AT ALL. Why the hell would I willingly allow CORPORATIONS into my living space and mind space to bombard me day after day with propaganda for a life-style that I find appalling masquerading as "news" and "entertainment." FUCK MADISON AVE! FUCK WALL STREET!! I have a life and it doesn't revolve around designer clothes and twenty different kinds of underarm deodorant or what the 'latest' "entertainment" fad is. Who needs "reality TV" (which isn't real) when you have a REAL LIFE -- and a REAL REVOLUTION to fight?

Michael Moore -- he is a direct challenge to the structures of power in this country. One point of a thrust toward a more humane world -- one that was almost destroyed by the RAYGUN REACTIONARIES and ground into the dust by the BUSHIT NEOCONS. Go Michael!!

[wtmusic]

47. Wish I could have seen that one

Moore is the only one with the celebrity power and nerve to get on those shows and shove those questions right back in their faces.

[Bridget Burke]

37. Just another who does not agree.

Moore does not come off as slick & manufactured in person. He does acquit himself well.

I forced myself to read through the turgid dreck that Hitchens published in Slate. One point he made: Moore has refused to be interviewed by anybody who did not agree with him. Wrong again, Hitch.

Emulation of Bush is not wise for anybody.

[Skittles]

40. BWAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAA

I ABSOLUTELY DISAGREE; HE IS A SHINING BEACON IN A MASS OF MEDIA WHORES.

[MsUnderstood]

43. Moore is probably tired

I would be exhausted after winning an exempleary award from a major film festival then having to go on television and constantly defend the work by the likes of Matt Lauder asking him "isn't it political?"

The MSN website says "MOORE gets defensive on his movie" then shows Matt jumping all over the guy.

Moore suffers from the same thing the rest of us at DU suffer from AE (attack exahustion).

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

45. Anybody into statistical analysis?

Let's take the degree of Moore-bashing on this thread and compare it to post count. I think you'll find a remarkable correlation.

Just in case you girls can't find your way back home, the URL is www.freerepublic.com.

And thanks for visiting -- pull your head out of your butt and come back real soon.

[wtmusic]

46. I agree at least on the bin Laden caper

the unfortunate part of the bin Ladens story is that there is a perfect cover: the bin Ladens had received threats. The family and Osama are estranged; there's not a whole lot to it. And I wouldn't be surprised if F911 is over the top in making its points; Moore's never been the king of restraint.

As far as his public persona, he should be able to coherently answer questions if he's going to appear on those shows. He does his cause a disservice if he can't. I didn't see him on Letterman, but I have seen him on several programs where he was really astonishingly good. Very persuasive.

MM should always get the benefit of the doubt because he's sticking his neck out and doing something about it.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

48. I believe mike is doing a great job!

i have seen him on matt lauer and letterman and he seemed to do a good enough job for me. i am thrilled that he is getting the press he is getting about these very important subject.

[Individualist]

50. Disagree

As far as your babbling long enough, you've made your agenda quite clear.

[MontecitoDem]

51. also disagree with you

I saw him on This week with George Steph. and also Good Morning America with Katie Couric. She was a bit of a horror show with him, but he did GREAT! Both interviews I thought were fantastic, but especially GMA one. It is a welcome sight seeing someone who doesn't play the same old game up there.