* Welcome to the 50th installment of The Quaz Q&A. This feature—a question-and-answer session with a person from sports/entertainment/politics/whatever—will appear every Thursday on jeffpearlman.com. If you have any suggestions/ideas for people to speak with, hit me up at anngold22@gmail.com. I’m listening.

Back in the late-1980s, when Gina Girolamo and I were languishing on the cruel streets of Mahopac, N.Y., there wasn’t much hope of making it out. One either ran with a gang or sold rock on the corner—sometimes both. The horror stories are long and nightmarish, as you’ll see in my forthcoming memoir, Pearlie G—Straight Outta M-Pac.

While I succumbed to the darkness, however, Gina—once upon a time a smart, perky cheerleader who kicked my ass in a student government election—found a way out. She attended college at UCLA, committed herself to a career in television … and has absolutely soared. During her decade at NBC (mostly as VP of Comedy), she helped develop such hit shows as 30 Rock and My Name is Earl. Now, as the senior vice president of television for Alloy Entertainment, Gina has continued to excel. She is the executive producer of The Lying Game, and recently had her fifth (fifth!) series ordered (to quote her excited e-mail to me: “My ABC pilot just got a 13 episode order!!”).

Here, Gina talks about making a career on TV, the highs of Earl and 30 Rock, the lows of working for a devil in a mini-skirt, what it’s like to crack bottles of Cristal with Tracy Morgan, why she likes Celine Dion more than Speedos and how she still cries during those pre-processed American Idol sob stories.

Gina Girolamo, Mahopac homeslice, welcome to The Quaz …

JEFF PEARLMAN: Gina, I’m gonna ask you something I’ve been itching to ask someone in your position for a long time: Why do we give a shit about movies and TV? I mean, I get the whole “It’s an escape thing,” blah, blah, blah. But I’m always baffled, because, well, it’s not real. What happens on The Lying Game, for example, is 100 percent fiction. Like, not true. The drama is make believe. As is the drama in all non-reality TV shows and films. So why do you think viewers invest so much time and, most baffling, emotion? When, come day’s end, the star walks off the set, smokes a cigarette and gets a massage.

GINA GIROLAMO: Oh, good question. First, how do you know what happens on The Lying Game is 100 percent fiction? I think the escape thing is bigger than blah blah blah. I remember years ago I was talking to Cathy Iannotta’s parents [JEFF'S NOTE: Cathy attended Mahopac High School with us. Lovely woman]—both brilliant, intellectuals and I was lamenting my career choice, feeling like I wasn’t contributing to society … to my surprise they felt the opposite. They helped me realize how important escape and entertainment really is for people. I mean, who doesn’t love to sit on the couch and forget about your life for 30-to-60 minutes?

J.P.: So, we went to high school together, and probably had a few conversations and shared a classroom or two. You were bubbly and perky and a cheerleader, and you kicked my ass in a student government election. But that’s all I know about your path. So, I ask, Gina, what’s your career path. Like, how did you get from gang-infested Mahopac N.Y. to Alloy/a career in television?

G.G.: Well those mean streets of Mahopac and all the “high stakes” cheerleading competitions really prepared me for the cut throat culture that is Hollywood. All kidding aside, I went to Westchester Community College for two years after high school then decided California was for me. I transferred to UCLA and fell in love with Los Angeles. When I was a senior I was working at a swanky gym in Brentwood (lots of celebs, agents and industry types were clients) and one of the clients, an actress, asked me what I wanted to do after school.  At that point I thought maybe I would be a teacher … I was a political science major and loved history. I also knew law school wasn’t for me so I thought maybe grad school. This woman basically changed my life with the most superficial advice I have ever received; she said I should work in the entertainment industry for a few years in my 20s because I was, “cute and had a great personality”—funny, right? She had been John Cassavetes assistant when she was in her twenties and said it was the most fun ever. So I got a job as an assistant at Sony in the TV division. I worked for a woman I like to affectionately refer to as “the devil in a miniskirt” (waaay before “The Devil Wears Prada came out”—that book made me weep). It was hell. Seriously the worst experience—I lasted a year then got out. I went to work for an amazing woman at The WB. She really taught me a lot and is still a mentor and friend. I left The WB after three years, got hired at NBC and worked there for almost 11 years! Two years ago the CEO of Alloy cold-called me, we met and he hired me to run his TV company. I guess you could say I fell into my career, but I quickly recognized I have a deep passion and talent for television and have loved building a long career in it.

J.P.: You spent 10 years at NBC, and much of that time as VP comedy. What, exactly, does that mean? I mean, literally, what did your job entail? Was it fun? Torturous?  

G.G.: Looking back, I can honestly say yes, so fun. Not without heartache or drama but an incredible life-changing experience. I remember one day I was sitting in the main conference room at NBC with the president of the network, my boss and a few colleagues and we were discussing the fall schedule … and I had this moment where I thought, holy shit, I am here, making this huge decision about what new and returning shows are going to be on the air in September. It was surreal. Sometimes my job was tough but never torturous. I have worked very hard but have also played hard as well—one of my favorite memories was a night that started at the SNL cast after-party, then continued over to Bungalow 8 with Tracy Morgan and many bottles of Cristal.

J.P.: You were part of the development team (if that’s the right word) for 30 Rock—an absolutely fantastic program. What can you tell me about the show’s origins, and what went into taking it from idea to reality?

G.G.: Thank you—I love 30 Rock, too. The experience of working on that show remains one of my most educating and rewarding. Tina Fey was coming off of SNL and NBC made a development deal with her. I was the No. 2 in the comedy department at NBC at the time. She pitched the idea she wanted to write—a behind-the-scenes of an SNL-type comedy show starring her and we knew she wanted to cast Tracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin. We were unsure about a behind-the-scenes show but it’s Tina Fey so you gotta try. So she went off to write the script and have her baby. When we got the script we loved the idea of a Tracy Morgan-type tormenting Tina as a “Mary Tyler Moore”-type … there was some debate again about the behind the scenes but we gave it a try. After making the pilot the network testing was terrible and it looked as though it was not going to get on the air—but how do you say no to that package, Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Alec Baldwin and all the talented comedy gems in the supporting roles? So we decided to to make some casting changes and reshoot some scenes. Year one, out of the blue, the show won its first Emmy for outstanding comedy series. The next few years were an incredible blur of awards and amazing stories and guest stars. Working with that group really felt like going to grad school for producing comedy.

J.P.: I have something I tell people all the time—“Fame is bullshit.” Like you, I’ve spent a lot of my career around famous people (in my case, mostly athletes), and I find fame to be a corrupting, warping, messed-up thing that takes nice, normal, respectful people and, oftentimes (certainly not always), injects their egos with massive amounts of steroids. Do you agree or disagree? And why?

