Far from sullen and cloistered, lefty filmmaker Michael Moore was friendly and outgoing at the luxury weight loss spa he checked into in November, “laughing and talking” with other guests, a second patron of the spa tells The Daily Caller.
TheDC first reported that Moore checked into the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa in mid-November. The $4,500 a week resort features “650 acres of lush tropical gardens, fountains, water features and other amenities,” its website boasts.
A first source described Moore as sullen and in poor health. “He didn’t look like he wanted to talk. And neither did I. But he sure was fat, even fatter than he looks on TV,” the source said.
But Ilene Hadler, a second patron of the spa, insists Moore is in good spirits. Hadler also says the weight loss spa is no vacation – “I felt tortured,” she said in an interview.
“I am a documentary film student at Duke Center for Documentary Film Studies,” Hadler said, “and I was shy to approach him.
“In fact, when I saw him in the dining room my second day at Pritkin, I thought I was hallucinating from the total lack of salt and sugar in food — serious withdrawal!
“You can imagine as a documentary film student, seeing Michael Moore eating next to you. For me that’s like seeing God,” said Hadler.
Hadler, who said Moore’s films are a key part of the curriculum at Duke, overcame her nerves by having a friend talk to Moore, who said Hadler “wouldn’t be disturbing him in the least” to come talk to him at dinner.
But speaking of dinner, “the food was horrible,” Hadler said.
“They think brown rice is an entree and tofu is a condiment. I truly believe that [the spa’s founder] Nathan Pritikin’s tombstone must read ‘if it tastes good, spit it out,’” Hadler said.
Hadler said that some guests overcome the bland food by growing accustomed to it. “There are people who go there who apparently love the food. You can kind of detox your taste buds,” Hadler said.
Hadler couldn’t get there — she was only there a week — but Moore might be able to, as Hadler said he was slated to stay through December.
