Body of War, directed by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue, is a 2007 documentary following Tomas Young, an Iraq War veteran paralyzed from a bullet to the spine, on a physical and emotional journey as he adapts to his new body and begins to question the decision to go to war in Iraq.

As Tomas's journey unfolds, the film cuts back and forth to Congressional proceedings in Washington, D.C. Footage includes passionate speeches by Senator Robert Byrd as well as a running tally of how each U.S. Senate member voted on the resolution to authorize President George W. Bush to war in Iraq.

The National Board of Review named Body of War Best Documentary of 2007. Previous winners include An Inconvenient Truth, March of the Penguins, Born Into Brothels, The Fog of War and Bowling for Columbine.

Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro appeared on Bill Moyers Journal for a one hour special about Body of War.

Honors and awards[link]

• Shortlisted for an Oscar nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.^[1]

• Best Documentary (National Board of Review of Motion Pictures)^[2]

• People's Choice Award (runner-up) at the Toronto International Film Festival.^[3]

• Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Hamptons International Film Festival.^[4]

Critical reception[link]

• "Superb documentary ... almost unbearably moving." —Time magazine^[5]

• "Identification with a single protagonist gives "Body" something to set it apart from other antiwar documentaries."
  —Hollywood Reporter^[6]

• "A powerful indictment of the tactical politics that led to the invasion and a heartbreaking account of one man's living with the aftermath."—Los Angeles Times^[7]

• "Architecturally sound, emotionally ravaging...a ferocious film."—Washington Post^[8]

• "A compassionate and impassioned portrait...not merely an antiwar document, but a complex profile in courage of a paraplegic and patriot." —Philadelphia Inquirer^[9]

• "Among the more heartbreaking images this war has produced."—Boston Globe^[10]

• "A powerful film."—TV Guide^[11]

• "One of the most affecting and certainly the most intimate of the cinematic arguments against the war in Iraq yet made."—Austin Chronicle^[12]

• "Body of War secures its strength by offering one, very personal, tale."—Moving Pictures Magazine^[13]

• "Unforgettably intimate, Un-missable. Young is a fascinating, charismatic character, the camera loves him - as will audiences." —Toronto Star^[14]

• "Beautiful, heartbreaking and powerful...has to be seen." —KansasCity.com^[15]

• "A powerful and effective documentary."—Cinema Junkie. KPBS.org^[16]

• "Seeing Body of War is about as close as you can get to beginning to feel what the wounded vets and their families feel."—Veterans Today'^[17]

Media coverage[link]

• Moyers, Bill. Bill Moyers Journal . BODY OF WAR | PBS pbs.org/moyers 2008-03-21. Retrieved on 2008-3-29.
• Zeitchik, Steven. Donahue's 'Body' Builds Buzz: Talkshow Icon's Documentary Sparks Interest. Variety. 2007-7-8. Retrieved on 2007-7-12.
• Goodman, Amy. 'Democracy Now' interview with Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro Democracy Now. 2008-3-25.^[18]
• Gillette, Felix. Phil Donahue Strikes Back. The New York Observer. 2007-6-19. Retrieved on 2007-6-25.
• Donahue, Phil. Body of War. The Huffington Post. 2007-6-17. Retrieved on 2007-6-25.
• Kluger, Bruce. Films No Longer Wait for History. USA Today. 2007-10-31.^[19]
• Friedman, Roger. Phil Donahue Makes Anti-War Film. FoxNews.com. 2006-11-27. Retrieved on 2007-6-25.
• Celizic, Mike. Phil Donahue Unveils Documentary on Wounded GI Today. MSNBC.com. 2008-4-1.^[20]
• Next on Phil Donahue: Body of War New York Daily News. 2008-4-5.^[21]
• Silverman, Jason. Donahue Tackles Iraq in Body of War. Wired.^[22]
• Niles Folsom, Chandra. So What Do You Do, Phil Donahue? MediaBistro.com. 2007-6-6. Retrieved on 2007-6-25.
• Powers, Ann. A War Vet's Unlikely Seat in the Spotlight Los Angeles Times. 2008-4-20.^[23]
• Newman, Laura. Interview: Ellen Spiro (co-director for Body of War) Ioncinema.com. 2008-4-18.^[24]
• Priesmeyer, Molly. Tomas Young of Body of War Continues his Fight. Minnesota Monitor. 2008-5-16.^[25]
• Frehsee, Nicole. Body of War Hero Talks Eddie Vedder, SXSW Premiere Rolling Stone. 2008-3-6.^[26]

Soundtrack[link]

Body of War: Songs that Inspired an Iraq War Veteran, a double-CD compilation of songs curated by Iraq war veteran Tomas Young, was released by Sire Records on March 18, 2008 — two days before the fifth anniversary of the United States’ invasion of Iraq.

Young personally selected each of the tracks that appear on Body of War: Songs that Inspired an Iraq War Veteran, including Eddie Vedder's previously unreleased, live version of "No More," which was written specifically for the Body of War documentary and performed with Ben Harper at Lollapalooza 2007 in Chicago's Grant Park. The double-CD set also features incisive songs from John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Bright Eyes, Neil Young, Lupe Fiasco and Serj Tankian.

