Oh sweet irony
 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...=Entertainment

Chris Hansen caught cheating on his wife...on hidden camera

Wow, I thought this was a spam link when it went around FB.

I don't think it was irony because he isn't breaking the law. He's got issues, but he isn't trying to bang 15 year olds or breaking any other law

It wouldn't be ironic if he was just cheating, no (though he is robbing the cradle a bit). The irony is that he was caught on hidden camera.

More importantly... (believe this is correct one)

Am I the only person who had no idea wtf Chris Hansen is without Googling it?

Sounds like it. I fucking hate that show.

So when did the National Enquirer become credible?

I think it was about when they broke John Edwards.

Not the only one (haven't Googled him yet though).

Sounds like too strong of an opinion about that show...

Did you know who he was after you googled him? I could understand not knowing the name off the top of your head, but his "To Catch a Predator" series was quite popular for a period of time.

Only in the vaguest sense, as in "I know the show exists & has generated a little controversy" but that's about it. Never seen a minute of it afaik & couldn't begin to tell you what network it was on or anything like that (if I had to make a wildass guess I'd probably go with something like CNBC or MSNBC but that's a shot in the dark).

I believe it was on NBC as part of their Dateline show. Pretty sure there have been reruns and specials on MSNBC. Its been a while since I have seen it, so my memory might not be exact.

In all honesty how could anyone hate this show, it is responsible for taking numerous monsters off the street and likely deterring others from acting out.

I'm not going to even answer that, because it's clear from your word choice that you have a very set opinion on the matter and it's not going to change.

What's the other side of the opinion on grown men setting up encounters with teenage girls online and meeting them at motels? Just curious. And I tried to use the most neutral words I could to describe what the show is about. Does it have to do with an objection to "entrapping" an otherwise innocent guy into getting into an online relationship with a teenager and aarranging for a motel? Because that's laughable. They're all "innocent" and wouldn't have done it if not for those meddlin' anti-child molesters, once they get caught.

I would assume its the belief that ephebophilia (when you want to fuck a sexually mature yet underaged girl) is not as bad as pedophilia. I think he's made that point here before.

Well, I believe driving 85 MPH isn't as bad as driving 125 MPH, either, but I don't have much of an argument when I'm pulled over in a 55 MPH zone.

I guess the issue I have with that line of reasoning is that it seems to completely disregard mental state in the definition of "sexual maturity."

Maybe Izulde should take a seat over there...

I don't think so, because I don't think Izulde is saying that it is alright. He is saying they aren't "monsters." Stings like this do at times hit upon a real "predator." Someone who actively hunts for weak teenagers to prey on. Most of these guys, though, would have never done anything like that if not for some over-aggressive sting. There was just an article on some of the tacts that police are using to pull people in to these stings, and they readily admit they will troll through adult chatrooms and websites, say they are 18, then flip the switch on these guys after they have them hot and panting for some. Entrapment, anyone? No such thing anymore.

I am not saying that what these guys did was ok. Very few would. But do I feel like these stings are really about getting "predators" off the streets? No. The predator is the baseball coach that finds the weak kid in the group, shows him some affection until he can get him to do what he wants. It is the guy that plays with the kids in the neighborhood, always having treats with him, until he can lure them into his house to make a "movie." It is the people that use their position of power and authority to draw unsuspecting kids into their webs. Those are the monstrous predators that commit huge numbers of crimes, and they are hard to catch. But this is just drawing out "crimes of opportunity" that capture individuals that most likely would have never committed a crime if the police hadn't made it so easy. Not really making the world safer for my 15 year old daughter. I am much more worried about her teacher/principle/bible school teacher/etc. You know, the non-stranger that commits 98% of all actual molestations.

You really believe that? Wow. You have to have no predisposition to commit a crime for it to be entrapment, and knowingly arranging a rendezvous with someone you think is underaged hardly seems to me to be entrapment. There can be specific facts that would rise to that level, of course, but generally speaking, I don't buy it one bit.

FWIW, most crimes are committed because of opportunity.

I guess I don't get it. We aren't talking about a fantasy, we are talking about guys who showed up at a young girls house (and in many cases on the show the girls are set up as 13 year olds) when their parents aren't home.

I don't care how hot and bothered you get over a chat room fantasy, actually showing up at the front door hours later isn't entrapment. It's being a scumbag who deserves prison time. I don't care if it's your first time or if you are a long term scumbag, when the girl types in 13 in the chat box you either ask if that's her real age and then bolt or just bolt. Anything else makes you deserve what you get.

To borrow from the images thread - if you're that hot and bothered but suddenly you realize it's a 15 year old and you just can't contain yourself: