Republican Ass soundly kicked in Northern Michigan.

[TWiley]

Locally, the political controversy surrounding the Michael Moore sponsored Traverse City Film Festival, and the Republican “alternate” Traverse Bay Freedom FilmFest was hot. Genie Aldrich and Cheryl Rhoads went to the radio and press with claims that Moore’s festival was anti-family, anti-faith, and anti-American. Evidently, their message of fear and hate fell on deaf ears, and the disconnect occurred between the Republicans and the public. Maybe the public is getting tired of the same old Republican tirade of moral supremacy. Here is the story in USA today:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-08-01-moore-festival_x.htm

<snip>

By all accounts it was an overwhelming success," Moore said Monday. "It was a movie junkie's paradise." About 20,000 tickets were sold for the indoor showings. Moore estimated total festival attendance — when the outdoor movies and panels were added — at 50,000.

Not everyone was pleased. Genie Aldrich, a local conservative activist, and a Dallas-based group organized a shorter rival festival with movies they said conveyed "pro-America, pro-family" themes. One of them, Michael Moore Hates America, was cut off after about 10 minutes because it contained profane language.

Aldrich acknowledged crowds were sparse, with only 20-40 people attending some movies, although she said several hundred were on hand for the opening night. "It's not about a body count. It's about the message, and our message has reverberated around the world," she said, adding that the Traverse Bay Freedom FilmFest would return next year. "They've awakened a sleeping giant. Michael Moore should be feeling like Custer at Little Big Horn."

Moore said Aldrich's festival had flopped. "Virtually no one showed up," he said. "It was a victory for the art of cinema over those who have a hate-filled agenda."

[rodeodance]

1. "and our message has reverberated around the world," what a joke.

......Aldrich acknowledged crowds were sparse, with only 20-40 people attending some movies, although she said several hundred were on hand for the opening night. "It's not about a body count. It's about the message, and our message has reverberated around the world," she said, adding that the Traverse Bay Freedom FilmFest would return next year. "They've awakened a sleeping giant. Michael Moore should be feeling like Custer at Little Big Horn."

[sakabatou]

10. Bullies

They most likely are insecure about themselves in many ways.

[KurtNYC]

2. Classic

movies they said conveyed "pro-America, pro-family" themes. One of them, Michael Moore Hates America, was cut off after about 10 minutes because it contained profane language.

Ha!

[Mad_Dem_X]

3. Says it all, doesn't it?

About their so-called "family values."

[TWiley]

4. The funniest part of that story is this:

Genie Aldrich's co-founder is Cheryl Rhoads. Cheryl is a "celebrity advisor" for the Parents Television Council. They are the ones who were responsible for 99.8% of the 240,000 indecency complaints filed with the FCC in 2003. In 2000 and 2001 (before they started) complaints to the FCC hovered around 350.

So here they were, 120 people (religious families) in an auditorium that could hold 700, and someone in the movie begins cussing up a storm. Aldrich flew up to the stage shouting CUT CUT CUT at the top of her lungs.

She then explained to the exiting audience that they were supposed to get the "family friendly" version but must have got the r-rated version instead. They rolled their next film "Confronting Iraq" (a propaganda film about the bushtapo's reasons for war" early.

"How about that" someone told me on the street, "They lured in a bunch of families to watch a movie filled with obscenity"

[Check12]

17. Ha Ha!

The image of this uptight woman screaming CUT! CUT! and people leaving just made my day!

Yay!!!

[ComerPerro]

5. Interesting that they had to throw the word "freedom" in there

do they have a daily hypocrisy quoata that they have to hit or something?

[TWiley]

6. Some called it the "Free-Dumb" film festival

because they showed stupid propaganda flicks for free.

[Fenris]

7. "like Custer at Little Big Horn."

That's an awful analogy.

[noonwitch]

8. Traverse City supports real art, not politically-motivated bs

MM's movie festival was about showing classics and alternative movies, not about politics. If it was about politics, he would have shown his own movies. It was also about giving an economic boost to a tourist-oriented community.

My grandpa, who is a freeper-type, lives in TC and I visit there regularly, and have been since childhood. I love the area-it's physically beautiful and is slightly over-developed these days, but is a very nice community that has had it's tolerance issues in the past. It is not a religiously-driven community, like southwestern Michigan. But they love arts festivals up there-Interlochen (Music camp and Arts Academy) is nearby, the Cherry County Playhouse is well known throughout Michigan, and they have nice art galleries. The community supports all these programs and then some.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Right

They do mention that in the article. That it's just about enjoying movies. This woman made it about politics and pro-war nonsense. Why didn't they just show Disney films instead? Or old classic fun for all films? They weren't serious at all about this I don't think. And I bet with the FCC complaints it was the same people over and over complaining.

