freeSpeech: Morgan Spurlock

Producer of "Super Size Me" Speaks Out About Freedom Of Speech

(CBS)  It seems like every time I turn on the TV, some "reputable" news source tells me how we’re a nation divided … liberal, conservative, red state, blue state, right, wrong, us, them, taste's great, less filling, you name it.

Well I don't buy it. You see, today’s news has become just like professional wrestling.

When Hulk Hogan puts his face right up to the camera and tells Randy Savage that, "My 22 inch pythons mean the end of you, brother," he's a mirror image of the politicians, the pundits, the spin doctors, the pitchmen and the PR flunkies that put their faces right up to hundreds of cameras everyday and tell us how they’re right, and how the other guys are out of their minds.

Well, let me tell you something brother, I've traveled to every state in this great nation ... well, every state except Maine, but that’s only because they don’t take off their long johns until May.

And what I've discovered in my travels is that we're not a nation divided at all, we're just a country that's buying into the Smackdown hype.

Truth is, most of us don't live on the extreme ends they like to portray, the majority of us are camped out here in the middle. But nobody wants to hear what we have to say because we don’t foam at the mouth, call your mama names or say anything that’s gonna juice the ratings. And that's what its all about. It's all about the grandstanding, the name-calling, and the yelling into the camera.

Well don't believe the hype - change in this country doesn’t come from the person with the greatest decibels.

Freedom of Speech has a purpose: to make this the best nation we can dream of. If we can say anything, if we can have a real civil discourse, then and only then will we find the best solutions to our problems. Without that, it's just showbiz.

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Academy Award-nominated director Morgan Spurlock is the creator and producer of FX’s critically acclaimed and award-winning series, "30 Days." Spurlock's career spans film, non-fiction literature, television and theatre. His first feature film, "Super Size me," was released in 2004 and went on to become the sixth highest grossing box office documentary of all time. Spurlock authored "Don't Eat This Book," which picks up where the film — following Spurlock’s experiment to eat only fast food for a month — leaves off.

Spurlock is a native of West Virginia and a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He has conceived and created more than 60 projects during his 12 years in the industry. In addition to writing, producing and directing, he continues speaking around the nation talking about obesity, the effect of fast food and the entertainment industry, inspiring students and adults to take responsibility for their own lives and health.

Click here to read his blog.

[gialay]

What a fantastic segment. Morgan Spurlock's point of view was completely accurate. It is unfortunate that public opinion is determined by 30 second sound bites. Political commercials are full of dirty tricks, and sometimes downright lies. News networks owned and operated by biased CEO's either far to the right or far to the left. What happened to integrity in journalism; unbiased reports? What happened to American news outlets being the fourth level of government, holding politicians, no matter their party, accountable to the public?

This segment seems like a start of getting back to those ideas. Even if we have to endure the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Al Franken.

[a013024]

I tend to agree, however, there is a passion when the property tax bill comes due. When English is nowhere to be found. Several domestic issues surround communities but people are very non-interested. The need to record "Idol" or "Fear Factor" is given more weight than say my mortgage payment went from $1300/mo to $1600/mo because someone voted locally to support projects that should have been funded privately.

[murf231705]

On behalf of all Mainer's (or Mainiacs depending upon your point of view), I'd like to thank Mr. Spurlock for continuing to perpetuate the sterotype that Maine is some Siberian land that doesn't thaw until May. Quite frankly, we prefer that others think that way!

[mikebisutti]

Great first guest. What he said unfortunately and accurately describes our society. However, you need to go further. The news media needs to get involved with real news not smarmy pap and filler. I'm tired of the junk taking up time that should be devoted real news that educates and informs. What about the many examples of dollars being wasted here and abroad and the cruelty and inhumanity wrought by America through by our tax $? For example: What really happened to the $4B in cash given to the Kurds at the start the war in Iraq and which has now vanished? What about America abandoning its leadership role in the Middle East peace process to shill for Israel? How could we reestablish our image, foster world peace, and reduce terrorism if we took an even handed approach there? I also want to see the spot Bob Schieffer started when he profiled everyday a man or woman killed in Iraq. Those were gut wrenching wake-up calls to Americans to demand accountability for the lies, malfeasance in office and the incompetence so apparent today. Katie, is the corporate muzzle on you too?