G.G.: Well, I think those types exist in all walks of life. Fame is tricky and I have watched it turn people. I try to have a lot of empathy for actors and other talent. Society has put a ridiculous amount of value and pressure on “celebrity.” The stakes financially and emotionally are extraordinarily high and I cannot imagine what that feels like when you try to also live your life. Oftentimes when someone becomes hugely successful, they also become insulated and surrounded by people who are scared and insecure about their place on the list. I think that is what ultimately creates unhealthy environments where egos are allowed to inflate. All that being said, I have also worked with warm, grounded and incredibly nice famous people, too.

J.P.: During your time at NBC you worked on Ed, another excellent show, yet one that didn’t last long enough. I’m wondering what it’s like to have a project that you know, know, know is good and great and high-quality, yet—for some reason—can’t get the traction it needs to survive. Do you need to try and think like a viewer? Like, literally put yourself in their shoes and try to understand?

G.G.: It is the worst, most-helpless feeling ever. I have worked on a few of those … every week it takes a team of about 200 people to produce one episode of TV. Now imagine having to look those people in the eye or get on the phone with them the day those low ratings come in. Depressing! I think we always try to think like a viewer but I also believe that there are different types of viewers. There are the mainstream, CBS-type people who love 2 1/2 Men and all the CSIs. Then there are the coasters (New York, Los Angeles) niche types who prefer cable, and shows like 30 Rock. My personal taste lies more on the niche side of things but I constantly try to study successful mainstream shows and glean as much as I can from their formulas. No one wants to have a classy, critically acclaimed low-rated show—unless, of course, you are HBO. They don’t need ratings as much as they need awards to attract talent and subscribers.

J.P.: What’s the absolute highest moment of your career? The absolute lowest?

G.G.: Well, I am embarrassed to say my zenith keeps moving … first was the season one double Emmy wins for the My Name Is Earl pilot, then 30 Rock’s many Emmy, Golden Globe and other accolades. Then in my first year at Alloy I produced four pilots and all four were ordered to series. Year No. 2 I got to make a pilot for ABC!

The lowest probably was the day of mass firings at NBC a few years ago … in one two-hour period 10 of my colleagues were fired one after the other. Luckily I was spared—but it was the darkest day for me professionally.

J.P.: Why do you think it is that so many former childhood actors wind up drunk/crack addicted/giving out $7 handjobs in a corner of Washington Square Park? Is there something about showbiz and kids that just equals nightmare?

G.G.: Hmm, interesting observation. I think a lot of it has to do with uneducated and misguided parents/guardians. These adults are supposed to help their kids manage the insane amounts of money, their lifestyle, how to be responsible. Instead, oftentimes they buy a big house or a new Jaguar with their kid’s earnings, hang out on the set all day long or go to clubs and parties. Having worked around a lot of young actors it pains me to see what they miss out on by choosing to be on a TV show or movie. I did one series with a 15-year-old girl who was home-schooled and had never been to a school dance. Now I am not saying she is going to become a drug addict because she never went to her prom, but it is an unnatural way to grow up.

J.P.: What sort of impact has the whole reality television boom had on your career and, more broadly, the industry? Do you feel like, 50 years from now, we’ll look back at Jersey Shore and Real Housewives and laugh with disdain? Or is this where TV is headed?

G.G.: Ah, reality TV … once thought of as the killer of scripted shows! I love reality TV.  Honestly, what all these docu-soaps and competition shows has done is challenged the way scripted series design characters and worlds. Reality shows have some of the most interesting characters and situations currently on TV—I think for anyone in this business that is a benefit. Now all that said, I absolutely think we will look back on Jersey Shore (which I cannot watch for obvious reasons) and Housewives and laugh with disdain.

J.P.: I’ve spent a lot of time in Los Angeles, and while I love it, it can also beat me down. I don’t mean to dog your adopted hometown, but oftentimes it feels surface and sorta, well, artificial. Like me, you’re a New Yorker. We’re loud and brash and say what’s on our mind. Do you long for that at all?

G.G.: I love L.A. I also kinda love the artifice and superficiality of it—simply stated, it’s a pretty place to live and the weather is mostly great all the time. I had a hard time adjusting when I first moved here—I was a little too loud and brash. I have toned that down a little but the one thing I will never lose is my honesty. Not often a quality valued or desired in my business, but I speak the truth and for better or worse it has always been the right way to play a situation. I will always love New York. I also don’t hesitate to get a little mafioso on someone who crosses me or my people.

QUAZ EXPRESS WITH GINA GIROLAMO

• Five greatest sitcoms of all time?: Seinfeld, 30 Rock, I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Will & Grace.

• How do you explain Alf lasting beyond three weeks? And have you ever seen The Puppet?: No idea, never saw the puppet.

• Have you ever thought you were about to die in a plane crash? If so, please elaborate: Ha! Yes! Have I told you this story? I was flying home from New York once many years ago, the West Wing was still on NBC and I was in business class where Rob Lowe and Morgan Fairchild both happen to also be seated. We had crazy turbulence—the kind where the flight attendants freak out and strap themselves in. Anyway, I distinctly remember thinking, “Oh my god, I am going to die on this flight and it will be all about Rob and Morgan.”

 • Rank in order (favorite to least): Emmanuel Lewis, Whitney Houston, Melissa Fiore, Heavy D, tomato soup, American Idol, your cell phone, the smell of vanilla, Rodak’s Deli, Celine Dion, Andy Pettitte, Rush Limbaugh, Speedos: 1. smell of vanilla (oil, preferably Kiehls); 2. Melissa Fiore; 3. Whitney Houston (mostly because of my memories of belting out that first album at Chantale’s house after school); 4. Rodak’s Deli (I am sentimental); 5. Webster!; 6. Heavy D; 7. American Idol (those stories make me cry every time!); 8. cell phone; 9. Celine; 10. Andy; 11. Rush, 12. Speedos (ew).

• How many times a year do you hear the phrase, “I have an amazing idea for a show …” And how often is the idea genuinely amazing?: Too many to count—sadly when pitched that way, NEVER!

• The TV show that should have been huge, but wasn’t: 30 Rock.

• Three nicest actors you’ve ever worked with: Tina Fey, Dave Annable, Terry O’Quinn.

• Would Los Angeles ably support an NFL franchise? Why?: I am going to say no but truthfully I have no idea.

• Would you rather slice off two of your fingers or watch an endlessly looping reel of the Dana Plato True Hollywood Story for three weeks?: Uh, I take Dana.

• I really think a third lunch-line could speed things up in the cafeteria. Can I please have your vote in the next student council election?: I vote YES!

