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Spare me the details
The talk around the newsroom today is the release of the pictures of a Stamford woman who was mauled by a chimpanzee. There seems to be a great divide here on those who want to see the pictures and those who don't.
Charla Nash spents weeks in a medically induced coma after Travis the Chimp ripped apart her face in the February 2009 attack. Nash is still at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio where doctors are trying to reconstruct her face.
The first pictures of Nash are available on ABC.com (warning: they are horrific) and she can be seen today in her first television interview. Though my colleagues and I were questioning how can she even conduct an interview when she can't even use her mouth to eat. She is fed through a tube in her neck.
I admit - I am among those who couldn't click on the pictures fast enough. I have covered this story for months and listened to the 9-1-1 call where you hear the chimp screeching as its owner begs for help from police. I have seen the pictures of Travis, dressed up like a human, and have heard Travis' owner, Sandra Herold detail her relationship with the chimp; from giving the chimp Xanax and tea, to enjoying a glass of wine together and then retiring for the night in the same bed.
It is a fascinating story that captured the nation's attention.
One comment today in the newsroom was, "All of America will be gasping in unison when Nash appears on TV today."
Many, like me, wanted to see the picture and then gawk in horror and disbelief. It's like a car accident - you can't help but slow down and stare.
But I was surprised by how many people did not want to see the picture. We have heard countless reports about the injuries that Nash sustained in the attack, and it seems their own imagery is more than enough.
So what do you think? Did you click on the pictures to take a look for yourself? Or not? Why?
22 comments
Comment from: JJ [Visitor]
I did look at the picture and was horrified by the poor woman's appearance. I was going to tape the Oprah show, as I never watch it, but after seeing the picture changed my mind. Seriously doubt if I want to see anymore.I guess I give the woman credit for doing this interview, but I think there are going to be many folks who are going to see something they never expected. I would rather see pictures of her after they do more surgeries, just a bit too graphic for me at the moment. JMHO
11/11/09 @ 15:27
Comment from: Grandma [Visitor]
Since I wanted to see how this poor lady was doing I did read article and see picture. Hope she gets everything that her lawsuit asks for!!!!!!!! She more than deserves it plus will probably never be able to work again. Also her medical bills must be astronomical! My heart goes out to her. Maybe a blessing that she cannot see her face - she was so pretty.
11/11/09 @ 16:59
Comment from: Maureen Carroll [Visitor]
I feel beyond sad for this woman! What an incredible spirit though! It is amazing she survived!
11/11/09 @ 17:05
Comment from: Bamster [Visitor]
Spare me the pictures. There is enough horror in the world that accidently gets in front of all us, I wouldn't look for it on purpose! I might peek in a few years to see what surgeon's successes were if they were to continue to help her, but not now.
11/11/09 @ 17:12
Comment from: Hosed By The System [Visitor]
"" Travis, dressed up like a human, and have heard Travis' owner, Sandra Herold detail her relationship with the chimp; from giving the chimp Xanax and tea, to enjoying a glass of wine together and then retiring for the night in the same bed. """HUMANS" are by FAR the most screwed up of this earths species..............lol
Animals ARE animals........dressing them up like "little" people is just plain STUPID............NOT to mention cruel...........that goes goes for friggin dogs & cats too..........."sleeping with the chimp" ???.......lol....like I said stupid......
It was a horrible thing that happened....BUT even this woman who got the worse end of the stick SHOULD have known better..........she KNEW about this "animal" from past experiences.........
Not everybody "gasped" in unison.....I would stoop that low to watch it........
11/11/09 @ 18:10
Comment from: aghast [Visitor]
wild animals do not belong in captivity. I believe that this woman showing her face on Ophras show will save MANY LIVES. People will think twice before going near wild animals. its mortifing to look at her.
11/11/09 @ 18:48
Comment from: Joanne [Visitor]
I watched the Oprah show in total shock, at first, and then with admiration of what guts it took on her part to go before everyone and show what had happened to her. I could not be so courageous. May God bless her with her continued recovery.What a sad, sad, accident that could have been avoided.
God Bless.
Joanne
11/11/09 @ 19:02
Which one was Oprah? 
I have witnessed and participated in the infliction of severe trauma enough to know I don't want to see any more so I did not click on the link. Of course, it will be difficult to avoid the images as they will undoubtably be splashed across assorted print and broadcast media outlets for days to come as the ghouls relish in the horror.
11/11/09 @ 20:12
Comment from: St.N/eno Glenna MacDonald [Visitor]
I can watch sy-fi for hours on end because I know it isn`t real.Real things give me a weak stomach.
My imagination is strong enough to hope she has a decent recovery.
I grew up on a farm and some of the dogs would turn on humans.
Precautions,precautions,precautions.