[JNelson6563]

9. And the icing on the cake is....

Our candidate for city commission was the top vote getter last night! Whoo-hooo!!!!

Sadly our county chair did her best to bad-mouth our candidate for personal (snipey) reasons but, it is pretty evident how much influence came into play there.....none. We won on both counts, the film festival and now this race! This after a contentious school board race this past spring, which we also won! We are slowly turning our bright red county blue.

Wasn't the Film Fest just amazing Tim??? We are SO on a roll!

Cheers-
Julie

[TWiley]

11. Why yes it was Julie!

I saw many great films and took part in lots of wonderful political discussions on the street.

Saturday, the neo-nazi's were in town driving a pick up truck with a huge confederate flag flying out the back. I heard someone yell "Go back to the woods" and another person next to me said "it looks like some of the uglier republicans are in town for the freedom fest"

Yes, we are SO on a roll. We gave the bushtapo a proper protesting, and everything has been looking up from there.

Hope to see you tonight with Jennifer Granholm. :>)

[Strawman]

12. ha ha

"One of them, Michael Moore Hates America, was cut off after about 10 minutes because it contained profane language."

And only 20 people showed up! I could have a bigger "film festival" in my basement. Sounds like a complete clusterfuck! I love it. :rofl:

[TWiley]

13. They had lots of media coverage ahead of time as well.

The significant part of this story is that their failure was not due to a lack of media coverage.

Genie Aldrich had at least 3 front page stories (and more off front page articles) in the local newspaper detailing her story and venue. I heard her on radio shows, there were some letters to the editor, and a second local newspaper also reported the story, and the film festival.

The most memorable headline I read concerning her effort was titled "One Woman Show!" Indeed, ..... it was.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. That really speaks volumes

Did Moore's have much coverage?

[TWiley]

18. Actually, I think the coverage was fairly balanced.

There was one edition that had quite a few letters to the editor, most of which criticized the "freedom festivals" claims to represent family, people of faith, and America.

Their PR was textbook Republican. Attack and smear. Well this time the public did not buy it and shoved it back in their face.

[Strawman]

20. I'm surprised the MSM accurately represented the crowd

They have a tendency to inflate the importance and the numbers of theses RW bullshit protests/counter-protests.

I guess you could say that they did here too by even covering a 20 person "film festival" at all and even printing the ridiculous quote asserting that a film festival that attracted TWENTY PEOPLE "reverberated around the world."

[TWiley]

22. Did I mention that their movies were free with free food?

And they still attracted a dismal crowd.

You will think this is crazy, but I promise that I am not making it up. I am not that creative.

Their main venue was very close (roughly 2 blocks) from the other 4 venues where 50,000 were milling. They also had a dress code, and refused admission to those who violated it. I assumed they did this because they also offered free food at some of their events.

You know conservatives and social programs. No free food will be given to those too poor to meet the dress code.

[FreedomAngel82]

14. Go Moore!

LOL. It's not about the body count? Uh I kinda think it is woman. It goes to show people want the truth and are tired of your lies! And guess where she is from? TEXAS! Only twenty-forty people showed up to her film while Moore's had 50,000! And this is hilarious: <One of them, Michael Moore Hates America, was cut off after about 10 minutes because it contained profane language. > Pro-family eh? HA!

[warrens]

19. hahaha, had to cut off the Michael Moore hate movie

Bet Mike's shaking in his boots over those 20 to 40 pinheads.

[Javaman]

21. "It's not about a body count. It's about the message"

Wow, sounds like she took a page from morons* text book.

Sorry lady, film festivals ARE about body counts. The more people you can put into seats, the easier it is to pay off your bills from the festival. This woman is a delusional moron* drone.

If this comes back next year, I'll be really surprised.

All festivals start off small, but if you have shitty content, they vanish. Fact of life.

colossal failure*

[TWiley]

23. I hope that the republican film fest goes away.

They are trying desperately to insinuate themselves into the festival. The problem is that once you let a republican in there, they tend to try to take the whole thing over. They do not compromise or play well with others.

Michale Moore's festival was actually very successful on the other hand. Virtually every film was sold out.

I saw him at a fundraiser last night, and he said the NY times called. I wonder if they will have a piece about the festival in Thursdays paper.