QUAZ DATABASE:

Quaz 1: Wendy Hagen

Quaz 2: Chris Burgess

Quaz 3: Tommy Shaw

Quaz 4: Russ Ortiz

Quaz 5: Don McPherson

Quaz 6: Frank Zaccheo

Quaz 7: Geoff Rodkey

Quaz 8: Meeno Peluce

Quaz 9: Karl Mecklenburg

Quaz 10: Amra-Faye Wright

Quaz 11: Phil Nevin

Quaz 12: Jemele Hill

Quaz 13: Drew Snyder

Quaz 14: Roy Smalley

Quaz 15: Michael Shermer

Quaz 16: Kathy Wagner

Quaz 17: Travis Warren

Quaz 18: Scott Barnhardt

Quaz 19: Chris Jones

Quaz 20: Cindi Avila

Quaz 21: Crystal McKellar

Quaz 22: Dan Riehl

Quaz 23: Prime Minister Pete Nice

Quaz 24: Glen Graham

Quaz 25: Dave Coverly

Quaz 26: Marie Te Hapuku

Quaz 27: Christian Delcroix

Quaz 28: Jack McDowell

Quaz 29: Jake Black

Quaz 30: Brian Johnson

Quaz 31: Craig Salstein

Quaz 32: John Herzfeld

Quaz 33: Jenny DeMilo

Quaz 34: Tina Thompson

Quaz 35: Seth Davis

Quaz 36: Dave Fleming

Quaz 37: Mike Sharp

Quaz 38: Kathleen Osgood

Quaz 39: Gabriel Aldort

Quaz 40: Lennie Friedman

Quaz 41: Rick Arzt

Quaz 42: Sean Salisbury

Quaz 43: Mac Lethal

Quaz 44: Cord McCoy

Quaz 45: Cameron Mills

Quaz 46: Jim Abbott

Quaz 47: Alison Cimmet

Quaz 48: Linda Ensor

Quaz 49: L.Z. Granderson

Quaz 50: Gina Girolamo

I am not violating any ethical code. It is, literally, listed on his website. As the preferred way to reach him. Right here.

In case you’re new to this, Bob Marshall is the Virginia delegate who, yesterday, torpedoed  bipartisan support for the judicial nomination of an openly gay (and unquestionably qualified) Richmond prosecutor named Tracy Thorne-Begland.

En route to becoming the first openly gay judge in the state’s history, Thorne-Begland was stopped by Marshall who, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “stoked fears that the 45-year-old attorney would allow his sexual orientation to influence his judicial decisions.” Marshall was joined by a group called “The Family Foundation,” which—according to its website—exists to apply “founding principles and faith to policy and culture.” Translation: To make this nation as nuttily dogmatic as humanly possible.

For a while, it seemed as if Thorne-Begland’s nomination would be a cake-walk. He needed only a majority of the 100-member House to support him, and his resume (former fighter pilot, distinguished professional career) seemed ideal. Even Gov. Bob McDonnell, a conservative Republican, insisted sexual orientation should matter not. ”All I can tell you is what I’ve always said about judges, and that is that these ought to be merit-based selections solely based on a person’s skill, ability, fairness, judicial temperament, ” he said.

So what happened? Marshall and his family friends began scaring people; spreading their homophobic voodoo until Thorne-Begland was DOA. He wound up receiving 33 YES votes, 31 NOs (all via Republicans). Most disgusting, ten Republicans abstained and 26 delegates, including some coward Democrats, didn’t vote.

So who is this Bob Marshall (reminder: 703-853-4213)?

Well, he’s endorsed by the NRA (of course). He has five children. He has received numerous awards, all of which he happily lists on his website (Uh, does this even count? “The Potomac News Award, Readers Choice Award, One of the Best Public Servants in Prince William County”). He doesn’t much like the gays (of course, there’s now a 74.4% chance one of his kids will come out. Which might make things awkward in the Marshall household). He also seems to be something of an environmentalist, but—I’m guessing—only until this involves standing in the way of constructing a new Target or Pizza Hut.

Sigh.

As the presidential election starts kicking in, I can’t help but think something: When was the last time the Republicans engineered positive social change?

I’m being serious. I’ve been politically aware for, oh, 25-30 years now. And, across the board, when it comes to the rights of minorities, the rights of women, the rights of gays, the GOP always—without exception—lags far behind. Please, someone, give me a modern example of the Republicans leading the way on positive social progress. Something? Anything?

To me, this matters—a lot. I know the GOP says government should stay out of our lives, but—of course—this is nonsense. The government influenced the voting rights of women, the voting rights of blacks. The government usually doesn’t spearhead a movement, but it does, justly, guide said movement toward fruition. So, again, when was the last time a Republican stood up and said, “Follow me toward positive change!”

As far as I can tell, the GOP is concerned, primarily, about one thing: Money.

Never spending money.

Never urging the wealthy to use money to help the less fortunate.

Never losing site that financial gain is the ultimate goal.

Mitt Romney perfectly exemplifies this. Socially, the man is a coward. He has no guts; sticks his finger in the wind to decide which way to go. Not all that long ago, he insisted he’d be a friend for the gays. Since those words left his lips—nothingness. Hell, when the audience at a GOP debate booed a gay soldier stationed in the Middle East, Romney—a presumed leader—said nothing. Not a thing.

This is about gay marriage, but it’s not about gay marriage. It’s about courage and leadership and righteousness.

And the lack thereof.

(pictured above, left to right—Jon Miller, Gary Miller, Jeff Pearlman)

I’ve always fancied myself a rugged outdoorsman—even though I’m not.

This was a lesson reinforced to me early on. Growing up on the mean, gang-infested streets of Mahopac, N.Y., my neighbor and best friend happened to be Gary Miller, whose family arrived in 1978, when we were both 6. Gary and I shared myriad similarities—height, weight, love of KISS, fascination with vomiting snakes. I was probably a little faster than Gary, and Gary was probably a little stronger than me. We spent our boyhoods blissfully playing night tag in our adjacent back-yards, sledding down Emerald Lane on cold winter days, climbing trees and tossing footballs and having sleepovers and selling lemonade and taking in such cinematic classics as The Golden Child and Police Academy III. If someone asks me about my boyhood, I can’t go 10 minutes without thinking of Gary, his parents and his two brothers, Rich and Jon.

Every summer, however, just when I thought I was Gary’s equal, he and his family would go off on some exotic camping trip. In my head, I pictured Gary chopping down trees with an axe, catching enormous fish with his bare hands, starting fires with rocks and gnawing on large slabs of homemade beef jerky. Meanwhile, I’d be attending the YMHA Day Camp, playing, ahem, kickball.

In short, I was no match. Gary was The Man, and I was, well, a wuss.

I digress. Earlier this year Gary and I both turned 40. We decided to take a trip, and after suggesting a few stale ideas (Vegas, blah, blah, blah), I chucked out “How about hiking a mountain?”

Bingo!

Gary was in. As was Jon, who turns 37 next month. I liked the idea, in the same sorta way I liked New Kids on the Block getting back together. Seems interesting, smells wise, but, well, ahem, uh … then we’re stuck listening to this crap.

Anyhow, after a marginal amount of planning, we settled upon scaling Mount Marcy, a Lake Placid-based mountain and, at 5,244 feet, the highest peak in New York State.

