Historical Perspective: 1980s "60 Minutes" segment on D&D

[UngainlyTitan]

How about those reports of nameless, locationless kids summoning D&D demons and astrally projecting themselves? And the leading questions? Are they making a program about investigative journalism, or are they simply citing urban legends?

I never really watched 60 Minutes before, but if this is their idea of journalism, it doesn't seem like I'm missing much.

Not Amercian, so I have never seen 60 Minutes either, but a lot of journalism, expecially tv journalism is a bit like that because it is about ratings. If the show does not have rating the journalists do not have jobs and so a little controversy is needed every now and again. If it is not there naturally then find something odd and make a fuss about it.
In my opinion it has gotten worse in the era of mupliple 24hr news channels.

 

[amysrevenge]

To this day I still don't offer up that I play D&D... my wife volunteers that information freely without anyone even prompting her (to which I still flinch a little).

This describes my own situation exactly... lol

 

[renau1g]

Ha! That's great... I laughed really hard.

For additional hilarity please see the below site:

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp

 

[Scribble]

How about those reports of nameless, locationless kids summoning D&D demons and astrally projecting themselves? And the leading questions? Are they making a program about investigative journalism, or are they simply citing urban legends?

I never really watched 60 Minutes before, but if this is their idea of journalism, it doesn't seem like I'm missing much.

Haven't had a chance to watch the Youtube links, so I can't remember exactly what's done with them, but generally the 60 minutes style is:

Take an issue going on, and tell the viewers about it, taking no "stand" one way or the other.

Interview key players in said issue, and let them respond to what the big questions are.

Then make no comment on the interview, just show the interview and let the viewers determine their own thoughts.

 

[WizarDru]

How about those reports of nameless, locationless kids summoning D&D demons and astrally projecting themselves? And the leading questions? Are they making a program about investigative journalism, or are they simply citing urban legends?

I never really watched 60 Minutes before, but if this is their idea of journalism, it doesn't seem like I'm missing much.

For those outside of the US, let me put this into perspective. "60 Minutes" is the longest continuously running show airing during Prime-Time (i.e. 7-11PM) viewing hours. It is now 40 years old. In its time, it has been alternately celebrated and vindicated for its investigative journalism. It is one of only three shows that can claim to have been in the Top Ten most watched shows for 10 years running. It often used a tough 'ambush' style of journalism which was new and unique before the advent of 24-hour news channels and the Internet. At the same time, they came under criticism multiple times for their presentation and sometimes misleading editing. Sometimes they did good, like their coverage of the Watergate Scandal during the Nixon years. Other times they copped out, such as the debacle with the Tobacco industry portrayed in the move, The Insider.

The point to be made here is that the significance of this report was that it was on a show that reached a HUGE audience and was highly influential in planting the idea in people's minds that D&D was dangerous, satanic and unsafe for children. Note also how they represent the game as being one for children. Even though at least half of their 'victims' were legal adults or older teenagers. No mention of college students, who made up a large portion of the D&D community, is even hinted at. Because that wouldn't make for a good "Won't someone please think of the children?!?" story.

 

[Relique du Madde]

I also like the "expert" who claims one family actually witnessed their child summon demons into his bedroom with the spell from the D&D handbook.

Dude that's hard core. That family must have been mid to high level adventures to have survived that encounter. I wonder if anyone went up a level..

 

[MadMaxim]

Wow, I'm glad I wasn't around when D&D got that kind of publicity... But it was very informative, I must say.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Wow! And the memories come flooding back....

I recall when I was 10 (in '83) getting excited when I met a kid in my elementary school with a little pamphlet somehow labelled with "D&D" in big dragony letters, and talking to him about how great the game was - until he handed one to me and promised to pray for my soul. Boy was I confused! Turns out it was a religious tirade against fantasy RPGs in general, although it didn't actually have any quotes from D&D, only other games with graphic details of summonings, damage, etc (sorry I don't recall which games). I really wish I still had that pamphlet.

I had been introduced to D&D a year or two earlier, by a much older cousin who let me peruse his monster manuals and all that. His father was a Lutheran minister, so that kind of settled the whole "is it satanic" thing for my parents, who soon thereafter bought me a Basic set. Best part is, in the end, that same cousin grew up to become a minister himself, completely unsullied by the evils of D&D!

 

[Caliber]

My grandmother still enjoys telling the story of when one of our local newsreporters came on the air with a story about a devil worshipping cult at a local high school.

Oh no! she though, my son goes there! He might be in danger! Even worse, the reporter went on to explain that the cult was even supported by some teachers, who actively recruited students! Egads, this has to be stopped!

And the leader of the cult was none other than ... my uncle, who was DM for his high school's DnD group. She laughed and laughed. Lucky for me (and more lucky for my uncle) she wasn't ever the religious type, and knew it all for the foolishness it was.

Makes for a funny story now though.

 

[renau1g]

That's fantastic, unfortunately I missed the heights of the anti-D&D-ness, but I can relate based on the anti-video game movements recently, although nobody's got a bunch of copies of GTA or WoW and burned them like they did D&D paraphanalia...