JHendo

March 23rd, 2015 at 7:06 PM ^

I don't care what anyone says, I think Leduff is awesome and one of the best reporters/journalists in the country. It helps that he's also certifiably nuts.

Quail2theVict0r

March 23rd, 2015 at 7:12 PM ^

I have to agree. I don't particularly like news programs but I caught a Leduff story where he canoed down the Rough River a couple of years ago and the dude is just crazy. I've never really seen one of his segments that I didn't like. He's just so different compared to the zombies that usually stand there and report about car accidents. 

LSAClassOf2000

March 23rd, 2015 at 8:35 PM ^

As a lifelong area resident, but as someone who has spent time working in and near some of the places that he describes in the book, it is a little chilling in some ways because a lot of what he says does ring true. There is an undercurrent of recovery, which is great to see in the pockets where it is taking place, but the book touches on a lot of issues which are not endemic to the city specifically, but regional as well. If you live around here, it's pretty relevant, I think. 

 

winterblue75

March 23rd, 2015 at 8:26 PM ^

So is this story going to make Harbaugh look like a greed monster for making $5 mil a year? Some of the tag lines in the clip show the words "priorities" and "sense", while LeDuff asks Harbaugh if he'll give his money back. Seriously wtf is this piece?

Craig

March 24th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^

Funny you mention that. Bourdain did an episode on Detroit, and LeDuff hung out with him for half the episode. You are correct about leaving the food out. They went to some hipster pop-up restaurant in Corktown and LeDuff just did not seem to be enjoying the cusine moderne.

lilpenny1316

March 23rd, 2015 at 9:08 PM ^

The days of classic independent journalism is gone now that corporations own these stations.  There's a reason why mention of Fox, MSNBC, Huffington Post either gets upvoted or downvoted without much care about the content of the post.  They have their agendas.  

In the Detroit market, violence and any negative story about a Detroit politician gets the airplay.  Until positive news starts selling, it will be more of the same.

Mr. W

March 23rd, 2015 at 10:25 PM ^

Having interned with Leduff it is very easy to like the guy as he is all about business in his own weird way, similar to that of Harbaugh.

Needs

March 23rd, 2015 at 10:38 PM ^

I agree entirely. He reads to me as a Hunter Thompson knock off (which is what he's really trying to be) but without Thompson's sense for language or interest in the humanity of his subjects. The people in his books feel like charactures rather than actual people.

Tom Sugrue's Origins of the Urban Crisis remains the indespensible book for understanding contemporary Detroit.

 

JHendo

March 23rd, 2015 at 11:43 PM ^

You're certainly not alone at all, as there really isn't any middle ground when it comes to him and his personality. My wife isn't familiar with any of his writing, but absolutely can't stand the guy as a tv personality.

Tater

March 24th, 2015 at 1:16 AM ^

I really don't think it could have turned out any better.  it was entertaining and put Michigan in a good light.  LeDuff even took the full force of the Harbaugh Blank Stare without damage.  I am guessing that Harbaugh probably respected his 60 pushups and his back flip, too.  I can't imagine any of the beat writers coming close to either.

Unicycle Firefly

March 24th, 2015 at 2:41 AM ^

Harbaugh and Leduff, two of my favorite Michigan things.  Leduff books are kind of a guilty pleasure, but "Detroit' and "US Guys" were some pretty entertaining reads.