I have never climbed a mountain. Not a real mountain, at least. I’ve long bragged of scaling Mt. Washington, but I realize, in hindsight, there’s no fucking way. Mt. Washington is more than 6,000 feet, and I was, like, 12 when I went with my dad, brother, uncle and cousin. I recall reaching the peak, but my guess now is that we parked a mile or so away and walked up a paved path. That can’t count.

Anyhow, this past weekend Gary flew in from North Carolina and Jon drove up from Philly. We arrived in Lake Placid Friday night, and Jon—an experienced hiker/outdoorsman—urged us to set the alarm for 4 am.

“I was kind of hoping to get some breakfast first,” Gary said. I nodded in agreement.

“We really need to start early,” Jon replied. “To beat the crowds, to beat the bugs …”

And so it was written …

The alarm went off at 4 am. I was awake. I had been awake—all friggin’ night. I kept thinking about getting attacked by a bear. In my head, I was walking along, when a big black bear charged my way. I wasn’t sure what to do—do I run, do I stand perfectly still, do I scream back and wildly wave my arms? Either way, the bear claws of face, eats my eyeballs and leaves my remains for the mosquitoes. It doesn’t go well.

We left the hotel at 5 am. Jon had warned about weather and “the elements,” so I wore a jacket, three long-sleeve shirts, jeans, socks and my brand-new, four-days-old hiking boots. Of all my attire, the boots were the greatest point of contention. Initially, I was going to ignore Jon’s list and just got with sneakers. Even the wife, usually cautious in these matters, said, “I’d just wear sneakers.” Then I thought about it. And thought about it. I’d never seen hikers wearing sneakers. Hmmm … I hit up the local outdoorsman store, hoping to pay, oh $50 for a pair. Instead, I forked over (dear God) $160. Ouch.

I digress. We arrived at the base of Mt. Marcy in the dark. The first sign that greeted us was this:

I thought back to my clawed-off face and shuddered. However, I tried to keep this inside. I’m an outdoorsman, dammit. Tough. Strong. Bears? Fuck bears. I’ll eat a bear for lunch! We began the hike. Gradually, I forgot about the animals, and became dazzled by the surroundings. Pure silence, save for the crunching of leaves and the blissful hum of a running stream. The air was crisp, but not too crisp. My backpack—the same one I use for all my book material—was loaded with peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches and granola bars and a (leaking) canteen filled with water. It was heavy, but I didn’t notice. We walked and walked and walked, higher and higher and higher. My thighs began to tighten, but I didn’t care. My calves ached, but I didn’t care. We had to hop across a wide stream, rock to rock to rock (reminded us of Frogger). About halfway up, the trail became covered with snow. Thick snow. It was surprising, and uncomfortable—but also neat. Every so often my foot would drop into a deep snow hole, then pop back up.

We would stop every so often for food, or a piss break, or just to take in the surroundings. It was pure, 100 percent joy—yet tinged with a bit of sadness. A. I wished my wife and kids could see what I was seeing; B. Why hadn’t I been doing this for years? Why the long wait?

By the time we reached the peak, I was as happy as I’ve ever been. The view was breathtaking, but—truth be told—it wasn’t about the view. It was about reaching the top. It was about sharing something cool with my childhood buds; it was about being away from a laptop; away from Starbucks and CVS and Netflix and whatnot. My feet burned and my pant bottoms were coated in mud and I smelled like old sweat. Yet I was standing atop the world, giddy.

Now, as I sit here in Starbucks, once again typing, once again sipping from a cup of coffee, I long for the outdoors. The three of us have committed to climbing another mountain in 2013. And while I often bemoan the passage of time, I must admit …

I wish 2013 were today.

* Welcome to the 49th installment of The Quaz Q&A. This feature—a question-and-answer session with a person from sports/entertainment/politics/whatever—will appear every Thursday on jeffpearlman.com. If you have any suggestions/ideas for people to speak with, hit me up at anngold22@gmail.com. I’m listening.

Ever since my time penning for ESPN.com’s Page 2 back in the mid-2000s, L.Z. Granderson has been one of my favorite sports columnists. To begin with, the man knows his sports and can flat-out write. Second, he doesn’t take positions unless they’re positions he believes in. Third, he’s a gay African-American.

Pause.

I know … I know—what difference does that make? Judge all equally and blah, blah, blah. What I mean is that, in a profession long dominated by boring ol’ straight whites, L.Z. comes at things with a unique life viewpoint. His takes are unique because, in the world we inhabit, he is unique. Believe me, it matters.

I digress. Along with working as a senior writer and columnist for ESPN the Magazine, L.Z. contributes weekly pieces to CNN.com (he recently wrote an absolutely breathtaking piece titled ‘Ted Nugent should be in jail.’ I couldn’t agree more). The 2009 winner of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Award for online journalism, L.Z. is—in my opinion—a pioneer is a genre (sports journalism) desperately seeking pioneers.

Here, L.Z. talks race, sexuality, Steve Nash, Kevin Love, his life as a long-suffering Detroit Lions fan and why, to him, Rick Santorum’s opinions matter. He is a regular Tweeter who can be followed here.

L.Z. the Quaz awaits …

JEFF PEARLMAN: L.Z., I’m a big fan of your writing, and—particularly—your honesty. You’re blunt and forceful, and you attack issues of homophobia in very constructive ways. Hence, I’m interested in your particular background. Where are you from? When did you first realize you were gay? And how accepting was your family?

L.Z. GRANDERSON: First, thanks Jeff so much for the kind words man, and as I’m sure you know, I’m a fan of yours as well—especially the CNN pieces. The one about finding the rude e-mailer was awesome. Soooo, LZ, the Gay, where do I begin, hmmm …

Well, first I was born and raised in Detroit though I spent many of my summers growing up with my mother’s side of the family in rural Mississippi, not far from where Emmett Till was murdered and where “The Help” was filmed. This makes me both a bit country and a bit ghetto, which, if you ever visited the black neighborhoods in Detroit, you’d know is not that unusual. The auto industry boom attracted a lot of folks from down south to Detroit. My mother was a Civil Rights activist registering black people to vote before fleeing up north to Chicago after being chased by the KKK. She knew Medgar Evers, who was born not too far from my family’s land. She marched with Dr. King. So you can imagine how many stories I heard about the struggle for equality and then juxtaposing that with the world I saw in Detroit. That’s part of the reason why my worldview is as diverse as it is—I have an intimate understanding of present day urban and yesteryear rural, country music and hip hop, red and blue states, etc.

