WILD CARD: THE DOWNFALL OF A RADIO LOUDMOUTH

US, 2020, 76 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Martin Dunn, Marie Mc Govern.

This is a comparatively brief HBO Sports documentary, including material filmed in June 2020, indicating the effect of coronavirus, social distancing, the wearing of masks. It was released in October 2020.

It is a film of interest mainly to American sports fans and those who listen to and watch radio and television sports programs. The central character is Craig Carton, allegedly quiet in real life, but certainly a loudmouth and provocative while on air, and enjoying his provocation. Along with the rather quiet and older co-compere, Boomer Esiason, they are on the air very successfully for 10 years.

It soon emerges that this is not simply a documentary about sports broadcasts. There is quite a deal of Craig Carton talking direct to camera. What emerges is that he had a gambling compulsion, even driving hours to a casino to play blackjack for an hour and hours returning in time for his broadcast. There are some visuals to illustrate the gambling with cards and chips. Carton was married, had four children, but was preoccupied with blackjack – to which he confesses and explores what he did and his responsibility.

He was arrested in 2017, rather spectacularly, was found guilty and sentenced to jail. There are several sequences showing him in jail, in his cell, in his walking the grounds. These are intercut with his narrative.

Early in the film it is indicated there was something of bad experiences when he was young. In the middle of the film, he makes the revelation, he was severely abused by one of the leaders at a summer camp, never told anyone, was affected severely by the abuse – and, in his talking to camera, he makes his points very strongly. He had included the experiences in his biography, Loudmouth, but the publishers asked him to take out the chapter because the rest of the book was lighthearted.

He was released from jail in 2020 and is shown walking the streets of a rather deserted covid New York, reflecting on his experience, his contact again with his friends, the support of his wife and children.

Throughout the film there are many talking heads, especially commentary and personal reflections from Boomer, other sports officials, media personalities, especially one friend who, when Carton was feeling suicidal on a chairlift in British Columbia, he rang the friend able to keep him online until he came down to earth. One of the commentators throughout the film is the previous governor of New Jersey, Trump supporter, Chris Christie.

While not having the impact it would have on an American audience, this confession about a gambling addiction and seeing it in action and the consequences, as well as the revelation about sexual abuse, make it more interesting and arresting than might have been anticipated.