The Awful Truth

Mr. Moore has a wicked sense of humor. Only Mr. Moore could take tragic situations and expose them for what they are: absurd.

I believe that we have no choice but to keep Mr. Moore on-the-job because his humor presents facts in a form that the ordinary guy can relate to and learn from.

This guy is a damn fine teacher who has found a way to spread knowledge and entertain all at the same time. His parents did a fine job with this young man.

Talk to anyone and you will find a mixed bag of opinions on this radical filmmaker's work. Some will literally hate Michael Moore for expanding the truth and others will love him for uncovering it. No matter which you feel, we can all agree that Michael Moore has done one great thing … he has changed the face of documentary film-making. He has kicked down the door for the possibility of others to release their 'unfundable' projects that studios now see as moneymakers because of Moore's success. He has introduced documentaries back into the mainstream cinemas, and perhaps our world is ready for it. I get tired of watching cartoons on the screen, and cannot wait to get my hands around a juicy documentary whenever it is released.

That is why when this series was released on DVD I immediately ran to buy it. Not only do you get some great Michael Moore moments, but also you get to see avenues of our society that we do not take a moment and look at. There is a lot of wrong in this world, and especially in America. Those that are not honest sometimes use to media to change their image and therefore giving us a false sense of security. Moore, in his short lived series, takes random ideas and sets them in motion. One of my favorites is the FICA for Congress sketches. I think I enjoyed it so much because it showed America's reaction to his idea. He was not alone in this battle, and we knew it.

As I stated before, Moore is not for everyone. He is for the open-minded individual that is not afraid to ask the question 'why'. This was a beautiful series that has made me happy to see on DVD. For those that cannot stand his longer films, this would be the perfect venue to view his topics.

I do want to say that no matter how you feel about his work, you must first see it before you criticize. Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a wealthy politician. While we will think that life is best here in America, sometimes it takes a lone voice to point out the obvious. Michael Moore has accepted the challenge, and is forcing Americans to look up instead of burying our faces in our day to day activities. We have the power to change everything … let us do it!

Overall, this series was nothing short than Moore's brilliance in small snippets. I think this series should be on everyone's DVD must-see list.

Grade: ***** out of *****

Michael Moore's short lived "TV Nation" gets a long awaited resurrection and make-over with "The Awful Truth" which demonstrates the true power and potential of television. Michael Moore is the documentarian behind "Roger And Me" and "The Big One" and author of "Downsize This".

The show aired in Canada for the first time on Sunday, May 16, 1999 at 8:30 pm EST and has already proved it's worth in less than thirty minutes. It's also hilarious, and funnier than anything that could ever be scripted.

Two segments were featured in this program, one dealing with mock Witch Hunts in Washington, but the more moving piece, focused on 34 year old Diabetic Chris Donahue, father of a 4 year old girl, whose health insurance company (or HMO if you prefer), Humana, rejected his claim for an operation for a pancreas transplant. Without the operation, he would surely die, and so Michael Moore came to his aid.

First Chris went to Florida's Palm Beach Post to place his own obituary. Then Michael invited Humana to come help the ailing man choose a coffin for Chris. Then he invited them to Chris' funeral party, with Chris displaying his bright red custom made T-shirt that read "I signed with Humana and all I got was this lousy t-shirt, but no pancreas". Then they had a rehearsal funeral outside Humana's offices. Finally, in less than a week, the company cracked, accepted the claim, thereby saving the man's life, and revised their policies on all claims for pancreas transplants.

With an incredibly moving moment to end the show on, the grateful Chris showed his appreciation from the studio audience with his family to a rousing standing ovation.

Do yourself a favour, catch this show, have a laugh, and watch an important crusader do what he does best, make slimy corporations very nervous, and improving the world a bit at a time.

Michael Moore is definitely one of the best communicators in this country comparable to the Dalai Lama, though in a different genre. Or perhaps not so different, after all. Isn't what he shows us all about compassion, share, justice, fairness, solidarity, tolerance, awareness, etc? And with the same soft and amused smile?

What strikes me most is his absence of belligerence and the sense of grotesque with which he can bring the most unjust, painful, violent or tragic issues to our consciousness. Including the consciousness of some of those responsible for thriving on people's misery.

In a country where freedom of speech is apparently granted to all, it is surprising how few people seem to have anything to say. Thanks to Michael Moore for having the courage to use and make good use of such a precious liberty. And let's hope that there are going to be more Michael Moores in the future. Great work. Bravo!

Michael Moore is a pathetic fat *** that's wasting oxygen. He has diluted both himself, and every single one of his followers into believing all of his lies. I don't need to explain myself, read any website exploiting Moore's lies, the list is too long.

The reason America is considered so stupid, is because of idiots that believe him in the first place. Although, the biggest irony of them all, is that while he bad mouths capitalists and successful entrepreneurs about being greedy and cheats, while they may be, he is even worse. The number of books with fallacious information and movies he's sold, has made him just as wealthy, greedy and a liar.

Michael Moore is a hypocrite and deceives the generally stupid and vulnerable population. This man has no honor, loyalty, courage or integrity, things that I've learned and embraced in the Army for 10 years, protecting this country's freedom, something Moore will never comprehend.