The Big Conn

In my humble opinion, Mason Tackett is the star of this production. His Rap composition was very funny, as is he, and spot on honest and insightful. As for abuse of SSDI, I witnessed this firsthand, from a con artist i had the misfortune of knowing for a short time. This criminal milked the system, both he and his mother "payee" used the SSDI money for gambling and drugs/alcohol. I reported him. The last thing i heard of him was from his probation officer that the con artist was "doctor shopping" after his benefits were stopped as a result ofmy report.

It never ceases to amaze me when "like finds like". The lawyer and the judges and the Social Security Administration. This the perfect example of it - on steroids!

Conn, the lawyer's very appropriate name, took the "only child" myth to new lows - or highs. I can't decide which. Seems no matter what he did, he did it to the absolute EXTREME!

Same with his profession. He had big plans and, well, everything Conn did was big.

The series was too long. It could have been easily cut back. It seems to mimic his need for abundance.

My greatest disappointment was with the Social Security Administration. The fact is, they are playing with our money - and it seems they don't seem to think it's anything but Monopoly money. Why aren't they being investigated?!

Assessing blame - you'll have to do that yourself.

Probably an interesting story but I just found it long and unbearable. I just can't get into documentaries that play irritating music tracks while people are talking! It's a documentary, let's hear what people have to say! Can't recommend this one... And please stop with the ridiculous muzak tracks while people are telling their story!

The Big Conn is the latest docu-series on AppleTV+ and judging by the trailer, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was the next Tiger King. The story is equal parts heartbreaking and crazy, while the team in charge of this - who also produced McMillions - throw everything into this to make an aesthetically slick and bombastic documentary. Unfortunately, despite only being 4 episodes long. The first episode in particular, perfectly exemplifies the issues that ripple through this. It takes 7 and a half minutes before we even begin the story, with nothing but hype and a massive introduction to pad out the opening. We're also graced with a 40 second establishing shot before we get our first interview with a local in Kentucky. These moments are small but they add up to a bloated docu-series that I can't help but feel could have been more tightly edited to produce a much smoother 2 or 3 episode series. Just to play devil's advocate on my own point though, all four episodes are split into different chapters that tackle a slightly different part of this case that lead Conn being brought to justice. The general premise here revolves around a charismatic lawyer called Eric C. Conn. Living the high life in eastern Kentucky and becoming something of a celebrity in the community, two whistleblowers called Jennifer and Sarah, discover that Eric is actually defrauding the US government through the Social Security System. In fact, he actually managed to obtain an eye-watering sum of half a billion dollars. Conn then orders two Pepsis, returns to his car and find a money pouch he earlier obtained has gone missing. Did we need that 5 minute segment? Did I need to include this big, excruciating statement in this review to emphasize the point? No and no. The trouble is, The Big Conn does it anyway to try and make the story crazier. The irony is, these moments of incredulous developments (minus the pouch disappearing) have the opposite effect. The Big Conn is a documentary series that's a bit too big to fill the boots of other, more prolific docu-series. It's certainly a crazy story and full of twists and turns, but the masterful editing of the trailer gives the impressive that this is going to be a fast-paced, lively romp. It's not.

This dude was awesome. Like he was so easy in front of that camera and spot on funny, my bet is he is really a prize in real life... Somebody that you just need in your life! OK now to review the series.

I'll admit I have mixed emotions about Eric Conn. By the end when he not only admits defeat, but admits that he was wrong. Things changed a little for me.

I do not however have mixed emotions about the federal government, or it's Lackey crooked judges, Because here's the thing, they spent hundreds of millions of dollars tracking this guy down paying all these different agencies in all these different countries but can't seem to get the people who actually need the money their money! Nothing surprises me when it comes to anything on the federal level! It is so chocked-full of crooks and thieves Eric Conn would've fit in nicely on their level. But he's the only one who did any real time and he's the only one who admitted to doing anything wrong. All the others treated this like they do everything else and like they do all other Americans, like the could not care less, because they don't! At least Eric cared enough to get some hard-working people some actual money. A judge that tried thousands and thousand of cases was initially sentenced to a quarter of what this lawyer was when the lawyer only had 300 cases a year. Not to mention all the people Who were told about these games over the years who also did nothing! I'd have to agree if not for the two whistleblowers this would've continued on, in that little town. Just like it does in every other city and state across this country because I can tell you we have federally ranked people in all of them stealing taxpayer money!

All that said, it's an interesting story with lots of twist and turns. Might could've gotten it done in three episodes but there was definitely lots to tell. That's the only reason I docked it a couple of stars.

Ps find Mason a show to be in, I'd watch it!