America’s obsession with turning a high-profile criminal case into a TV series that boosts the original felon into a future of fame needs to stop. The latest examples of this phenomenon are Anna Delvey and Gypsy Rose Blanchard, whose intriguing cases landed them on a Netflix special that developed into sustained media coverage when they both were released earlier this decade.
Delvey, imprisoned for theft and grand larceny, was a prominent figure in the wealthy New York art scene from 2013 to 2017. During her four years in prison, Netflix released the series “Inventing Anna,” glamorizing her wealthy lifestyle and the cons she pulled to maintain her spot in New York’s elite.
After being released in early 2021, Delvey remained in the U.S. and was shortly thereafter detained by ICE for overstaying her visa. Throughout the following year, media and paparazzi followed her to and from dozens of hearings, snapping her designer looks in front of courthouses as if she were a model.
In 2022, Delvey started a podcast, a legal art career, and a singing career, which has received obscene attention due to her followers on Instagram. Her latest appearance on “Dancing With the Stars” solidified her comeback into the American elite — and for no good reason.
She has provided nothing to this country. She is a con artist and a criminal — we shouldn’t boost her fame by glamorizing her federal charges. Take Delvey off the news and take her off reality TV, otherwise, there will be a new generation of kids plotting their swindling careers in an effort to find easy fame.
Blanchard is another example of our glamorization of felons. She was charged with the murder of her mother after undergoing years of abuse and was released in late 2023. The TV show based on her life, “The Act,” became popular for its uniqueness and realistic depiction of Blanchard’s childhood. Since then, she has become the “people’s princess,” going viral on social media for her relatability and varying relationships.
Similar to Delvey, Blanchard has appeared on reality TV and sustains constant media coverage of her life. Her endorsement on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” solidified her media presence and encouraged paparazzi following since her release. Simply put, she shouldn’t be famous.
Even if we disregard her felony charges, she lost her childhood to abuse and should spend her adult life on her own—not with the media tracking her footsteps or social media followers criticizing her actions.
If we continue to push fame onto criminals, we set a dangerous precedent for newer generations. What happens when teens or young adults with Hollywood-level aspirations watch a true crime series and 10 minutes later watch the offender star in reality TV? I think I can guess.
These people should not be the focus — they don’t deserve sustained media coverage for simply being an interesting criminal. Pan the cameras onto activists attempting to slow the climate crisis or hidden conflicts in the Middle East — you know, things that make a difference.
*This editorial reflects the views of the Editorial Board and was written by Jackson Sneeringer. The Editorial Board voted 11 in agreement, 3 somewhat in agreement, and 1 refrained from voting.
