Nancy Grace Gives Us What We Want

Ó Dr. Gary D. Lemmons, September 17, 2006

Nationally known talk show host, Nancy Grace, has come under fire after her high intensity questioning of Melinda Duckett, mother of Trenton Duckett, a two year old boy who has been missing since August 27.  Following the taped interview and just hours before it was to be shown on a CNN allied network, Melinda Duckett committed suicide.

I have listened to portions of the interview and it is clear that Grace was doing no more that she normally does on her show.   When she becomes involved in a case (often centering on missing or abused children) she is unrelenting in attempting to uncover the brutal, cold truth about all aspects of the case.  She is not afraid to ask the hard or questions.  To say that she is intrusive is an understatement.

In her exchange with Melinda Duckett, Grace pressed the mother for an accounting of her whereabouts on the day leading up to the boy’s disappearance.  Duckett could not or would not provide a timeline of her whereabouts.  Grace then inquired as to whether or not Duckett had taken a polygraph for test for the police.  Duckett responded that the local police did not have the equipment or the training to administer effective polygraph exams.

Nancy Grace, a former prosecutor in Atlanta, smelled blood and she went in for the kill.  She charged Melinda Duncan with being less that forthcoming:

“Ms. Duckett, you are not telling us for a reason. What is the reason?"

Various commentators, think tank gurus, and others have expressed their opinions of Nancy Grace’s actions.  Generally, her fellow media professionals have defended her.  Even Geraldo Rivera, who openly dislikes Nancy Grace, defended her efforts as she exhibited them in the Duckett interview.

The fact of the matter is that we, as Americans, have become intrigued with the misfortunes that befall many of our fellow citizens.  Beginning with the case of O. J. Simpson, who was acquitted of murdering his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, a young restaurant employee, American society has become involved in a pantheon of cases that depict people in the most pathetic states of tragedy.  The “talking heads,” like Nancy Grace, Greta Van Susteren, and Larry King, to name but a few, are willing to take us “to the scene” so to speak.  They are willing to dig through the garbage to bring us the titillating details of human misery, and we are ready to consume it with a vengeance.

As a general rule, I do not listen to Nancy Grace.  Occasionally, I will listen to a segment of Greta Van Susteren, as she, from time to time, does some good journalism.  It depends upon the topic.  Larry King, when he is dealing with a political topic or a topic of social significance is worth giving an ear.  But for the entire array of popular journalists, when the topic concerns some “soap opera” theme, I change the channel or push that little “off” button on the remote control.