The New York Times' "Retro Report" attempts to uncover the real story behind the woman who won a lawsuit against McDonald's after she spilled hot coffee on herself in 1992. Although the trial became a punching bag for late-night television hosts and conservative politicians, this mini-documentary revisits this story from the perspective of Stella Liebeck (the burn victim) and her family.
Even those born after 1992--like me--have heard of the McDonald's-hot-coffee case. It's become the trademark for frivolous lawsuits; and I have always assumed the plaintiff just wanted an excuse to extract a few million from a giant corporation. This video uses the details of the case along with intimate interviews with some of the key players involved to perhaps change the public's perception of Liebeck and McDonald's. It definitely made me rethink my stance on the issue.
The "Retro Report" is a new weekly video series from The Times which provides updates to controversial and/or complicated stories from the past to examine the truth. It is a very interesting model. And, judging by the over 1.3 million views of the McDonald's video on YouTube since it was posted ten days ago, the "Retro Report" could prove to be very lucrative and popular for The Times.
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