# 2016: Obama's America - What payola mechanism got this in theaters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 7, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038 "2012-09-07T21:23:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/1 "2012-09-07T21:23:07Z")
I live in a solidly Democratic locale, but I’m seeing this bit of hackneyed tripe occupying slots in my local theaters as if it were a major motion picture. Who greased the skids here? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016:\_Obama’s\_America](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016:_Obama's_America) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/2 "2012-09-07T22:13:08Z")
It’s being flogged hard and heavy on every right-wing talk show there is, from Beck to Hannity to Ingram. Something about, “Obama’s vision for a diminished America.” ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/3 "2012-09-07T22:13:10Z")
Perhaps the same ones that got Michael Moore’s _Fahrenheit 9/11_ shown in 2004? After all, turnabout is fair play. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/4 "2012-09-07T22:29:39Z")
Moore had prior popular films, and was already established as a filmaker, duh. But I’m not asking whether or not it’s a fair turnabout for this film to exist or argue about the merits of its content, but whether or not it warrants its placement in theaters without some sort of influence beyond marketability based on its own merits. I’m not seeing it, quite frankly. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/5 "2012-09-07T22:39:29Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > It’s being flogged hard and heavy on every right-wing talk show there is, from Beck to Hannity to Ingram. Something about, “Obama’s vision for a diminished America.” Is this the theory that he spent four years as president hiding his true agenda so that he could be reelected as president and get four years to do what he really wanted? ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/6 "2012-09-07T22:50:23Z")
I’m thinking that the theater owners are the ones who pick what movies are shown (after all, they’re the ones trying to make a profit). The movie is probably cheap to lease and if this time of year is dead anyway (with back-to-school and all), maybe they’re using it to avoid closing a screening room or paying more for a real movie. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/7 "2012-09-07T23:00:02Z")
I’m not sure that would be the case here, where there is practically no market for it. I’m sure it’s fine in Texas or somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/8 "2012-09-07T23:42:13Z")
If it draws paying customers that’s all it takes. Apparently the initial release was in tightly controlled markets and theater owners were selling out and turning away customers. That starts a certain word-of-mouth buzz. Decent marketing approach for a film with little marketing budget. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/9 "2012-09-08T00:06:06Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > It’s being flogged hard and heavy on every right-wing talk show there is, from Beck to Hannity to Ingram. Something about, “Obama’s vision for a diminished America.” > [@An\_Arky](#): > > Moore had prior popular films, and was already established as a filmaker, duh. But I’m not asking whether or not it’s a fair turnabout for this film to exist or argue about the merits of its content, but whether or not it warrants its placement in theaters without some sort of influence beyond marketability based on its own merits. I’m not seeing it, quite frankly. See above. Never mind the merits; the theaters know **some** people **will** pay to see it just because. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/10 "2012-09-08T00:41:19Z")
According to [BoxOffice Mojo](http://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=politicaldoc.htm) it’s fourth in the rankings for all Political Documentaries, with a cume so far of $22,806,295, just a couple of mill behind numbers 2 and 3 (Sicko and An Inconvenient Truth) though still a long way behind the top grosser, Fahrenheit 9/11. It’s still playing theatres though so it could easily make it to No 2. (It’s ninth in the category of all documentaries.) All this, of course, means that it is indeed a movie that many people out there are seeing, however much this might astonish the Obama groupies. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/11 "2012-09-08T01:02:49Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > It’s being flogged hard and heavy on every right-wing talk show there is, from Beck to Hannity to Ingram. Something about, “Obama’s vision for a diminished America.” > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Is this the theory that he spent four years as president hiding his true agenda so that he could be reelected as president and get four years to do what he really wanted? Bull’s ear, Catnip. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/12 "2012-09-08T01:43:50Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > … > All this, of course, means that it is indeed a movie that many people out there are seeing, however much this might astonish the Obama groupies. I had the same thought, but I didn’t express it quite as neatly, so I went to the [pit.