‘Live Rescue’ exploits tragedy, violates privacy. Sacramento City Council must reject it
It’s easy to understand why reality TV producers seek to exploit human suffering for the sake of cheap entertainment: money. It’s harder to fathom why Sacramento’s public safety officials – and Mayor Darrell Steinberg – think it’s a good idea.
First, Sheriff Scott Jones turned the Sacramento County Jail into a made-for-TV circus – Netflix’s “Jailbirds” – complete with on-camera drug deals and fights that were allegedly “damn near staged.” Now, Sacramento Fire Chief Gary Loesch has invited camera crews to film Sacramentans experiencing the most traumatic or embarrassing moments of their lives for an A&E show called “Live Rescue.”
One clip from the show, titled “Faceplant on the Sidewalk,” features a drunk white woman in her 40s collapsing on a downtown street.
“Firefighters and paramedics pulled up to the woman just in time to see her fall again – this time landing hard on her face and stomach against the concrete,” wrote Sacramento Bee reporters Theresa Clift and Molly Sullivan. “Paramedics surrounded her and assessed her injuries, realizing she had knocked herself out, and placed her on to a stretcher to be transported to the hospital. A camera crew caught it all on film.”
It’s a distressing scene that captures a human being at a low point in her life. All for the sake of laughs.
“I replayed her face plant at least 20 times and I’m still laughing,” wrote one commenter on YouTube.
“Welcome to downtown sac my 916 family lol,” wrote another.
Another clip shows firefighters rescuing a black man from a local riverbank. Once rescued, he’s handcuffed by deputies from the sheriffs departments because he’s allegedly a suspect in a crime.
“If they had Police Alligators, they could of deployed one to get him out…” wrote YouTube commenter.
“Send him the bill for all the overtime put in by the state,” wrote another, using racist stereotypes. “I’m sure when he gets out he can sling enough rock to cover it just like all that child support he pays.”
Chief Loesch defended the show, saying it serves “transparency” and provides a recruiting tool for the department. But these are disingenuous talking points.
After all, “Live Rescue” producer Big Fish Entertainment (which also produces VH1’s “Cartel Crew” and MTV’s “How Far is Tattoo Far”) declined interview requests. So much for transparency. In addition, Sacramento can surely recruit people to the noble profession of firefighting without resorting to sick, exploitative and depressing antics.
Reality shows have one purpose: entertainment. Shows like “Jailbirds,” “Cops” and “Live Rescue” feed off of the pain, suffering and misery of the downtrodden, mentally ill and vulnerable. There’s often an element of racism running through the shows, which typically exploit the misfortunes of impoverished communities.
“It’s trauma porn,” said Kate Chatfield, of the nonprofit Justice Collaborative.
The bright lights and cameras provide ego boosts to the officials who sign off on them, but they give the rest of the country a terrible impression of our community.
The Sacramento City Council must act to prevent Chief Loesch and City Manager Howard Chan from diminishing our city’s image with their terrible judgment. Sacramento’s leaders can take a cue from the Reno City Council, which rejected the show due to privacy concerns.
When asked about the show, Mayor Steinberg – usually a champion of the poor and the mentally ill – at first appeared to side with the exploiters. “Our city code allows the City Manager or his designee to make decisions on contracts of this size,” Steinberg said. “I have confidence in his judgment in deciding whether participation in a TV series is appropriate for the Sacramento Fire Department. ”
On Tuesday, however, Steinberg called for a “full review” of the show. Councilman Steve Hansen went further, saying the city should cancel “Live Rescue.” Both should lead the charge to end this exploitative show. City leaders must never sanction privacy violations for the sake of cheap thrills.
Editor’s note: This editorial has been updated to reflect both Mayor Steinberg’s call for a “full review” and Councilman Hansen’s call to cancel the city’s participation in the show.
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 10:02 AM.