Did anyone see last night's episode with the family that had the messy house? I cannot believe that that guy had the garage that messy for eight freakin' years! If I were her, I would have divorced the SOB and let him get swallowed up by all his junk.

But then, I think that it was partly her fault as well. If she wanted something done, such as the tile between the door in the kitchen, and he didn't do it, she should have done it herself.

Yeah, the husband was a horrible packrat, and extremely passive-aggressive to boot, but the wife was an unrelenting, shrill nag. They deserve each other.

This "Children for Sale" episode is disturbing. They show this 15-year-old pimp in Cambodia (who refers to oral sex as "yum yum" and intercourse as "boom boom") with his 8-year-old "workers". I mean, even R. Kelly would be disgusted at some of this. Ewww. Not to mention the American assholes who go there, especially the one moron who bragged to the camera.

Did anyone else watch the interview with David Gest? Man this guy is a whiner! I don't necessarily doubt that Liza went berserk and smacked him or punched him, but get her to rehab and shut up about it. As soon as they said he received "injections", I knew it was botox before they ever said it. This guy looks more plastic than a Ken doll, but with a flabby body. Its a good thing he always wears those sunglasses because this is a face only a mother could love. He also sounds VERY controlling and probably thinks he's more powerful than he really is. He kept saying he was the one that brought Liza back and told her she was fat and to get it together. Seems very abusive both ways to me.

Liza's singing voice sounds hideous. Shut up, the both of ya!

Word on the suggestion that David Gest Just. Go. Away.

My very favorite part was when he displayed the "scratches" on his stomach. For pete's sake, man, they're STRETCH MARKS! I laughed out loud at that, for sure.

re: David Gest. I'm just glad that Dateline has gotten that episode out of the way because now I know that that NBC will no longer be showing that Dateline commercial featuring Gest and Liza French-kissing. Eww! Eww! Eww!

I couldn't even watch the whole interview. I still feel justified in ranting about it though. I'm probably scarred for life now. Just when I thought I'd never have to see that wedding kiss again, NBC trots it out during the interview. I don't watch much NBC, so, I didn't have to see any of the comercials. I should have known it was coming. However, I was just too distracted by the train wreck that is David Guest to think rationally. We should be the people to sue David Guest.........not Guest suing Liza.

He seemed very narcissistic and controlling to me too. He definitely thinks he's more powerfull than he really is. I don't call producing Micheal Jackson specials to be the top of the entertainment industry. Micheal Jackson has been a joke for quite a while now. If anything, he was in control of the has been circuit.

I don't think that David Guest is Homosexual though. I think he's Asexual. Gay people act normal. This guy is sexless and strange.

Did anyone else catch the piece last night (2-8-2004) on the guy who had the dungeon where he kept the women and would rape them every day? That was probably one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. I was squirming big time when they showed that video of him dancing and rapping with that one girl he was holding captive. Definitely one fucked up guy.

Huge, huge word. I was just telling some friends about that at work today. I could not believe that guy. He was totally unable to comprehend that what he did was wrong -- and yet he looked so normal and harmless. It bothered the crap out of me.

I couldn't believe that a story like that hadn't received huge national attention. Why hadn't we ever heard about this guy before? I also really wanted to sucker-punch those cops -- fuckers couldn't even be bothered to investigate because the victims were society's throwaways.

I was going to watch the Grammy's but cought this instead and couldn't turn it off. If that dungeon story had been a movie, I would have said that it was unbelievable and unrealistic. The fact that it was real is so scary.

queasy, I think that's exactly the reason why this didn't recieve national attention............these victims were people that the the media didn't think the country would care about because they were considered "throwaways". You can bet that if this had happened to upper middle class ladies then every news media outlet would have covered it into the ground.

I felt nothing but rage towards the "dungeon master" as he was referred to. I don't understand how a person can become so disconected from reality. Sometimes I can work up sympathy even for people who do terrible thing. This wasn't one of those times. I think he's evil.......and I don't use the word lightly.

