Report: Kidnap Victim Elizabeth Smart to Report on Missing Persons Cases for ABC
- Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:50am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped and held for nine months when she was 14 years old. She is reportedly set to join ABC News.
Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped out of her Salt Lake City bedroom at knifepoint at the age of 14 and held for nine months by a street preacher, will join ABC News as a contributor for missing persons cases, the Daily Beast first reported:
“This is definitely not about looking backward and telling her story, which has been well told and retold,” ABC spokeswoman Julie Townsend said…Smart’s role will be “helping viewers understand missing-persons stories from the perspective of knowing what a family experiences when a loved one goes missing.”
The network is expected to make an official announcement soon. Smart will appear on “Good Morning America” and possibly “Nightline,” and could start as soon as next week.
The news of Smart’s hire prompted mixed reactions — Business Insider’s media editor Glynnis MacNicol pronounced it “creepy” and “disheartening:”
“[B]asically she is being hired to shill her own terrible story on television every time another family is suffering a similar ordeal.”
Gawker had a more visceral take:
Eep. Uncomfortable. I mean, just how insightful do we really need our abduction insights tobe before our first cup of coffee?
In May, Brian David Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and raping Smart, nearly nine after she was abducted. Wanda Barzee, Mitchell‘s estranged wife who was also convicted in connection with Smart’s kidnapping, is serving a 15-year prison sentence.
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Comments (34)
tom
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:58amElizabeth is a class act. She just needs to be careful of liberal networks like ABC and the rest of them, they will use her. Liberalism is a disease!
Report Post »Bunnie
Posted on July 9, 2011 at 12:34amWell said!
Report Post »UFOCPrez
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 12:01amNot to diminish what she has been through, but is it any less creepy to have a war correspondent talk about war related stories? Is not seeing one of your friends heads blown off that bad? There are all sorts of people that have had traumatic experiences in life that end up doing correspondence like this. Not a big deal, good for her.
Report Post »ziggrl
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:22pmI’ll be watching for sure. Her family (especially her father) was treated by the MSM horribly. I’m hoping she does well.
Report Post »Paige
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:36pmI can’t believe that anyone would detract or condemn Miss Smart for what she is doing. I think she has come out of her situation stronger than most people. More power to her! I just wish she was doing it on FOX, so that I would actually watch her.
Report Post »hifi74
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 6:32pmOf this is what she feels she needs to do the. I support her 100%. what she went through is a traumatic life changing experience, and even if she’s able to help one family in the process I think she can take that to the bank and chalk it up as a win for herself. Good on her, and despite her new employers misgivings I wish her the best.
Report Post »Reagan was Right
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 6:27pmWell,the young woman has to have a career at some point in her life.
She is a very gracious and attractive woman and she should do what she believes is the proper thing to do.
John Walsh did the same thing when his son Adam was murdered.
I wish her all the best in the world.
Report Post »bosbes
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 2:21pmAB… what? Someone please give this poor abused woman one million dollars and let her heal her life in peace and anonymity. Instead we have the public spectacle of a so-called news organization exploiting her for ratings. And people will actually watch her … out of what … morbid curiosity? My God, what has this country come to?
Report Post »welovetheUSA
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:40pmAtleast she can dress like a professional, these tarts on todays TV look awful…no taste.
Report Post »knightEknight
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:26pmShe is a very courageous young woman for doing this. I hope she excels in her role at ABC.
Report Post »pppggg
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:23pmGlad she is doing the reporting but she should be doing it on FOX, a network people actually watch and believe.
Report Post »NormanDeArmond
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:11pmGood for Disney and ABC. She can rebuild her life with positive celebrity helping solve the problem that victimized her. Enough good things like this and maybe ABC can atone for hiding who and what Obama is from us in the last election, oh, excet that they are still covering for him now. Why do they cover for him. Self destructive really. So that he won’t have to spend hishitherto unheard of campaign billions on ABC advertising.
Report Post »Ronko
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:09pmA good opportunity, my best wishes for her.
Report Post »cranberry
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:54amI cannot believe how strong this girl and her family are. I wish her the very best, what she went through was horrid.
Report Post »Live 2276
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:49amIf you’re going to have an analyst discussing missing persons cases…you won’t find a better subject matter expert than someone who lived through it. No one complains when we have retired Colonels analyzing military affairs and operations…or Doctors discussing health related news. This is no different.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:46amGod bless her. way to go get them and recover with God’s grace. amazing story finding her after all those years and now to be successful to boot it is wonderful
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:37amMs Smart; I give you the best of hope and wishes in your new career. May your future be bright and full of joy.
Report Post »desertkid
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:31amCongrads Ms. Smart. She is an amazing young woman if you have ever heard her interviewed. She is smart, articulate, and mature beyond her age. She’s going to do a fantastic job and I hope we see a lot of her. Bravo, Ms. Smart, bravo.
Report Post »Divothead
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:19amI hope this is successful for her. Pooh on the detractors.
Report Post »Best Username Ever
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:09amThey should’ve picked Kieth Olberman. Hasn’t he been missing for a while?
Report Post »elkslayer
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:08amI don‘t think she would be able to do this if she hasn’t already faced the issues. I wish her the best.
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:06amKind of creepy! But i am glad she is still alive and doing well!
Report Post »BuckleUpAmerica
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:05amwaiting on povery.sucks……any second now….come on don’t let me down….
Report Post »BuckleUpAmerica
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:55amGood for her. It’s good to see she can move forward and use her experience to help others.
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:54amPeople still watch ABC?
Report Post »NJTMATO
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:36amHey Tron….I was wondering the same thing! I don‘t think I’ve had that station on in ten years!!!
Report Post »Bunnie
Posted on July 9, 2011 at 12:33amDitto, do not watch any of them…abc,cbs,nbc,msnbc,cnn…..
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:52am.
Report Post »Good for her………Just hope she does not get on a story and have a flashback on camera……
hersey10
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:11amShe deserves the success , I hope she is able to become equal to what John Walsh has with America’s Most Wanted .
Report Post »EP46
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 5:13amThis was my first thought. John devoted his life after his son Adam was kidnapped and killed, and I think Elizabeth will have an opportunity to bring attention to important issues. She has shown how important faith and a loving, supportive family is. Good luck to her!
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:18amWhat’s next, having rape victims report on rape crimes?
Report Post »TAXLORDCOMETH
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:04pmNothing about the Smart case makes any sense, unless you understand how mind control works. This girl was under heavy mind control and most likely still is. She’s got all the classic signs of Monarch slave programming.
Report Post »libertylover55
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:17pmWhy do you say she is under mind control?
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