Michael Moore may be an asshole, but he's our asshole

Could Michael Moore be blowing the brou-ha-ha over the distribution of his latest film, Fahrenheit 911, out of proportion? Marc Cooper makes some interesting observations along this line, including the question of whether Disney ever planned to distribute the film in the first place.

It is fairly obvious that Disney (under Michael Eisner), doesn't want much to do with this film. But it is not clear that they are attempting to squelch the release of the film either. If they never planned to release it in the first place (thus requiring Moore and Miramax to work on another distribution deal anyway) than it couldn't really be said that they are trying to suppress it.

It is quite conceivable that Moore is taking advantage of the conflict between Miramax and Eisner and the later's uncomfortable-ness with the film in order to hype the release of his film (the fact that this comes less than two weeks before it will be premiered at Cannes). Moore is a master at public relations of this kind.

Would his doing this make me think any less of him? Not really. I've never really cared that much for Moore personally. He's a bit of a loudmouth and a grandstander. But he does make good films and books that spur useful dialog. If this gets more publicity for his film and, in the process, brings more media focus to the relationship between Bush and the Saud family then all the better. It's a story that has been woefully under covered and if it takes a little metaphorical bomb-throwing to wake people up then bombs away.