October 05, 2004
FREE SPEECH ACTUALLY KIND OF EXPENSIVE
Virginia’s George Mason University has canceled a planned Michael Moore appearance -- but the Great Loaf of Truth says he’ll turn up anyway:
"I'm going to show up in support of free speech and free expression," he said.
Free? Free? Moore’s original payment was to be $35,000. From public funds.
Posted by Tim Blair at October 5, 2004 01:44 AMCould be worse. He could be Australian.
In that senario, we'd be lumped with yet another fat, vacuous, pseudo-communist national treasure.
Posted by: Mike Jericho at October 5, 2004 at 01:52 AMWhats wrong with rewarding excellence?
I thought you people were all for personal achievement and free enterprise.
Here is a man who can make more money making documentaries than those smart arses in hollywood can make with their fictional crap.
You should be applauding his enterprise,just because of his politics you hate him!
I still think that roger and me was his best-how prescient was that?
Hey, marklatham, do you comment on blogs? I heard that's what you do.
Posted by: Andrea Harris at October 5, 2004 at 02:07 AMHere is a man who can make more money making documentaries than those smart arses in hollywood can make with their fictional crap.
Fat-boy has yet to make a documentary.
Posted by: J F Beck at October 5, 2004 at 02:21 AMIf Michael Moore wants to speak at colleges and such, that's fine with me. If he is going to be partisan in his content (a dead certainy with Fat Mike), public funds should not be used.
Either people can donate to cover his cough! expenses, or Michael The Moor can try to save the United States for free. If the latter, I'm sure giving up donuts for a few hours won't start any withdrawl symptoms.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at October 5, 2004 at 02:24 AMThe state subsidy had nothing to do with free speech, but now that he's showing up gratis, it could be a free speech thing. Assuming the protesters aren't shut down...
Posted by: Steven Jens at October 5, 2004 at 02:25 AMI agree with marklatham and J F Becks. I have a theory that Michael Moore is a Republican with a wicked sense of humor.
First of all, he can't possibly research/shoot one of his "documentaries" and believe the things he puts in there. That's just too much doublethink.
Second, though he may galvanize the Dem faithful, he has the same effect on the Right. Some of his claims are so outrageous, most people in the middle are turned off. Advantage Republicans.
He's laughing all the way to the bank.
Posted by: Sean at October 5, 2004 at 02:47 AMThe following is my dime-store psychological assessment of Moore:
I think that perhaps Moore started out only half-believing his own rants, in the hopes that it would garner him some attention and acclaim.
Once he got a taste of the adulation that came with posturing as a "man of the people" and the associated financial rewards, he started to buy into his own conspiracy theories for the benefit of his ego.
He stumbled upon a surefire way to receive praise from people the world over who are resentful of America's successes. And as we all know, there is certainly no shortage of insanely jealous foreigners and self-loathing Americans who are only too eager to point the finger at Bush and the U.S. for their own failings.
I suspect there's some part of Michael Moore that despises himself for becoming a walking parody but due to his extreme narcissism, this little voice can be easily silenced with $35,000 appearance fees and Academy awards.
As much as I loathe the fact that he's given in to his weaknesses, I actually feel more pity than anything for the man. The Bush-hating business can't be profitable forever, and once people start to see him for the press-hungry opportunist that he is, he'll realize that he's wasted his life. Or at the very least, his career.
I would give him a pass if he wasn't so much of a jerk. His supposed sympathy for the masses and downtrodden is in direct contrast to how he treats people when the camera isn't rolling. But a dime is a dime. He is being rewarded by a population that is as gullable as ever - he's like a modern medicine man. Most of his work is nothing more than an out and out lie. Hell, even the Dems admit that F911 is full of inaccuracies. If he is able to ever sway a majority of this country to believe what he says he believes, then the end will be near. For that society would never be willing to defend itself as it would no longer have any idea of right and wrong and would be overrun by societies that don't suffer from that affliction. Remember, ROme defeated itself. History does repeat itself!
