It is almost a cliché that those who lecture and scold others about morality turn out to be hiding their own immorality. How many anti-gay politicians and crusaders have gotten caught soliciting others of the same sex in restrooms? How many of those who expressed outrage and called for the impeachment of Bill Clinton turned out of have unclean hands themselves?
Well, add another one to the books.
Back in the late eighties, every TV show that would have him on gave a forum to Dr. Thomas Radecki, a founding member of the National Coalition on TV Violence. He was everywhere attacking sexy movies, videogames and comic books. My friend, the fine comic book creator-publisher Denis Kitchen debated Dr. Radecki once on Larry King Live and did, I thought, a pretty good job of it — though it's hard for someone who isn't a full-time, well-compensated crusader to hold his own against one who is. (You can watch that episode here.) Radecki even testified as an expert witness in many courtrooms, blaming media for…well, just about everything.
Radecki submerged and stopped being a doctor in 1992 when the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation revoked his medical license for "engaging in immoral conduct of an unprofessional nature with a patient." He eventually got it reinstated but surrendered it in 2012 amidst accusations of trading drugs to patients in exchange for sex…and how sick do you have to be to enjoy sex on that basis?
In August of 2013, he was arrested for overprescribing drugs and, again, trading them for sex with patients, one of whom wound up bearing his child. This past June, Radecki was sentenced to prison for not less than 11 nor more than 22 years.
But don't be harsh about the man and don't adopt a smug smile and say anything about hypocrisy. He couldn't help it. I'm sure it was all those sexy movies, videogames and comic books he had to study in order to advocate their banning that turned him into a pretty repulsive human being.