Date: Thursday Night December 2, 2004
Place: Wadsworth Theatre, Brentwood, CA.
Event: Michael Moore and John Dean
"IF YOU PASS OUT FLIERS YOU WILL BE ARRESTED. THIS IS FEDERAL PROPERTY. WE HAVE MANY PLAIN CLOTHES AGENTS ON THE PROPERTY TONIGHT. IF YOU ARE PROTESTING YOU WILL BE ARRESTED," barked a muscular African-American through an electronic bullhorn.
The crowd, which looked like it was on line for an opera, glanced nervously at one another and muttered.
"NO TALKING RIGHT NOW FOLKS. I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. PLEASE, IF YOU CONTINUE TO TALK YOU WILL BE ARRESTED. THIS IS FEDERAL PROPERTY," bellowed the Man.
Jerry Rubin, the local West L.A. activist had heard enough. he jumped out of the sedintary line and demanded to know why he couldn't pass out his flyer for his "Fuck Bush New Year's Eve Comedy Showcase & Dance Party."
"SIR, YOU WILL BE ARRESTED IF YOU CONTINUE. THIS IS FEDERAL PROPERTY. ANYONE WITH RECORDING EQUIPMENT OR DEVICES WILL BE TURNED AWAY....YOU WILL BE SEARCHED...."
Anyway, the harangue continued as the quiet crowd shrugged and simply flowed in to fill the theatre to capacity. Apparently folks are getting used to a Post 9/11 Patriot Act world.
The event, featuring Watergate wunderkind, John Dean and filmmaker Michael Moore was structured as an interview/therapy session of sorts with Dean, the lawyer/author/teacher posing the quizicals to Moore the "rebellious student/prodigal son".
"Why did you focus on George W. Bush as a subject for your latest movie?" asked Dean.
Moore explained how he was out here in Santa Monica on 9/11and his daughter was back East in New York. Calling a friend at the World Trade Center, he heard the first tower collapse over the phone while he held it to his ear. In addition, he revealed that his line producer had been on the fateful flight that had come out of Boston and crashed into the WTC. He and his wife rented a car and drove 3,000 miles back to NYC. Along the way, he thought, "What did the President know and when did he know it?" Dean and Moore chuckled as did the audience.
Moore then went on to spin a hilarious long winding story of how he ended up with Miramax as a producer of his latest blockbuster, "Fahrenheit 9/11". The story involved Mel Gibson, 3 Passover sedars and five jews.
Regarding "Bowling For Columbine," Moore's Oscar-winning documentary, he told the crowd not to have any preconceived notions when making a documentary. He explained that when he went to Canada to learn about their gun control policies, he was shocked to learn that Canadian citizens possessed more guns per capita than their American cousins. Moore was confused he said, but soon realized that "Guns don't kill people. Americans kill people!"
He also indicated that an early plot line of "BFC" was for him to run for President of the NRA and beat Charlton Heston. Once elected Moore intended to disband the group permanently.
Dean: "I'm gonna say a word or a phrase and you tell me the first thing that pops into your head."
Mooore: "Oh I thought you were gonna aske me who Deep Throat was?
Dean: "I'm gonna let the audience grade your answers."
Dean: "Laura Bush."
Moore: "Killer."
Dean: "That's two words."
Moore: "No! I said killer, not Kill Her!"
Dean: "Explain"
Moore: "She killed a man when she was 17. Her ex-boyfriend who had broken up with her. It was November of 1963 in Midland, Texas. She ran a stop sign. Michael Douglass was his name. Star quarterback of the football team. It was 10 days before the Kennedy assassination. I just say that for the assassination buffs! Imagine if Hillary Clinton had killed her boyfriend? We'd never hear the end of it."
The raucous crowd roared with laughter and hoots.
Dean: "Karl Rove"
Moore: "Congradulations"
(Audience HISSES)
Dean: "Donald Rumsfeld"
Moore: "War criminal"
(Audience CHEERS)
Moore then went on to spin a hilarious long winding story of how he ended up with Miramax as a producer of his latest blockbuster, "Fahrenheit 9/11". The story involved Mel Gibson, 3 Passover sedars and five jews.
Regarding "Bowling For Columbine," Moore's Oscar-winning documentary, he told the crowd not to have any preconceived notions when making a documentary. He explained that when he went to Canada to learn about their gun control policies, he was shocked to learn that Canadian citizens possessed more guns per capita than their American cousins. Moore was confused he said, but soon realized that "Guns don't kill people. Americans kill people!"
He also indicated that an early plot line of "BFC" was for him to run for President of the NRA and beat Charlton Heston. Once elected Moore intended to disband the group permanently.... part II tomorrow
