Table Of Content(cid:37)(cid:66)(cid:87)(cid:74)(cid:69)(cid:1)(cid:52)(cid:68)(cid:73)(cid:78)(cid:74)(cid:69)
(cid:52)(cid:70)(cid:83)(cid:74)(cid:66)(cid:77)(cid:1)(cid:44)(cid:74)(cid:77)(cid:77)(cid:70)(cid:83)(cid:84)(cid:1)(cid:74)(cid:79)(cid:1)(cid:34)(cid:78)(cid:70)(cid:83)(cid:74)(cid:68)(cid:66)(cid:79)(cid:1)(cid:36)(cid:86)(cid:77)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:83)(cid:70)
DavidSchmidisassociateprofessorofEnglishattheStateUniversityofNew
YorkatBuffalo.
TheUniversityofChicagoPress,Chicago60637
TheUniversityofChicagoPress,Ltd.,London
(cid:2)C 2005byTheUniversityofChicago
Allrightsreserved.Published2005
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 1 2 3 4 5
isbn:0-226-73867-1(cloth)
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Schmid,David(DavidFrank)
Naturalborncelebrities:serialkillersinAmericanculture/DavidSchmid.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
isbn0-226-73867-1(cloth:alk.paper)
1.Serialmurderers—UnitedStates—Publicopinion.2.Crimeinpopular
culture—UnitedStates.3.Serialmurdersinmassmedia.4.Fame.I.Title.
hv6529.s32 2005
364.152(cid:3)3(cid:3)0973—dc22
2004026467
(cid:2)∞ Thepaperusedinthispublicationmeetstheminimumrequirementsofthe
AmericanNationalStandardforInformationSciences—PermanenceofPaper
forPrintedLibraryMaterials,ansiz39.48-1992.
acknowledgments vii
introduction IdolsofDestruction:Celebrity,Consumerism,and
theSerialKiller 1
part one: a history of serial murder
one TheVictorianKillerasMediaStar:Jackthe
RipperandH.H.Holmes 31
two DefiningtheEnemyWithin:TheFBIandSerial
Murder 66
part two: serial murder in american popular culture
three NaturalBornCelebrities:SerialKillersandthe
HollywoodStarSystem 105
four OutofThisWorld:Aliens,Devils,andSerial
KillersinTelevisionCrimeDrama 138
five NextDoorMonsters:TheDialecticofNormality
andMonstrosityinTrue-CrimeNarratives 175
six TheUnbearableStraightnessofViolence:
QueeringSerialMurderinTrueCrime 209
epilogue SerialKillinginAmericaafter9/11 244
notes 259
works cited 285
index 311
Writingthisbookhasbeenalongandsometimesdifficultjourney.Ihavebeen
helpedbysomanypeoplealongthewaythatIcannotpossiblyacknowledge
themall.ThemostIcandoistorecognizethosewhosecontributionshave
been especially important. When I first began studying representations of
violence as a master’s student at the University of Sussex, Jacqueline Rose
impressed upon me the seriousness and importance of such an endeavor.