I also felt a little anger toward the police. It sounded like they were blaming the victim who actually did come foward because she "didn't give them enough to go on." That's just the way I took it. I think she did a pretty good job. She came foward. She told the truth. She was only a year off on the year of the car. She had an excelent description of the man who held her captive. She called back to check up on the case. What more could she have done? It didn't seem like the police cared to begin with. She wasn't a priority. Then to add salt on the wound, an asshole cop comes on TV and makes it sound like it was all her fault the guy wasn't cought sooner because she didn't have enough information.

Ahhhh this guy really terrified me! I honestly don't know if he really thought he didn't do anything wrong or if he was putting one over on everyone. I would say he didn't think he did anything wrong, but in court he cried to the judge that he's truly sorry and then in the interview totally denied it! What a sick fuck. Sexual frustration can suck I suppose, but come on couldn't he find some OTHER solution rather than kidnapping, locking girls up for months/years and raping little girls? Ick ick ick!

That was my biggest (but not only) criticism about how the police handled that. I think she told them the year model was '74, but it was really a '75. The police, at minimum, should have known that cars purchased in one year can actually be next year's model and searched that year as well.

edited because I'm an idiot who can't tell the difference between dateline and primetime

Does anyone have more detailed information on the OJ Simpson interview? I heard a promo this morning during "Today," but have searched the Internet and come up with nothing re: date/time/details.

The date and time are tonight. As far as content, I have no idea, but TV Guide had this blurb.

I watched a bit of the OJ interview and the man just makes me physically uncomfortable to watch. If other people were not in the room I would have feared for Katie Couric's safety. He just exudes bad vibes.

I didn't catch the O.J. interview. Did he and Katie review the progress he's made on tracking the "real killers?"

Yeah, he said a lot of people were trying to help up until about three years ago, but once they had to go to court a few times to gain access to some phone records, they decided it was just too hard.

OJ Simpson is the scum of the Earth. It takes a special kind of asshole to speak about Nicole, her family and the Goldmans the way he did on this show being the one that killed them. Every comment made me want to smack him, Katie would ask a question and OJ would get pissed off. You can tell what kind of temper the man has and he tries to pass himself off as this innocent poor famous person. What pisses me off is like the world turns the other way while this guy lives it up, doesn't work, doesn't pay what the court ordered him to pay, dates hot women (still!) and just does what ever the fuck he wants. I realize there's a double jeopardy thing (which is complete shit), but he got away with killing 2 people brutally. It's like everyone's in on the secret and nobody talks about it. Fuck. him.

OJ is one scary, self-involved, angry, narcissistic little man. He alternately laughed/smirked and got angry/blustered his way through the entire interview. He gives out seriously creepy and ugly vibes. I would not want to cross his path, ever.

The thing that got to me most was how he said that he has never had even one discussion with his children about the murders, EVER. He backed t his up by saying that the psychologists and psychiatrists know best how to handle it, so since they never talked to him about it, he never addressed the subject with them either. But... they were in the house when their mother and her friend were brutally murdered, their father was accused and tried for the crime and it's been in the media from day 1 until now, 10 years later. And they've never talked about it as a family, not even once? I can't even fathom that! I admit I've had fleeting thoughts over the years wondering if one or both children woke up, saw/heard something and went back to bed to hide. Then blocked it out because they were so young. Or maybe they are scared of him and scared to even consider it so they never wanted to bring it up to him. Considering they spend time with him and with Nicole's family too, the stress level must be unbelievable. I have heard the phrase "ignoring the elephant in the room" but this takes that to a new, bizarre level. Thoughts?

The way he talked about Nicole (trying to publically push blame for their problems on her, after her death, etc.) and the Goldmans was just disgusting. He was pissed off saying straight out he would never pay them a dime unless he was forced, and if that means he can't work then he won't work in order to get out of it. He angrily badmouthed them and yelled about how he can't make it any clearer.

If he was hoping that this would somehow invite public sympathy he's even more delusional than I thought, because the whole thing came off really bad.

If only.

A few years ago there was a magazine article in Glamour, Cosmo or Marie Claire (one of those chick mags) about OJ's new girlfriend. It was written with interviews by her parents and friends. First of all the girl was the spitting image of Nicole. Also, it seemed very obvious that she was being beaten. Friends were terrified. She kept trying to break up with him and he wouldn't let her. Once she showed up with a black eye and told her mother to tell no one that she was there.

