"The Awful Truth" (1999) TV series 1999-2000

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Tom Gianas

Writer:

Tom Gianas (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

11 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Documentary

Plot:

Activist film director Micheal Moore hosts a show where he continues his crusade to expose wrongdoing by the high and mighty.

Plot Keywords:

Protest | Political Satire | Investigative Reporting | Gay Rights | Human Rights

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Michael Moore

...

Himself (24 episodes, 1999-2000)

Also Known As:

"The Awful Truth with Michael Moore" (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

30 min (24 episodes)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

United Broadcasting Inc.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the Sodomobile piece, there is a diagram of the U.S. showing that Tennesee is a state where sodomy is illegal, yet when Moore and friends arrive in Tennesee, Michael's voice over claims the exact opposite.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Corporation (2003)

How many shows can claim to be life-saving and mean it?

Michael Moore's short lived "TV Nation" gets a long awaited resurrection and make-over with "The Awful Truth" which demonstrates the true power and potential of television. Michael Moore is the documentarian behind "Roger And Me" and "The Big One" and author of "Downsize This".

The show aired in Canada for the first time on Sunday, May 16, 1999 at 8:30 pm EST and has already proved it's worth in less than thirty minutes. It's also hilarious, and funnier than anything that could ever be scripted.

Two segments were featured in this program, one dealing with mock Witch Hunts in Washington, but the more moving piece, focused on 34 year old Diabetic Chris Donahue, father of a 4 year old girl, whose health insurance company (or HMO if you prefer), Humana, rejected his claim for an operation for a pancreas transplant. Without the operation, he would surely die, and so Michael Moore came to his aid.

First Chris went to Florida's Palm Beach Post to place his own obituary. Then Michael invited Humana to come help the ailing man choose a coffin for Chris. Then he invited them to Chris' funeral party, with Chris displaying his bright red custom made T-shirt that read "I signed with Humana and all I got was this lousy t-shirt, but no pancreas". Then they had a rehearsal funeral outside Humana's offices. Finally, in less than a week, the company cracked, accepted the claim, thereby saving the man's life, and revised their policies on all claims for pancreas transplants.

With an incredibly moving moment to end the show on, the grateful Chris showed his appreciation from the studio audience with his family to a rousing standing ovation.

Do yourself a favour, catch this show, have a laugh, and watch an important crusader do what he does best, make slimy corporations very nervous, and improving the world a bit at a time.