My Obsession With The True Crime Genre
How The True Crime Networks Failed Miserably
I have to do this piece. Many readers will assume I went bonkers, but so be it. There is a method to my madness. This is something that has been irking me for a long time. So, for 2024, let us initiate a bit of tongue-in-cheek, but there is also an element of serious gripes here.
So sit back, grab some Twizzlers, and read.
Please do not tell anyone, but I am a True Crime junkie. I find it all so fascinating. I blame this on Candice DeLong, who has a stellar profiling and crime-fighting reputation. (Shhh! I have a crush on her!) She also comes out with these fantastic one-liners that make you laugh or spit your coffee through your nose.
She was the lead profiler in San Francisco, California, and worked on the Unabomber case. Currently, she hosts the Investigation Discovery programs Deadly Women and Facing Evil with Candice DeLong, the Wondery podcast Killer Psyche, and the Discovery+ program The Deadly Type with Candice DeLong.1
So, if anyone out there who reads this knows her, tell her she is responsible for my addiction.
With the advent of the True Crime podcasts, we are increasingly exposed to heinous crimes. From Chad and Lori Vallow killing her children and burying them in Chad’s backyard to Alex Murdugh’s murder of his wife and son and the humongous financial crimes he committed to covering child abusers, that list goes on and on as well.
But I love the YouTube videos and podcasts in the True Crime category. Here are a few from Spotify Podcasts, but the list is endless.
Some famous ones have been around forever, like 48 Hours and 2020. Some are incredibly annoying with the self-righteous notes coming from nasal-intensive announcers. “True Sunlight” is one of these. Avoid it if you can.
These may fit with anyone’s taste. (And no - These are not affiliate links! LOL)
Killer Psyche - Candice DeLong - Of course, I love this one.
Pretty Lies & Alibies - Nice, but assumes you know what she is talking about. Additionally, her coverage of the Lori & Chad Vallow trial was exceptional.
True Crime Today - A funny guy with fascinating questions for his guests.
Hidden: A True Crime Podcast - Strange couple here. They cover many different cases, but the dynamic between the two is weird if you watch the YouTube channel. Still worth listening to.
Now, you cannot forget the after-market as well. The lawyers have YouTube channels and podcasts that analyze these crimes step-by-step. They explain every court document released, and some go line-by-line.
To give you an idea, three big players in the field are Emily D. Baker, The Lawyer You Know, and CourtTV.
Please remember that this is just an example of 1% of the market. It is massive.
Before you accuse me of going down some side alley, you must understand that these shows garner views and listeners in the tens of millions. No joke. The “True Crime” genre on YouTube channels and Podcasts each channel has tens of thousands of fans and followers. I rest my case. Maybe they are not Mr. Beast, but they do very well for themselves.
Why do these people run such channels? Well, there is a worldwide obsession with True Crime. No exaggeration here. It is a genre that people cannot get enough of. You can call the audience anything you please, from interested followers to hidden voyeurs. Your pick. It still is clear that this genre has exploded.
For some channel owners, “some” is a critical word here; do it for the love of justice or watching a legal system tackle the various problems thrown its way. The shenanigans of the Alex Murdaugh trial are a perfect example. The manipulation of law is at its height in that story.
Others are in it for the money. If you have ever owned a successful YouTube channel or podcast, you would know I am not talking about hundreds of dollars a month, not thousands, but tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands a month. A lot of moolah is at stake here. Maybe some Substack authors reach that level just from their newsletter, but I am doubtful.
In short, True Crime is good business.
Now that we have given the necessary synopsis, you are more than welcome to search on whatever podcast directory you use to find your own True Crime show.
Now that I have revealed my obsession, why am I going down this strange road?
Well, it is simple. True Crime is true crime. Correct? Unless my lexicon is wrong. And it covers not only American crime but also crimes all across the globe, where there is something to dig your teeth into and make money from.
Now I know that if they say a word about any politically messy crime, especially in foreign politics, they are painting a giant bullseye on their foreheads. They will lose members and, consequently, views and, in the end, lose money. Lots and lots of money. So, opening your mouth even in these channels can have a detrimental effect on your pocketbook.
If you need further proof of the above, go through how many celebs made tweets or Instagram posts about the October 7th war and their support of Israel and were forced to take them down due to hate replies and a dwindling following. So I get it. I really do.
