Did anyone catch documentary director Michael Moore (<i>Bowling for Columbine</i>, <i>Roger & Me</i>) on NYC's channel 4 (NBC) news Wednesday night, sporting a beautiful Arsenal hat? I think I've seen him listed amongst other Gooner celebs on Arseweb.com; it was cool seeing the crest, ever so tiny and ever so briefly, on the day of such a big match on NYC tv. Not many American celeb Gooners, are there (known of)? I seem to remember the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, at least back in the mid-90s, but can't think of any others.
First I have to hear all the rumors that bin Laden's an Arsenal fan. Now I find out Michael Moore is as well? Geez, talk about black sheep in the family! I'm just holding out hope that this is similar to what happened with kygunner and that somebody just gave Moore the hat, even though he's not really an Arsenal fan. As far as other celebrity Arsenal fans go, I think somebody said that Spike Lee's a Gooner. He I can accept, particularly because I would love to get him behind the visitors' bench at Highbury. That would be fantastic. A couple of other interesting celbrity listings from ArseWeb. John Gotti allegedly got the Arsenal magazine every month. Along those lines, Fidel Castro also is a Gooner. On the acting side, Kevin Costner and Gillian Anderson also are big Arsenal supporters. ArseWeb also lists Darren Ferguson, son of Sir Alex, as a Gooner. If true, that would be hilarious.
Here's a random idea. Just because it is Michael Moore. He's wearing a hat about "Arsenal." Bowling for Columbine was about guns. Arsenal...guns...Arsenal...guns... Just a thought.
I concur about lack of caring about celebrity supporters. However, I do note that in most pictures from trouble spots around the world, particularly those relating to people rising against oppression - you see at least one Arsenal jersey. I've yet to see another club's kit. It was beautiful to see the front page of the Washington Post with a picture of the riots leading to the ouster of Milosevic in Yugoslavia. In the middle of the frame was a youngish man wearing a home Arsenal shirt from the 98 double!
I think moore is an active fan, because I've seen him in different pictures everywhere wearing the hat. A friend from a different forum happened to see hiim in an airport and chat him up real quick and michael moore let him take a picture of he, michael moore, and the oscar, and in that picture he's wearing the arsenal hat too. I don't really care one way or the other about celebrity fans, but it is nice to see that they too have their loyalties somewhere instead of acting hoity-toity all the time.
In a shot of the celebrations in Baghdad, there was an Iraqi with an Arsenal shirt from a couple of years ago, couldn't tell which one, but you could make out the red torso and the white sleevs.
Michael Moore is a great man, even greater for supporting AFC. A man who's not afraid to ask difficult questions or confront figures of supreme authority. Something the Bush "regime" (and don't kid yourselves that it's not) really, really hates. He recently had a long run with a one man show in London, plenty of time to go to Highbury multiple times.
Moore's an insufferable, hypocritical ass. His "documentary" is as authentic as "MUTV Presents: Sir Alex Ferguson, the TRUE Story!" Ugh. To think I called you a renaissance man just moments ago.
Thank you, Dan! I was afraid I was going to be going it alone on this one. Moore is the type of liberal crackpot that gives the left wing a bad name. He won't even listen to opposing views and is quick to judge before getting all the facts. Just like every other celebrity causehead, he also believes that, because he's famous, people actually give a damn what he thinks. Now they're seeing that people don't, as many celebrities are facing boycotts by regular old Americans like me for what they've said. Welcome to the real world, folks. Moore's also paranoid and delusional. Roger Ebert said he walked into the Oscars press room after he pulled his stunt and got booed and said "OK, now don't lie. There were really only four or five people booing." He also claimed in that same note that he "speaks for all Americans". Check the polls, nimrod. You speak for very few. Finally, he also is trying to prove that a couple of stations increased the volume of booing during the Oscars digitally, even going so far as to have clips analyzed. I'm surprised he hasn't covered his hat with tinfoil yet to prevent the government from reading his mind. I don't mean to go too far overboard on this one. But this is definitely a sore subject for me. OK, I'm better. Now back to Arsenal talk.
Somewhat along those lines, Freddie Prinze Jr. (get it - Prinze/Prince?) is a Gunner. There was a bit on him in the April FourFourTwo that I meant to point out sooner but never got around to.
