Chris Hansen has a new name in his long-running feud with the film Primetime: Harvey Weinstein.
The former Dateline NBC anchor sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to rehash his complaints about the movie, which dramatizes his To Catch A Predator sting operations. Hansen criticized the film as overly “dramatic” and “dark,” then compared the Hollywood studio behind it to the disgraced producer.
“I guess it’s not surprising that a Hollywood studio would act in such an exploitive or predatory manner,” Hansen said. “We’re talking about an industry that was led by perhaps one of the biggest predators to walk the planet, Harvey Weinstein.”
Hansen’s Dark Criticism
Speaking from Chicago, where he appeared at a conference of the National Center For Victims Of Crime, Hansen said the film’s creators wanted something darker than reality.
“Based upon what I’ve seen in the trailer and my understanding of what has been written about the film, they wanted to create something much darker,” he said.
The irony is not lost on observers: Hansen’s original show lured predatory men into sting operations using young actors as decoys.
The Ethics Debate
THR’s Seth Abramovitch noted that reviews of Oppenheim’s film suggest Hansen’s collaborations with local law enforcement crossed ethical lines. Hansen rejected that reading outright.
“It’s just not true. From the beginning, we were transparent about what we did, how we did it and the results. The film’s timeline, scenario and conversations are completely made up,” he said.
Not Angry, He Says
Hansen balked at being portrayed as angry about a film he still has not seen.
“I’ve never been angry about it,” he said. “Don’t portray me as some angry guy.”
He frames his response as calling out Hollywood hypocrisy rather than personal grievance.
The Conradt Case
The film reportedly reexamines the suicide of Texas prosecutor Bill Conradt during Hansen’s 2006 sting operation outside his home. The case was recounted in Luke Dittrich’s 2007 Esquire article, “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die.”
“There are certain things you can’t control. Obviously, you don’t want anybody taking their own life, but that was a decision made by that individual,” Hansen said. “They’ll ramp it up in the film, I’m sure, and make it more dramatic than it really was.”
Weinstein Comparison
Hansen argued the industry that enabled the convicted producer now celebrates a film about his own work.
“They’ll all pat each other on the back and say, ‘What a great job. This is really dark and mysterious and intriguing,'” he said.
Free Advertising
Hansen’s feud has become the film’s best source of free promotion. He appreciates star Robert Pattinson’s impersonation of him but calls the film’s existence “inconsiderate.”
He is also buying advertising before all Primetime screenings to promote TruBlu, his true crime network launched in 2022.
Career Timeline
| Timeline of Hansen’s Career | Year |
|---|---|
| To Catch A Predator runs | 2004-2007 |
| TruBlu launches | 2022 |
| Weinstein’s additional sentencing | 2023 |
The Ongoing Saga
Hansen remains energized by the fight, airing grievances to an audience that seems rapt.
The saga shows no sign of ending.
Source: avclub.com
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.