I’m sure you’ll agree it totally sucks when jealous bloggers routinely mock successful, multi-media personalities who’ve worked so hard to attain fame and fortune. But enough about the cruel treatment afforded to Stephen A. Smith, let’s instead check out someone else’s take on Will Leitch.
“God Save The Fan” author Leitch, whose curious choice of party attire was featured here yesterday, recently sat still long enough to speak with National Public Radio’s Scott Simon. The latter could well have allowed Leitch to peddle his tried and tested spiel about crusty-press-box-reporters being out of touch with today’s fan, but instead took Will to task for some rather bizarre comments about prominent African-Americans, and didn’t let the Deadspin editor escape without suggesting he’s every bit as big a pandering creep as the television bozos he routinely lampoons.
Remarkably, with the exception of this entry, I’ve not seen a reference to said NPR interview elsewhere. That mainstream media outlets who’ve published Will’s work — The Sporting News, New York, The New York Times and GQ amongst them — might not consider such an exchange newsworthy is hardly a surprise. But the deafening silence from the sports blogosphere is rather out of character.
Let’s just imagine for a minute, a prominent pro jock, noted print journalist or sports television personality was interrogated about his or her racial sensibilities on a radio program and took it on the chin nearly as badly as Leitch. What’s the likelihood this hypothetical incident would go unnoticed by the same sports blogs who routinely cover even the slightest faux pas by an athlete or broadcaster?
Either there’s an overwhelming (quiet) consensus that Scott Simon’s out to lunch (but not so nutty that anyone feels compelled to defend Leitch), or there’s a glaring double standard.
(There’s also the possibility no one listens to NPR.)
Henry Abbott linked to Leitch’s interview yesterday. No comment though.
thanks, I stand corrected. There’s not a ton of comment necessary presuming you hear the recording…
Holy shit, Simon eviscerated him. Politely.
By the way, who knows if this is true of the book, but it’s safe to say you can add innumberable cheap gay jokes on Deadspin to the list of Leitch’s sins.
Fascinating: Will Leitch started out okay, but then he just completely fell apart at Scott Simon’s perfectly reasonable questions. I think he’s quickly finding out that outside of the Deadspin bubble, Deadspinner humor isn’t quite as funny as he and his Deadspinners think. . . . At least he can take comfort in the fact that Weekend Edition has probably a tenth of the listeners as the regular Morning Edition.
That was a smackdown of epic proportions. The hemming and the hawing reminded me of a 12-year-old getting caught fibbing.
Score one for grown-ups.
ok, here’s another mention of the NPR interview…from a former Jim Rome listener who doesn’t seem particularly bothered.
in the comments, Stopmikelupica describes Leitch as “apolitical”. Yeah, that’s one word for it.
There’s also the possibility no one listens to NPR.
You kind of answered your own question, there, tough guy. Not everything is a conspiracy; sometimes people just don’t give a fuck (or haven’t heard the interview).
Will Leitch, a fan and writer, says sporting events have been hijacked by big business media and preening sportscasters.
Wow. That’s like saying that water is wet. That’s some pretty awesome commentary.
“Not everything is a conspiracy; sometimes people just don’t give a fuck (or haven’t heard the interview”
Fair ’nuff. Though keep in mind, this has all gone down in a sports blog environment where a crazy amount of content is generated every day via links to blooper videos, voice mail freak outs, intense dissection of Colin Cowherd’s innermost thoughts, etc.
If Ozzie Guillen, Bill Simmons, Steve Lyons or Jermaine O’Neal had a contentious exchange with a national broadcaster, I’m pretty sure we’d be reading about in the sports blogs, whether or not there was a racial angle. Granted, Will Leitch isn’t a household name, but he’s still every bit as much a public figure as say, Dana Jacobsen. The “First Take” hostess can only hope that she someday works in an industry where she’s as revered as Will.
Seems like the book’s content, with the exception of laughing at people who don’t have white penises, is even less well-researched than Leitch’s A-Rod to buy the Cubs piece. I bet there’s more words concerning Stu Scott’s googly eye than the total of amount of sports media industry insight in the entire book. Just a guess. I can’t wait to not read it, and never find out!
I recommend reading this bit of risible self-aggrandizing from Mr. Leech:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6524045.html?q=leitch
You guys are hating on Will Leitch because nobody comes to YOUR lousy, unfunny, uninteresting site.
Stephen A. Smith is a buffoon who should be made fun of no matter WHAT race he purports to be.
Get the sticks out of your collective asses!
that’s a fascinating take,YGAJ. I guess the guy at NPR must be even more jealous of Will than I am.
“nobody comes to YOUR lousy, unfunny, uninteresting site.”
Well, you got me there. Nobody but you and Will.
oh my god, i can’t believe this site still exists! is the day approaching when you finally just assassinate leitch or find something productive to do with your life? you tried to be the best sports blog out there and you failed. it’s ok, everyone has setbacks. most people find a way to get over them though.
“is the day approaching when you finally just assassinate leitch or find something productive to do with your life?”
The former is most certainly not gonna happen, A.W. As far as the latter, I’m all about self-improvement. D’ya think I’ll need a journalism degree from a state U. to learn how to hotlink to pix of Matt Leinart with a bong, or is there a pamphlet I can skim thru in my spare time?