Ray William Johnson

So he creates this show and this little local show actually blows the up and it becomes a hit.

Turns out people actually want to tune in and see gritty footage of all these crazy crimes being committed.

In fact, this show is so popular that sometimes when a regional soccer game is supposed to air at the same time as Canal Livre, they will choose not to show the soccer game.

So basically the show is more popular in this region of Brazil than soccer, which is crazy.

Anyway, over the next two years, the episodes get wild.

They start featuring musical acts and there are segments with dancing women and segments with puppets.

And remember, this is a crime show that will regularly show dead bodies.

But whatever, this all just makes the whole thing even more popular in the region.

Not only that, but in an attempt to increase the drama of this show, Wallace and his crew eventually start following police to crime scenes.

And they'll like film shootouts that are happening.

And yeah, sometimes they'll film murder victims whose bodies haven't been identified yet.

And then he'll air these segments back in the studio in front of his live studio audience.

Yes, his brutal crime murder show is shot in front of a live studio audience.

But this, in turn, makes it all even more popular.

And Wallace gets super popular.

And now that he's a minor celebrity, in 1998, Wallace decides to get into politics.

And he runs for state deputy, which in the U.S.

would be like the equivalent of a state senator.

And wouldn't you know it, he wins and he becomes state deputy.

Now, along with this new government position, Wallace continues to host Canal Livre.