75th Annual Oscar Thread-'Black Sunday' Protest Coverage and Comments Please

ABC ^ | March 23, 2003

[hispanarepublicana]

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Michael Moore criticizes U.S. war in Iraq in Oscar speech
ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
Sunday, March 23, 2003
©2003 Associated Press

URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/03/23/state2309EST0088.DTL

(03-23) 20:09 PST LOS ANGELES (AP) --

A standing ovation and a handful of jeers from Hollywood's elite greeted filmmaker Michael Moore when he criticized President Bush and the U.S.-led war in Iraq during his acceptance speech Sunday after winning the documentary feature Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine."

"We live in fictitious times. We live in the time where we have fictitious election results that elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man who's sending us to war for fictitious reasons, whether it's the fiction of duct tape or the fiction of orange alerts," Moore said.

Applause gave way to some boos, as the orchestra began to play the filmmaker off the stage.

"We are against this war, Mr. Bush. Shame on you, Mr. Bush. Shame on you," Moore shouted, surrounded onstage by his fellow nominees in a show of solidarity.

"It was so sweet backstage, the teamsters are helping Michael Moore into the trunk of his limo," host Steve Martin joked later.

"Bowling for Columbine" was Moore's satirical exploration of violence in America. The title refers to the fact that gunmen Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went bowling before they opened fire at Columbine High School in Colorado, killing 12 students and a teacher before turning the guns on themselves.

Asked backstage why he made the remarks, Moore answered: "I'm an American."

"Is that all?" a reporter asked.

"Oh, that's a lot," Moore responded.

He said the Iraqi conflict sends a negative image to the nation's youth.

"What was the lesson that we taught children of Columbine this week? ... That violence is an acceptable means to resolve a conflict," Moore said backstage.

Moore dismissed the jeers, telling reporters: "Don't report that there was split decision in the hall because five loud people booed."

The rotund, scruffy-bearded activist from Flint, Mich., also directed the 1989 documentary "Roger & Me," in which he pursued former General Motors Corp. boss Roger Smith to confront him about the collapse of the auto industry in Moore's hometown.

Moore also is the author of the best-selling book "Stupid White Men ... And Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation," which criticizes American politicians for favoring corporate wealth over public well-being.

Scattered appeals for peace and grim reports from the U.S.-led war in Iraq added a sober contrast to Hollywood's traditional night of glitzy self-glorification at Sunday's Academy Awards.

"In light of all the troubles in this world, I wish us all peace," said Chris Cooper, ending his acceptance speech after winning the supporting actor award for "Adaptation."

Cooper was among several nominees, including Meryl Streep and Martin Scorsese, who wore dove peace pins on their formal wear as a silent statement about the war.

©2003 Associated Press  

[RichInOC]

...and trust me, your speech probably sounded better in Spanish.

[T Lady]

Perhaps I'll rent it on DVD...despite the fact I hear Hillary's in it.

-Regards, T.

[ElfArcher]

Yea, well what about Arwen and Eowyn? And need I mention Legolas? Faramir? Aragorn? Frodo? Sam? Eomer?

[RummyChick]

Applause gave way to some boos, as the orchestra began to play the filmmaker off the stage.


this almost makes it sound like they were booing the orchestra

[freedumb2003]

>>mexican peacenik <<

He's spanish.

[T Lady]

What a pompous, self-inflated ass this man is-EEEEWWWW!!!!

BARF ALERT!

-Regards, T.

[Wavyhill]

I agree, but another qualification is that there should be at least a grain of truth to the caricature. Thus Rich Little was hilarious when he made fun of Ronaldus Magnus, because we all recognized the "Well..." and the naps even if we knew that Reagan wasn't really that out of touch. Ditto with Dana Carvey on George H. W. Bush. However, the guy doing George W. Bush on SNL is not the least bit humorous, because he acts nothing like the President, but rather acts stupid in ways GWB never acts. It's somewhat as if I were to imitate Tom Daschle by pretending to come on to small boys: since there's no evidence of any such thing, it would only resonate with people who had an axe to grind. Similarly, Bill Maher is totally humorless: his whole schtick consists basically of singing "Neener neener neener" at Republicans.

[Lil'freeper]

Waaaaaay to virtuous for hollywood.

OOoooh, Harrison Ford. Yummy...

[HairOfTheDog]

Those would all would work for me!

[NYCVirago]

A standing ovation and a handful of jeers from Hollywood's elite greeted filmmaker Michael Moore when he criticized President Bush and the U.S.-led war in Iraq during his acceptance speech Sunday after winning the documentary feature Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine."

That was way more than a "handful of jeers." In two minutes, he went from getting a standing ovation to practically getting booed off the stage!

[Wavyhill]

Any time you have 100 million gun owners against you, you aren't long for this world.

[HairOfTheDog]

PJ not even given a nod nomination..... BOOOO!


Roman Polanski! - BOOOOOOO! - Now what? - Are the cops waiting in the eaves?

[RichInOC]

Come on up and get it, Roman...

[Lil'freeper]

"What was the lesson that we taught children of Columbine this week? ... That violence is an acceptable means to resolve a conflict

Mr. Moore, if violence would have stopped the shooters, then YES it is an acceptable means to resolve a conflict.

Polanski just got best director. These awards are sick.

[RummyChick]

sheesh...giving an ovation to a pedophile

[vikingchick]

A pedophile won Best Director!

[stands2reason]

Applause gave way to some boos, as the orchestra began to play the filmmaker off the stage.

Makes it sound like they were booing at the orchestra....

[jragan2001]

Looks like the white puffy shirt that was featured on
a "Seinfeld" episode that Jerry didn't want to wear but
was goaded to wearing on TV.

[eddie willers]

Come on up and get it, Roman...

Heh...heh...heh...Indeed!