This music, Young says, serves as his personal ‘soundtrack for Iraq.’ “The compilation record was an idea that grew out of my love of music and my reliance on it before, during, and after the war,” he says. “The songs I selected for the record were tracks that inspired, motivated, and at times, literally saved me over the past few years.”

“Tomas has taught me a great deal, and our friendship has become one of depth and sincerity,” Vedder adds. “It has been a mind-expanding experience. I see how he relies on the strength of the songs to help him through each day. It is a true living example of the power of music.”

The Body of War music site (www.bodyofwarmusic.com) enables visitors to order the Body Of War double CD set or buy the iTunes version of the album, view the video for “No More” by Ellen Spiro and special bonus footage with Tomas Young and Eddie Vedder, as well as link to sites and a forum where users can take action based on their feelings about the Iraq war.

All proceeds from Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran, which features original cover art designed and donated by acclaimed political artist Shepard Fairey, go to benefit the non-profit organization Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), as chosen by Young. Founded in 2004 by Iraq war veterans, IVAW’s goal is to give voice to the large number of active-duty service people and veterans who are against the war, but are under various pressures to remain silent. In September, Sire Records donated $100,000 to IVAW in the name of Young, who is a spokesperson for the organization.

Track listing[link]

Disc one[link]

1. Brendan James – "Hero's Song"
2. Lupe Fiasco – "American Terrorist" (Fiasco, Prolyfic, Armando Corea) – 4:40
3. Michael Franti & Spearhead – "Light Up Ya Lighter" (Franti, Itiene) – 4:57
4. Rage Against the Machine – "Guerrilla Radio" – 3:26
5. Public Enemy – "Son of a Bush" – 5:52
6. Serj Tankian – "Empty Walls" (Tankian) – 3:49
7. Bad Religion – "Let Them Eat War" (Brian Baker, Jay Bentley, Sage Francis, Brett Gurewitz, Brooks Wackerman) – 2:57
8. Against Me! – "White People for Peace" (Tom Gabel) – 3:33
9. The Bouncing Souls – "Letter from Iraq" (The Bouncing Souls, Garett Reppenhagen) – 2:57
10. Dilated Peoples – "War" (Questlove)
11. Rx Bandits – "Overcome (The Recapitulation)" – 3:46
12. No Use for a Name – "Fields of Agony" – 2:24
13. Talib Kweli & Cornel West – "Bushonomics"
14. Immortal Technique – "The 4th Branch" – 5:20
15. System of a Down – "B.Y.O.B." (Daron Malakian, Casey Chaos, Serj Tankian) – 4:17
16. Eddie Vedder & Ben Harper – "No More" [Live]

Disc two[link]

1. Bruce Springsteen – "Devils & Dust" (Springsteen) – 4:58
2. Pearl Jam – "Masters of War" [Live] (Bob Dylan)
3. Bright Eyes – "When the President Talks to God" (Conor Oberst) – 2:46
4. John Lennon – "Gimme Some Truth" (Lennon) – 3:16
5. Neil Young – "The Restless Consumer"
6. The Nightwatchman – "Battle Hymns"
7. Kimya Dawson – "Anthrax"
8. Blow Up Hollywood – "WMD"
9. David Ford – "State of the Union" (Ford)
10. Tori Amos – "Yo George" (Amos) – 1:25
11. Laura Cantrell – "Love Vigilantes"
12. Ben Harper – "Black Rain" (Ben Harper/Jason Yates)
13. Roger Waters – "To Kill the Child"
14. Tom Waits – "Day After Tomorrow" (Kathleen Brennan, Waits)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site
• Body of War at the Internet Movie Database
• Body of War at Rotten Tomatoes
• Body of War at Metacritic
• Body of War at Box Office Mojo
• Body of War at AllRovi
• Body of War music site
• Official trailer at Youtube
• Eddie Vedder interviewed on Body of War at Youtube
• Donahue and Spiro talk about Young's album Body of War at Youtube

Phil Donahue
Phil Donahue at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007
Born	Phillip John Donahue (1935-12-21) December 21, 1935 (age 76) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Residence	Westport, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	B.B.A., University of Notre Dame
Occupation	Talk show host Film producer
Years active	1957–present
Religion	Roman Catholic[1]
Spouse	Marge Cooney (1958–75, divorced, 5 children) Marlo Thomas (1980–present)

Phillip John "Phil" Donahue (born December 21, 1935) is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S. national TV, preceded by three years of local broadcast in Dayton, Ohio, before ending in 1996.

His shows have often focused on issues that often divide liberals and conservatives in the United States, such as abortion, consumer protection, civil rights and war issues. His most frequent guest was Ralph Nader, for whom Donahue campaigned in 2000.^[1] Donahue also hosted a talk show on MSNBC from 2002–2003.

