Jeff Jarvis is upset that ABC is making a TV miniseries about the Holocaust with Mel Gibson and that ABC is happy that the controversy that is bound to ensue will increase viewership. Jeff quotes Elie Wiesel: we must not bring theater to Auschwitz or Auschwitz to theater – that is, we must not exploit the emotions of the Holocaust for the sake of drama or think that drama can adequately tell the story.
There’s a whole bunch here to digest, so let me start with Mr. Gibson. Yes, his father is a holocaust denier, but that doesn’t mean Mel is. I think the son should be judged on his own. I find it humurous in a sad way that Jeff is adding to the very controversy the use of which he decries. But perhaps a real problem for me is that because the series will based upon the experiences of a Jewish family who lived because they were hidden by Christians in the Netherlands, the focus will be on what good people Christians are, which I don’t think is the best focus on a movie about the Holocaust, and we won’t be forced to confront the monstrous face of evil of the Holocaust.
I think if all ABC sees by using Mel Gibson’s company is publicity, that is if they thought the product would be lousy but the controversy would sell the audience anyway, then that would be deplorable. But if they think that a side benefit is publicity, that is the product would be good and a larger audience would be attracted because of the Mel angle, then that is acceptable. Since I can’t see into other’s hearts and minds, I can neither condemn nor defend ABC. But I don’t think Jeff should be condemning them either, unless he can provide some other evidence that all they care about is the publicity.
On the art front, I too would hate to see Law & Order: The Holocaust or CSI: Auschwitz, but I don’t think that is the only option. Not only was Schindler’s List just an outstanding drama, so too was Life Is Beautiful which managed to be both outstanding drama and comedy. Truly great art is about the stuff that is too big, too powerful to truly comprehend any other way. It isn’t observations about lint. Now maybe the problem is since art is so crappy these days, so little worthwile art around at all, that good people like Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Jarvis don’t think that the Holocaust can be treated any other way than documentary. But I think they’ve already been proven wrong, and I’m hoping they are proven wrong again.