You talk about my honesty in my work, well I that get from my mom, who at the age of 65, takes yoga, Zumba and still talks about kicking somebody’s ass. Her zest for life, love of people, and frankness is something most of our family has. You have a problem with someone, you say it to their face. When some relatives had a problem with me getting divorced and coming out, they were met with a big “so what” by my mom and the other relatives who really didn’t care. And because of that, there’s no drama about my sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of the other gay members in my family. I bring my partner to family functions, my son has known all of his life his dad is gay and really we’re all too busy laughing, cooking and eating to be bothered with judging each other. We have interracial couples, Jehovah Witnesses, Jewish people, all kinds of folks in our family and there’s just no real drama. I’m fortunate, I know. Actually, the person who had the biggest problem with me was me. I struggled early because I didn’t really see anyone who was gay that resembled anything like me: black, an athlete, a closeted nerd who ran the streets with the wrong crowd on occasion. When I got to college I became a fundamentalist Christian, but I always was aware of my same sex attraction. I tried to pray it away all through my marriage but by graduate school, I was in the coming out. It was hard for everyone, only because my ex and I had been in each other’s lives since sophomore year in high school. But we made it through with love and I think our 15-year-old is the proof of that love.

J.P.: I’m a white Jewish guys. And, generally, in the reformed Jewish community, homosexuality is greeted with a shrug. You’re African-American, and the whole black-gay dynamic seems much more complicated. Why do you think so many African-Americans seem to struggle so much with acceptance of gay rights, especially considering the Civil Rights battles of not all that long ago? And are things changing?

L.Z.G.: The struggle isn’t with skin color as much as it is with the role of religion. A lot of evangelical church’s teach homosexuality is a sin and so when you know how important the church was to the Civil Rights Movement, then you can see why it is hard in some circles to embrace the GLBT community. It’s hard for people to accept the vehicle that led to so much good in the community is wrong about something. The thing is, the vehicle, the Bible, the church is constantly being massaged to fit the needs of the messenger. Once scripture was used to endorse slavery, then scripture was used to abolish it. Same for women’s rights. Whenever someone comes at me with that vibe I just remind them that Dr. King’s right hand man, Bayard Rustin, was openly gay. Rustin was the person who introduced Dr. King to the teachings of Gandhi and was the main organizer of the transformative march on Washington. So if the Reverend  who happened to be the face of the movement loved a gay man as his brother, and if the movement is greatly indebted to that love and friendship between the two, then why do we as a community feel comfortable dishonoring the memory of that bond. Because at the end of the day, that’s what using the Bible to justify ostracizing gay people is doing—dishonoring the work King and Rustin did together so that we could have freedom today.

J.P.: Of all the black gay sportswriters I know, you’re easily in my Top, well, one. I’ve covered sports a long time. And, generally, it’s a pretty slow-moving world, socially. How do athletes respond to you being gay? Have any ever hit with bigoted comments? Any ever commend you? 

L.Z.G.: Jeff, you know, if you’re a columnist and you don’t get hate mail, then  you’re not a very good columnist. That’s all part of it. Do I get horrible email from readers filled with hateful remarks. Yes, all of the time. But I don’t think I’m unique in that. I just happen to be gay, so a lot of my emails contain words like “faggot”, “AIDS” and “Leviticus” but women get called things, straight white men get called things, etc. But I have never had an athlete say anything bad about me to my face and I would like to think because I am fair. I don’t write horrible things about someone just to get readers to click on me. I try to share my view of the world strongly, with entertainment but not crossing the line of decency. I need to know if I saw that person the next day, I wouldn’t be ashamed. One of my mentors, Gary Bond, taught me that. Today, some of the people I like and care about most are athletes I’ve gotten to know over the years. I don’t write about them anymore because I feel there is a conflict there, but we have a great time– not as ESPN guy and athlete or gay guy and straight guy but just brothers. Because of that, my view of homophobia in sports is not as doomsday oriented as some other people’s views are.

J.P.: Do you think, within the next decade, we’ll have an open active player in one of the four major American team sports? And, as many have suggested, would the first guy have to be a superstar? 

L.Z.G.: I think the first openly gay guy would either be near retirement or yanked out by the paparazi, social media, etc. I don’t see anyone in their prime doing it only because athletes in their prime are typically focused on being the best and limiting all possible distractions from that goal. I qualify a media circus as a distraction. But a guy on the decline who happens to be comfortable in their own skin may be so inclined to share that part of his life in public way. It’s either that or one of these dudes is going to be sloppy and hook up with the wroooooooong guy.

J.P.: I’m tired of sports. Not all sports—but modern sports. The clichés, the repeated lines, the media-athlete animosity. You and I have been in the biz a similar amount of time. Are you not jaded? Do you still have the love? 

L.Z.G.: It’s funny you should bring that up because I’ve long said that when my generation of athletes retire, so will I. Not from writing but from covering sports on a weekly basis as I do now. I’m not sure what the cutoff line is, in other words, which guy is the guy, but I do know I need to keep things fresh for me from a creative perspective. I started at ESPN the same year Lebron started in the league, so maybe he’s the one. I don’t know. It could also be Rafa. I know what you speak of but I’m not tired of sports. I still ball several times a week, play tennis a few times a week and take pride in still being a fairly good athlete myself. And my son is becoming a helluva athlete in his own right in high school. I’ll never stop being a gym rat and a fan, but I may need to step away for a little bit to recharge by batteries as a sportswriter.

J.P.: You wrote a pretty scathing CNN.com column a few months back, blaming Rick Santorum for spreading homophobia across America. I actually disagree. I think Santorum is a tool, but the people listening to him probably already hated gays. Why am I wrong here? 

L.Z.G.: Why do you have to be wrong? I think we’re both right. Santorum has a platform that he uses to spread homophobia but each of us have a platform to inject anything we want into the world. However big your circle of influence is, you have the ability to shape someone’s view on a topic. So they’re both responsible for spreading homophobia and I’d like to think we’re responsible for spreading tolerance.

J.P.: When it comes to gays, what do you think people are afraid of? What I mean is, many athletes don’t want gays in the locker room with them? But, why? Like, what do you think fosters that fear?

L.Z.G.: Misogyny. They’re afraid gay men are going to start looking at and talking about them in the same manner they look at and talk about women and it scares the shit out of them. The thought of being naked and being viewed by another man in such a carnal, dominating way is unnerving. It threatens their sense of manhood because they’ve equated manhood with who they sleep with. In actuality sleeping with women just makes you a heterosexual male. Society has a lot of heterosexual males who are very far from being a man. And we have a lot of homosexual males who are the epitome of manhood– tough, disciplined, responsible, strong.

J.P.: Is it harder being black or gay?

L.Z.G.: It’s harder being a Lions fan. Those other two are easy by comparison. No seriously, they both have their joys and they both have their challenges but I’ve been both my entire life and I can’t tell you which part of my being is hardest. There are not a lot of gay sports journalists but if you’ve been to a non NBA press box and you’ll see  there are not a lot of black ones either.

J.P.: What’s the greatest moment of your career in journalism? The lowest?

