lex Gibney is the writer, director and producer of the 2008 A Oscar-winning film, “Taxi to the Dark Side”. He is also the writer, producer and director of the 2006 Oscar-nominat- ed film, “Enron: The Smartest Guys in Personal Statement the Room”, which also received the Independent Spirit Award and the WGA Award. He has recently released “Gonzo”, narrated by Johnny Depp about the I am thrilled to participate in ESPN’s 30-for-30 series. A longtime sports fanatic and writer Hunter S. Thompson. “Gonzo” hopeless tennis flailer, I have always wanted to do films on sports that capture the premiered at the 2008 Sundance film thrill of the contest and the human drama of the players. I zeroed in on the story of Festival and was released on July 4, Steve Bartman because I am interested in the collective mania of a city and the need 2008. Gibney is also in post-production Directed by Alex Gibney Directed by on “Casino Jack”, a feature documentary to find a scapegoat for disappointment. As a lifelong Red Sox fan who has been re- on political corruption; and “My Trip to cently released from the Curse of the Bambino, I can show the best and the worst of Steve BartmanSteve Al Qaeda”, a drama written by Lawrence Cub mania through the lens of one who has been there. Wright, author of the Pulitzer Prize-win- Also, having done Taxi to the Dark Side and the upcoming Casino Jack, about ning book, The Looming Tower. Gibney also served as executive Jack Abramoff, I am also very interested in the need for scapegoats. I want to hear producer for “No End in Sight,” which from the goats and the scapes. Seeing the tears of Bill Buckner at Fenway as he was won the Special Jury Prize at the 2007 released from his torment, makes me curious to know what might happen this year to Sundance Film Festival and was also Bartman if the Cubs manage to win. Will they forgive him? Will he forgive them? nominated for an Oscar; a producer for I don’t want to get too pointy-headed about all of this, however. One of the rea- “Herbie Hancock: Possibilities,” a film AP Images about the jazz legend’s collaboration sons I’m doing 30 for 30 is for the fun of it and because, even in my story, there is a with musical talents such as Santana, lot to say about the game of baseball and how it plays out in mysterious ways that Sting and Christina Aguilera; and With five outs remaining in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS, a foul ball descended from the cold encourage and defy expectation. Was Buckner’s boot the real story, or just the nail in consulting producer on “Who Killed the the coffin of the Sox untimely demise. Do players really “choke” once they feel things Electric Car.” Chicago sky, destined for the glove of left fielder Moises Alou. But it was not meant to be, as In 2004, Gibney produced the classic start to unravel, or is it just that, in the words of Don Rumsfeld, “stuff happens?” concert film “Lightning in a Bottle”, It’s also good to be back working with ESPN. I did a number of interviews for one inconspicuous hand reached down from the left field stands at Wrigley Field and starring Buddy Guy, Macy Gray, Bonnie “SportsCentury,” with stars including Ted Williams, Magic Johnson, Bobby Orr, Mar- Raitt, Chuck D, Mos Def, Dr. John, tina Navratilova, and Pete Sampras. I was the one who was interviewing Rod La- the potential out. That hand belonged to , and many Angelique Kidjo, Solomon Burke and seized Cubs fan Steve Bartman ver when he had his life-threatening stroke. After we rushed him to the hospital, many others. believed that he snatched away Chicago’s chance of advancing to the World Series. Even though Bart- In 2003, Gibney served as the Series I watched as the doctor—who luckily happened to be a rabid tennis fan—asked Producer for “The Blues”, an Emmy- Laver his occupation to test his mental acuity. “The Rocket” couldn’t speak very well. man was one of many who reached for the ball, and even though Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez let nominated series of seven films in “Tennis purayer,” gurgled the man who had won 11 Grand Slam tournaments. Then association with executive producer he tugged on the doctor’s white coat. “I used to be a fairly good tennis player.” a sure inning-ending double-play ball go through his legs later in the same inning, and combined with the Martin Scorsese. Gibney also produced “The Soul of a Man,” the film by Wim Yes, he was. fact that the Game 6 victory by the Marlins only tied the series at 3-3, Bartman still became the most Wenders for that series, and was Back in the saddle. awarded a Grammy for producing the in Chicago. Bartman attempted a public appeal, but his fate was already sealed by the 5-CD box set based on the series. hated man His recent credits include the Cub fans’ need for a to explain a near-century of losing. Although Cubs Nation has since theatrical documentary for the BBC and scapegoat First Run Features The “Trials of Henry Kissinger,” “Jimi Hendrix and the Blues,” moved on to other seasons and other losses, Bartman remains ostracized from a community he the HBO documentary “Soldiers in the Army of God,” “Speak Truth to Power” lives in and a team he once loved. Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney will explore this relation- (Producer), a PBS special about human rights defenders starring Alec Baldwin, ship and try to answer the question, Can Steve Bartman ever forgive Chicago? Sigourney Weaver, John Malkovich and Kevin Kline and “Brooklyn Babylon.”

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