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The Awful Truth (1999–2000) is asatirical television show that was directed, written, and hosted by filmmakerMichael Moore, and funded by the British broadcasterChannel 4.^[2][3][4][5]

The show emulated television newsmagazine shows (such as60 Minutes, or Moore's own previous show,TV Nation) in that it comprised a series ofdocumentary segments.^[6][7] For the first season the format involved presenting them to a studio audience (the second season moved toTimes Square), often accompanied by acoda and commentary by Moore as to what happened after the segment was first filmed. The show focused on exposing problems inAmerican government, business, and society. It often used outlandish sketches and stunts to point out the inherent absurdity of a situation and hint at potential solutions. At times, the show's sometimes humiliating tactics drew enough attention to cause corporations involved to rethink their policies. For example, after initially denying a man coverage for a pancreas transplant,Humana agreed to pay for it.^[8]

• After legislation to display theTen Commandments in public schools, Moore interviews the bill's co-signers and asks them what the eighth commandment is; most cannot answer the question correctly.Dave Weldon does suggest "thou shalt not steal," which iscorrect for most Protestants, but Michael was using the Roman Catholic/Lutheran list, as he is Catholic. (Moore was looking for "thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor".)
• Moore creates an "African American Wallet Exchange" in Harlem, in response to fourNYPD officers who fired on and killedAmadou Diallo, because they thought his wallet was a gun. Once all the wallets are exchanged, Moore deposited them in front of the NYPD headquarters.
• Staging a mock funeral outside ofHumana's corporate headquarters when a health care policyholder is denied a claim to fund a potentially life-savingpancreastransplant. This segment became the inspiration for Moore's sixth feature film,Sicko, released byThe Weinstein Company on 29 June 2007. Moore's original plan forSicko was to stage ten 'stunts' like the mock funeral in front of health-care agencies, but eventually decided to scrap the idea.^[9]
• A group clad inColonial clothing behaving in a manner reminiscent of the Salem Witch Trials in protest ofKenneth Starr, and his tactics during PresidentBill Clinton's impeachment trial, with the idea that colonials know how to conduct an economicalwitch trial. They also read parts of Starr's report on Clinton while Starr was head of theOffice of the Independent Counsel, and also highlight certain high-profile politicians own 'anti-moralistic' behavior (in particularNewt Gingrich's affair and subsequent divorce).
• Crackers the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken (a character first introduced inTV Nation), played by producer Gideon Evans traveling toDisney World to confrontMickey Mouse about unfair labor practices.
• The Iowa CaucusesMosh Pit, in whichAlan Keyes dived onto a portable mosh pit andcrowd-surfed toRage Against the Machine to win the endorsement ofThe Awful Truth for the2000 presidential election.
• The Sodomobile, a pink van loaded with homosexual men and women, traveling across the country to U.S. states that have on-the-books sodomy laws, to fight forgay rights. At one point they encounter PastorFred Phelps, infamous for picketing during funerals of homosexual men.
• An election special where aFicus tree was run against the otherwise unopposedRepublican incumbentRodney Frelinghuysen for a seat inCongress. In total 23 plants ran as write-in candidates forHouse seats. The Ficus write-in votes were later refused to be counted by the election committee, but the ones that were, showed the Ficus having a 4-1 lead over Frelinghuysen.
• A visit to Philip Morris (nowAltria) headquarters, where a group of lung and throat cancer victims used their electronic voice boxes to sing Christmas tunes.

The first season of the series was filmed inChicago,Illinois, and aired on theBravo cable network in the US and onChannel 4 in the UK. The second season was filmed inNew York City. Both seasons were released on DVD on April 29, 2003.^[10][11]

Season one had 12 episodes and premiered 11 April 1999 ending 27 June 1999.^[12] Season two had 12 episodes, and premiered 17 May 2000 and ended 5 July 2000.^[13]

• TV Nation
• Da Ali G Show
• The Revolution Will Be Televised

• Michael Moore (official site)
• The Awful Truth atIMDb

• 1999 American television series debuts
• 2000 American television series endings
• 1990s American documentary television series
• 2000s American documentary television series
• Works by Michael Moore
• 1990s American satirical television series
• 2000s American satirical television series
• Bravo (American TV network) original programming
• Channel 4 documentary series
• American English-language television shows
• Television shows set in Chicago
• Television shows set in New York City

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