There are few examples in America where ex-convicts are able to make a living as actors or real people on television. Not many people are willing to watch shows that star real life criminals because supporting their shows will put money in their pockets. However, Duane Chapman is one of the exceptions.
The “Dog” in the “Dog the Bounty Hunter” TV series had gotten high enough ratings to continue the show, developing a small but dedicated fan base for many years. The series is based on ex-con Chapman acting as bounty hunter, pursuing fugitives from the law around the country and taking them into custody. He did not work alone, with his wife Beth as his sidekick, providing various types of support in his search.
There were some questions as to whether Chapman was taking advantage of the rare opportunity to make a rather substantial living as an ex-con as he pulled himself from the show in 2012. The publicly announced reason was “creative differences” but it seems that Chapman just got greedy and forgot where he came from. As it turns out, Chapman was involved in a number of legal actions that involved airing cable network A&E, one which resulted in the court awarding him a settlement of more than $500,000.
Seven years later, Chapman will have another go at it, this time airing on the WGN America network. It is scheduled for 10 episodes under the title “Dog’s Most Wanted.” In a promotional statement, WGN America President Gavin Harvey said that the hunts will be bigger, the criminals more dangerous, and he will continue to have the support of family members in pursuit of the fugitives.
With an estimated net worth of more than $6 million, the question begging to be asked is “why?” Chapman is now 65 years old, and it is not certain how many people are interesting in watching a senior citizen gallop around the country in pursuit of the bad guys. But it turns out that his wife Beth very recently had surgery for throat cancer and they need the money to pay for her recovery and future treatments. It is safe to say there are no “creative differences” that exist between Dog and WGN America.
How long the series will survive is anybody’s guess. In fact, it is puzzling why WGN America would roll the dice reviving the series given Chapman’s history with the series and with the law. Though he was once convicted of first degree murder, apparently funders and fans have moved past that and supported his bounty hunting success. The first sign of trouble was the recording of Chapman using a racial slur which caused a pause in the production of the original series back in 2007. That was more than a decade ago, so it is likely in the currently supercharged sensitivity of social media and the general public that any similar charge on or off camera will bring the series to a screeching halt.
But beyond the social slur, Chapman managed to get himself into some legal trouble with the state of Hawaii. He has a home on the island and is also the location for his bounty hunting business. In 2016, Hawaii sued Chapman for $35,000 in money owed to the government. And Chapman publicly stated he supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election because he wanted someone as president who had experience, but such a statement will likely erode a substantial percentage of his former fan base.
Sources report that Chapman recently relocated to Colorado so his wife Beth could get cancer treatments. Apparently they can afford to keep two homes but not afford the mounting medical bills. Based on fan responses to the announcement of the return of the show, most will be watching to support Beth’s recovery and not to see the Dog in action. If this is the real reason fans will tune in, then you can place a bet on the longevity of the new show running parallel with Beth’s real life drama. Maybe WGN America sees this as a two-fer — Beth’s ongoing dramatic struggles with Dog’s bounty hunting for the action sequences. It just might work for the 10 episodes.
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