One of the most unforgettable and ugly scenes in American sports history will be the focus of an upcoming documentary that premiers on streaming platform Netflix next month. The infamous “Malice at the Palace” is the focal point of the debut episode of the docuseries “Untold” which takes a deep look at five controversial sports moments, according to the Associated Press.
The 80-minute episode will feature never-before-seen footage of the incident and interviews with the people who were involved in the melee. <---Another one of my favorite words along with 'fisticuffs'!
“We chose these stories by asking ourselves this question: ‘Is this the single most important thing that happened in this person’s life?’” said directors and co-executive producers Chapman Way and Maclain Way in a statement. “What we’ve found doing documentaries is if you’re sitting down with someone and the event that you are interviewing them about was the most pivotal and important thing that happened to them, you are going to walk away with really fascinating insights into their lives, that have a sense of a narrative built in — a beginning, middle and end.”
While Netflix didn’t say exactly who the focal point of the “Malice in the Palace” episode is, it’s well known that former player Metta Sandiford-Artest -- who was then known as Ron Artest -- was at the heart of the fight. The incident began when Artest was hit in the face with a cup that was thrown by a fan toward the end of a game between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 19, 2004.
Artest reacted to being hit by running into the stands and getting physical with the fan he thought threw the cup. It was later revealed that the fan Artest fought with was not the man who threw the cup. Years later, Artest said he discovered the fan that actually threw the cup after his friend bet him $50 he couldn’t hit the NBA star.
Fans who were in attendance have also shared their version of events from that night.
After Artest ran into the stands, it set off a chain of events that led to multiple players fighting fans in one of the more chaotic moments in American sports. As a result of the fight, Artest was suspended for the entire season and missed the playoffs as well.
Several Pistons players were also suspended for their roles in the brawl, but Artest’s suspension was by far the longest. It is unknown which Pistons players took part in the documentary.
“Untold” premieres Aug. 10 on Netflix.
www.mlive.com
The 80-minute episode will feature never-before-seen footage of the incident and interviews with the people who were involved in the melee. <---Another one of my favorite words along with 'fisticuffs'!
“We chose these stories by asking ourselves this question: ‘Is this the single most important thing that happened in this person’s life?’” said directors and co-executive producers Chapman Way and Maclain Way in a statement. “What we’ve found doing documentaries is if you’re sitting down with someone and the event that you are interviewing them about was the most pivotal and important thing that happened to them, you are going to walk away with really fascinating insights into their lives, that have a sense of a narrative built in — a beginning, middle and end.”
While Netflix didn’t say exactly who the focal point of the “Malice in the Palace” episode is, it’s well known that former player Metta Sandiford-Artest -- who was then known as Ron Artest -- was at the heart of the fight. The incident began when Artest was hit in the face with a cup that was thrown by a fan toward the end of a game between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 19, 2004.
Artest reacted to being hit by running into the stands and getting physical with the fan he thought threw the cup. It was later revealed that the fan Artest fought with was not the man who threw the cup. Years later, Artest said he discovered the fan that actually threw the cup after his friend bet him $50 he couldn’t hit the NBA star.
Fans who were in attendance have also shared their version of events from that night.
After Artest ran into the stands, it set off a chain of events that led to multiple players fighting fans in one of the more chaotic moments in American sports. As a result of the fight, Artest was suspended for the entire season and missed the playoffs as well.
Several Pistons players were also suspended for their roles in the brawl, but Artest’s suspension was by far the longest. It is unknown which Pistons players took part in the documentary.
“Untold” premieres Aug. 10 on Netflix.
‘Malice in the Palace’ documentary set to premier next month on Netflix
The 80-minute film will contain never-before-seen footage and interviews with those involved in the fight.
www.mlive.com