L.Z.G.: My greatest moment came from seeing John Eligon being hired by the New York Times. John was an intern at the Grand Rapids Press. I wasn’t his supervisor, in fact, I was just a cub myself, but I tried to be as helpful to him as possible. Encourage him, stuff like that. I ran into him at NABJ and he had grown his locks and was working for the Times and I was just so happy for him. He reached his dream. I don’t know how much or how little of a role I played in his development but I know I didn’t screw him up. I know he greeted me with a hug and that sense of full circle felt awesome. The lowest also came at the Grand Rapids Press. I was a manning the late night desk, it was nearly time for me to go home when an accident was being reported on the police scanner. It was a head on collision. Long story short– in my haste to finish the blurb and get to bed I made a mistake. I faulted the wrong driver in the fatal head-on crash. I felt horrible but not nearly as bad as the already grieving family. My editor made me drive out to the family to apologize for the error. It was more than an hour drive there and I cried all the way back. It was then I understood the responsibility of journalism and took the job a lot more seriously.

J.P.: I don’t hate ESPN, but I hate how ESPN has turned so many writers into buffoons. The screaming, the barking, the Skip Bayless-ization of once-dignified scribes. Am I wrong? Or is this what sports media has become? 

L.Z.G.: You show me a network that does not feature spirited debates as part of its programming and I’ll show you a dying network. The old saying was “if it bleeds it leads” now it’s “if there’s hate it rates”. Same concept: bad news, tension, drama this has always driven readership and viewership to a degree. Is it worse now than yesterday? I’m sure it feels that way because how we consume media has varied greatly from the 6pm news with Walter Cronkite. And the proliferation of non-scripted television has also contributed to this screaming and barking you’re talking about. But I would argue that element of media programming and consumption has been a part of pop culture long before ESPN was even thought of.

QUAZ EXPRESS WITH L.Z. GRANDERSON

• Five amazing things to do in the amazing city of Grand Rapids: Honestly, we’re not an amazing city. We’re an average mid-sized city in the midwest. We have good hardworking people but the best thing about Grand Rapids is that it is relatively easy to live here and it’s easy because we’re pretty ordinary. We’re dominated by fast food chains and strip malls. We’re nice, we don’t have a lot of traffic. We’re close to Lake Michigan but we’re not amazing.

• Rank in order: Turkey bacon, David Volek, Joel Youngblood, Michael Anthony, farting, Judge Judy, Celine Dion, strawberry pancakes, your cell phone, Tommy Shaw, the Bible: Turkey bacon, the Bible, my cell phone, farting, Tommy Shaw, Joel Youngblood, Michael Anthony, David Volek, Celine Dion, strawberry pancakes, Judge Judy.

• Ten words or less: Why are newspapers dying?: Too many non-web savvy men making web decisions.

• If someone said, “You need to run 50 miles right now—without walking—or we cut off both your ears,” could you do it?: I’m sorry, I can’t hear you…someone cut off both of my ears.

• We give you 500 major league at bats this season. What do you hit?: The bottle, likely Jack Daniels. I sure as hell won’t be hitting the ball.

• Marijuana—legal or illegal, and why?: Illegal because that’s the law … in this country. And that’s about all I’m going to say about that …

• Will Barack Obama win the election? And what will the margin of victory/defeat be?: Way, way, way too early to say. It all depends on the first debate between him and Romney. It really will be his only chance to convince Independents he made the right decisions. If he wins the first debate, he wins with 52-55 percent of vote.

 • Five coolest athletes you’ve ever covered: Grant Hill, Roger Federer, David Beckham, Steve Nash, Kevin Love.

• Five jerkiest athletes you’ve ever covered: Oliver Miller, Glenn Robinson, Matt Leinart … that’s about it. Again, I’ve been lucky.

• Six guys walk into a bar … : The Secret Service at it again, huh?

QUAZ DATABASE:

Quaz 1: Wendy Hagen

Quaz 2: Chris Burgess

Quaz 3: Tommy Shaw

Quaz 4: Russ Ortiz

Quaz 5: Don McPherson

Quaz 6: Frank Zaccheo

Quaz 7: Geoff Rodkey

Quaz 8: Meeno Peluce

Quaz 9: Karl Mecklenburg

Quaz 10: Amra-Faye Wright

Quaz 11: Phil Nevin

Quaz 12: Jemele Hill

Quaz 13: Drew Snyder

Quaz 14: Roy Smalley

Quaz 15: Michael Shermer

Quaz 16: Kathy Wagner

Quaz 17: Travis Warren

Quaz 18: Scott Barnhardt

Quaz 19: Chris Jones

Quaz 20: Cindi Avila

Quaz 21: Crystal McKellar

Quaz 22: Dan Riehl

Quaz 23: Prime Minister Pete Nice

Quaz 24: Glen Graham

Quaz 25: Dave Coverly

Quaz 26: Marie Te Hapuku

Quaz 27: Christian Delcroix

Quaz 28: Jack McDowell

Quaz 29: Jake Black

Quaz 30: Brian Johnson

Quaz 31: Craig Salstein

Quaz 32: John Herzfeld

Quaz 33: Jenny DeMilo

Quaz 34: Tina Thompson

Quaz 35: Seth Davis

Quaz 36: Dave Fleming

Quaz 37: Mike Sharp

Quaz 38: Kathleen Osgood

Quaz 39: Gabriel Aldort

Quaz 40: Lennie Friedman

Quaz 41: Rick Arzt

Quaz 42: Sean Salisbury

Quaz 43: Mac Lethal

Quaz 44: Cord McCoy

Quaz 45: Cameron Mills

Quaz 46: Jim Abbott

Quaz 47: Alison Cimmet

Quaz 48: Linda Ensor

Quaz 49: L.Z. Granderson

I just met a man who told me he was lucky.

I found him outside my house, collecting tin soda cans from the recycling bin. He was a short Asian man, wearing a green poncho to protect himself from the driving rain. I asked him how it was going. “Good,” he said. “Lots of cans.” I thought I had more in my garage, so I went down and, moments later, returned with five or six more. He was very appreciative.

“Job market is bad,” he said to me in halting English. Then he rolled up the bottom of his pants to reveal too long incisions atop both knees. “I needed this surgery and I lost my job.” He had worked as a cook at a local Chinese restaurant. His hours were cut. Then cut again. Now he drives house to house, gathering cans. I felt horrible for him. Perhaps he could tell.

“I am lucky,” he said.

Lucky?

“I have four children. Six grandchildren. They are all doing well.”

With that, he gathered his cans, returned to his battered car and drove off.

Lucky.

By now we’ve had a week to think about Junior Seau’s death; to reflect on his football legacy and to decide, in our own minds, whether his suicide was caused by too many hits to the head, too much physical pain, etc … etc.

Here’s my take: Retired professional athletes are not designed to live long.

What I mean by this is simple: You are born and bred to do something. You do it—to the highest possible level. You are hailed and celebrated and praised and honored and cheered and sought after. Women love you, kids worship you, fans hang your photographs in their homes. You have a very precise, very detailed, very structured life. You rarely have to write a check or pay a bill. Your meals are provided, your flights booked.

Then—pfft. Over.

