Were cases exaggerated and stretched from what really happened? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JannTosh · 02-29-2012, 12:00 AM

in order to make it more interesting for TV?

hell, in real life, creepy horror music doesn't play when they really occur like in the show lol

Blackout · 02-29-2012, 12:32 AM

yes

in the 2pac case, they try to make it sound like Yafeu Fula (aka rapper Kadafi from the Outlawz) was killed to keep silent about 2pac's murder

instead he was killed by a friend over a $50 Mike Tyson bet

1990 UM fan · 02-29-2012, 12:56 AM

Tina Resch, the "psychic" girl who could make things fly across the room with her mind, was exposed as a fraud and sent to prison years later for the death of her young daughter. Some also claim that Michael Jones, the "ghost boy" who saw his great-grandfather's ghost and a evil entity called the "black shadow man", made the whole thing up. He was in a ghost hunt recently I found and has a tattoo of a Honda or Toyota symbol on his face I think.

WishfulDreamer · 02-29-2012, 05:20 AM

Lol!

~opens door~
*cue UM theme*
It DID pop into my mind when I was walking by my work place one night and the doors were open with no one inside well after closing!

McBevis · 02-29-2012, 08:29 AM

Well, I'm certainly not treading any new territory with this, but if ever there was a case involving exaggeration to the extreme, it would have to be the Sammy Wheeler segment.

pardilia · 03-01-2012, 10:33 AM

What comes to my mind is all those lengthy segments - like the ones about Tupac, Cobain, etc. where it's obvious they're just doing it so they could interest fans of the artists rather than presenting fact.

Along similar lines, another thing that comes to mind for me is the segment where they seemed to go to great lengths to prove the max factor heir rapist innocent. They tried to prove that it couldn't happen the way the victim claimed when it was later proven that she was telling the truth. I think this one felt particularly "hoaxy" to me as I saw it after knowing the truth. Of course, maybe that better fits a thread for "segments that were in bad taste."

justins5256 · 03-01-2012, 11:15 AM

The Paul Ferrell case comes to mind. The segment tried to imply someone other than Ferrell murdered Cathy Ford.

Dazinho · 03-01-2012, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McBevis

Well, I'm certainly not treading any new territory with this, but if ever there was a case involving exaggeration to the extreme, it would have to be the Sammy Wheeler segment.

Just seen the Sammy Wheeler segment for the first time.

If there wasn't a murder involved it would be absolute comedy gold - especially given the update at the end.

dynoguy88 · 03-01-2012, 01:14 PM

I think it went both ways on this show. Some cases were exaggerated, some were not detailed enough.

For instance, Larry Dickens sister Dawna posted on here that the murder of her brother was actually worse than what was shown in the reenactment. Very disturbing to think about.

TheCars1986 · 03-01-2012, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

The Paul Ferrell case comes to mind. The segment tried to imply someone other than Ferrell murdered Cathy Ford.

This gets my vote for worst/most exaggerated UM segment. There was not one single shred of evidence presented in Ferrell's favor. It was quite the lame segment.

RobinW · 03-01-2012, 03:40 PM

I've always voted for Kenneth Engie's death as the most needlessly exaggerated UM segment as they really stretched themselves thin trying to make a mystery out of a guy who simply died of carbon monoxide poisoning through his own stupidity.

I must admit, I initally found the Arnold Archambeau/Ruby Bruguier case to be one of the most mind-blowing mysteries I've ever seen, but once you step back and fully analyze the situation, it seems more like a simple case of two people freezing to death and not having their bodies found for months.

TheCars1986 · 03-01-2012, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinW

I've always voted for Kenneth Engie's death as the most needlessly exaggerated UM segment as they really stretched themselves thin trying to make a mystery out of a guy who simply died of carbon monoxide poisoning through his own stupidity.

I had forgotten all about this one. It amazes me that UM profiled stories like Paul Ferrell and Kenneth Engie, when there were literally thousands of other "stories" that could have been told from murders to missing people.

dks64 · 03-01-2012, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinW

I must admit, I initally found the Arnold Archambeau/Ruby Bruguier case to be one of the most mind-blowing mysteries I've ever seen, but once you step back and fully analyze the situation, it seems more like a simple case of two people freezing to death and not having their bodies found for months.

I was shocked that UM really went with the "the police couldn't find their bodies, so they must not have been there!" when it's so obvious they were just overlooked.

unsolved88 · 03-02-2012, 01:36 AM

After reading more about Jeanne Tovrea, UM seemed to really go out of their way to portray her as a saint who was above reproach in thoughts and deeds. In reality, she was heavily involved was drug trafficking, drug dealing (both actually selling the drugs as well as financing the transactions), and helped run a loan sharking business with alleged organized crime figures. Jeanne may have been a nice person and fun to be around, but the show REALLY over-emphasized that aspect of her personality while conveniently leaving out the fact that she may well have had some dangerous enemies who could have wanted her dead due to her illegal activities.