Posted by: JEM at October 5, 2004 at 03:23 AMHe is being rewarded by a population that is as gullable as ever - he's like a modern medicine man.
Michael Moore is indistinguishable in habit, tone, or integrity from the stereotype of the televangelist. He preaches to the converted, convincing them of their purity and goodness and the sin and evil of the other, and in exchange all he asks is to be made richer than Croesus.
"I'm going to show up in support of free speech and free expression," he said.
And the free buffet...
Posted by: Roger Bournival at October 5, 2004 at 04:18 AMHe is being rewarded by a population that is as gullable as ever - he's like a modern medicine man.
"There's one born every minute", P.T. Barnum
Posted by: The Real JeffS at October 5, 2004 at 04:59 AMI figured the $35k was the lunch expense for him.....
Posted by: Crusader at October 5, 2004 at 05:17 AMshoot, that barely covers the twinkie bill, crusader
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at October 5, 2004 at 09:09 AMHe is a highly intelligent man who knows what 'dumb jerks' the Hawk haters are -he also knows that a fool and his money are soon parted-Damn I wish I had had shares in his company.
And that Crrrrrafty B------ Karl Rove-dang him- how did he come up with a concept like Moore,after the elections, will he deflate him and store him until 2008?
Berrilliant
From Rose-
"will he deflate him and store him until 2008?"
Nah, to make money in between he doubles as an advertising balloon at his own reruns.
Just like an American to show up after the invitation has been un-extended. Hmph. Imperialist pig.
marklatham: "Whats wrong with rewarding excellence?"
Um, nothing. That's why they cancelled Moore. Hopefully they brought in someone who had excellence to reward.
marklatham: "...just because of his politics you hate him!"
No, well, not unless his politics are calling me stupid, then treating me like I am. Oh, and repeatedly lying and twisting the truth to build derision for both America and Americans. I kind of take exception to those things, yes. But then, I actually don't hate him, you know.
Of course, people just hate Hitler for his politics. Darn Nazi -- I mean, a Nazi was a member of Germany's National Socialist Party, so if you hate Nazis, you are specifically hating someone because of their political views. Political views like the world should be run by Aryan supermen, and Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, etc., should be eliminated. So, is there something wrong with hating someone just because of their political views?
(No, I am NOT comparing Moore to Nazis. He is not even close.)
Sean: "First of all, he can't possibly research/shoot one of his "documentaries" and believe the things he puts in there. That's just too much doublethink."
I like your take on it. I think the hole in it is that he doesn't believe it; he expects us to. After all, we're stupid, remember?
Posted by: a guy in pajamas at October 5, 2004 at 01:46 PMFat boy rolls into the University of Arizona soon. Yuuuuuuuuuk! Probably speaking to the same people who didn't want Bush to speak here. Free speech in a postmodernist world.
Posted by: YoJimbo at October 5, 2004 at 03:08 PMFat boy rolls into the University of Arizona soon.
So that's why my cats look so paniced. I knew a natural disaster was in the works.
Posted by: Sortelli at October 5, 2004 at 03:51 PMFat boy rolls into the University of Arizona soon.
So that's why my cats look so worried. I knew a natural disaster was in the works.
Posted by: Sortelli at October 5, 2004 at 03:51 PMAlas and alack! I was not able to stop the browser from revealing that I can't remember how to spell paniced. Is it panicked? It just doesn't look right. ARRRGH! Danm my lysdexia!
Posted by: Sortelli at October 5, 2004 at 03:52 PMWhats wrong with rewarding excellence?
When you start from this proposition on the subject of Michael Moore, who knows what wild and wacky leaps of logic you will make in your intellectual journey!
Posted by: Quentin George at October 5, 2004 at 04:00 PMThe Purple Penis Puppet People strike again Sortelli. It is panicked.
Posted by: YoJimbo at October 5, 2004 at 04:03 PM