Watching the flagellation of James Frey on Oprah today, I gotta tell you, was one of the most interesting things I've ever seen on television. It was fascinating. I can't believe he didn't explode.
The whole debate around this now has metastasized into a discussion that I think is just unreal.
I'm only about a quarter of the way through Frey's book. It's a great piece of writing. And even as I read it before I got busy, and before the Smoking Gun piece broke, I found myself thinking, "this can't all be true."
It seems to me that there's an almost naive thing working through Oprah's -- and America's -- understanding of this story, and all stories. It puts me in mind of the controversy that surrounded The Hurricane when it came out, and the desperate attempts to discredit Michael Moore's Columbine and Farenheit 9/11 by coming up with minor and ultimately unimportant distortions of time and place, and using that to try and damn the larger truths contained within.
Oprah and others can rage against Frey, I truly believe, because in the end his story really doesn't matter. It's safe to get outraged about it.
But drumming up the true rage one should have about distortions -- like, say, the distortions of a government that has lied consistently to its citizens about science, the law, foreign policy, and the conduct of a war fought in our name -- well...that's scary stuff. That's stuff that could actually tear a country apart.
Better we go after the fibber with the book on Oprah.
We live in interesting times. We surely do.
3 comments:
Amen. I saw the show too and it was definitely surreal. It was like watching a mother scolding her son for lying to her. I mean she was pissed, she even had a hard time making eye contact with the dude.
So weird.
That should help open up new markets for TV show writers such as writing the news and ghost writing biographies. I think the guy on Larry King said something like Fiction doesn't sell anymore.
...millions... they kept saying that word... you can't go too far wrong with millions.
The queen of middle class titillation got tittleconned.
Life is good.
I've been following the controversy since the Smoking Gun story broke, and after watching James Frey squirm in his seat on Oprah yesterday and reading the various subsequent message board postings on Oprah.com, I've decided to agree with those who think Frey is a slimey mother-f*****g bastard. A fraud who betrayed his readers and Oprah's loyal followers (yes, she irritates me sometimes, but I am still a fan). Him selling a book that is supposed to be a true account of his life -- but really isn't -- would be like me telling prospective clients that I have Steven Spielberg's ear, when I don't. It's a flat out lie used to rake in dollars and make yourself seem more special or important than you are. I'm glad the publisher is offering refunds on Frey's book but I'm wondering if a class action lawsuit isn't on the horizon.
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