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Hit Cop Drama 'Spitzer-izing' Its Finale?

By LYNN ELBER, AP

Posted: 2008-05-20 15:34:33

Filed Under: TV News

LOS ANGELES (May 20) - A scandal involving a New York governor and a prostitute has the makings of a classic ripped-from-the-headlines plot for NBC's "Law & Order."

But Wednesday's season finale about a governor and a call girl isn't about Eliot Spitzer, cautions series star Sam Waterston - although it's fair to say anyone, even Waterston, could get a bit confused.

Asked recently if the show was dramatizing Spitzer's story, the actor replied, "That's what we're shooting right now." Then he quickly offered a clarification.

"I shouldn't say we're doing the Eliot Spitzer story. I should say we're doing a story about a politician who gets into trouble because of sexual questions ... involving prostitution," Waterston told The Associated Press.

The truth has always been somewhere between the edges of that fine line.

Since it started in 1990, the TV drama created by executive producer Dick Wolf has carefully echoed real-life events without explicitly citing them. The very first episode of the show, which films in New York, was about a parking violations case - after something similar had rocked the city, Wolf recalled in a recent interview.

Wednesday's episode (10 p.m. EDT) is racier, as a murder investigation leads police to a prostitution ring whose clients include New York Gov. Shalvoy (Tom Everett Scott). That creates a quandary for District Attorney Jack McCoy (Waterston), whose political fortunes may be tied to Shalvoy's.

Earlier this year, Spitzer's career collapsed days after he was identified by federal authorities as Client 9 of a high-priced prostitution ring. Spitzer, who resigned from office in March, apologized without expressly acknowledging he had visited prostitutes.

Waterston says the "Law & Order" episode diverges sharply from what happened with Spitzer.

"It goes in all different directions," he said. "`Law & Order' raises questions about what's fair, what's right, what's justice, that aren't necessarily raised by the original story or ... can't be gone into in just a news story."

Anthony Anderson, new to the cast as police Detective Kevin Bernard, said the series is "current, it's real, it's true." Now that he's part of the show, he said, "I'm doing research and I'm reading these scripts (and) I'm like, wow, this is real, wow, people are crazy!"

"Law & Order" also stars Jeremy Sisto, S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache and Alana De La Garza.

Asked about whether there was "Spitzer-izing" on the show this week, De La Garza shrugged, laughed and gave a quick eye-roll.

Associated Press Writers Erin Carlson and Lauri Neff contributed to this report.

This Week in Pop Culture July 7 - July 13

July 7, 2007: Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden is escorted out of a Beverly Hill Hotel after nearly attacking reality TV star Spencer Pratt for talking trash about Madden's girlfriend, Nicole Richie.

Jamie McCarthy, Wire Image

July 7, 1967: Davey Jones The Monkees launch their national tour with Jimi Hendrix as the opening act. The guitar god will quickly beg off after a few dates, when it becomes clear that he and the Faux Four's fan base share little common ground.

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July 9, 2006: Paula Ann Meronek of MTV's 'The Real World: Key West' is arrested after she allegedly bites her boyfriend several times when he refuses to let her into their Connecticut home. "I think it was an argument that led to one thing then another," say Cromwell Police Chief Anthony Salvatore.

Cromwell Police Dept / AP

July 9, 1956: With the dismissal of Bob Horn following a DUI arrest, Dick Clark takes over as host of 'Bandstand' on WFIL-TV in Philadelphia. ABC will begin broadcasting the show in 1958 under its new name, 'American Bandstand.'

July 9, 1995: The long strange trip finally comes to an end as the Grateful Dead play the final show of their 30-year career at Soldier Field in Chicago. Millions of the band's acolytes are forced to reconsider their lives.

Jose Osorio, Chicago Tribune / AP

July 10, 1975: After ten days of unqualified matrimonial bliss, Cher files for divorce from rocker Greg Allman.

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July 10, 1976: Starland Vocal Band's ode to the "nooner," 'Afternoon Delight,' supplants 'Love Hangover' by Diana Ross as the No. 1 song in the country.

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July 11, 2000: Metallica drummer and founding member Lars Ulrich alienates a generation of music fans by testifying before the Senate about the dangers posed by Napster and MP3 files to his staggering wealth.

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July 12, 1960: The Etch-A-Sketch goes on sale. It is every parents dream as it makes no noise, needs no batteries, has no small parts to lose and requires no assembly. More than 50 million will be sold over the next 25 years.

July 12, 2007: Heavy hangs the head that wears the crown as yet another beauty queen, Miss New Jersey Amy Polumbo, is rocked by the release of "unladylike" photos.

Donald B. Kravitz, The Press at Atlantic City / AP

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-05-20 14:32:17

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16 comments

clwnfshy 08:56:32 AM May 21 2008

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POLITICIANS WIVES ARE ALWAYS IN IT FOR THE MONEY AND SEX! WHOEVER THEY SLEEP WITH IS NEVER A PROBLEM LMAO

clwnfshy 08:55:53 AM May 21 2008

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THE GOVS WIFE MUST BE A TRAMP IF STAYING WITH HIM!!!

rtutbucks 08:40:45 AM May 21 2008

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I WONDER IF MCGREEVEY'S WIFE EVER GOT TESTED FOR AIDS

rtutbucks 08:40:22 AM May 21 2008

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I WONDER IF HILLIARY EVER GOT TESTED FOR AIDS

rtutbucks 08:39:48 AM May 21 2008

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I WONDER IF SPITZER'S WIFE GOT TESTED FOR AIDS

sue8553 08:25:56 AM May 21 2008

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Hey the EX- Governor brought it upon himself so he's fair game. And most people who love Law and Order like me love true to life stories. And Dick Wolf is a great producer and the actors are great. Love that show.

fatherdjohnson 07:52:20 AM May 21 2008

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The Spitzer gets-her scenario is fair game, and, given the standards of the medium, it would seem that it is a story tailor-made for television.

If we wanted to be polite, we would say that this is a case of art imitating life, but, if we wanted to be less polite, we should simply say that the usual sleazebag TV producers are cashing in on the behavior of our equally sleazebag politicians.

zimmy1002 07:23:54 AM May 21 2008

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DID VITTER'S WIFE DUMP HIM? DID CRAIG'S WIFE DUMP HIM? OH, THAT'S REICH THEY ARE REPUKLICANTS AND IT IS OKAY FOR THEM BUT WRONG FOR OTHERS...THE OLD DOUBLE STANDARD INTROUDUCED AND SUPPORTED BY EGOCENTRIC WHITE MALE DOMINATED REPUKLICANTS.

likedrivingalot 11:39:27 PM May 20 2008

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here, here brophydude

jersey girl trash hooker is just as bad as the spitzman
she did not have to resort to that line of work
she is just as culpable and should be held to task as well
she did the girls gone wild thing and then moved on to this type of work
shame on her and anyone who thinks she is a victim
this is not some street tramp trying to feed her family
she lived in a very exclusive expensive apartment in nyc and did some big clients
let her drop and prosecute her