Shek

New York Post
May 31, 2006

GI's Big Fat Suit Vs. Moore

Seeks $85m for 'lying' 9/11 clip

By Jennifer Fermino

A double-amputee Iraq-war vet is suing Michael Moore for $85 million, claiming the portly peacenik recycled an old interview and used it out of context to make him appear anti-war in "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Sgt. Peter Damon, 33, who strongly supports America's invasion of Iraq, said he never agreed to be in the 2004 movie, which trashes President Bush.

In the 2003 interview, which he did at Walter Reed Army Hospital for NBC News, he discussed only a new painkiller the military was using on wounded vets.

"They took the clip because it was a gut-wrenching scene," Damon said yesterday. "They sandwiched it in. [Moore] was using me as ammunition."

Damon seems to "voice complaint about the war effort" in the movie, according to the lawsuit.

But what the father of two from Middleborough, Mass., was really talking about was the "excruciating" pain he felt after he lost his arms when a Black Hawk helicopter exploded in front of him.

Damon wasn't expressing any opinion about the war, the suit charges, but rather extolling the drug.

"I just want everybody to know what kind of a guy Michael Moore is, and what kind of film this is," said Damon. He has appeared in two films attacking "Fahrenheit" -"Michael Moore Hates America" and "Fahrenhype 9/11."

In "Fahrenheit 9/11," the bandaged National Guardsman is shown laying on a gurney complaining that he feels like he's "being crushed in a vise. But they [the drugs] do a lot to help it and they take a lot of the edge off it."

His image appears seconds after Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) says, "You know, they say they're not leaving any veterans behind, but they're leaving all kinds of veterans behind."

Damon - the dad of a 8-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy - doesn't come close to feeling that way.

"He couldn't have picked the worst guy to say that about," he told The Post.

"I'm the most fortunate disabled guy. I've even had a house built for me [by a nonprofit group, Home for Our Troops]."

Particularly outrageous to Damon is the fact that Moore never interviewed him or asked his permission to use the old clip.

"I was complaining about the pain I would've been having [if it weren't for the painkiller]," he said.

NBC is named in the suit - which was filed in Suffolk County, Mass., on Friday - along with Harvey and Robert Weinstein, Miramax Corp., Lions Gate Films and other production companies involved with the picture.

Newsman Brian Williams ends the NBC clip by adding, "These men, with catastrophic wounds are . . . completely behind the war effort," according to the lawsuit.

That part, which wasn't shown in the Moore movie, is a far more accurate depiction of Damon's feelings, he said.

Lawyer Dennis Lynch said he took the case last year and they held off filing the lawsuit in a bid to settle the matter.

"We attempted to resolve the situation amicably with Mr. Moore [for a year] but he refused," he said.

Damon is asking for up to $75 million because of "loss of reputation, emotional distress, embarrassment, and personal humiliation."

In addition, his wife is suing for another $10 million because of the "mental distress and anguish suffered by her spouse."

Spokeswomen for NBC and Harvey and Robert Weinstein would not comment because they haven't seen the suit. Lions Gate doesn't comment on pending litigation, a rep said.

Michael Moore and Miramax reps didn't return calls for comment.

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"So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

TopHatter

This is the part where some of us are clasping our hands together hopefully, saying: "Oh please oh please oh please"

InfiniteDreams

Reading that news reel made made my day. I remember watching the interview with Peter Damon in Farenhype 911 explaining he didn't know what the hell was going on when Moore was filiming him. This man is a patriot and without question has been portrayed in a false light. I think his case is a legitimate one and I hope he gets a bag full of money from Michael 'Rumpelstiltskin' Moore.

"Oh, what a tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive!"

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The purpose of all war is ultimately peace. - Saint Augustine
For it tis' the doom of men that they forget. - Merlin the Magician
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. - Albert Einstein

leib10

I hope that corpulent lying bastard gets his just desserts. I can't stand that guy. Although $75 million is a lot...

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"The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So wake up, Mr. Freeman. Wake up and smell the ashes." G-Man

Confed999

Not compared to what that hypocritical lying **** made off the movie.

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No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

Anon

I hope the jury sticks an $85 million dollar harpoon in that...

BIG FAT DISGUSTING HYPOCRITICAL SOCIAL ELITIST PIECE OF SHIIT'S DIRTY FLAB RIDDEN BELLY.

If i ever find myself face to face with Moore i go to jail, and he goes to intensive care. I will not actively seek the man out...but if we should ever cross paths- god help him.

Wraith601

I wouldn't piss on Michael Moore if he as fire.

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"We always have been, we are, and I hope that we always shall be, detested in France."
-Sir Arthur Wellesley

leib10

I loved Team America's portrayal of Michael Moore as a "giant socialist weasel".

gunnut

I would...

If it makes it worse...

bonehead

You can pee gasoline? When you are done with the bastard I have a few 5 gallon cans for you to fill.

bonehead

PSsst. He is going to be in Toronto next week. You did not hear this from me.

gunnut

Don't have to pee gasoline to make it worse. I'm sure the amonia content in urine stings a bit on burnt flesh...