WhileIwasworkingonthisprojectasastudentintheModernThoughtand
LiteratureProgramatStanfordUniversity,GilSorrentino,EstelleFreedman,
andSandraDrakewereawonderfullyengagedandinvigoratingdissertation
committee.EquallyimportantintheirownwaywereMarieBrazilandMonica
Moore,peerlessprogramadministratorswhosteeredmethroughthreatening
bureaucraticthicketswiththeircustomarycharmandefficiency.Sincearriv-
ingattheUniversityatBuffalo,Ihavebeenblessedbymanysupportiveand
stimulating colleagues. Stefan Fleischer, Barbara Bono, Neil Schmitz, Bob
Daly,MarkShechner,AlanSpiegel,ArtEfron,RuthMack,ElayneRapping,
andTimDeanhaveallbeenextremelygenerouswiththeirtimeandadvice,
and the book is much better for their input. I would also like to thank my
superlativeresearchassistant,BenjaminJoplin,forallhishardworkonmy
behalf.OutsideofBuffalo,ErinCarlstonhasbeenformanyyearsmyclosest
andmostsupportivefriend,whilemyprofessionalassociationandfriendship
withSteffenHantkehasbeencrucial.EricHickeyandEdwardIngebretsen
vii
viii acknowledgments
providedmewithextremelydetailedandconstructivereaders’reports,while
the editorial staff at the University of Chicago Press, especially Douglas
MitchellandTimothyMcGovern,havebeenmodelsofprofessionalismand
affability. I owe Susan Tarcov a particular debt of gratitude for her careful
andinspiredcopyediting.MymostimportantdebtsarethosethatIcannever
repay.Myparents,DenisandIrisSchmid,canneverbethankedenoughfor
stressingtheimportanceofeducationtotheirawfullylazyson.Mybrother,
Antony,andhisfamily,Mandy,Luke,andJames,havebeenunfailinglygener-
ousandloving.Mydaughter,Lucia,wasbornduringthemostintenseperiod
ofwritingthisbook.Iresentedeveryminutethisprojecttookmeawayfrom
her,butnowritereverhadagreaterinspirationthanthethoughtofgetting
tospendasmuchtimewiththiswondrouschildaspossible.Asformywife,
Carrie,therearenowordsthatcanexpressmyfeelingsforher.Asascholar,
ateacher,apartner,andamothershedeservesallavailablesuperlativesand
simultaneouslyrenderstheminadequate.Thisbookisdedicatedtoher,with
loveandgratitude.
IdolsofDestruction:Celebrity,
Consumerism,andtheSerialKiller
Fame,Fame,fatalFame
Itcanplayhideoustricksonthebrain
ButstillI’dratherbeFamous
ThanrighteousorHoly,anyday
Anyday,anyday.
—TheSmiths,“Frankly,Mr.Shankly”
Thepeople’sshudderofadmirationforthe“greatcriminal”is
addressedtotheindividualwhotakesuponhimself,asin
primitivetimes,thestigmaofthelawmakerortheprophet.
—JacquesDerrida,“TheForceofLaw”
Tomeviolencehadalreadybeenreinforcedthroughtimeasa
meansofbeingthestar,centerstageinthisdrama.
—SerialkillerquotedinEricHickey’sSerialMurderers
andTheirVictims
SellingMurder
Onlineshoppingisalltheragethesedays,andthemurderabiliaindustry
inparticular,whichspecializesinsellingserialkillerartifacts,isbooming.At
Spectre Studios, sculptor David Johnson sells flexible plastic action figures
ofTedBundy,JeffreyDahmer,EdGein,andJohnWayneGacyandplansto
produceafigureofJacktheRipperinthefuture.1SerialKillerCentraloffers
a range of items made by serial killers themselves, including paintings and
drawingsbyAngeloBuono(oneofthe“HillsideStranglers”)andHenryLee
Lucas.Forthemorediscerningconsumer,Supernaught.comchargesamere
$300forabrickfromJeffreyDahmer’sapartmentbuilding,whilealockof
Charles Manson’s hair is a real bargain at $995, shipping and handling not
included.
The sale of murderabilia is just a small part of the huge serial killer in-
dustrythathasbecomeadefiningfeatureofAmericanpopularculturesince
the1970s.Aconstantstreamofmovies,magazines,T-shirts,tradingcards,
videos,DVDs,books,Websites,televisionshows,andatsunamiofephemera
havegiventhefigureoftheserialmurdereranunparalleleddegreeofvisibility
inthecontemporaryAmericanpublicsphere.Inaculturedefinedbycelebrity,
serialkillerslikeBundy,Dahmer,andGacyareamongthebiggeststarsofall,
instantlyrecognizedbythevastmajorityofAmericans.NaturalBornCelebri-
tiesanalyzeshowandwhyserialkillersbecamefamous,whattheconsequences
1
Description:Crime in popular culture—United States. 3. Serial murders in mass media. 4. Fame. I. Title. hv6529.s32 2005. 364.152 3 0973—dc22. 2004026467 of Violence: Queering Serial Murder in True Crime 209 epilogue .. Whatever political or social or psychological factors influence the desire to be famous
