Michael Moore booed as he slams Iraq war at Oscars

Academy Awards Forum

Famed US documentary maker Michael Moore used his win of an Oscar to launch a violent attack on US President George W. Bush and war in Iraq amid loud boos from the audience.

"We live in fictitious times," he said when picking up the award for best documentary for his anti-gun film "Bowling for Columbine."

"We live in a time with fictitious election results that elect fictitious presidents. We live in a time when we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons.

"We are against this war Mr Bush. Shame on you. Shame on you!," he said to loud boos from an audience of 3,500 including most of Hollywood's top stars.

When he went backstage at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre to face reporters, Moore was unapologetic for his outburst.

"I'm an American, and you don't leave your citizenship when you enter the doors of the Kodak Theater. What's great about this country is that you can speak your mind," he said.

He said that, far from being appalled, many people in the audience stood up to applaud him.

"I say tonight I put America in a good light," he said praising the decision to push ahead with the Oscars despite the war raging in the Middle East.

"I showed how vital it is to have free speech in our country and all Americans have the right to stand up for what they believe in," he said.

Source: AP

I think that Michael Moore is a disgusting American. He may not agree with our president and our government, but all I can say is: VOTE, you bastard!!! You and all of your entertainment buddies who are so adament about protesting this war need to take some initiative and use some of the overabundance of money that you make to change the things that you disagree so whole-heartedly with. All of these movie stars that are making these slanderous statements against America and our government are sitting pretty in their Mansions in the Hollywood Hills, and, meanwhile, there are people out there trying to promote peace by preventing any more terrible events like September 11th. I think that those who are against this war need to look at the LONG TERM goals we, as a country, are trying to achieve -- PEACE! Think about it...

atta girl sunshine!

In IRAQ - Michael Moore would be dead.

People shouldn't take Hollywood celebrities opinions seriously, they are just as misinformed as the general public. Half of them went through drug rehab at some point or another.

Can I just point out that Michael Moore is not a Hollywood celebrity - he is a documentary maker and an intelligent, articulate man to boot. His docu-film "Bowling for Columbine" is the first real money he's made although he's made a success as a troubleshooter exposing corruption and injustice in American society.
The point he makes about freedom of speech puts you other Americans to shame. You all brag about it saying how wonderful your country is but the moment someone voices an opinion that disagrees with your own your suddenly overwhelmed with vitriol and indignance. Freedom of speech means the freedom to s[eak all views without harrassment - it's a fundamental right which somehow apperas to be wasted on the zealous, nationalistic Americans.

No sunshine, Michael Moore is not a disgusting man, he is a very principled man who put his reputation on the line everytime he seeks to uncover some injustice in a counntry that is insanely protective of its name. It is people like Michael Moore who are respected in the world (you know that other place that ISN'T America) not the screaming sheep that you represent.

By the way MikeXXL, Michael Moore hasn't been to rehab (not that that has got anything to do with it) - he's actually teetotal.

While you are entitled to your opinion as well Grim, please educate yourself on the Vietnam war and what our great soldiers went through when they were over there fighting as well as how they were treated when they got home. We will not stand for a repeat performance...get a grip please.

Somebody Cares,
I made no mention about the treatment of troops (neither did Michael Moore). I despise your government and I despise my British government for sending them to a war for what Mr Moore termed "fictious reasons." I hope the American troops and the British troops return with the minimum of casualties and I hope they return soon.

I hope they return soon as well, but what michael moore said - some of the troops saw. they really do not need to see this and i saw more people ''boo'' then moore admits.
people stood when he won, and then clapping at first to his speech. Once the booing began, much of the clapping ceased and many of the well-known actors did not look happy about what moore said.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/en...rds/5477985.htm

Moore didn't do it to make people feel happy. He exercised his democratic right to free speech in a country that supposedly expouses the right to speak freely.

http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/2072939/detail.html
http://www.azcentral.com/news/artic...lukespit29.html

http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html
http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/MessageSend.html

It's good that Michael Moore took advantage of his freedom of speech. Had he been an Iraqi citizen publicly denouncing and antagonizing his country's leader, he would have been imprisoned, tortured and executed.
While a portion of the world's population still believes that this war is only motivated by oil, many refuse to accept the fact that Saddam and his regime are no better than Hitler and his regime. Saddam may not have killed over 55 million people and invaded several countries, but he has killed over a million of his own people and invaded neighboring Kuwait. He shows the determination and lust for power, weapons, intimidation and destruction. I can't imagine how Mr. Moore can believe these facts are ficticious. God Bless the American, British and Australian Troops!

how can people be proud of their "freedom of speech" and then put down someone who is exercising that right....... lets hope that our children still have that right in their future

yeah...
how come his book is on the list of best selling books on both coasts of the us for nearly a year!!!!!!?????
that was already when bush wasnt even elected!

ppl must be at least interrested in what he has to say and i agree in almost everything he says. sometimes he is a bit radical, but hey, that's something some of the republicans shure are!

