Woman claims Moore manipulated '9/11' scene

Controversial filmmaker 'made me look heartless to the world'

A woman interviewed by controversial filmmaker Michael Moore for "Fahrenheit 9/11" claims he edited her segment to downplay her support for President Bush and for American troops fighting the war on terror.

Joanne Duetsch, who appeared in a "9/11" scene filmed in Washington, D.C., said when Moore approached her in March 2004 � shortly after al-Qaida-orchestrated bombings in Madrid � he was accompanied by Lila Lipscomb, whom she initially believed was an actress but later learned was the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq.

Duetsch says she didn't know who Moore was at the time but instead assumed he was part of a local news crew because she observed that much of the interview process was being "staged."

"I thought she was an actress because when she was being filmed, she looked somber," Duetsch continued. "When the camera came off of her, her demeanor changed as she talked to the man with the camera (who turned out to be Michael Moore � I did not know who he was at the time). He was telling her what to do. I thought they were part of the local news and it was being staged. It dawned on me that the media was filming her to create a scene to embarrass the president."

She went on to say that, as the interview progressed, she noticed an anti-war demonstration being set up nearby, describing it as also "being staged with props and lights."

At that point, she said she approached Lipscomb, whom she still believed to be an actress. Duetsch described the following events:


I asked what was going on and that is when I said the scene was staged. She explained that her son was killed in Iraq. I told her how sorry I was for her loss, I gave her a hug, and told her I couldn't even imagine what she was going through. I have a son, so I know how horrible it must be. My heart went out to her and I was teary-eyed. She said the president killed her son, and I said "No, it was al-Qaida and these terrorists that shot down your son."
I said, "Many people have lost sons and daughters," and then a voice interrupted me and said, "Did you lose someone in Iraq?" I turned and saw I was being filmed. I said, "No, I was referring to 9/11!" Coming from New Jersey, I know many people who have lost loved ones on 9/11, including some very close to me. I thought this was the local news, I still did not know this was for Michael Moore's movie.

In the finished version, however, Duetsch says her words were edited as follows:

In the movie, Michael Moore edited out what I said, edited out all the sympathies and emotion I expressed for Lila. When she said, "I lost my son," he edited it to make it appear as if my response was simply "Many people have lost sons and daughters," making me look heartless to the world. He knew I was referring to 9/11; he was right there listening.

Duetsch also says she never signed a release form giving Moore permission to use any of her interview in his film.

"I had anxieties and lost a lot of sleep over his misrepresentation of the facts," Duetsch said.