Journalist Nancy Glass, who famously conducted the final televised interview with serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in 1993, pushed back against critics of Netflix’s latest biopic series on Tuesday.
During an interview with Fox News’ America’s Newsroom host Bill Hemmer, Glass discussed her experience interviewing Dahmer during her time on Inside Edition. Dahmer appeared completely normal according to Glass, who suggested that if the serial killer presented himself in a manner akin to Charles Manson she would have felt less terrified.
“You never would have spotted [he was a killer],” she noted of his demeanor.
The pair discussed other details surrounding Dahmer’s murders, including speculation he selected victims based on race or sexual orientation which the killer, who was homosexual, famously denied. Dahmer refuted the claims, saying he had an obsession with finding the best looking young man.
Hemmer asked Glass’ opinion surrounding the Netflix series, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, regarding victim’s families reactions to the biopic.
“No matter what, it isn’t a good feeling for the family members, but it wasn’t a documentary, it’s a work of fiction,” said Glass. “For example, this idea that neighbors called all the time, they didn’t. That was not true.”
29 YEARS LATER: Nancy Glass, journalist who interviewed serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, comments on controversial new @Netflix show: “No matter what, it isn’t a good feeling for the family members, but it wasn’t a documentary, it was a work of fiction.” @BillHemmer @DanaPerino pic.twitter.com/6A0FaeWlpJ
— America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) October 11, 2022
“This is … a miniseries by a producer and writer who do really great programming, and that’s what they did here,” said Glass. “They sort of combined a lot of different things that happen,” Glass continued, noting the series’ depiction of 13-year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone’s murder were accurate.
Hemmer asked Glass if she felt Netflix’s series, along with other true-crime media, romanticizes killers.
“No, I don’t,” Glass replied after taking a beat. “I think that what they do is sort of satisfy our curiosity about how could something like this really happen. Everybody wants to know, like how could it happen? Could I spot this? How do I avoid this? I know that may seem bizarre but I think it’s more about morbid curiosity than romanticism.”
Netflix received backlash from viewers after the streaming company tagged Dahmer under the LGBTQ category.
One viewer slammed the streaming platform in a Tik Tok video saying the LGBTQ tag was “not the representation we’re looking for.”
“Will you please take LGBTQ off of this show,” said another user. “He was not part of the LGBTQ community. He was a sick pedophile serial killer. It’s insulting to the LGBTQ community and it support the crazy right wing agenda! Stop! Or I’ll cancel! I’ll tell everyone I know to cancel too.”
Will you please take LGBTQ off of this show. He was not part of the LGBTQ community. He was a sick pedophile serial killer. It’s insulting to the LGBTQ community and it support the crazy right wing agenda! Stop! Or I’ll cancel! I’ll tell everyone I know to cancel too. 😡🤬
— Kristi 🌊💙#VoteBlueInNov22🌊💙 (@Kris_LoveWins) September 22, 2022
Shortly after the show’s Sept. 21 premiere, the LGBTQ tag was removed without comment from the company.
Dahmer is Netflix’s number two English-language TV series of all time, amassing over 700 million hours viewed to date — a number that ranks behind Stranger Things season 4’s 1.35 billion hours viewed, according to Indiewire.
