Review of Evocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie (2013) by Greg S — 01 Nov 2013

Before reality television allowed just about anybody to say just about anything in front of an audience and before polarizing radio and television personalities such as Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Bill Maher and Sean Hannity proved there is an audience that craves shock-talk when it involves putting-down and insulting others, the world had one person who did this on a regular basis and who was actually different than all that followed as this man was an honest, equal-opportunity offender who spoke his mind and wasn't earning tens of millions of dollars from corporate sponsors manipulating those dumber than him to believe everything he said.

Yes, sorry, but if the shoe fits ... Morton Downey Jr. was a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking hothead who had hoped to follow in his father's footsteps as a crooner; but his talent wasn't in music and so he found his calling as a television host on a short-lived yet notorious talk show that bore his name and was called "3-D television" because of the numerous quasi-violent outbursts that occurred on the show amongst verbally volatile guests (such as Rev.

Al Sharpton, Gloria Allred, Pat Buchanan, Allen Dershowitz, Curtis Sliwa and various [ignorant] klansmen). It was also described as "rock and roll without the music" because of its attitude, pacing and aggressive format.

Downey Jr. was "in your face" and rarely apologized and always had an opinion which turned off plenty of viewers although it revolutionized the television format/genre. Downey Jr. had a very quick rise to his infamous fame but he also had a very quick fall as a stunt of his backfired and he lost much support.

Evocateur showcases the man's rise and fall and also provides a bit of touching, human reality by including the man's late health scare and battle with lung cancer (he openly claimed to have smoked upwards of 3 packs a day at the height of his career).

His show aired in the late 80's and I remember it being on and hearing some of his more shocking claims ... that probably are not as shocking anymore as they used to be. Evocatuer is an adequate tribute to a man who did revolutionize television even if the man never knew to what extent.

Without doubt, he did take things too far but he did speak his mind openly and honestly which is more than can be said about so many that have followed him and are doing so for larger paychecks (as it has become ALL about the $).