Phil Donahue‘s Body of War

July 27, 2008

There is a sense of relief that immediately comes over television talk show icon Phil Donahue when he learns that both showings of his documentary Body of War are already sold out. Donahue will be attending the Traverse City Film Festival this week and will be the featured panelist with Michael Moore on Friday.
“That is music to the ears of a film producer,” said Donahue. “I have done several Q&A sessions with Ellen Spiro (the film’s cinematographer, co-director and co-producer) and the auditorium is packed, only to head over to the theater and find eight people in the audience to watch the movie. I am glad that there is excitement for this film in Traverse City. I will be interested in getting the reactions of a Midwest audience.”
Donahue speaks with the same fiery passion that kept him on national television for 29 years -- a record that still stands today as the longest-running syndicated national television talk show. Today, that passion is for his first experience making a film.
“Certainly it is frustrating to see the lack of attendance at the box office, especially after all the praise we have received from the critics,” said Donahue. “I attribute it to several factors. First this is not a ‘date’ type movie. Plus, you have the economy, and for many people the war in Iraq is not on their radar right now. It is fifth or sixth on most peoples’ list behind trying to find a job, paying the mortgage, filling the tank with gas nearly at $4.50 a gallon. What we hope to do is create momentum for the film when the DVD is released this fall.”

A SANITIZED WAR
Donahue admits the over-abundance of films and documentaries recently around the war with Iraq probably also has played a role in light attendance at the box office.
“Michael Moore we are not. One film executive who watched the film before it was released told us we wouldn’t sell much popcorn,” chuckles Donahue. “She, as have others, suggested the title would hurt us. I guess we should have named it ‘Happy Little Soldier Boy.’ But that is exactly the point of this film. The war with Iraq has been the most sanitized war from a media perspective that Americans have ever witnessed. Once you see this film I believe you will agree with me that before the next president swaggers to the cameras ,challenging the enemy to ‘bring it on,’ before the next Congress votes another war resolution, my hope is that all these heavy-breathing, lap-top bombers take a moment to meet the First Cavalry’s Honorably Discharged United States Army Specialist -- Tomas Young.”
The subject of Body of War is now 28-year-old Tomas Young. As a young man living in Kansas City, Young was called to his “patriotic duty” after he saw President Bush standing on the rubble of the 9/11 ruins with a bullhorn, letting the world know “we are going to get the evildoers that did this.” Young called his recruiter and joined the Army. Before he knew it he was being sent to Iraq. Only in Iraq for five days and never firing his weapon, Young was shot in the chest
and remains paralyzed from the chest down today.

TELLING THE STORY
Ralph Nader had been invited to visit Young at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Nader called Donahue and asked if his longtime friend might be willing to join him. Just moments after meeting Young, the television legend knew that this soldier’s story must be told.
“I was arrogant enough at that moment to think I could make a documentary about Young. But I felt if Americans could hear his story, they might think differently about the war,” said Donahue. “There is no question that this is the most sanitized war of my lifetime. During Vietnam we saw the coffins come home daily. The media and the American people challenged that war.”
As Donahue ponders more, he
becomes angered about what he calls the corporate America news media unwillingness to ask the questions that should have been asked before any soldiers were sent off to war.
“The Bush Administration mastered the PR and patriotic machine. To question the war was considered basically treason. Not one major newspaper in this country came out against this war,” said Donahue. “This has been a comedian’s war. Guys like Colbert, Stewart, Maher and Imus were allowed to come out against the war and get away with it. The networks allowed for that because they are comedians. But everyone else in the media was silenced.”

QUICKLY SILENCED
There is even evidence that Donahue was silenced as well. He returned to television broadcast in 2002, hosting a program on MSNBC that quickly become the cable network’s number one program, surpassing Chris Matthew’s Hardball. After just one year, MSNBC abruptly cancelled Donahue’s program, releasing a statement that they were cancelling the show because the viewership was not there.
“I had the number one show on MSNBC at the time. It didn’t make sense. I also had the only news program that had taken an anti-war position and
I feel that made executives very nervous,” said Donahue. “Sure, I blame the Bush Administration, but they were helped by the media who perpetuated this fear that Saddam was worse than Hitler and that Saddam was coming over here to get us. We are six years into this war that has cost Americans billions and are we any safer than we were six years ago? I think not; if anything, we have made future generations of Americans unsafe.”
For Donahue, who mastered the art of asking questions and taught a generation who followed him the art of interviewing, he is frustrated over the media’s inability to ask the tough questions.
“This one is taboo. But why are we not asking, why us? Why did 9/11 happen to us? You can’t ask that question but it is not patriotic. But I disagree. If we are going to stifle free speech in this country, then what are these men and women dying for in Iraq and what are the 30,000 that have been injured for?
“I know there are a lot of Americans under their breath that are wondering, ‘why us?’ but are afraid to ask out loud,” said Donahue. “I believe -- and I know others believe -- that if we are ultimately going to feel safe in this country we are going to need a president that is going to reach out, not lash out.”

NO LESSON LEARNED
So does Donahue think that maybe Americans have learned their lesson this time about going to war in the future?
“I thought we learned that lesson in Vietnam. I am not sure. I am hoping this film will have some impact,” said Donahue. “In addition to the fact that the Administration and the media have sanitized this war for the American people, only five percent of Americans have a loved-one at war. The smallest percentage of any war (we’ve fought), so for a majority of Americans, there is little human connection to this war.”
Donahue points out that Body of War shows the life of just one soldier, but there are thousands of Tomas Youngs out there, and he says the worse is yet to come.
“There are soldiers now going back for a third and fourth tour of duty. This goes against even what the military believes for the number of times a soldier should enter the field of battle. The amount of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) issues we will be dealing with in the future will be astronomical,” said Donahue. “These soldiers have to re-enter the field of battle because those cowards in Washington are unwilling to send their own children to battle.”
Before Donahue catches his breath, he lashes out at the Administration’s handling of prisoners of war.
“Read Bob Hebert’s New York Times column from July 22,” said Donahue. “I feel sorry for any future American prisoner of war. Just imagine the torture they are going to face. What is going to stop their torturers, a treaty or code for prisoners of war? They are going to laugh and say America didn’t follow it – why should we?”

HEADING NORTH
As for coming to Traverse City, Donahue is excited. He got his start as a news director at a radio station in Adrian, Michigan.
“I have heard so many wonderful things about Traverse City, but I have never visited there. As a child I grew up in Ohio and I spent my summers at Houghton Lake and have many fond memories of Northern Michigan,” said Donahue. “So I am bringing my whole family. We are going to have several grandchildren with us. I can’t wait.”
Donahue is also looking forward to his panel discussion with Michael Moore.
“Michael has told me about how lively these panel sessions are and I am looking forward to sharing the stage with him,” said Donahue. “Here is a little known fact. We brought Michael in twice to consult on Body of War. Michael is the best at what he does.”
So does Donahue have plans to make a second documentary or film?
“Yes, but next time with someone else’s money,” chuckles Donahue. “Filmmaking is a full contact sport. It takes a lot of money to market these films. We don’t have the marketing budget of the major film houses for the full page ads. So I am going out on the road, making house calls.”
Phil Donahue’s next “house call” will be the Traverse City Film Festival. He will introduce Body of War at both showings (Thursday and Friday) that are sold out, but often tickets become available just prior to the screening. Donahue will appear on stage with Michael Moore for the Friday panel at the Opera House in what the TCFF is billing as “The Phil Donahue Show Live In Traverse City.” They will be joined by “The King of Musicals” Stanley Donen. For additional details check out traversecityfilmfest.org