Michael Moore, an author and filmmaker -- both acclaimed by critics and assailed by political commentators -- will address the Penn community on April 19.
Moore was most recently visible at the Academy Awards, where he accepted an Oscar for Bowling for Columbine and, amidst cheers and boos, asserted his anti-war stance.
The Social Planning and Events Committee's Connaissance branch is bringing Moore to the 9 p.m. event in Zellerbach Theatre, and according to SPEC Co-Director Tim McCarten, Moore's Oscar controversy was not the impetus for inviting him.
"We had him in mind for a while -- it had nothing to do with his speech at the Oscars," McCarten said. "A couple of us on the committee saw the documentary... and we said, 'We have to have him.'"
"He makes you think about important issues that nobody else seems to talk about, and [he] has been able to effect change because he is so persuasive," McCarten added.
College freshman Eric King hopes to attend the speech and believes that Moore's Oscar acceptance may help attract audience members.
"What he had to say was inflammatory, but it won't deter audience members here because it is pretty liberal territory," King said.
Moore's newly released book Stupid White Men... and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation is representative of the polemic works he has been churning out for 15 years.
His speech will focus on the book as well as his thoughts on America's "culture of fear." It will be followed by 45 minutes to an hour of questions from the audience.
"Even if you disagree with him, which is very easy to do, he is still a very provocative and entertaining person," McCarten said.
Wharton senior Brian Ramenda said that though Moore's views are different from his, he hopes to attend the speech.
"Although I don't really agree with his positions, I saw his movie and thought it was excellent," he said. "He is really intelligent and presents his views in a great way."
Moore's 1989 film Roger & Me portrayed the poor conditions of post-industrial America and was the highest grossing documentary of all time.
In 1995, Moore's network television series TV Nation won an Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series -- currently, Moore has received over 22 awards.
College sophomore Liz Spector said she thinks it is fantastic that Moore will address the Penn community.
"I am very excited," she said, adding that "he will bring some much needed celebrity to Penn's already burgeoning anti-war movement."
"He is such a thought-provoking person and that will invite discussion, especially about his anti-war stance," McCarten said.
SPEC Connaissance will be selling tickets for $5 on Locust Walk from April 8 through April 10.
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