What I’m Watching: Netflix FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened

A documentary by Chris Smith, of “American Movie” fame. This is a lot glossier, better-produced, like a classic VH-1 Behind the Music special, just as much humor and schadenfreude as AM, but a lot less hope. Everyone who sits for an interview is great, especially the Bahamians; Chris did not interview Billy McFarland, who wanted to be paid for this, even though he’s a convicted criminal and it’s illegal to let him profit from a crime.

So, get a con man with a shitload of VC money, and a bunch of amateurs who’ve never organized more than a house party, to build a giant concert and housing on a Bahama island.

The, uh, “sacrifice” the elder team leader Andy is prepared to make is the turning point of this from badly-organized fiasco to Coen Brothers-level tragic-comedy.

“That’s not fraud, I would call that… uh… false advertising” —Ja Rule

This goes from some of Billy’s previous black-card scam Magnises, the setup and construction on the island, and a bit on the development of the app. Then the horrible launch day we all saw online, the aftermath, and one of the worst team endings I’ve seen in many years of shitty startups. And then after Fyre, there’s Billy’s next scam…

★★★★½

There’s also a Hulu “Fyre Fraud” documentary, but they did pay Billy McFarland to be in it. I haven’t watched it, and anyway don’t have Hulu anymore.