OJ is one scary dude. Why interview him? It's not going to serve any purpose but show the world again and again what a deranged lunatic he is.

Maybe that's why they showed it.



While I believe some parents are a cause of this type of woman, I wouldn’t lay it all at their feet. I would bet that the very large majority of these women have a history of childhood abuse whether it’s sexual, physical or emotional. If it was the parent doing the abuse then yeah, it’s their fault, but if not you can only blame the abuser. There are also the type of women who think they will be the one who can ‘fix him.’

It wouldn’t matter anyway, the problem was the sloppy police work, more than the prosecution, at least that has always been my understanding.


Seems to work for my ex-husband and child support.

I posted more about this in the "Hardball with Chris Matthews" thread, but did anyone see his interview with Ron Reagan last night?

I must rant on this show I saw today or I'll explode.

I'm pretty sure I was watching a rerun today titled "Waiting For Ricky". Now, this kid ran away, barely talked to his family or anything and got sullen about anything he was interviewed about. Normal teenage behavior right? NO. My gawd, this kid was such a freakin' brat, and he had the nerve to try to be "punk" with Wierd Al Yankovich a la Coolio inspired rubber band twists. Then, after his extended leave from his family in which he barely talked to them (though they tried to stay in touch constantly), he came home for Christmas. Just. To. Get. Presents. Then he left, just grabbed his bag o' stuff and left. Tool. I know he was reformed by the end, but geez he just made me wanna slap some sense into him the whole show.

The kid was a total brat! I couldn't believe, though, that the parents never got any control over him (apparently) once he came back. They just kind of accepted that he floated in and out at will. The whole family needed to negotiate it over therapy or something. The kid had such flat affect in all the interviews that I assumed he was depressed but nobody ever caught it.

I kinda felt sorry for the kid because it's hard being a teenager, but he really was a brat, but his mom let him get away with so much crap that he was always seeeing how far he could take things. I'm glad he changed his life.

Did any one see the 2nd hour of DL it had a story about The Son of Sam murders. It was really scary and just the thought that other killers might be out there scared the bejesus out of me.

I hardly ever watch this show. In fact, I can't remember the last time I ever watched it. The correspondants, if that's what they are, bug the hell out of me.

Tonight I'm flipping around the channels, and I land on Dateline for a second. The story tonight is about Aron Ralston, the guy that cut his own arm off to free himself when he was trapped by a boulder. Good God, I was absolutely transfixed throughout the entire episode.

I remember reading about this after it happened, but hearing him talk about it...it was just incredible.

He and Tom Brokaw went back to the canyon and went through what happened. I started crying when Aron broke down when talking about carving his own epitaph in the rocks.

Also, and I didn't know this, he had a video camera with him and during the ordeal he taped messages to his family. He asked Dateline not to show the video because it upset his family and friends to see it, but they did play the audio.

I thought this guy's courage was very impressive when I'd read about what he had done, but listening to him talk about it, and what an appreciation he has for the second chance he's been given, I'm even more impressed with him.

Anyone else see this?

I watched all two hours and it really was mesmerizing wasn't it? I had heard about it before too and was like wow, that must be hard. Then they wen't through it thoroughly with each detail and I gained a whole new respect for the guy for exactly what all he had to do to survive. I didn't know he had taped it either, what a terrible thing to watch again.

I was really impressed at his knowledge of the human body, to know exactly which bones to break in order to be able to cut through the rest of the arm. When they were describing cutting through tendons and everything, oh lord that was terrible. I felt so bad for the guy. He does really seem to have a new appreciation for everything he has learned form his experience.

I was amazed that he lost 40 freaking pounds in 6 days time! Then having to hike in the hot sun with no food or water, bleeding profusely. My god. I thought it was cool what he did with his arm afterwards, kind of a closure on it. Go Aron!

I'm so glad others felt a need to post after watching that, too - I was really drawn into Aron's story (heck, I might even buy the book). It was amazing to see those stains on the canyon wall and watch his reaction as he returned. Hard to believe he is only 28!

A very moving and inspirational story. I'm glad I watched.

That really stuck with me, too. I think his knowledge of the human body was both a blessing and a curse, really. He pretty much knew how much time he had left - every day that went by he got closer and closer to death.

