Book Review: "Dead Wrong" By Richard Belzer and David Wayne

 "There are those in positions of power who malign the pursuit of justice by intentionally associating the word "conspiracy" with the delirious hallucinations of unbalanced minds. They're wrong. The real-world definition of conspiracy is simply; two or more persons agreeing to commit a crime. In short, they are everywhere, a constant component of daily events throughout our history, and are by no means the restless imaginings of an over-attentive audience.
--Richard Belzer, "Dead Wrong"

Richard Belzer, the co-author of the book "Dead Wrong" (2012, Skyhorse Publishing) is a synchromystic "nexus" in his own right; his conspiracy-theorist role John Munch appearing on more different TV shows than any other character. Outside of his main "beats" on Homicide and Law & Order SVU, Munch has "crossed over" in The X-Files, Arrested Development, The Wire, Luther, and a number of others. These "crossovers" are significant in that they not only have transcended the barriers of individual television programs, but even whole networks.

Munch/Belzer on "X-Files"

But perhaps even more "meta" than that is the fact that in real life, Belzer is a real, for lack of a better term, "conspiracy theorist." Or perhaps he is just a man who has a great deal of curiosity; an investigator into cases that are considered "closed" by our mainstream media. In that sense, he is truly not that different from Detective Munch.

And the book "Dead Wrong" indeed reads far more like a police procedural than a standard "conspiracy" text. Reviewing the deaths of such public figures as Martin Luther King Jr., Marilyn Monroe, and JFK, "Dead Wrong" places a strong emphasis on forensic evidence; while there is some speculation on motives and grander assassination plots, the focus always returns to "just the facts, ma'am."

Belzer and co-writer David Wayne's approach here, therefore, continually maintains this subliminal connection to Munch and the Homicide/Law & Order shows. And it becomes increasingly clear that these murder/"suicides," when seen through the cold, clinical eyes of the detective, have a whole lot more going on about them than the "official story." In the cases of figures like Monroe -- the forensic evidence of her death pretty much ruling out suicide -- this is quite disturbing.

Unless the forensics and other evidence that Belzer and Wayne so meticulously present here are falsified, "Dead Wrong" is a bombshell text in not only the genre, but in history books in general.

I do not exaggerate when I use the term "meticulously." If there is a flaw in this book, it's that the same evidence will be repeated over and over in the course of a chapter; though I have to wonder if this is less a problem with the editing and more of a conscious tactic to literally hammer home into our heads the importance of the forensics here.

While there's not a lot of actual conspiracy "theory" here, Belzer and Wayne come up with some very interesting ways of looking at famous cases that I never considered before. For example, the assassination of JFK. It is suggested in "Dead Wrong" that the reason the government engaged in such a massive cover-up was not so much because they were involved in the assassination (though a few rogue elements within might have been) -- but that discovering the truth about the assassination would in turn compromise other CIA operations:

"The cover-up was apparently necessitated by the exposure and implication of covert U.S. intelligence anti-Castro operations which were utilizing the Mafia to attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro. It is an often overlooked fact that in the immediate aftermath of the assassination, Robert F. Kennedy was the most powerful person in the United States -- more so than even new President Lyndon B. Johnson. In the hours after the murder, it was Robert Kennedy and Kennedy loyalists who controlled the autopsy, the doctors, the body of President Kennedy, and the actions of much of the Secret Service, law enforcement, and emergency personnel...Obviously, Robert Kennedy was not involved in the death plot against his brother. But just as obviously, his hand was forced into covering up the true circumstances surrounding the murder."

The forensic evidence is inconsistent with the notion she fatally overdosed on these pills

So we have the idea here that the parties who engage in cover-ups might not be the same ones who have committed the initial crimes. Same thing for Monroe -- she wasn't murdered by the Kennedys, but the Kennedys had to conduct a full cover-up in order to keep other secrets safe.

"Dead Wrong" ends with an afterward by Jesse Ventura. He reiterates a crucial point Belzer mentions in the introduction and which is exemplified in the methodology of the book itself: the idea that the word "conspiracy" has been automatically conflated with "crazy" in our mass-media, and why this is an erroneous assumption to make. Writes Ventura:

"Another disturbing trend in recent events is what I see as the very intentional manipulation of the word "conspiracy." They would have us believe that any person who believes that something might possibly be a conspiracy has to be a demented individual. They make it sound like one would have to be crazy to even suspect that members of our government could take part in a conspiracy. I suggest that the truth of the matter is quite the contrary. As this book has clearly established, conspiracies are not some rare occurrence in history. They are common. They can and do happen all the time."

Unless reading a lot of procedural/science stuff deeply bores you, I would strongly recommend adding "Dead Wrong" to your library. As much as I like the more esoteric/"outre" books on these topics, texts like this have the greatest ability to change minds...or at least render minds more open to new ideas and possibilities.

"Dead Wrong" is available at:
Skyhorse Publishing
Amazon.com
the iBooks store, and more

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The 4 Types Of Comedians: Tamed, Dead, Paranoid, and Trickster

Richard Pryor, circa 1982

Richard Pryor, circa 1983

Is there a "conspiracy" to "kill" Comedy? The video in question, from The Stench Of Truth video blog, is not actually saying there is a "real" conspiracy to suppress really funny, cutting-edge humor and comedians...but it's also not 100% saying that there isn't.

Look at the evidence:

Richard Pryor: Used to be cutting-edge, then did light comedies and children's movies
Robin Williams: Used to be cutting-edge, now does light comedies and children's movies
Eddie Murphy: Used to be a cutting-edge, now does light comedies and children's movies
Mike Meyers: Used to be a cutting-edge, now does light comedies and children's movies
John Leguizamo, Jim Carrey (sorry, Jim), Adam Sandler, Damon Wayans, Steve Martin, etc. etc. etc.

