The Thing About Small Talk

[Meredith Quill]

The Small Talk topic is for:

• Introductions
• Off-topic chatter
• Having virtual tea with forum buddies

This is NOT a topic for actual show discussion. When you want to talk about the show:

1. Figure out the nature of the topic you want to talk about
2. Look for an existing topic that matches or fits
3. If there is NOT an existing topic that fits, CREATE ONE!

Examples of topics that populate show forums include (but by no means are limited to):

• Character topics
• Spoiler topics
• Comparison topics
• Speculation topics
• In the Media topics
• Favourite X topics
• ...you get the idea

Happy trails beyond Small Talk!

[Darian]

8 hours ago, Melina22 said:

I wish this was true, but I've always been under the impression that the families have zero control over what true crime entertainment is made from their tragedy, and get absolutely no remuneration, whether from books, podcasts, shows or movies. 

Maybe I'm mistaken in this belief. I just know that when watching Dateline or similar shows, I often think how much I'd hate it if someone made this kind of show about someone I know.

I actually do know some people who were murdered or involved in murders, I'm shocked to think of how many. A friend was murdered. My dentist was murdered. I'm suddenly getting chills remembering sitting at a pleasant dinner in my apartment years ago with a seemingly normal man who later killed himself and his family. How would I feel if they were the subjects of a TV show, with all their family's dirty laundry being aired? 

I do think very worst of all would be a comedy made from the murder. But at least the victim here and her children aren't being mocked. So far they've made her seem like a good person with a nice family. Only Pam is being made fun of. 

Sigh. Watching true crime is such a guilty pleasure for me. So many mixed feelings about it. 

 

I have the same feeling and I'm so sorry for the amount of times your life has been touched by murder. I've had two friends' stories featured on true crime shows. A friend and her family appeared on a Dateline about their murdered brother/son. It had happened decades before and before I met her. They felt the show had done a good job and treated them with care and respect. The other was a friend, not close but still a friend from high school, who was murdered after she graduated (I was a year behind her) in 1979 by someone else I barely knew, but not well, and not through school.  They were from totally different worlds and she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both shows were very well done and I was especially appreciated how my high school friend, such a kind person, was depicted. 

I, too, am torn over my watching and reading true crime. I mostly do it because I love getting inside people's heads, but sometimes it's just, "I can't believe that killer got caught because they were so stupid." For me, though, you make good points about how the victim and family are being treated, but I think I'm still out. The tone isn't working for me and and I'd somehow not known about the fat suit controversy, so since I've got so many other series to catch up on, I think I'll drop it. 

[AZChristian]

We just watched a 20/20 episode about the "Gone Girl hoax" of a real-life kidnapping.  The young lady (the one who was actually kidnapped) and her boyfriend were accused of making up the whole thing.

There was a Vallejo police officer who was as dense and hard-headed as the cops and prosecutor in Betsy's murder.  They made up their mind that it was a hoax, and there was no bending.  To this day, the cop (now "retired") hasn't apologized, but - thank goodness - the new incoming chief of police for Vallejo did.

The couple was awarded $2,500,000 for defamation.

[CrystalBlue]

2 hours ago, AZChristian said:

We just watched a 20/20 episode about the "Gone Girl hoax" of a real-life kidnapping.  The young lady (the one who was actually kidnapped) and her boyfriend were accused of making up the whole thing.

There was a Vallejo police officer who was as dense and hard-headed as the cops and prosecutor in Betsy's murder.  They made up their mind that it was a hoax, and there was no bending.  To this day, the cop (now "retired") hasn't apologized, but - thank goodness - the new incoming chief of police for Vallejo did.

The couple was awarded $2,500,000 for defamation.

I remember that case as it was happening since it's in my State of California.  I saw that 20/20 episode too.  It's such a frightening story.  Now the "other" "Gone Girl hoax" woman dubbed Supermom, Sherri Papini, has been finally arrested for staging her own kidnapping and all the false reporting to police and access to victim compensation funds.  This one needs to spend some time in prison!