It doesn’t compute. Or make sense. In many cases, you are a physical shell of your former self. Your muscles, once fast and quick, have been pounded and dulled. Your instincts are slow. You struggle to get out of bed every morning, because your back has been cracked 15 times and your knees are like dumbbells.

No one makes plans for you. Your wife is tired of you. Your kids barely know you. Sure, you have a college degree. But you’re in your mid-30s, without any relevant career experience. People love talking about that game against the Colts. But those same people have no interest in making you an executive vice president. You once earned $1.3 million annually. Much of that money is gone, and now you can’t crack $40,000. Someone suggests opening a bar … a restaurant. But you don’t have the capital. You think about writing an autobiography, but nobody cares these days. Publishing companies don’t return your calls. As Eminem says, “You’re cold product.”

This is what it is to be an ex-athlete.

Alone.

Depressed.

Hurting.

Sad.

Lost.

Athletes who come back after age 40 generally fall flat.

I often think back to Jim Palmer, tossing grapefruits as a geriatric Oriole in spring training. I recall Ray Leonard, Sugar all dried up, getting his rear kicked by Macho Camacho. Mark Spitz attempted a swimming return in his 40s, which only led to mild embarrassment … America’s greatest living swimming putting up Division I college times.

I am not a great athlete, and was never a great athlete. I ran one mediocre year of college track and cross country at Delaware. As a kid, I was one of Putnam County’s top youth distance runners which, along with a quarter, might get me a gumball. I’ve competed in 11 marathons, with a PR of 3:11. That came in 2006, on a beautiful day in Chicago.

Now, at age 40, I want another taste.

This October 28, I will be competing in the Marine Corps Marathon. It’ll be my first 26.2-mile race since an absolutely diasterous 3:40 in Philly four or five years ago (by far my slowest time), when I entered in horrific shape, then waddled through miles upon miles of hell. My legs cramped up, my psyche was dead, I made the rookie mistake of running with an iPod. Just a disaster.

So here’s the question: At 40, can I break 3:10? On the bright side, I don’t feel as if I ever 100 percent put in to marathon training. Oh, I worked hard and ran the requisite distances. But, in the back of my mind, I always knew there was more that could have been done. Weights, better eating, more speed work, etc. Generally, I was young and spry, and I knew my body would make up for any real lapses.

Now, however, I’m old. Well, older. The body doesn’t recover nearly as quickly, and I bruise and hurt much easier. Hell, right now I’m suffering through some sort of upper left left leg strain/pull that made last night’s six miler sorta difficult.

I’m babbling. What should I do? How should I train? I have five months to get in fighting trim. I weight about 198, and wanna drop to 185-ish. I want to build my body up without breaking it down. Swimming? Speed work? How many days of rest?

I used to be a running know it all. No longer.

I’m all ears.

Today marked my final class for the semester at Manhattanville College.

I am an adjunct journalism professor, which means I make $2,300 to teach a 2 1/2-hour weekly class on how to report and write. I also advise the Touchstone, Manhattanville’s twice-monthly student newspaper, for free.

Really, for love.

That’s what it is, too. Love. Genuine love. I love journalism and love teaching journalism. I love telling stories about my career. I love reading the work of students at the beginning of the term, then seeing their completed, improved work at the end. I love helping students piece together a newspaper, even if it means staying up into the wee hours of Friday morning, eating cold pizza in a smelly closet/room.

In short, I love sharing the love.

I also love the relationships. When I started teaching last year, I wondered whether the experience would make me feel younger (hanging with people half my age) or older (hanging with people half my age). The answer: Neither. The dialogue rarely has anything to do with age. Maybe my musical tastes don’t line up with 2012 students; maybe they’ve never heard of Hall or Oates (dammit). But, well, who cares? It’s not about that.

Today, as the last class wrapped, I found myself genuinely saddened. I have five departing seniors, all of whom mean something to me; all of whom I want to succeed. I’ve never taken teaching as merely me offering information. It’s about establishing relationships, and helping people along; and supplying the tools needed to excel.

Sometimes I’m good, sometimes I suck.

But I always try.

PS: This was quite the babble. Apologies. The photo above was taken last week on Buckout Road in Harrison, N.Y. We took a class trip. One of my students, Jonelle Jentilucci, decided to write her final paper on the alleged ghosts who haunt the area. I gave her a 10 on the difficulty scale, because she was genuinely terrified (to my great delight). As I write this, her paper sits to my right. It’s wonderful. Lede: “Harrison, N.Y. is a small, peaceful town on the outskirts of Manhattan. It’s filled with hidden mansions in the hilltops and Fortune 500 companies at eye level. Like all beautiful towns, there is a story to be told of who was there first. Somewhere between the scenic mansions and the cookie-cutter town lies a long and winding road called Buckout.”

* Welcome to the 48th installment of The Quaz Q&A. This feature—a question-and-answer session with a person from sports/entertainment/politics/whatever—will appear every Thursday on jeffpearlman.com. If you have any suggestions/ideas for people to speak with, hit me up at anngold22@gmail.com. I’m listening.

So this is a strange one …

A little more than a month ago I was reading a piece in the New York Times titled, ON STREET, CROWD GIVES LOUDER SIDE OF HEALTH LAW ARGUMENT. In it a passage read: “Linda Ensor, a former newspaper editor from Summerville, S.C., and an opponent of the law who came to the rally with her local Tea Party chapter, also felt nostalgic for the past. “This is not the America we grew up in,” she said, holding a handmade sign that read, “Give us back our America.” Among the changes she lamented were teachings about global warming in school textbooks, large amounts of new government regulations—and the pledging of allegiance, she said, to the earth, not America.

The first thing I did was vomit.

The second thing I did was contact Linda, via Facebook, to ask if she’d consider being Quazed.

And here’s the best part—she agreed. And, in the ensuing days, was fantastic in doing so. In person, we’d share, oh, zero political beliefs. I think Barack Obama is an excellent president. Linda thinks Barack Obama is a socialist intent on ridding America of all guns. I think Sarah Palin is a moronic loon. Linda thinks Sarah Palin would make a sound president (were it not for the media’s nonstop attacks). I think climate change is a serious threat to our nation. Linda, well, does not.

And yet, in reading her answers and exchanging some e-mails, I came to like Linda, and appreciate—to a certain degree—some of her stances. Do I agree with her? Not at all. But I can dig anyone willing to take a position in the name of national pride. And while I do not think Linda Ensor is correct in her points, I do find her to be genuine and sincere. Which matters.

Here, Linda explains why Barack Obama is awful, why climate change is garbage, why Jeb Bush is on her presidential short list and why “Ballad of the Sad Café” is an excellent film. Linda, who is very involved in the 9/12 Project, knows I’m a hard-core liberal, and I appreciate her still agreeing to be here.