I began this thread simply because someone was wearing the Arsenal crest on the NYC nightly news. I should have expected this kind of war-monogering nationalist backlash against Moore, whom I consider a fascinating, provocative filmmaker. The vitriol unleashed against him in this thread is proof that he has succeeded. Whether or not you agree with his politics, his talent for pushing buttons and generating thought are beyond doubt. The reason I'm now reacting to so much of this is that the fact needs to be pointed out that the boos at the Academy Awards were not from the audience, most of whom support his politics, and, knowing who the hell he is, expected precisely such theatrics from him (and would have been disappointed if he suddenly played nice-nice). The boos were from the backstage crew, ironically the blue collar union guys he so readily identifies himself with. I guess he needs to wake up, realize only elitists appreciate him, and that democracy only works with an intelligent voting populace, i.e. Utopia. Maybe he's moving in that direction, otherwise he'd support QPR or some other club in need of revenue sharing.
I'm curious as to where you heard this, as this goes against every account I've read. Hell, I even saw five or six people booing on camera myself, and that's just in the few shots of the front section where the celebs sit. I also have to clarify something: I don't have a problem with him speaking his mind. That's his right and that's what we've fought wars for in the past and in the present. I had a problem with the forum he chose and the arrogance he showed afterwards when he claimed he spoke for everyone and "had his finger on the pulse of America". That's what I had the problem with: one man claiming to be the spokesman for the whole country on an international broadcast. To me, that's the height of arrogance, surpassing even Sir Alex! And don't call it "war-mongering, nationalist backlash". The only thing I inferred in my original response was that I don't like the guy. I never once said anything about his stance on the war or him being anti-American. In my second post, I only backed up Dan's point with what I knew to be true, as well as my general opinion of celebrity protesters who think they speak for every American. Besides, I hated him long before the war even started, when he used to shout down guests on "Politically Incorrect" if they disagreed with him. It's more of a stand against someone who is totally intolerant of anyone else's viewpoint unless it totally lines up with his own.
Points well taken. I heard this from people who were there. I really can't say much about him other than his films, so I can appreciate how you find him personally objectionable based on PI appearances, etc.
Roman Polanski is a fascinating and provocative filmmaker and Id be embarrassed to have a rapist support Arsenal. Main point should be that celebrities should not exploit their positions to spout their political views, whether conservative or liberal. They are only important in their trade(films) and their opinions should not be held in such high regard by the bleeting sheep who follow them. I think the philosopher Brad Pitt said it best when asked about the war in Iraq," Why would anyone care Im just an actor." That said I was watching the news from Baghdad and saw a number of people with AC Milan kits and what appear to be Iraq national team jerseys.
Michael Moore and Brad Pitt are apples and oranges. First off, Moore's a director first, performer second. But what is most significant, and what seems to be missed when people have put Moore down as a celebrity using his status to push his views, is that his films are overtly political. And KyGunner, I hope you aren't trying to compare Polanski to Moore. Polanski drugged a girl, and then committed statuatory rape on her. Moore has simply voiced his convictions, part and parcel of his film projects. That being said, if Polanski was wearing the Arsenal crest on the nightly news, I'd hope someone would mention it on these boards. Wednesday's match was - of course - not covered by NY's telejournalists, but at least it was cool to see SOMEONE (regardless of political views) interviewed on TV that day wearing the Arsenal crest. If you are somehow embarassed that Moore supports the same club as you, I think that is frightfully silly. I really don't understand how my saying that someone was wearing an Arsenal crest on NYC news has resulted in the political and personal attacks on the supporter who was on TV. If it was a non-celebrity wearing an Arsenal hat was being interviewed about Mayor Bloomberg's budget I'd have mentioned it on these boards. Now, it was a big bummer last year when the NY Times made a big deal about Bin Laden at the Highbury gift shop, but it didn't embarass me or anger me in any way - it just freaked me out.
I was going to mention that. First OBL, now Michael Moore. Who's next, Jane Fonda? Sad indeed. Sad that Moore manipulated the video to "prove" his point.
Right on! Don't let these right wing a- holes bother you, i guess they're not aware of the Bush regimes connections with the oil industry and defense contractors. Dick Cheney's former employer Haliburton(oil services giant)already has contracts to service the Iraqi oil fields. The Bush regime is as wicked as they come.
Well, at least you watched his film, right? It has amazed me how many have slammed Moore without any knowledge of the nature of his work.