Annenberg Radio

Politicking: Why do we celebrate El Chapo in entertainment?

Much of popular entertainment celebrates drug kingpins like Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera and Pablo Escobar.

Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted by army soldiers to a waiting helicopter, at a federal hangar in Mexico City. Luke Scorziell explains why entertainment often glorifies drug kingpins, like El Chapo, in his weekly segment "Politicking." (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

Notorious drug-lord "Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera will spend the remainder of his life behind bars after being sentenced by a US jury earlier this week. Despite El Chapo's criminal activity – his operations have brought over 200 tons of illicit drugs into the US – he is often celebrated in popular culture. For example, Netflix's "Narcos: Mexico" and "El Chapo" look into the life of some of the most dangerous criminals in the world.

This week, Luke asked students around the University of Southern California’s campus what they think about El Chapo, and what influence entertainment has had on these perceptions.