Michael Moore flips the script

[Funkenstein]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113385/site/newsweek/

Poor No Moore

When the founder of the Web’s most popular anti-Michael Moore Web site ran into financial trouble because of medical bills, a very unlikely guardian angel came to the rescue.

By Tony Dokoupil
Newsweek
Updated: 12:53 p.m. CT June 8, 2007

June 8, 2007 - Jim Kenefick, 36, is the founder of Moorewatch.com, one of the Web's most visited anti-Michael Moore sites. So imagine Kenefick's surprise when he received a friendly voice mail last month—from Moore himself, calling from the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his agitprop documentary “Sicko.” The lefty filmmaker had two things to tell his cybercritic. First, he wanted Kenefick to know that he and his Web site appear prominently (albeit anonymously) in “Sicko,” his soon-to-be-released attack on the American health-care industry. In the film, Moore shows several of Kenefick’s blog posts where he pleads for money to keep MooreWatch.com alive because his wife's medical bills (Kenefick says she has a neurological disorder) have almost bankrupted him. He is saved at the last minute when a mysterious donor sends a $12,000 check, enough to keep the site going and pay insurance premiums for a year—which brought Moore to his second point. Before the world found out from his film, the filmmaker wanted his nemesis to know: he was Kenefick’s guardian angel. Kenefick spoke to NEWSWEEK’s Tony Dokoupil about his unwitting stardom and new opinion of Michael Moore. Excerpts:
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NEWSWEEK: Have you seen the film?
Jim Kenefick: I’ve only seen some promotional stills and the clips, but I plan to see it.

How were you approached about the $12,000 gift?
On May 1, 2006, I received an anonymous e-mail from a “Nora Lavelle”—who is absolutely a Google ghost ... I can’t verify her existence anywhere online, so who knows if she’s real—and the e-mail said: “I know an Angel who wants to pay for at least some of your wife’s care so that the site doesn’t go down.” I was skeptical, of course. But I also thought you never know. I joked with her that I’ve always wanted a guardian angel.

Then what happened?
The person wrote back to clarify how much my [health-insurance] premiums were. A month or so later a checklike document for $12,000 arrives from one of those anonymous third-party check companies. My first thought was that this was some kind of scam—the kind where you cash the check and then suddenly the person calls asking for like $8,000 back. But the check cleared, and I felt this immense wave of relief.
Where is Michael Moore in your mind at that moment?
Nowhere. At first, I thought it was a well-heeled friend of mine, but not Michael Moore. Then some things started clicking. I happened to notice the bank that guaranteed the funds had like five locations around Moore’s Dog Eat Dog headquarters, several more locations around his New York apartment and then still more around his hometown in Michigan. All this was obvious from Google Maps, which I clicked on innocently after searching the bank name online. I still wasn’t jumping to any conclusions.
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When did you know it was Moore?
On May 10th or so of this year, I get this e-mail from someone with a famous name—I won’t say who, just in case they really were who they claimed—saying: “What if, just what if, Michael Moore sent you a check for your family’s medical bills????? you should immediately prepare a quick unpredictable response.” And I have to say that I did. I felt played. I felt like, Oh f---. I can’t believe he would do this. I regret the tone and content of my response, but I felt betrayed, if that’s even the right word. A few weeks later Moore himself called me from Cannes saying that the film was about to premiere and he wanted me to know that he was my “guardian angel.” The sound file is right there on my Web site.

Has Moore’s gift changed your opinion of him?
Look, I don’t oppose Moore as a human being, or even on all of his positions, and I don’t know where I stand on health-care reform. Nor do I presume to be so intelligent as to know how to solve this monumental issue. My issue with Moore is an issue with how he goes about doing things. He gives people quick peeks, juxtaposing images that stir people up but don’t give them enough information to make judgments for themselves. He’s harming the big picture with his chicanery—with his ridiculous, malicious, dishonest and deceitful way of doing things. I haven’t seen “Sicko,” but it sounds like more of the same. I’m not saying that anyone in his film is faking or exaggerating their medical problems, but how can anyone know that? Medical records are sealed by law. Moore’s got people who can say or do anything and no one can check the facts. The American doctors and health-insurance companies he attacks have no voice either because they’re restricted by law from discussing medical cases. It’s the perfect Michael Moore situation.

But has the gift changed your life?
Oh, yes. Let me clear about this. I’m grateful to Michael Moore. I’ve said this about nine times on my Web site: "Thank you Michael Moore." Your gift took a huge burden off my shoulders. But I still don’t like your style.

