Cops vs. Robbers

  Crime is America’s new favorite pastime.  We are constantly bombarded by CrimeTV.  From 24-hour news channels to A&E and CourtTV, we are provided with a steady stream of crime coverage, and it has become a billion-dollar industry.  It has become what sports was in the Eighties, and CourtTV is the new ESPN.

  As a generation, we have grown up in this If-It-Bleeds-It-Leads society our whole lives.  School shootings and high-speed chases are covered as news, but are thinly-veiled entertainment in a ratings-driven news market.  And let’s not hasten to blame the media for this.  After all, we’re the ones with the remote.

  It’s not just news.  Network and cable television stations have caught on, too.   The networks have “CSI”, the “Law & Orders,” “24,” “America’s Most Wanted,” and “Cops.”  USA and TNT are all over “Law & Order” in syndication.  Then there’s “The Investigators,” “Forensic Files,” “The First 48,” “American Justice,” “American Confidential,” “Cold Case Files.” The list goes on and on.

  I want to make it clear that I’m not casting stones.  That would be foolish.  I’m as guilty as the next guy.  I am a certified “Law & Order” junky.  If it’s on, I’m watching.  It is, in my opinion, the most compelling show on television.  And if it’s not on, I’m watching A&E, CourtTV, or MSNBC for the real thing. 

  I used to enjoy sports the same way.  But over the last few years, I—like many sports fans—have become disenchanted.  Sports have lost their luster.  And this crime coverage fills that void beautifully.

  You’ve got good guys and bad guys.  You’ve got the thrill of the chase.  You’ve got upsets, when the bad guys beat the cops.  And you’ve got come-from-behind victories, when the cops solve cold cases.  And when you get bored with the good guys always winning, you can switch teams and root for the bad guys.  Now, if you’re like me, you’re going to miss the cheerleaders.  Crime doesn’t usually have cheerleaders, but that’s why you have ESPN2.

  Occasionally the worlds of sports and crime even collide.  To wit: O.J. Simpson, Jayson Williams, Ron Artest and Mike Tyson.  So you don’t have to give up sports completely.

  Actually, you might see a lot of your favorite celebrities working the crime circuit.  People like Michael Jackson, Lil’ Kim, and that guy from Baretta.  If you’re a hip-hop fan, all of your favorite rappers make cameos from time to time.  You can always find the G-Unit guys, Irv Gotti, Suge Knight, C-Murder, Shyne, Ja Rule, Benzino and Eminem. 

  Give it a shot, but take it slow.  Crime-for-entertainment has come a long way since “Matlock” and “Judge Judy.”  Start out with a little “Law & Order,” then start filling in the rest of your day.  And get yourself a TiVo.  You’re probably gonna need it.

-From Pulse
  March 24, 2005