In 1996, Donahue was ranked #42 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.^[2]

Early life[link]

Donahue was born into a middle-class, churchgoing, Irish Catholic family in Cleveland, Ohio; his father was a furniture sales clerk and his mother a department store shoe clerk.^[3][4] In 1949, he graduated from of Our Lady Of Angels elementary school in the West Park neighborhood. In 1953, Donahue was a member of the first graduating class of St. Edward High School, an all-boys college prep Catholic private high school run by the Congregation of Holy Cross in suburban Lakewood, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame, which is also run by the Congregation of Holy Cross, with a B.B.A in 1957.

Career[link]

Donahue began his career in 1957 as a production assistant at KYW radio and television in Cleveland. He got a chance to become an announcer one day when the regular announcer failed to show up. After a brief stint as a bank check sorter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he became program director for WABJ radio in Adrian, Michigan, soon after graduating. He moved on to become a stringer for the CBS Evening News and later, an anchor of the morning newscast at WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio, where his interviews with Jimmy Hoffa and Billie Sol Estes were picked up nationally. While in Dayton, Donahue also hosted Conversation Piece, a phone-in afternoon talk show from 1963 to 1967 on WHIO radio. There, among others, he interviewed civil rights activists (including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X) and war dissenters.

[edit] The Phil Donahue Show

Donahue with guest Johnny Carson in August, 1970.

On November 6, 1967, Donahue left WHIO, moving his talk program to television with The Phil Donahue Show on WLWD (now WDTN), also in Dayton. Initially, the program was shown only on other stations owned by the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation (which would later take the name of its parent Avco Company), which also owned WLWD. But, in January 1970, The Phil Donahue Show entered nationwide syndication. Donahue's syndicated show was originally taped in Chicago where he worked and lived: then in 1984, he moved the show to New York City to be near his wife Marlo Thomas.

After a 29-year run—26 years in syndication—and nearly 7,000 one-hour daily shows, the final original episode of Donahue aired in May 1996, culminating what remains the longest continuous run of any syndicated talk show in U.S. television history.

While hosting his own program, Donahue also appeared on NBC's The Today Show as a contributor, from 1980 until 1982. From 1991 to 1994 he also co-hosted Pozner/Donahue, a weekly, issues-oriented roundtable program with Soviet journalist Vladimir Pozner, which aired both on CNBC and in syndication.^[5]

MSNBC program[link]

In July 2002, Phil Donahue returned to television to host a show called Donahue on MSNBC. On February 25, 2003, MSNBC canceled the show, citing low viewership. According to the New York Times despite being heavily promoted by MSNBC and having a debuting audience of 660,000 only three weeks into the show, viewership had fallen to 390,000 viewers.^[6] By the end of 2002, Donahue’s audience was down to 379,000.^[7] Although his ratings were less than 1/6 Bill O'Reilly, whose The O'Reilly Factor shared the same time slot, Donahue was the highest rated show on MSNBC at the time it was canceled, managing to beat out Chris Matthews' "Hardball" in the ratings.^[8] Soon after the show's cancellation AllYourTV.com reported it had received a copy of an internal NBC memo that stated Donahue should be fired because he would be a "difficult public face for NBC in a time of war".^[8][9] In 2005 Norman Solomon's book Made Love, Got War: Close Encounters with America's Warfare State came to the same conclusion.

Film producer[link]

In 2007, Donahue served as Executive Producer for the feature documentary film, Body of War, which he also co-directed with independent filmmaker Ellen Spiro. The film tells the story of Tomas Young, a severely disabled Iraq War veteran and his turbulent postwar adjustments. In November 2007 the film was named as one of fifteen documentaries to be in consideration for an Oscar nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.^[10]

Honors[link]

Donahue was awarded nine Emmy Awards during his broadcasting career, and was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame on November 20, 1993.

Personal life[link]

In 1958, he married his first wife, Marge Cooney, who divorced him in 1975. They have five children. He married his second (and present) wife, actress Marlo Thomas (daughter of Danny Thomas), in 1980. They have lived in Westport, Connecticut since 1986.^[11]

Donahue does not see himself as "a very good Roman Catholic," given that he did not want to have his first marriage annulled.^[1] He has elaborated that he "will always be a Catholic" but that he opposes what he sees as the Church's "antisexual theology."^[1] He has also said that he found Madalyn Murray O'Hair's message of atheism "very important."^[12] He has admitted that he is not permitted to receive the Blessed Sacrament, since the Church sees him as living in a state of adultery.

On November 10, 2010, Oprah Winfrey invited Donahue, along with former talk show hosts Sally Jessy Raphael, Geraldo Rivera, Ricki Lake and Montel Williams as guests on her show. This was the first time that she had fellow talkers appear together since their programs left the air.^[13]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Phil Donahue at the Internet Movie Database
• Body of War
• Interview with Phil Donahue on "Body of War" at IFC.com
• Donahue, Phil from Museum of Broadcast Communications
• Interview with Phil Donahue on the state of the media from Democracy Now!
• Video Interview from Archive of American Television
• Phil Donahue Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos
• C-SPAN Q&A interview with Donahue, March 23, 2008