Michael Moore Hospitalized By Pneumonia, Blames Exhausting Schedule Promoting ‘Where To Invade Next’

Michael Moore has revealed that he has been in hospital all week after being struck down with pneumonia while out promoting his latest film, Where To Invade Next.

The documentarian blamed his “exhausting schedule” as the reason why he was admitted to hospital on Sunday night. In fact, the director admitted that things “didn’t look good” when he was originally brought in, and he was admitted to intensive care.

What now, pneumonia? How to release a movie in 7 days from a hospital bed? Maybe with some help… https://t.co/lxvd02kDrb

— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 5, 2016

Over the last few weeks, Michael Moore has been busy conducting interviews to promote Where To Invade Next, while he’s also been extensively throwing his weight behind Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid too, as well as visiting his hometown of Flint, Michigan, in a bid to help out their recent water crisis.

Michael Moore told his Facebook followers that he is expected to be discharged from his hospital on Friday, before explaining that his recovery is down to a “combination of good doctors, decent hospital food and 2nd-term Obamacare.”

Because of these health issues, Michael Moore has been forced to cancel all of his media appearances. It’s not known when he will return to support the documentary too, because Michael Moore has been told that he needs to return home and rest.

Writing on Facebook, Michael Moore explained his predicament.

“I read somewhere you can’t burn it at both ends, and if you do, it’s best not to do so in the winter nor anywhere near a place full of toxic water.”

Now that he is unable to promote Where To Invade Next as adequately as he envisioned, 61-year-old Michael Moore, who has previously directed Bowling For Columbine, Sicko, and Farenheit 9/11, Michael Moore has asked his Facebook followers to help promote his next documentary, which is due out on February 12.

One week from this Friday — You have never seen movie like this before. I have never made a movie like this before. pic.twitter.com/u2E0v9HhW7

— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 3, 2016

“I can’t fly, I have to recover, and in one week this great movie I’ve put so much of my life into is going to open in theaters – with little or no assistance from me,” Moore explained. “So, would it be OK to enlist your help in a sort of quickly cobbled-together ‘army’ of grassroots foot soldiers, wherein you could pitch in where you live (and on social media) to let people know about my movie?”

Where To Invade Next sees Michael Moore traveling to different countries to borrow ideas from their own policies that he will then teases he will take back to America to try and make his home country better. It’s been met with positive reviews, with critics insisting that it’s just as hilarious and provocative as his previous work.

You can read Michael Moore’s full Facebook post that disclosed his illness below.

“I’m writing this to all of you today (Thurs) from the Intensive Care Unit at a hospital in New York City. Unfortunately, I’ve come down with pneumonia. Between running all over the place lately promoting my new movie (WHERE TO INVADE NEXT), plus going to Flint to help the people of my hometown, plus jumping in to support Senator Sanders, plus doing a dozen other things — well, I read somewhere you can’t burn it at both ends, and if u do, it’s best not to do so in the winter nor anywhere near a place full of toxic water!

“The truth is, I’ve actually been in the ICU since Sunday night. Let’s just say things didn’t look good Sunday night. But thanks to a combination of good doctors, decent hospital food and 2nd-term Obamacare, I’m doing much better the last couple of days — so much so that I’m being discharged later today. I’m to return home and rest for the coming days. All appearances for the rest of this week have been canceled.

“Needless to say, in addition to being a bummer health-wise (and I’m trying out a new thing this week by putting that, my health, first), this is a huge loss to my efforts in leading up to the release of my new movie next Friday. I was supposed to be in LA tonight (Thurs) to be on Conan, and tomorrow night I was making my return after two years to the Bill Maher show on HBO (and thank you, Erin Brockovich, for going on in my place to talk about the situation in Flint!).

“Since I mentioned my predicament earlier today on Twitter and Facebook… many of you have sent me very nice well wishes (thank you!) and have asked if there’s anything you could do to help me. Actually, there is.

“I have to be honest, with my absence this week (and probably into next), I’m now worried about my film’s release. I can’t fly, I have to recover, and in one week (February 12th) this great movie I’ve put so much of my life into is going to open in theaters — with little or no assistance from me. So, would it be OK to enlist your help in a sort of quickly cobbled-together “army” of grassroots foot soldiers, wherein you could pitch in where you live (and on socila media) to let people know about my movie? I could post some ideas tomorrow of things you and your friends could do. Things like:
— share the trailer with others
— send around the movie’s poster
— show or place the 30-second ad wherever you can
— forward reviews of the film to friends and family

“I know this seems a bit unorthodox, and I’ve never seen a request like this made before by a director (then again, I could just be on the wrong drugs), but this is the age of social media and we’re all trying lots of new ways to do things, aren’t we? So why not just appoint each of you as the local PR person for WHERE TO INVADE NEXT, seeing how I can’t make it there in person? This will take a HUGE burden off me and give the movie a chance to be seen by millions.

“My other problem is that the distributor hired to release the film is a new start-up company still in formation (the company doesn’t even have a name yet). So their plan all along was essentially to have me do most of the work by running back and forth across the country doing interviews and screenings. Naturally, I loved this plan, but none of us stopped to think what would happen if… I got pneumonia! So, they’re doing their best now (these are the brave people who worked on the release of the Edward Snowden documentary, Citizen Four). If a few thousand of you suddenly became champions and spokespeople for the film, then maybe I/we can pull this off. I would be forever in your debt.

“I do need to get some sleep, so I’ll sign off for now. Check back with me tomorrow (Friday) for further updates and ideas. Thanks for offering to help. Stay warm, drink plenty of fluids, and let’s get back to our nightly walks!
Best,
Michael”

[Image via Dog Eat Dog Films]