I'm so stupid. He was so matter of fact when he was talking about how he broke his arm and started cutting it off, that I figured his arm was numb and that it wasn't painful. Then when he talked about cutting the nerve I realized this had to have hurt like hellfire all the way through the procedure.

Also, about all I remembered reading about this was that he cut his own arm off. I didn't remember anything about hiking the rest of the way out of the canyon, rapelling down a cliff face, more hiking to try and get to his car...sheesh.



It really was inspirational.

One of the reasons I don't really like shows like Dateline, is because it seems like when they have people on who have had something really horrific happen to them, I get a very famewhorey vibe off them. I got no such vibe from this guy. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he in fact seemed to be grateful that it happened. It turned in to such a spiritual experience for him.

I need to stop going on and on about this. I just can't get it out of my mind, though.

Btw, props to Tom Brokaw. He wasn't overly dramatic, or empathetic (if that's a word). Well done.

Finally, if I can dive into the shallow pool for just a moment. This guy is so well spoken, seems so nice, and is so cute...I think I've got a little crush.

What an episode. I came in about 15 mins late but was also transfixed. I remember the story but all the little details..amazing. I also thought his arm would be numb. Kudos to Tom Brokaw for such an inspirational episode.

This episode was simply awesome.

Putting aside the whole amputation thing (if that's possible), what freaked me out was how many times I've done dumb things (albeit on a much, much smaller scale) and been like, "Shit, why did I do that?" or "Why didn't I have the tires checked before I left on this trip?" and wishing somehow to undo my dumb mistake. I kept putting myself in his place - making the ultimate dumb mistake - and wondering how long it would have taken me to completely freak out.

And yeah, he was an extremely articulate, mellow, intelligent young man.

Those crevices were stunningly beautiful, by the way. But I think I'll admire them from afar.

I totally agree with the Aron crush! He's definitely cute and he really is articulate and intelligent to boot. I saw him briefly on the Today Show on my way out to school this morning and Katie Couric was being assy and asking assy questions. Aron was polite and respectful, just like with Brokaw. He's awesome.

I really wish Dateline would do more stories like Aron's, it really got me and I catch myself thinking about it days later. That never happens. Instead last night we got Michael Jackson for the trillionth time, and a segment about the war. Not that I have a problem with that necessarily but it was boring!!

Did anyone catch Amy Fisher tonight? I was surprised as to how much she's changed. She seemed very mature, very sorry for what she did and looks to have finally grown up. It's one of those never ending blame games, she was old enough to be able to control herself and not shoot Mary Jo Buttafuco in the head, she was a spoiled little bitch, but then again, her parents were totally amiss in their parenting. I think her dad had sexually abused her and her mom was non-supportive and cold. They taught her money can buy happiness and just spoiled her with material things. Who knows.

She now has a husband (much older!) and a 3 year old son and pregnant with a daughter. I wish her luck, there's nothing you can do to turn back time, sucks to be in her position I'm sure!

Not sure why, can't explain it, but my heart so goes out to Tatum O'Neal. I have really enjoyed watching her interviews this week (tonight on DL and early on O).
She comes across as someone who is finally starting to peek out of the hell-hole of a life she's had. As one fascinated by psychology, I find her stories and behaviors during the interviews so interesting.

I'm not one to read these "star bios", but this one may be the exception as it sounds like an interesting case study. She sounds very angry, as she should be. But at least she IS feeling her feelings and not burying them in booze and drugs. We're about the same age and "Paper Moon" is one of my all time faves so I've always felt some connection. My heart and prayers go out to her that she may finally find some peace.

I've always thought of Amber Frey as a vaguely sympathetic character, but her interview tonight really brings this out.

Scott Peterson really has a lot to pay for, even beyond the whole... you know... murder thing.

It's interesting finding a lot of admiration for someone so famous for being "the other woman".

Not that it is relevant but maybe NBC should have mentioned that it was not Amber's 1st affair. She dated a married man whose wife was pregnant and went to visit the baby in the hospital. No wonder she got upset with Matt and corrected him and said she was not having the affair just Scott was.

Actually, they did point out that she had had an affair in the past - they mentioned it at the beginning of the episode, when they were setting the stage for lonely, unlucky in love Amber.

