Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Visits U of G

Detroit-native Charlie LeDuff talks about the fall of his hometown.

Journalist, writer and “media personality” Charlie LeDuff visited the University of Guelph on Oct. 17 and 18 to speak candidly about his life and experiences in his book “Detroit: An American Autopsy.”

Upon entering Rozanski 101, LeDuff grabbed a chair and attempted to do a handstand – after two failed attempts, he succeeded. The audience applauded.

This feat was a precursor of what was to come, as LeDuff often engaged the audience with performative aspects in order to capture their interest. Both events were interrupted by LeDuff’s own acts of showmanship.

At the outset, he asked the audience who was required to be there, and who didn’t want to be. He offered his permission through a show of hands, but the audience was hesitant. He then asked the audience how to pronounce “Guelph,” saying, “I ain’t never heard of that,” in a Detroit accent. LeDuff proceeded to congratulate the university football team, then asked if our mascot – the Gryphon – was the same as “Merv Griffin…the Wheel of Fortune thing.”

After a few additional jokes and anecdotes, LeDuff began to read from a chapter in his book. He spoke of a particular event – a time his brother’s friend found a body in an elevator shaft of an abandoned building. The body was trapped in ice, with only the legs sticking out “like popsicle sticks.” People in the building continued to play hockey on the frozen water that had collected in the basement.

LeDuff removed his leather vest to reveal a name tag stuck to his shirt with some scribbled words on it; it was his name written by his daughter, so the audience would know who he was.

He continued to read from the chapter, detailing his concern over the lack of response from police to this man frozen in ice.

Later LeDuff spoke about those who complain that there aren’t more positive topics covered in the news:

“These [positive] things are not supposed to be news. These things are supposed to be normal. When normal becomes the news, the abnormal becomes the norm.”

During the question period, Leduff drew parallels between Detroit and other cities. “Everywhere you go, every society’s like that. We’re more alike than we’re different,” said LeDuff. He concluded the talk by showing the audience the photographs of Detroit in the back of his book.

On the second day, Gregor Campbell, an assistant professor in the Department of English at the university, interviewed LeDuff. Just as they began, LeDuff shouted at the crowd “Hey, quiet in the library, please. I can’t hear myself pontificate.”

The interviewer, to put it mildly, experienced difficulties while asking questions. LeDuff dominated the interview, constantly interrupting Campbell.

LeDuff spent time speaking about the issues of arson in the city – how community members torch their own houses because they can’t afford to live there or even sell them, then collect the insurance money.

LeDuff then broke out in song. “I can’t hold on, because I love you too much baby.”

When an audience member asked LeDuff about sounding like a politician, the interviewer interjected, telling LeDuff that he was a loudmouth. Visibly offended, LeDuff began to fire off profanities.

“Alright, you just called me out there – let me say this motherfucker. I’m a loudmouth? You talk and don’t say anything. You ask me dumb shit – Marxist crap – that’s why I didn’t answer the question…Don’t call me a loudmouth. Fuck you, no fuck you man. Fuck you, no, insults are bullshit. I’ll take you apart in front of these people. Apologize. Apologize. Fuck you, we’re done…nah we’re done man, fuck you. You’re welcome. I thought that was a good way to end it – I need a coffee.” LeDuff then proceeded to storm off.

Despite all this, he did manage to drive home several points about Detroit’s downfall.

“It’s pretty simple. Fix it. Do what’s right. Cut government, raise taxes, lower income tax, raise capital gains tax, start paying this shit off. You can’t keep printing money, borrowing – all this sophisticated nonsense…We’re not going to earn our way out of it.”

He also emphasized the disparity of priorities in the city, stating that Detroit should sell the art that is in their museum to account for their billions of dollars of debt.

“I support literacy more than I do a Picasso hanging there,” said LeDuff. “Would you rather keep the art museum open, or keep the public library open? …What’s more powerful – looking at pictures or your child being illiterate?”

LeDuff seems to have an optimistic view of his hometown’s future. For a postmortem examination of the death of Detroit, LeDuff presented a unique perspective during his eventful visit to the university campus.