Why do you think he decided to help you?
It’s in his interest for the site to stay running. Moore’s publicity depends on us and others like us. I think he understands that.


If you had known it was Michael Moore giving you the money, would you have accepted it?
I think so. It's obviously not a problem for him that Moorewatch exists, which is kind of commendable if you think about it. He seemed genuinely interested in keeping us online. I can handle the heat generated by being used in the movie as some kind of "gotcha" moment, and in the end, that $12,000 made our lives a little easier. In the end it reduced the stress on my wife, and taking away even one of her worries—in this case it made it possible for us to pay off everything faster than we'd planned—is worth a lot. Besides, Mike's not the devil or anything. It's not like Joe Stalin made me an offer! He's a guy who sees value in us being out there, analyzing his work and asking questions.

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Even if you don't like him, you have to admit that this is the greatest OWNED you've seen in a while. It is a beneficial OWNING in that even the guy (while hesitant to say it) is grateful for what was done and MM only takes a snippet away to help broadcast his film's hype.

[Keith P]

Certified hustler.

[la dj]

i like the guy. been a fan for a long time. oddly enough he's on stern right now.

[>]

I don't like how he goes about things either. But most of the time I appreciate the message he's trying to send. Just, how he's sending it.... isn't the best way. Then again who am I to say what is or isn't the best way of doing something, at least he's doing something, I'm not doing anything.

[johnny861]

I like his comedies, but is "documentaries" are a bit of a stretch.

[zcwilly]

I can't stand that moron

[Dionysos]

One good act doesn't make him any less of a douchebag.

[Keith P]

Originally Posted by Rotten Jew Bitch Whore

I don't like how he goes about things either. But most of the time I appreciate the message he's trying to send. Just, how he's sending it.... isn't the best way. Then again who am I to say what is or isn't the best way of doing something, at least he's doing something, I'm not doing anything.

Say what you want about his methods but they work. He understands the best way to get a msg across to the american public is through shock value. Countless conservatives in the media use almost exactly the same sort of entertainment to put across their ideals.

[zcwilly]

Him and Alvin should take a nice luxurious cruise to Tehran together... 60second can be the skipper

[Funkenstein]

Originally Posted by zcwilly

Him and Alvin should take a nice luxurious cruise to Tehran together... 60second can be the skipper

That's fucked up.


Funny as shit, though.


Keith is correct, though. God forbid the same tactics used by the opposition are used by him (and with less direct threat than a late-night infomercial) in order to try to express an opinion ONLY to the American Public.

[Dionysos]

Originally Posted by Keith P

Say what you want about his methods but they work. He understands the best way to get a msg across to the american public is through shock value. Countless conservatives in the media use almost exactly the same sort of entertainment to put across their ideals.

And any reasonable person should ignore all of them. "They do it too" isn't an acceptable defense.

[johnny861]

Good points brought up by everyone in this thread.

I suppose the question is, how does one point out an area where American scrutiny should flourish? Obviously, without the tactics used by certain idolized filmakers on either side of the political fold.

[Keith P]

Originally Posted by Dionysos

And any reasonable person should ignore all of them.

Broad statement here, but reason is something wholely forgotten by the populace.

[>]

Originally Posted by Dionysos

And any reasonable person should ignore all of them. "They do it too" isn't an acceptable defense.

Yea that's what I was about to say. Because the conservatives do it as well doesn't give him a free pass to do it, and certainly doesn't mean we should allow him to do it. I can definately appreciate using shock value to get a message across. However, he fails to put all the facts out there, which makes him just as misleading as the people he tries to crucify in his movies. He sets out with good intentions but his methods for making people try to see where he's coming from, are pretty shady.

[PETA]

Originally Posted by Keith P

Say what you want about his methods but they work. He understands the best way to get a msg across to the american public is through shock value. Countless conservatives in the media use almost exactly the same sort of entertainment to put across their ideals.

But the well documented history of just blatantly lying makes Moore stand apart. However, he is most definetly an amazing and brilliant propagandist.

Originally Posted by Dionysos

And any reasonable person should ignore all of them. "They do it too" isn't an acceptable defense.

absolutely true

Originally Posted by Rotten Jew Bitch Whore

Yea that's what I was about to say. Because the conservatives do it as well doesn't give him a free pass to do it, and certainly doesn't mean we should allow him to do it. .

find me the parallel on the right that even permits one to attempt this invalid defense