Some Of The Feedback Received After the CBS 48 Hours Mystery Program on Saturday
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - I watched the CBS 48 Hours Mystery program "The Dark Side of Paradise" on Saturday night with family and friends at the Balboa Yacht Club. I was pretty happy with the way the program turned out. In reality I had no idea what it was going to look like, because I helped them while the crew was here in Panama filming, but had no input whatsoever with regards to their writing, editing, and the way they put the parts and pieces together. There were only a couple of very small details, but nothing significant. Overall, they did a great job on the program. And it was a joy working with their entire crew - the correspondent Peter Van Sant is a well decorated world traveled veteran journalist who's pretty much "seen it all" in one way or the other. The show's producer Chris O'Connell is a young hard working professional who goes from one crime scene to another on these kinds of stories. Their camera and sound guys are the best as well, and I can only imagine what their studios look like back in New York, the talent and resources they have at their disposal. Anyway, top notch crew all around, and their talent was reflected in the final product. Here's some of the feedback I've been receiving since the show aired. Most of it very positive...
- Hi Don! I'm watching the show featuring you right now and I for some reason I just feel compelled to thank you. I just can't imagine what Ezra was going through and he was so fortunate to be able to access your expertise. Clearly justice would not have been served without you. It is just so incredible. You have really made the world safer. I just googled your name and this came up and I don't even know if this will really get to you, but I figured it surely couldn't hurt to send :) I lived in Panama for a short time in 2004 and it was so wonderful to see flashes of the country again. I hope one day to return and thanks to you, to a safer place. Keep up the good work! Best, Lindsay
- Dear Mr. Winner, You are an inspiration to us. You helped Ezra find Don North's real story and exposed an evil man (Javier Martin) to the world. You saved other adventurers and backpackers from an unknown danger. My heart goes out to wonderful people like Don North who loved people, nature and his family. There is a price for such a freedom, and we wish it wasn't Don who ended up paying the price.
- Watched it last night. As one who will be sailing our boat down to Panama when we come, we were especially interested in learning all the details of what happened in this tragic and senseless incident.. Are there any details that CBS missed or got wrong?
- Enjoyed watching you get your fugitive last night on CBS. Good to know people like you get credit for getting the bad guys. Just found your blog and retired recently. May make it down to Panama some day and check it out. All the best, Tom, Minneapolis, MN USA
- Don, Saw you on TV last night in Florida. Keep up the good work. John
- Great job Don. Nice episode. (From Pepito, AF buddy.)
- I wanted to congratulate you for the work you did catching Javier Martin in the deaths of Don North and the Frenchman. I really enjoy reading Panama Guide and keeping up with your work. Thanks for being a Facebook friend, and hope to meet you one of these days when I return to Panama. Keep up the great work. SH.
- Saw the story on 48 Hours and all I can say is if it were not for you who knows if the truth would have ever been found! Great job! Best wishes to you and yours. SR.
- I was impressed with your work and the unfolding of the whole story. Good work, Don! Thanks for letting us know about it. BP.
- Awesome to see you last night on TV. Didn't realize you were an international man of mystery. Kudos to you! I knew you when... (Debbie, childhood friend from K-12.)
- Don, you are still the most amazing guy. Great mind, still that sense of humor. Loved watching you and learning about what you do. DG.
- Don, I watched you on CBS last night... great job once again sir! DC.
- That was too cool, Don - proud of you. "Don't mess with Don Winner" - advice that would have come in handy before that 1990 Bills/Giants Superbowl bet. (Bryan, AF friend, Bills fan, he lost a bet on Super Bowl XXV, played on 27 January 1991, when the Giants beat the Bills 20-19. He's still smarting from that one (grin).
- Just saw you on TV Don, way to help catch a murdering scum. Good on ya!! ;) CO.
- Outstanding, Don! Watching the 48-Hours Mystery episode of your work in catching Javier Martin. Great investigative work and great use of the Panamanian media to catch the guy. JB.
- Omg Don I can't believe your famous on tv 48 hours!!! PW. (Pam, childhood K-12 friend. And when I say "K-12" I mean we met in Kindergarten and graduated High School together.)
You Get The Idea: 99.9% of the feedback was positive. Only one dude had a problem with the program. I referred him to CBS because it was their show, and I just participated with no control over the content. Hey, you can't ever make everyone happy, right? Anyway, thanks for watching guys, and also for reading the website. My arm's kinda tired from all of this self inflicted back slapping, so now I'm going to drop this and resume coverage of the protests going on all over the country. If you missed the program and want to see it, CBS has made it available online here: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7397592n.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