Robin Williams, circa 1987

Robin Williams, circa 1997

Note that when I say "cutting-edge," I mean somebody that people -- even their own peers -- were absolutely in awe of. There's an old stand-up video of Robin Williams way back in the beginning, where you can see people like Henry Winkler and John Ritter just look up at him from the audience with their mouth hanging open. Not just funny, but downright subversive.

Robin Williams, circa 1978 "Live At The Roxy"

And that's another key word to keep in mind here: SUBVERSIVE.

Is it simply a matter of aging?

No, I don't think it is.

Bill Hicks

Now, consider those comedic geniuses who choose largely not to go down the route of watered-down comedies, children's movies, and basic buffoonery:
Bill Hicks: dead
John Belushi: dead
Andy Kaufman: dead
Sam Kinison: dead
Bernie Mac: dead
Mitch Hedberg: dead

Andy Kaufman

Really, it got to the point where if there was a comedian I really liked, he was either going to die young or provide a voice in a Disney movie (never both).

Ever notice how the only other "edgy" comedians that turn away from the Hollywoodification route -- but also haven't died young -- inevitably turn to the world of conspiracy theories and other esoteric interests?

Roseanne Barr:

Has claimed to be victim of incest and MK-Ultra mind-control, as well as accusing others in Hollywood of being victims/abusers (Michael Jackson/Joe Jackson, for instance). Once stated that she believed the CIA was controlling her via chip in her head. Also tweeted that "reptile like criminals in control of our government":

Richard Belzer:

Wrote the recent guide to political assassinations and cover-ups, "Dead Wrong"

Amazon.com description of "Dead Wrong":

"For years, the government has put out hits on people that they found “expendable,” or who they felt were “talking too much,” covering up their assassinations with drug overdoses and mysterious suicides. In Dead Wrong, a study of the scientific and forensic facts of various Government cover-ups, Richard Belzer and David Wayne argue that Marilyn Monroe was murdered, that the person who shot Martin Luther King Jr. was ordered to do so by the government, and examines many other terrifying lies we've been told throughout our country’s history."

Dave Chappelle:

Mysteriously dropped out of sight at the height of his career, first taking a trip to Africa. Explained his decision to "drop out" of Hollywood as follows:

"Coming here I don't have the distractions of fame. It quiets the ego down. I'm interested in the kind of person I've got to become. I want to be well rounded and the industry is a place of extremes. I want to be well balanced. I've got to check my intentions, man.

Chappelle has also complained about being shoe-horned into the exact type of "light" comedy stuff as the "edgy" comics before him have done -- going so far as to suggest to Oprah that there was a conspiracy to emasculate actors of color in the movies:



In an "Inside The Actor's Studio" interview, he also questioned why so many people in Hollywood like Martin Lawrence were having mental breakdowns, going on to ask if conspiracy theorists are really that crazy:




George Carlin:

George Carlin's stand-up routines became far more darker, cynical, and political over the years -- this despite the fact that he took occasional "lighter" gigs over the years like the Bill & Ted movies and "Shining Time Station."

Here is how he defined "conspiracy theorists":



Dan Aykroyd:

Aykroyd considers himself a "spiritualist" and UFOlogist. In his DVD "Dan Aykroyd: Unplugged On UFOs," he had the following anecdote (via IFC) concerning him, Britney Spears, and "The Men In Black" (not the movie):

"The most fascinating (read: batshit) revelation, however, relates to the time that some “Men in Black” monitored Aykroyd’s phone call with Britney Spears. As Aykroyd spoke to his “Crossroads” co-star, he noticed the conspiracy theory mainstays observing him, but looked back a moment later to realize that they were gone. Shortly afterward, the producers of the program he was taping were ordered to shut it all down, a seemingly unremarkable coincidence until you realize that the show itself was about to totally blow the lid off this crazy UFO thing."

And there are other comedians, most notably Randy Quaid, who became a fugitive with his wife and told tales of the "Star Whackers," and Joe Rogan, who has suggested that the moon landing might be a hoax and is an outspoken proponent of psychedelics.

Now, one can certainly suggest that the common thread that links all of the above "conspiracy" comedians, including the dead ones, is that it is assumed they might have/had mental illness and/or substance abuse issues. Perhaps it was too many drugs, maybe the rigors of constant touring -- maybe something organically wrong with their brains (Barr, for example, had a traumatic brain injury as a teen). They obviously show signs of what might be interpreted as marked paranoia. Maybe if they just did that "Flubber" sequel and took their meds on a more regular basis, everything would be fine.

But even if it is that they are truly paranoid, and suffering some sort of mental malady -- and we do not know that to be the fact in every case -- could their years in a Hollywood system that on one hand praised them for their uniqueness and subversive humor, but then turned around and "drained" that unique quality out of them in favor for something more generic and "acceptable"...could this have played any role at all in their angst, in their "dropping out" of mainstream society?

Could they have successfully existed both as commercially successful Hollywood comedians AND held their integrity?

I believe there is only one way to do that, and that is to be a Trickster:

Notice that a number of these "tricksters" aren't even traditionally "comedians." No, they are not -- to actually admit it, to admit you're a comedian...no. Tricksters don't admit it. They are Adaptable. They're enigmas. They're going to make you work for it. They will tell you quite calmly that there is no conspiracy to kill comedy, or to do anything else -- they will tell you this quite calmly, looking intently in your eyes, painting your hand with whatever sticky condiment that might be available...

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