Nancy Grace. Kind of an ironic name for the not-so-angelic would-be avenger on CNN Headline News. She sees herself as some sort of justice-crusader, but she is more of a bottom-feeder, as Neal Gabler called her on FNC a couple of weeks ago.
Meanwhile, this morning we get a look behind the TV glamour and the Nielsen-ratings money facade shows a bleaker, sadder reality. The glitz doesn't conceal a grave reality.
The glimpse behind the glitz comes from this morning's edition of
The Orlando Sentinel, which has gained access to a suicide note of sorts, from the late Melinda Duckett, in which the young woman wrote, in words that seem mostly aimed at the media, "You created rumors and twisted words...I only wish you do not push anyone else."
Duckett, of course, committed suicide on September 8, the day after being "interviewed" by CNN Headline News' Nancy Grace--an interview that was more akin to an inquisition--certainly that was Duckett's view, as The Sentinel story makes plain. Amazingly, shamelessly, gracelessly, CNN HN ran the interview with Duckett anyway. That is, CNN HN figured it was good television, to feast upon death.
And so, by comparison, what small value is Duckett's life to CNN, or to Nancy Grace, or to Time-Warner? So Duckett snapped, in their view--too bad for her. Maybe she'll find some peace in her own death.
But of course, Melinda will have a second life, of sorts, whether she wants it or not, in the permanent empyrean of media speculation. And no doubt the Shameless Grace will continue to push her ghost around.
We need a vigorous press to keep officialdom on its toes, but it's pretty clear that Grace was just trying to exploit this obviously troubled woman for her own purposes.
But perhaps there is justice, of a kind--if not on TV, then eventually. One takes comfort in the thought that the smoke from Duckett's suicide gun, however metaphorical, will eventually find its way to Grace and surround her, psychically, if not physically. You know what kind of smoke I am thinking of--the smoke that comes from down below. And then we won't have to watch the graceless Grace--we won't be able to see her, in fact.
