Investigative reporter Mark Shaw discussed the new documentary The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes in the first half. He argued that the film reflects a series of untruths and distortions of history surrounding Monroe's controversial life and death, and that his own research contradicts many of its assertions. Among the flaws for Shaw is that the filmmakers seem to have taken for granted their conclusion that Monroe committed suicide while avoiding evidence to the contrary. What bothers him most, he related, is that the film violates Monroe's privacy. Depicted in the documentary are images of her psychiatrist's notes, which Shaw considers highly unethical, for example. In addition, of the other sources the film consults, "There's not one that brings up anything that's positive...you basically exclude all of that so you can paint this dark side of her," he maintained. And, he went on, absent from the discussion is good evidence that Monroe had a number of incentives to want to live—new acting opportunities, a new house and pet, her recent engagement—and didn't seem to exhibit signs of depression or despair in the period leading up to her death.
So what was the cause of Monroe's death, then? Shaw maintained that she was murdered. He pointed to CIA documents from just before she died that suggest Monroe knew too much secret political and personal information about John F. and Robert F. Kennedy. Even more troubling for Shaw, the assistant district attorney assigned to Monroe's case reported that "It's highly improbable Marilyn deliberately killed herself"—which the documentary fails to mention. Shaw offered other corroborating evidence that the film excludes: that, despite his claims otherwise, Robert F. Kennedy was in Los Angeles on the day of Monroe's death, as documented by 20th Century Fox and the police. Although he conceded that the filmmakers may have had good intentions, Shaw concluded, the end result does Monroe, who can't defend herself, a disservice.
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Joining the show's second half was psychic, therapist, and spiritual teacher Vincent Genna, who talked about his dedication to inspiring people to believe in themselves so they can fulfill their dreams. As he discusses in his new book The Secret That's Holding You Back, Genna sees the human brain as the biggest obstacle to success and happiness: just as it protects us against physical harm, the brain acts to protect us from emotional damage, which can stymie our personal growth. This resistance to emotional pain, which is sometimes unconscious, manifests itself in low self-esteem, denial, making excuses, and even projecting our negative feelings onto those around us.
In the final hour, Genna offered live psychic readings to listeners. He advised a Massachusetts caller burned out in her teaching career that it's time to move on, and that she would find inspiration in a different capacity, perhaps through starting a life coaching business. To a listener in California who wondered why her cheerful external demeanor didn't help with her inner pain and struggle, Genna explained that the caller was lashing out against herself, and that she needs to learn to love who she is. "Healing is what you need," he said. When an Alberta caller explained that his recovery from an injury has caused him to question whether it's time to reinvent himself, Genna's advice was to instead expand upon a newly-acquired interest. The caller responded with enthusiasm, saying he had recently been offered the opportunity to create a podcast.
News segment guests: Christian Wilde / Kevin Randle