I think it's amazing that George Bush has such power over the people of America. When it gets to the point where anything spoken against him can be called 'unpatriotic' and everyone else will dislike that person, you know the idea of 'free speech' is declining. Where are these weapons of mass destruction he keeps telling us about, huh? No one really believes all that crap, do they?

Michael Moore is great, he speaks about what few americans do, cause what's not conceddered good by the goverment, the rest of the people are not allowed to talk to..

Americans liv in constant fear, fear of terrorist, fear of each others and fear for what is different...

And michael moore is appearantly different, and therefore the americans are afraid of him...

p.s. För övrigt suger USA kuk, och det grovt

Criticize America if you like, but how many other countries have people risking their lives & banging down the doors to get in & have a better life? Gee, I really can't name one other country that has this problem to the extent we do. Perhaps Michael Moore can practice the spectacular free speech rights he has here in Iran. Perhaps he would not last 5 minutes there.
And if we do not tolerate dissension in the ranks, than why is Mr Moore still walking, talking & publishing & producing films? Think before you lash out guys.

if the right of free speech isn't one of the civil liberties in Iran, does that mean that we should be happy because we have it and shut up? Support the US troops is one thing, supporting the war in iraq for the original stated reasons is another.

Michael's comments were badly timed. I think people did not want to see him bring the troops down. Yes, he has a right to free speech, but there is a time and a place.

Micheal Moore did not bring the troops down, Fuscia. He did entirely the opposite. He told George W. Bush the Deserter what a great deal of the American public are feeling at the moment. If you don't believe me, check out this site. He is, and always has been, fully supportive of the American, British and Australian troops. He just does not believe that their governments are doing them justice. By the way, whoever said to congratulate the Australian troops should really stick to congratulating their own country.

The Australian troops were committed to war against 90% of the Australian public's wishes. John Howard, Prime Minister, has abused the power given to him and violated the very notion of a democracy.

People - this is a very good site. I advise you to read some of the letters written to Michael Moore, and then tell me that you still believe Michael Moore does not support the troops.

Michael Moore

Well put Mystic, I agree.

I did not say that I knew how all of Americans feel. I merely pointed out that an increasingly large proportion of American citizens do not support Bush's war in Iraq. Take 'Stupid White Men'. It was on the bestsellers list for over 12 months. Dude Where's My Country has sold millions of copies worldwide. And CNN edited the broadcasted footage from the original Oscar's presentation to increase the proportion of boos to applause.

We've certainly come a long way. I believe it was right for Moore to make the statement he did. Especially looking at the state of Iraq, which many people opposed to this war knew would be the result, there is no place for anyone opposed to the war to get any sort of public platform.

Everyone is saying, it was the wrong time, but I think it was especially important. Support for troops and support for a war do not go hand in hand. Making that statement is just distorting the facts. Would you say that someone opposed to the war that wants their son or daughter home is not supporting the troops.

I always see the thread of ignorance once someone makes a statement that someone should go live in some country where they have no rights to speak their mind whenever they are criticizing the government they support. It's called freedom of speech people, calling you idiots would be harsh, but I feel my hand is forced because I don't think these people even understand their freedoms and what it means to be able to express.

It's like the 1968 Olympics when the Olympic medalists raised their hands with the Black Power fist. How could they go on the world stage and not highlight the ugliness of racism in America? It's not as if they would ever be given the opportunity to do it anywhere else especially since there was such a virulence in racism at the time.

So I say again, I applaud Michael Moore and the boos that people talk about, regardless of how many, it was a small number, just like the people clapping, most people were silent, and that doesn't suggest support or disfavor.

XD - did you see michael moore this year? lmao - he was like "YOU STOP THIS WAR HOBBITS! THIS IS A FICTITIOUS WAR!" squish I had not laughed hard in a long time, but that really made my year.

Grimminick

' I despise my British government for sending them to a war for what Mr Moore termed "fictious reasons." I hope the American troops and the British troops return with the minimum of casualties and I hope they return soon'

Im proud to be British and im proud that Britian decide to help deal with Iraq. Saddam was an evil man his regimes proves this.