# Bob McNamara, Michael Moore, Robert Conrad: Success Through Failure? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 22, 2000, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445 "2000-07-22T05:10:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/41 "2000-09-20T17:19:12Z")
1. Michael Moore is a genius. Sailor, are you suggesting that someone who criticizes their country in an attempt to make it a better, fairer place for all its citizens is somehow “Un-American”? Better read a little bit of history there, Stalin! I think making documentaries exposing the problems IS taking a positive action. It’s better than just ignoring injustice and hoping it will go away. 2. RE: the OP – I have just two words. KEVIN COSTNER. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/42 "2000-09-20T17:39:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > Harry Morgan (the only man to star in two different spinoff series) That may have been true at one time, **RealityChuck** , but that list now includes at least one other name. Avery Brooks starred in _A Man Called Hawk_ and _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_. The former was a _Spenser: For Hire_ spin-off, the latter should be self-evident. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/43 "2001-10-05T15:47:25Z")
IIRC, Robert Conrad was in the successful series **Hawaiian Eye** several years _before_ **The Wild, Wild West**. But HE doesn’t get syndicated, and I haven’t seen it since I was a wee bairn. Think of it as the proto-Magnum P.I. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/44 "2001-10-05T19:36:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SanibelMan \* > \*\*Um, for those of us who have never heard of Michael Moore, but think he sounds really, really cool, where can we find out more information on him? I take it his show’s on Bravo - what time? \*\* He also has a website: [http://www.michaelmoore.com/](http://www.michaelmoore.com/) (There was also a follow-up to _Roger & Me_ called _Pets or Meat_ (which refers to the lady selling rabbits to earn money) that I believe may only have aired on PBS. Not sure if it’s available on video or not. _Roger & Me_ is one of my all time favorite movies.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/45 "2001-10-05T19:50:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Frankd6 \* > **1. Michael Moore is a genius. Sailor, are you suggesting that someone who criticizes their country in an attempt to make it a better, fairer place for all its citizens is somehow “Un-American”? Better read a little bit of history there, Stalin! I think making documentaries exposing the problems IS taking a positive action. It’s better than just ignoring injustice and hoping it will go away.** The American Communist Party criticized their country in an attempt to make it a better place, at least according to their world-view. For that matter, so does the KKK. I consider both groups to be Un-American; do you disagree? And as far as Moore “saving the guy’s life”: As I read the poster’s comment, Moore forced an HMO to pay for a procedure that _they were **not** contractually bound to pay_ (and I am assuming based on the poster’s comment that this fact was clear, i.e., there was no question that this procedure was _not_ covered). Look, an insurance policy is just a contract between the insured and the insurance company. They aren’t obligated to provide any services that aren’t delineated in the contract; those delineated services are all that you (or your employer) has paid for with each premium payment. Any non-covered services they elect to provide are essentially charity. If the procedure isn’t covered, then the HMO isn’t any more liable for paying for the procedure than Moore himself. Which to me raises the obvious question: Moore is not poor. Why didn’t he just pay for this guy’s operation himself? That surely would have taken less time than bullying the HMO into doing the same, and the time savings presumably would have been better for the guy medically. Oh yeah, Moore is only compassionate with other people’s money. And I don’t buy this “Fox censored me” line, either. If Fox has proved anything over its life, it’s that it will put _anything_ on the air if it gets ratings (“_Who Wants To Be A Princess?_” ring a bell?). Hell, _The Simpsons_ has basically made a running joke out of saying Fox sucks – does anyone really believe they’d be hot-n-bothered with a show ripping on Newt Gingrich if the show had a huge market share? ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/46 "2001-10-05T20:53:37Z")
