CRIME STORIES: TONYA HARDING ICE FOLLIES (TV)
Summary
One in this series of programs exploring true crimes and criminals. This program, hosted by Catherine Crier, opens with several comments about the 1994 attack on ice skater Tonya Harding's rival Nancy Kerrigan, in which Harding's former husband, Jeff Gillooly, was implicated. Sports journalist Christine Brennan and the narrator then describe the problem holding back Harding's career: other skaters do not wish to skate with her. Champion figure skaters Liz Manley and Rocky Marval explain why they think Harding has paid the price for what happened in 1994. The narrator goes on to provide biographical information on Harding, including the history of her skating career, her tumultuous relationship with Gillooly, and the fact that she never fit the mold expected by the figure-skating world. Next, a brief outline of Kerrigan's story is told, culminating in the attack at Cobo Arena in Detroit. Investigator Benny Napoleon describes the attack, and the narrator explains that the three men arrested for the attack signed confessions implicating Gillooly and Harding. Harding denies having heard about what happened until afterward. Her performance for the long program at the 1994 Olympics is described -- specifically, the problems she had with the lace of one of her ice-skates. Meanwhile, that night the Olympics came out as the sixth-highest-rated television program in history, viewers learn. After the controversy, the narrator explains, Harding worked odd jobs to pay the bills. Ironically, the controversy she caused in the ice-skating world benefited everyone involved in the sport -- except her. Harding is currently making a living coaching, and she struggles to get skating jobs. In 1999, she was thrilled to be invited to a professional competition, but a later charge of assault against her boyfriend set Harding back yet again. Meanwhile, Harding's former rival Nancy Kerrigan skates regularly on the pro skating circuit. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by The New York Community Trust - Haas Foundation Fund.
Details
- NETWORK: Court TV
- DATE: March 31, 2000
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:01
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:65960
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Olympic Games, 1994, Winter, Lillehammer; Scandals; Skating, ice; Olympics; Sports
- SERIES RUN: Court TV/TruTV - TV series, 1998-2010
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bonnie Dry … Executive Producer
- Thea Tractenberg … Producer, Writer
- Pamela Friedman … Associate Producer
- Emily Wen … Associate Producer
- Lorna Perkell … Associate Producer
- Dan Levine … Music by
- Catherine Crier … Host
- Christine Brennan
- Jeff Gillooly
- Tonya Harding
- Nancy Kerrigan
- Liz Manley
- Rocky Marval
- Benny Napoleon