Amy Billig was also made to look far more 'wholesome' than she actually was. It turns out that although she wasn't an addict, she certainly was no stranger to drugs and alcohol and had no qualms about partying with strangers or partaking in casual sex with them.

These women certainly didn't deserve their respective fates, but the show definitely went overboard in portraying them as being flawless angels who did no wrong. They were human, just like everyone else.

cordwainer1453 · 03-02-2012, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dks64

I was shocked that UM really went with the "the police couldn't find their bodies, so they must not have been there!" when it's so obvious they were just overlooked.

I agree. Makes you wonder how many other cases they made it seem like there was a perplexing mystery when there really wasn't one.

02-29-2012, 12:00 AM	#1
JannTosh Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 28, 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 585	Were cases exaggerated and stretched from what really happened? in order to make it more interesting for TV? hell, in real life, creepy horror music doesn't play when they really occur like in the show lol

02-29-2012, 12:32 AM	#2
Blackout Sart Bimpson Senior Member Join Date: Jan 13, 2003 Location: where the sun rises Posts: 2,235	yes in the 2pac case, they try to make it sound like Yafeu Fula (aka rapper Kadafi from the Outlawz) was killed to keep silent about 2pac's murder instead he was killed by a friend over a $50 Mike Tyson bet
	__________________ MOHRIOR

02-29-2012, 12:56 AM	#3
1990 UM fan Unsolved Mysteries fanatic Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2011 Location: United States Posts: 2,510	Tina Resch, the "psychic" girl who could make things fly across the room with her mind, was exposed as a fraud and sent to prison years later for the death of her young daughter. Some also claim that Michael Jones, the "ghost boy" who saw his great-grandfather's ghost and a evil entity called the "black shadow man", made the whole thing up. He was in a ghost hunt recently I found and has a tattoo of a Honda or Toyota symbol on his face I think.
	__________________ Join my Unsolved Mysteries page (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unsolv...899616?sk=wall

02-29-2012, 05:20 AM	#4
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	Lol! ~opens door~ cue UM theme It DID pop into my mind when I was walking by my work place one night and the doors were open with no one inside well after closing!

02-29-2012, 08:29 AM	#5
McBevis Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 09, 2010 Location: Barrington, New Jersey Posts: 415	Well, I'm certainly not treading any new territory with this, but if ever there was a case involving exaggeration to the extreme, it would have to be the Sammy Wheeler segment.

03-01-2012, 10:33 AM	#6
pardilia Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 09, 2007 Posts: 170	What comes to my mind is all those lengthy segments - like the ones about Tupac, Cobain, etc. where it's obvious they're just doing it so they could interest fans of the artists rather than presenting fact. Along similar lines, another thing that comes to mind for me is the segment where they seemed to go to great lengths to prove the max factor heir rapist innocent. They tried to prove that it couldn't happen the way the victim claimed when it was later proven that she was telling the truth. I think this one felt particularly "hoaxy" to me as I saw it after knowing the truth. Of course, maybe that better fits a thread for "segments that were in bad taste."

03-01-2012, 11:15 AM	#7
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	The Paul Ferrell case comes to mind. The segment tried to imply someone other than Ferrell murdered Cathy Ford.

03-01-2012, 01:14 PM	#9
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,672	I think it went both ways on this show. Some cases were exaggerated, some were not detailed enough. For instance, Larry Dickens sister Dawna posted on here that the murder of her brother was actually worse than what was shown in the reenactment. Very disturbing to think about.

03-01-2012, 03:40 PM	#11
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	I've always voted for Kenneth Engie's death as the most needlessly exaggerated UM segment as they really stretched themselves thin trying to make a mystery out of a guy who simply died of carbon monoxide poisoning through his own stupidity. I must admit, I initally found the Arnold Archambeau/Ruby Bruguier case to be one of the most mind-blowing mysteries I've ever seen, but once you step back and fully analyze the situation, it seems more like a simple case of two people freezing to death and not having their bodies found for months.

03-02-2012, 01:36 AM	#14
unsolved88 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 16, 2006 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 514	After reading more about Jeanne Tovrea, UM seemed to really go out of their way to portray her as a saint who was above reproach in thoughts and deeds. In reality, she was heavily involved was drug trafficking, drug dealing (both actually selling the drugs as well as financing the transactions), and helped run a loan sharking business with alleged organized crime figures. Jeanne may have been a nice person and fun to be around, but the show REALLY over-emphasized that aspect of her personality while conveniently leaving out the fact that she may well have had some dangerous enemies who could have wanted her dead due to her illegal activities. Amy Billig was also made to look far more 'wholesome' than she actually was. It turns out that although she wasn't an addict, she certainly was no stranger to drugs and alcohol and had no qualms about partying with strangers or partaking in casual sex with them. These women certainly didn't deserve their respective fates, but the show definitely went overboard in portraying them as being flawless angels who did no wrong. They were human, just like everyone else.