Here is my problem with True Crime Networks:
If anything classifies as a True Crime, it is the Hamas attack on October 7th. Now, one can take the opinion that this was a terrorist attack and not really part of the True Crime genre. Again, I get that.
But Israel is now involved in a “legal battle” as to whether those “terrorists” who were caught should get the death penalty. You didn’t know that, did you?
It is shaping up to be a huge legal battle, with documents, legal briefs, and, without a doubt, a lot of politics.
But, it is True Crime in its most heinous form. It beats what the Vallows and Murdaugh did by miles. It is fodder for these channels. But it is obviously a political hot potato so that no one will touch it.
I get it. Why deal with such matters when you review a line-by-line court document asking for an appeal? I really do get it.
But you see, here is my real complaint.
I understand why True Crime channels will not touch this. I understand it has a massive potential of killing their number of listeners and opening them up to an incredible amount of hate mail and disgusting comments.
But to ignore it? To not even acknowledge it has happened? To not say one word about it? Seriously?
Maybe I missed the channel among the thousands that exist. That is also a possibility. Maybe the channels I listen to are so laser-focused on the injustices of the criminal system in certain states or countries that they have no time for it. Maybe the podcasters and YouTubers agree with Hamas. That too I would like to know.
But hey! True Crime is True Crime. You have every eyeball and ear item you could dream of here: rape, murder, dismemberment, body burning, and torture. And, as I mentioned, you have the legal battle thrown in there. That should be too good for some of these channels to resist.
But nothing. Not a word! Zilch. Nada. Zip. Total silence.
Whether Lori Vallow will get convicted in Arizona, Kohlberger will go to trial and get the death penalty, or someone discovers where Murdaugh hid his millions - now that is important news.
But when it comes to Israel, suddenly, there is no True Crime. Candice DeLong can put a psychological term on a dead rat. She is incredibly good at it and knows the difference between sociopaths and psychopaths, and God only knows what terms she can define and describe. I say this in all respect. She is fabulous at what she does and never ceases to amaze me.
But Candice, why are you not evaluating Hamas, who had so much fun in what they did? Why aren’t you telling us what part of the psychological dictionary they fit into? Why aren't you doing a word-by-word run-down of the scene, as always? Where, oh where, is the Candice DeLong of all the shows and podcasts when she is needed?
Now, it is not fair to concentrate only on Candice. There are thousands of others we could call to the plate. Even though they claim to be reporters, journalists, and psychologists, some are not worth the time. They are clearly either in need of some self-ratification by their audience or too dumb to see beyond their fence. Sorry, but listen to some of the shows for a few minutes, and you will know exactly what I am talking about. On YouTube, some spend ten minutes discussing the color of their tie or shade of lipstick before they even get to the subject at hand.
So Candice, where are you? Why are you silent? Just think of the years of study you can have by dealing with Hamas and all they have done. Come on. Go for it!
Now you know my secret. I am a True Crime junkie. Well, to be absolutely honest, I was a True Crime junkie until it ended up in my backyard, so to speak. When True Crime hits your backyard, you no longer have the patience to listen to some lawyer pick over court documents as if they were a Talmudic tome.
As a True Crime aficionado, I confess my addiction to podcasts like Candice DeLong’s “Killer Psyche.” However, the glaring omission of coverage of the horrific Hamas attack in Israel causes me to question the integrity of the genre. This brutal terrorist attack – rape, torture, murder, dismemberment, body burning – seems perfect fodder for True Crime.
Yet total silence on examining the psychological motivations of Hamas terrorists exposes these podcasters’ hypocrisy. While meticulously dissecting details of lower-profile domestic crimes, they ignore horrific international atrocities out of fear or agreement. This challenges my loyalty, even to the beloved Candice DeLong. Vowing to quit these podcasts for such willful ignorance, I still hold out hope Candice will cover the Hamas psychopaths.
True Crime fans deserve consistent, courageous analysis regardless of geography or politics.
So here is my New Year’s resolution.
I will no longer listen to hours upon hours of True Crime podcasts while working…
I will no longer listen to hours upon hours of True Crime podcasts while working…
I will no longer listen to hours upon hours of True Crime podcasts while working…
I will no longer listen to hours upon hours of True Crime podcasts while working…
I will no longer listen to hours upon hours of True Crime podcasts while working…
But if you know Candice DeLong, please tell her I will not stop listening to her. After all, I have a crush on her!
Oh, and say Hi to her from me!
Candice DeLong. (2023, December 9). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candice_DeLong