I also found Amber to be a sympathetic subject. Wrong place, wrong time, terrifying situation, but she stepped up to the plate and tried to help the victims however she could. I was surprised that Dateline glossed over her role in court and reaction to the verdict and sentence. I thought they might spend more time on that.

I've always felt bad for Amber, can you imagine being in her position knowing you actually had sex with a double murderer? Unreal. It was interesting when they showed her new boyfriend or whatever he was, can you say major baggage? It just goes to show Scott has ruined so many lives in all of this even beyond Laci's and his own. Scum of the Earth for sure.

Scott even sounds creepy. Just listening to some of those calls you can tell that he is psychotic. If anyone has any doubt of his guilt, all they have to do is hear him talk to remove that doubt.

I have always thought that Amber has handled this extremely well. But seeing the interview last night, I was even more impressed with her. She remained focus on helping the police and Laci's family even though she had to be very emotional about sleeping with a murderer.

This is not a show I usually watch, but I made a point to turn in to hear Amber Frey’s story. I wanted to like her and feel sorry for her and believe her… and I just couldn’t. There is something off with her and I just can’t put my finger on what it is. I know it bothered me with how Amber kept emphasizing that she was glad she was there to tell all on Scott. Don’t get me wrong. It was a brave thing she did, coming forward and telling about their relationship, especially after finding out he was married and she was the other woman. And she definitely made the prosecution’s case against Peterson. I just don’t think Amber’s motives for coming forward and staying forward were completely altruistic as she tried to make us believe they were.

I have sympathy for the fact that Amber came forward and helped put that creep away. However, I find it really disturbing that she is now trying to profit from the tragedy by writing a book. I found the cover of the book really disturbing with Laci's picture on it. Just my opinion.

Granted, I haven't read the book, but I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt on the "you're dead, I'm famous" front. In a couple months, if she's still a professional victim, I'll reevaluate. But as a former single mother, I think she's kind of right to try and take advantage of opportunites that come her way.

But- the girl needs some therapy.

Amber now has a 6 month old baby and is living with a 44 year old chiropractor who is the father of the baby. She has some serious man issues.

Amber makes me wanna get all Dr. Laura on her ass and say stuff about sleeping with men on first dates, not using birth control, and having bastard children. But I won't.

Thanks, I only caught the last half.
eclectcmoi, I agree with all that you said. Amber reminds me of a woman scorned . Also when she kept saying that if it was not for her then they would have not found Laci and Conner. Funny I thought Scott gave that piece of info in his sick twisted way. It just seemed that she did not want to be ignored.
I thought it was telling that at the so called end of the conversation when Scott said he hoped that they would talk again in the future, she did not tell him to go piss up a stump. She just said yes.

Yes Amber was brave coming out but then I would too before the Globe got a hold of the story. I think Amber wants us to feel sorry for her but I can't. There are things that Amber has done that make me wonder about her motives. Money etc.

THAT'S what it is that bugged me. Amber is capitalizing on her being the victim of this tragedy. Silly me, but I thought the true victims are Laci and Conner and their family.

Tell me how a woman who'd already been involved with a married man, didn't see the red flags with Scott? And she's head over heels with him within 2 weeks? And letting him into her home and having him around her daughter? That's just stupid. Amber really didn't have any other choice, but to come forward. She was going to be discovered and would not have been so favorably looked upon had she not tried to get the goods on Scott. I guess she wasn't so stupid though that she couldn't turn something that could have potentially been deadly for her and her daughter into a profit making venture. Not bad results from a month long relationship.

I do really hope she uses some of the money from her book for some therapy for herself and her children.

Laci and Connor are tragic victims, but that doesn't mean that Amber wasn't also a victim of Scott Peterson. Clearly, she's not the brightest bulb in the lamp, but I think when someone lies to you that much, they are victimizing you. It has to be scary to think you were involved with someone with the capability of killing- what if had gone the other way and Scott decided Amber was a threat to his life with Laci?

Matt Lauer sucks as an interviewer. He seemed innapropriately jovial at parts of the interview.

I did think about this and it makes it even more scary that she went to the Children's hospital to see what "gifts" he had left her. Girl must have needed more vowels.