Moore at Oscars: "Shame on you, Mr. Bush"
The 75th Academy Awards ceremony was laden with political messages Sunday night, as several influential film stars made their opinions on the US-led war against Iraq known to a global television audience.
"To all of our men and women overseas, Godspeed and let's get you home soon," said Academy President Frank Pierceson. "And to the Iraqi people, I say let's let you live without war soon."
The most powerful speech of the evening was delivered by Michael Moore, for his Best Documentary-winning film, Bowling for Columbine.
"I have invited my fellow documentary nominees on the stage with us, and we would like to--they're here in solidarity with me because we like non-fiction. We like non-fiction and we live in fictitious times. We live in the time where we have fictitious election results that elects a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons. Whether it's the fictition of duct tape or fictition of orange alerts, we are against this war, Mr. Bush. Shame on you, Mr. Bush, shame on you. And any time you got the Pope and the Dixie Chicks against you, your time is up," said Moore. The audience half-booed, half-cheered his angry words.
After Moore left the stage, host Steve Martin joked, "The Teamsters are helping him into the trunk of his limo."
The Academy decided to roll up the red carpet for the evening's proceedings, and several guests, including actor Will Smith, actress Angelina Jolie, directors Peter Jackson and Aki Kaurismaki did not attend.
"I'm glad they cut back on the glitz," said Martin. "And I'm pleased to report that tonight's proceeds are going to major corporations."
Adrien Brody, who won Best Actor for his role in The Pianist, followed Moore's suit, but with softer words that appeased the flustered audience.
"[The best actor award] fills me with great joy, but I am also filled with a lot of sadness tonight because I am accepting an award at such a strange time... and whatever you believe in, if it's God or Allah, may he watch over you and let's pray for a peaceful and swift resolution," he said. Brody was able to cut off the conductor and stop the orchestra to make these last remarks.