**voguevixen:** > [@](#): > > (There was also a follow-up to Roger & Me called Pets or Meat (which refers to the lady selling rabbits to earn money) that I believe may only have aired on PBS. Not sure if it’s available on video or not. Roger & Me is one of my all time favorite movies.) The follow-up was entitled _The Big One_ for video release. **yojimbo:** Thanks for sharing that e-mail. How f\*cking cool is that? **astorian** , any comments about Moore’s “failure” now? ---
**Author:** ![Pantology](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@Pantology](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantology)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/47 "2001-10-06T00:29:43Z")
IMDB lists these as three separate movies, with _Roger & Me_ released in 1989, _Pets or Meat? Return to Flint_ in 1992, and _The Big One_ in 1997. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/48 "2001-10-06T02:08:32Z")
Dewey Cheatem Undhow, Scroll up and read my first post again. Michael Moore is an entertainer, not a politician. He doesn’t have to offer plans of action. Like Rush Limbaugh, he’s a comedian, not a political analyst. Like any standup comedian who does political humor, he just makes fun of the politicians he disagrees with. So you disagree with his political opinions. O.K., your disagreement is noted. I disagree with Limbaugh’s opinions. That doesn’t mean I think Limbaugh is a bad person. I actually think he’s funny, even if occasionally mean-spirited. Forming your political opinions by watching or listening to either Moore or Limbaugh is absurd. If you want to know how the world works, read a book. Read the daily newspaper and some magazines (and not just the comics). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/49 "2001-10-06T03:43:03Z")
[Moderator Underoos on]This thread is _not_ about Michael Moore. Stick to the topic at hand, or I’m locking it off.[/Moderator Underoos on] ---
**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/50 "2001-10-06T04:27:04Z")
Hey! Nobody’s defending Robert Conrad here! Wild Wild West was cool! (Or so I thought when I was 8. Oh, it is so bad now!). And what about Black Sheep Squadron, now reshowing on A&E, which is a pretty good show and ran for a few years. As for Michael Moore, sometimes he is howlingly funny, and sometimes not. Robert McNamera. Well he still cannot possibly realize how screwed up his role in Vietnam was. He didn’t do badly at the World Bank. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/51 "2001-10-06T05:14:20Z")
Michael Moore has very valid political and social opinions; that doesn’t mean he isn’t talentless, boorish, and unfunny (as I think he is). He is however, perfect for the cable market where fitting a niche is accepted and 500,000 viewers is a success. Plus, he is cheap. His is essentially reality programming (heavily distorted, but reality). Pay for the vans, the cameras, the crew, and the travel. No sets, no expensive talent. To a cable network, that must seem like nirvana. Robert Conrad has only had two moderatly successful shows, _Wild Wild West_ (104 episodes) and _Hawaiian Eye_ (134 episodes). _Baa Baa Blacksheep_ only lasted one full season and less than 40 episodes were made. Out of 10 series, that was his third-most successful, no other lasted more than 13 episodes. As for why he had so many chances . . . I would guess it has a lot to do with the fact that his two successes were consecutive. It gave him a bit of an aura, and by the time the aura wore off, he was a known face. A “hit” is such a difficult thing to produce (quality doesn’t guarantee it), that I think producers are looking for any leg up, and it must seem safer to bet on someone who has at least known success than to go with the complete unknown. How is Michael Moore not (at least) one of the topics at hand? > [@](#): > > How do people with NO ability or talent, and a record of disastrous failures, keep getting hired again and again? Seems to me that trying to determine whether Michael Moore truly is without talent or ability would be a key step to answering the question. I hope my post is sufficiently on topic. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/52 "2001-10-06T11:10:47Z")
Another word for Robert Conrad here. You’ve got to remember that he is one of the few actors around with three successful TV series **Baa, Baa Black Sheep, Hawaiian Eye,** and **Wild, Wild West** ). This is not to mention that he was considered the dominant star in the very successful mini-series **Centenniel**. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/53 "2001-10-07T06:55:07Z")
What gets me about McNamera is when he said we needed to apologize for Vietnam! It’s a little too late, buddy! ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/54 "2001-10-07T08:17:29Z")
Did you see the one where Moore brought in a bunch of ex-smokers (who had to have their larynxes removed due to years of smoking) into the offices of a big tobacco company, and they all put those voice box thingies up to their throats and “sang” Christmas carols? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445/55 "2001-10-07T16:25:56Z")
The _original_ topic of this thread has not been addressed since its revival. If you wish to start a thread about Michael Moore or Michael Conrad, start one in Cafe Society. I’m going to lock this off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-mcnamara-michael-moore-robert-conrad-success-through-failure/26445.md?page=2)