The Dating Game: choose wisely
Fortunately, with one likely exception, the few probable psychopaths (approximately 1% of the general population) that I have met in my life have been at work. Workplaces are also comprised of about 1% psychopaths (however, psychopaths [and bullies] may be “selected for” at higher echelons of the workplace), but at least you can leave them at the end of the day. 
In Santa Ana, California, Rodney Alcala, 66, is representing himself in the penalty phase of his trial. When he was the “winning bachelor” on The Dating Game in 1978, he had already been convicted of the rape of an eight-year-old girl.
In February 2010, Rodney Alcala was convicted of murdering four women and a child. The crimes date back to the late 1970s. Within months of his appearance on The Dating Game, Alcala abducted and murdered a 12-year-old girl in 1979. Alcala’s conviction for the murder of the girl was later overturned. Alcala has been in prison for 30 years. He was formerly a photographer.
Charming, likable, long-haired “Bachelor #1” impressed bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw with his “sexy and funny” answers, but backstage before the show, he was intimidating, unlikable, rude, and imposing with the other bachelors. The true unstable, antisocial personality of the apparent psychopath and future serial killer came through.
Although Cheryl Bradshaw chose Alcala as her date, she later refused to go out with him. According to CNN, the noted criminal profiler Pat Brown suggested that being rejected can have a profound impact on serial killers.
Alcala is using a video clip of The Dating Game in his own defense, according to a video in the CNN article, which makes for a fascinating story about this serial killer with a high IQ and his choice to represent himself.
(Note added March 10, 2010: It took the Orange County jury only one hour to deliver a sentence of the death penalty for Rodney James Alcala. The bizarre and emotional details are in the LA Times.)
(Note added March 19, 2010: Huntington Beach police detectives have been swamped with calls from people who think that they can identify one of the dozens of women and girls in photos released last week and linked to convicted serial killer Rodney James Alcala. Many of the more than 400 calls can be dismissed because the people became “missing” AFTER Alcala was jailed for the 1979 killing of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe of Huntington Beach. He has been in prison ever since.)
-Bill at
Cheshire Cat Photo™ – “Your Guide to California’s Wonderland™”
You can view higher-resolution photos (*generally* 7-30 megabytes, compressed) at the Cheshire Cat Photo™ Pro Gallery on Shutterfly™, where you can also order prints and gifts decorated with the photos of your choice from the gallery. Apparel and other gifts decorated with some of our most popular photos can be ordered from the Cheshire Cat Photo™ Store on CafePress®. Both Shutterfly™ and CafePress® ship to most international locations worldwide! Framed prints and prints on canvas can be ordered from our galleries on imagekind® and redbubble®. All four locations are accessible from here. If you don’t see what you want or would like to receive an email when new photos are up on the site, send us an email at info@cheshirecatphoto.com.
©2010 William F. Hackett. All Rights Reserved.
