Netflix has repeatedly captured the attention of popular culture with its compelling true-crime documentary content. From Making A Murderer to Tiger King to Don’t F— With Cats and beyond, the video streaming giant has become the world’s premier purveyor of bizarre but true stories from every corner of society.
On Wednesday, the streaming giant released the initial promotional materials for its latest docuseries, Crazy Finger: The Untold Story of Jerry Garcia’s Missing Digit, due to arrive on Friday, April 17th. According to the announcement press release,
The missing digit on Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s right hand is little more than a footnote on his legacy. Though it was allegedly lost in a childhood wood-splitting accident, historians now believe that Jerry’s finger was pressed on the scale for some of the most pivotal moments of the 20th Century—from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the OJ Simpson trial. Was Jerry in on the conspiracy, or did the finger act alone? Witness the dizzying saga of the most notorious sentient appendage in American history with Crazy Finger.
The three-episode docuseries will feature narration from fellow Haight-Ashbury resident and counterculture figure Peter Coyote, with acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns signed on as an archival producer. The first episode will seek to debunk the accident that allegedly led to Garcia losing the finger. The second episode will attempt to prove the veracity of various instances of political and corporate espionage to which the finger has been tied throughout the years. In the third and final installment, British survivalist Bear Grylls will lead a small forensics team deep into the dense forests of Marin County, CA in an attempt to locate the appendage’s rumored resting place.
While much of the legend of the “Crazy Finger” is comprised of hearsay and speculation, the finger was, in fact, seen together with Garcia in 1980 during an interview with Al Franken in support of the Jerry’s Kids project. Watch the moment unfold for yourself below:
Jerry Garcia Shows Al Franken The Finger – 10/31/80
[Video: splaif]
Additionally, Garcia’s former bandmates Mickey Hart and Billy Kreutzmann reportedly drew inspiration from their scoring work on Apocalypse Now to provide the music for the new series. When reached for comment on the new score, Hart noted that the shocking twists and turns in Crazy Finger “make Apocalypse Now look like Finding Nemo.”
April Fools!