I never let a dog or cat sleep on my bed because of fleas and ticks,nevermind king kong.~Peace Glenna~
11/11/09 @ 21:18
Comment from: Marci B [Visitor]
I feel for the victim but Xanax and Chimp should not be in the same sentence. This whole story is just sad on many levels and I really do jot want to see her face and I hope she finds peace.
11/12/09 @ 07:38
Comment from: Linda A. [Visitor]
Out of curiosity, I watch Oprah for a little while (I seldom watch her show), and a little while was all I could stomach. If you've ever see the movie, "The Elephant Man," that's what Charla Nash's face kinda reminds me of. The longer I watched, the more nauseated I became until I finally had to change the channel. It's a miracle she survived at all.
11/12/09 @ 10:27
Comment from: St.N/eno Glenna MacDonald [Visitor]
What bothers me the most was that this whole thing was preventable.Like others on this blog I hope it wasn`t all for nothing and others are saved from this terrible thing that happened.
A part of me is holding her thru this like the children who get sick and are haveing a hard time.
Deliberate self destructive behavoir is another story.
I hope she wins her law suit and is compensated for her damages that happened in this state,that had such leienency on such a riskey pet owners policy.
~Peace Glenna~
11/12/09 @ 17:53
Comment from: M breen [Visitor]
Tea and Xanax? Shouldn't that have given the owner a clue that something was up with this animal? I do not believe in treating pets as people. I am always annoyed when I see someone with their dog hidden away in the basket at the grocery store. People, if you need something to dress up and play with, get a doll. Dolls are harmless unlike your pets. Dolls don't bite or shed fur and dander. And they are actually made to be dressed up unlike your poor unsuspecting pets. Do everyone including your pet a favor....let your dog be a dog and your cat be a cat.
As for Ms Nash, no I don't want to see pictures of her now. I applaud her courage, and will like others, wait for the unveiling of her new finished face.
And to the nutcase with the chimp....was it worth it? Keeping what should have been a zoo animal has cost you something priceless...a friend. I wonder if you are smart enought to understand that.
11/13/09 @ 11:57
Comment from: John G [Visitor]
I do think that although the pictures are very disturbing to see, lets not forget she now has a law suite against the state of CT. I think this was more of a stunt for people to feel sorry for her and to have the whole world on her side. Now that the great Oprah has made her million on that show she's off to the next sad story. Real sad how the media and cable shows make out but the people suffer.
11/13/09 @ 14:07
Comment from: Mom in Southern CT [Visitor]
Unfortunately, I think her story did more harm than good for her. She should have talked about the present and future. She talked about knowing the dangers, yet still going over there. Mistake #1. I do honestly feel sorry for her, and I pity that poor woman who substituted a chimp for a man, and who indeed did lose a good friend due to her pure stupidity and selfishness.
11/15/09 @ 16:18
Comment from: Elle [Visitor] 
I did not look at the pictures -- I can envision what she has been left with and that's enough. She is exceptionally brave to come onto a TV show to talk about her ordeal and show her face. She is blind and that's both a blessing and a curse. I am impressed by her strength - I don't know if i could have that same strength if i ever faced something like what she went through. God bless her.
11/16/09 @ 00:46
Comment from: Raul [Visitor]
Publicly showing the injuries educates us all. This is what happens when wild animals are kept as pets. We all need to learn from this horrible incident.
11/16/09 @ 16:12
Comment from: BobT [Visitor]
Remember that there IS a state law that no chimps over 50lbs may be kept as a pet. The CT DEP let her keep this 200lb chimp and now CT taxpayers will be paying for their stupidity.The DEP should stick to enforcing laws and NOT making up their own.
The pictures shock, of course they do!
What do you expect? If you don't want to look don't.
The chimp did what chimps that age do in a fight. face, hands, genitals on males. That's the 50lb law was written.
11/17/09 @ 17:26
Comment from: Daniel [Visitor]
I wonder how many people who saw the pictures felt like fighting to get laws passed banning ownership of these exotic animals so it does not happen to somebody else? I wonder how many just wanted to see gore?
11/18/09 @ 11:47
Daniel, You read my mind... my guess is there are more than a few who clicked did so out of morbid curiosity and never had a thought past the "ewww" stage.
11/18/09 @ 15:29
Comment from: Tom [Visitor]
As one who has in the past investigated several fatal accidents and near fatal accidents while a police officer I have seen more then enough of mangled bodies to last me a life time. Seeing the picture on the front page did not help. Many of my students watched Oprah and then asked me if I saw the pictures. Ask yourself this question, Is it proper for a child in the 3rd grade to view the pictures on television? How will it affect children that catch a glimpse while their parents watch the news? Forget the morbid curiosity and think about what affect it has on the viewing public.
11/23/09 @ 07:53
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