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=664795) ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/13 "2012-09-08T02:06:13Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Moore had prior popular films, and was already established as a filmaker, duh. But I’m not asking whether or not it’s a fair turnabout for this film to exist or argue about the merits of its content, but whether or not it warrants its placement in theaters without some sort of influence beyond marketability based on its own merits. I’m not seeing it, quite frankly. Well the producer of this movie _did_ produce _Schindler’s List_; among others. So it’s not all nobodies. What gets me is the line “You may love him, you may hate him but you don’t _know_ him.” :rolleyes: Uh huh, and the guy who’s brainchild is this movie (the author of the book on which the movie is based) _has never even met or spoken with Obama_. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/14 "2012-09-08T02:19:06Z")
[The American Conservative’s takedown of the article that gave rise to the film.](http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/obama-anticolonial-hegemonist/) > [@](#): > > In case you hadn’t figured it out already, D’Souza makes his point explicit: > > ``` > *It may seem incredible to suggest that the anticolonial ideology of Barack Obama Sr. is espoused by his son, the President of the United States. That is what I am saying. > > ``` > > - > > This is not incredible. It is inexcusably moronic. It is ideological Birtherism. What I mean by that is that D’Souza’s argument is another example of the embarrassing insistence coming from the right that America did not really produce Obama or the political views he holds and that the only way to understand him is to look elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Mekhazzio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@Mekhazzio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mekhazzio)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/15 "2012-09-08T03:39:24Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Perhaps the same ones that got Michael Moore’s _Fahrenheit 9/11_ shown in 2004? After all, turnabout is fair play. Turnabout is perfectly fair play. This “Obama’s America” is also building an argument from historical facts with cited evidence, then? I’d like to see that! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/16 "2012-09-08T04:11:22Z")
Of course, there cannot be any ideology more quintessentially American than an “anticolonial ideology.” Ask George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. And Lord North and Lord Cornwallis would tell you the same. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/17 "2012-09-08T06:40:30Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Moore had prior popular films, and was already established as a filmaker, duh. Did you bother to find out who produced this film and whether he “was already established as a film maker, duh?” ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/18 "2012-09-08T07:23:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Did you bother to find out who produced this film and whether he “was already established as a film maker, duh?” Not to sidetrack this any futher, but the “producer” of a film is the money guy. He generally has zero to do with content or the artistic process (if any)- just funding. “From the producer of \!” is basically Hollywood’s way of saying “This film has no big names able or willing to recommend it.” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/19 "2012-09-08T12:40:12Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > According to [BoxOffice Mojo](http://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=politicaldoc.htm) it’s fourth in the rankings for all Political Documentaries, with a cume so far of $22,806,295, just a couple of mill behind numbers 2 and 3 (Sicko and An Inconvenient Truth) though still a long way behind the top grosser, Fahrenheit 9/11. It’s still playing theatres though so it could easily make it to No 2. (It’s ninth in the category of all documentaries.) > > All this, of course, means that it is indeed a movie that many people out there are seeing, however much this might astonish the Obama groupies. > [@Peanut\_Gallery](#): > > I had the same thought, but I didn’t express it quite as neatly, so I went to the [pit.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=664795) I’m not the least bit surprised that there are people out there who’ll gobble it up; and that’s not my point. My point is that there’s no more demand for it here in Arlington, VA than there would be for a homoerotic art flick in small town Utah, and that I suspect there are other factors in play, perhaps. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Did you bother to find out who produced this film and whether he “was already established as a film maker, duh?” Did you bother to look at the credits for Fahrenheit 9/11? Moore wrote, directed and starred in it, duh back at you. As TimeWinder stated, Molen is a producer (semi-retired); a money guy, with a hard-on for Obama, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038/20 "2012-09-08T14:05:52Z")
So, Obama is “anti-colonial”? And that explains why he hates both America and white people? OK, got it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-obamas-america-what-payola-mechanism-got-this-in-theaters/634038.md?page=2)