[brussell69]

I believe this to be the most ensightful opinion that I have heard in the last year. This country is run by money driven agendas. People tend to forget or most don't even know that as stated in the Declaration of Independence we have a right and a responsibility to change if the status quo is not working.

P.S.-Anyone else find it odd that Chevron and Shell are magically finding more oil in the Gulf (during hurricane season) with the extreme expansion of E-85 and ethanol plants sprouting up across the midwest?
"Spend money in America on American and people will start to remember the feeling of being American."

[bookworm247]

Perfect. Finally someone who speaks up for "real reality" as I like to call it. Everything you said in your news segment was right on. I look forward to seeing more from you and CBS for that matter if they continue to promote real news and not "HYPE". Thank you from South Carolina. (yes, we do have plumbing!!)

[grnmtnwoman]

Seems to me IF people want to come to this country because their own country is messed up and offers no help,then they must of seen this country as the land of opportunity and a better way of life.. So what they saw was better then what they had..so if they come here then they should live as we Americans do! Trust in our God,live by our rules and way of life! Learn our speech (language) and do as we do and like it or get out! Don't come here and expect us to change our ways to what you left! I can't believe (all) immigrants are willing to change or even want to! Why should we learn their language and believe in different religions and listen to people complain about our way of living and our own beliefs? Prayer in school does not kill! The word God has been here for hundreds of years and you like to earn our money with the word God on it! And for GOD sake live here and earn an income (before you earn our retirement)! Pay our your share of taxes,and tell your family you left behind, if, they come they do as we do !! Don't expect us to pay to get them here!
grnmtnwoman VT

[grnmtnwoman]

Where is it going to end? All those phone numbers you dial and get no where! We value your business! Please push 1 for english, 2 for control,3 for tech help,4 if you know your extention, 5 for monkey business!! ETC... yadda yadda yadda.by the time you do get a (HUMAN) voice you can't understand it! Where is it coming from? How is it cheeper to send the call over seas and hire someone in france or timbucktwo? When we call over seas it cost an arm and a leg! And bill collectors calling with recorded messages!! You dialed my number you better be ready to talk>> or get hung up on!! What if I sent you on a number list jaunt just to hold you up and tell you to take a hike? Can't people talk human to human anymore? What would happen if 911 put you through 10 numbers before you got help? DEAD HUH!

[lkriwanek]

Thank you for finally letting people know that real life is very seldom represented in news media. There are actually people living and breathing in this country that are neither right or left, but somewhere in the middle. This is a great segment.

[compunuke]

Welcome, Katie! You and your team are already making important format contributions like "Free Speech".

Morgan has led this new segment off to a great start. I hope CBS follows his lead to bring us the important details that are not in the news as we see it today.

For instance, we've spent months watching politician "smack-downs", as Morgan desribes them, dancing around the issue of immigration and whether we need the immigrants who are here illegally and/or others like them.

In all the news I've watched and read, no one mentions that immigration quotas are adjustable. Doesn't it seem like an obvious suggestion that if we want more immigrants from any other country on the planet, we should raise the quota limit and let more legal immigrants in? Has anyone heard any news anchor or reporter or politician suggest such a thing?

[tallylassie]

I love the Free Speech segment, and agreed with Morgan Spurlock. . . .even about the temperature in Maine. It's one of my favorite places to visit, but I wore my thermals in May, too!

Just curious, what is the selection process for expressing one's opinion in this new feature? I look forward to hearing a variety of opinions, and hope they are not always from "famous" people.

In school we learn to talk in debates and other communications to express our differences. As we get out of school it seems like people forget what they are taught in school. Instead of using the freedom of speech rights, we must use our bear arms right to protect ourselves from freedom of speech protesters who uses violence means of communications. I call them criminals! In my opinion, watch out for those who stick their faces to you within inches, for they have violence tendency characteristics.