Michael Moore

[Uhu]

I'm about to start reading "Hey Dude, Where's My Country" by His Self-Righteousness and was wondering if anybody else has read it. Don't get me wrong, I actually agree with many of the issues that Moore raises, particularly when the media, especially newspapers,are there only to express the narrow views of their owners. I do find that Moore can be too smug and evangelical in his rantings but that aside, it is refreshing to have someone like him pose the questions that would otherwise be neglected by our supposedly independent media (TV, Radio and Newspapers).

I enjoyed Stupid White Men because at last, the double standards and hypocrisy of Corporate America were exposed and openly challenged. It also confirmed my belief that Dubya was appointed as President of USA and not elected.

I know exactly what you mean ks. I loved both books, and agree with pretty much all his arguments, but every time I see him speak I just think what a smug , self-righteous little twat. He seems like he never really left that teenage "well if I was ruler of the world I'd...." stage.

I started Stupid White Men and thought his 'expose' about the election was pretty fab (btw, my son says that that de-registering of voters is still going on) but I've given up on reading the rest of the book because I don't like being shouted at. His ranting is too offputting and obscures his message, for me. Also I, too, think he's a bit suspect.

Both of these books are sitting on my bookshelf and waiting for that day when I have time. Hopefully when my exams are out of the way I can read them. I love Michael Moore although I agree he does come across as shouty although i don't really think America does small political debate IYKWIM.

Can anyone remember his TV nation that was on a good few years ago, broke the ground for people like Louis theroux. I will never forget a programme he did spoofing people who always appear on the news to say that the bloke next door who actually is an axe wielding serial killer was ever such a nice quiet bloke. Well Moore moved into a quiet culdesac and started playing satanic music loudly and burying body bags loudly in his front garden in the middle of the night. sure enough when a TV crew came around to interview the neighbours about the murderer on their street they all said ever such a quiet bloke we never really noticed him. Priceless!

I thought "Bowling for Columbine" was rivetting. I guess he needs to shout and rant in order to be heard. I've visited the USA several times for work and pleasure and I still can't get over how the media is so one sided and polarised. A couple of years ago I was in New York and watched Fox News. Yikes !!! One of their anchor men was so right wing that I reckon he would incarcerate 3 year olds for disturbing the peace in a shopping mall!

We need people like Michael Moore to provide a balance to the overload of the paternalistic right wing press that is being rammed down our throats. What scares me is that Dubya and his cronies are being funded by groups like the NRA .

I've read Stupid White Men and I found it fascinating. It amazed me how Dubya just kept the cock-ups coming and no-one really shouted about it (aside from Moore). Great book, although I agree about the ranting, it did make the book a little hard to read and the author a little 'unlikeable'.

Also enjoyed Bowling for Columbine, waiting to see Farenheit 9/11.

Farenheit 911 is very,very good and the expose of the layers of corruption behind George Dubya's "appointment" as President of the US is jaw dropping.
The segments involving the mother of a young soldier in Iraq are also very moving.
I agree about some of the smugness but we do need people like him - he has a great capacity to "join the dots" and open people's eyes to how certain things come to happen....
His big "idea" is that Oprah should stand for the Presidency. Now THAT I'd like to see...

I do agree that we need people to say the things he says - here as well as in the US. But by saying them so loudly, he risks alienating middle of the road americans. I don't understand how he can be so seemingly unaware of his own image problems when he wrote that very clever chapter on how to persuade your right wing BIL that he is really a liberal.

Oprah for President - what a good idea, especially when she pulls stunts like this !

(apologies for it being a link to the Mirror!)

Oprah gets my vote!! Who says american politics is lead by money?

Wow, that would get her a few votes and definitely mine cos my car is falling to bits!!