Linda Ensor, the Quaz (but hopefully not the presidency) is yours …

JEFF PEARLMAN: OK, Linda, so I first came upon your name in a March 27, 2012 New York Times article headlined, ON STREET, CROWD GIVES LOUDER SIDE OF HEALTH LAW ARGUMENT. Linda, as I made clear when I contacted you, I don’t agree. Like, I don’t even come close to agreeing. But I do promise to be open-minded. So let me first ask—why would anyone possibly lament the teaching of global warming. It has been documented again and again and again and again by the world’s most reputable scientists. I mean, the evidence seems, from my vantage point, to be beyond overwhelming. So tell me what I’m missing.

LINDA ENSOR: What you’re missing is the guy who started the Weather Channel say it’s a major scam, for one. P.J. O’Rourke (you know him, humor writer frequently in Rolling Stone, etc.) asked in 1994 in his book “All the Trouble in the World,” so where’s that Ice Age they’ve been carrying on about? We should all be bearing parkas and plugging our car batteries into chargers by now if THAT prediction panned out. Scientists make their livings making predictions; doesn’t seem to matter if they’re right or not because they can always change it based on new data.

Global warming has pretty much been written off outside of California and New York because it seems that a lot of those scientists falsified or exaggerated their stats, and that’s why I object to it be woven into our kids’ textbooks. Our kids are being brainwashed about social and environmental issues, and it’s just plain wrong.

Now, on the increase in government regulation: It’s mind-boggling; if the people who pass them don’t know what they are, how can they be followed? The regulations are strangling our businesses, right down to Susie’s Lemonade Stands.

J.P.: Oftentimes when I hear members of the Tea Party say things like, “Give back our America” and “This is not the America we grew up in,” I interpret it to mean, “We don’t like having a dark-skinned president with a weird name.” Am I off on this? And what, specifically, is your beef with the president (I’m assuming you have one)?

L.E.: Good thing you’re not earning your living as an interpreter. What your question really says to me is, if you don’t like this President, the only explanation is that you must be prejudiced, and that’s where you go off-track immediately. I was proud that America had elected a black President; I would love to see a woman President. I was actually very interested in Obama when I first heard him speak at the convention, and I remember saying to my son (a liberal Democrat in New York State, how did I go so wrong?), hey, this guy sounds great. Then the more I learned about him, the less I liked about him.

Hope and change? We lived in the most amazing country in the history of the world, so what was it people wanted to change? It turns out that the dreams of Obama’s father were of a creating a nightmare in America; since we have so much more than other people in the world, he must level it to the third-world countries so that we too will suffer higher unemployment, a shocking number of people on welfare and food stamps, a government takeover of banking, insurance, the auto industry, etc. I don’t like any of this, and by extension, I don’t like the person at the top, no matter what he/she is.

People aren’t prejudiced against skin color as much as against people who don’t behave.  It’s a sad fact that more young black males do commit a lot of the crimes, and it’s because they are not successful in education. Let’s fix THAT, and the rest will work itself out.

Why isn’t the point made that prejudice in America has improved dramatically in only 50 years, historically a tick of the clock? Again, why aren’t we taking credit for this? Prejudice of some sort will always exist (cat people are prejudiced against dog people, people who love expensive dinners think people who eat Big Macs are disgusting); human nature can’t be legislated beyond a certain point. It’s biological, apparently, to need to have someone who’s doing worse than you are.

J.P.: What do you mean about the pledging of allegiance to the earth, as opposed to America? I’m not mocking by any means—I genuinely don’t understand what point you’re trying to make.

L.E.: There are a few schools who are actually pledging allegiance to the Earth, instead of to America. Oh please, how cute!

J.P.: So here’s what I know about Linda Ensor. You’re a former newspaper editor from South Carolina, you attended the University of Nebraska, you’re from Sioux City, Iowa, you’re a New York Giants fan and you like Dancing with the Stars. I’d love to know more. Who are you? What’s your journalism background? And what led you to become politically active and, I suppose, outspoken?

L.E.: I’ve got one of those checkered pasts that ranges from a stint as a matchmaker to Regional Director/fundraiser for the Easter Seal Society, to head of an editing and proofreading department at a large financial firm and all kinds of other stuff; apparently I get bored easily and move on, but I’ve always reverted to writing/editing/photography.  Fun stuff included playing and coaching volleyball and tennis. You probably couldn’t have paid me to go to a political event, although I’ve always voted. This is all new to me, and like a lot of the 9.12ers, I really don’t understand why it has taken over my life. But maybe it’s this: We are frightened for our country; we are frightened of this government. Today the President’s people said that since Congress won’t do what O wants them to do, he is going to go around them (as he has been doing more and more) by using Executive Orders. That should frighten anyone who hears it, even if they agree with his goals.

I see my role (and that of the 9.12 movement) as educating people on what is really happening, not what we are being told is happening … there’s a big difference.  It’s almost impossible to find straight, unbiased news anywhere. Then we teach them how to make their opinions known effectively (by getting involved with their school boards, and knowing their legislators personally, going to state legislative meetings, etc.)  I don’t know a single 9.12er who would be caught dead behaving like the Occupy people.

J.P.: To say I loathe the NRA is no understatement. I loathe the NRA with every bone in my body. I can appreciate the Second Amendment, inthat people have a limited right to own a firearm. But the extent to which the NRA has taken things—fighting for the rights to pack on college campuses; in national parks; to slash waiting periods as long as possible—well, it all sickens me. Do you agree or disagree? And why?

L.E.: Without the right to bear arms and defend ourselves, we might as well be living in Venezuela. If the government succeeds in taking guns away from the citizens, as they are clearly gearing up to do, who will still have them? The criminals, who will always be able to get what they want, and the government. Are you okay with that? I’m not.

No one needs to own assault weapons, or machetes for that matter; there’s nothing wrong with a seven-day waiting period before you can buy a handgun. And you thought we couldn’t agree on anything!  Ha!

Could any of the killings that have happened on college campuses and national parks been averted had the victims/teachers/passersby been armed? Some such nightmares have been thwarted by someone who was carrying, and thank God they were there.

Americans agreed in 1776 to abide by certain codes of behavior, and if the right to defend yourself was seen as important enough to become the Second Amendment, those guys were a whole lot smarter than I am. Far from being out-of-date, the Constitution, Bill of Rights, etc. is just the opposite. How they could foresee the problems we are having is amazing, but they did, and they set up excellent guidelines for us.

J.P.: It’s been said repeatedly and repeatedly that the media is controlled by the liberal elite. Yet every time I get in a car—anywhere in America—all I can land is far-right talk. Why doesn’t this count?

L.E.: Beats me. I don’t like far-right any better than I like far-left. Jonah Goldberg, in  “Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News.” Goldberg points out that most journalism professors are extremely liberal (surely we can agree at least on this?). Journalism students think they are middle-of-the-road because they have been surrounded for four years by people who all think alike. Thankfully we have the John Stossels of the world, who remind us that some common-sense, analytical journalists are still out there. Let’s be honest, the news media has really let its viewers down as far as reporting critically or researching government adequately today. That’s why readership and viewership is way down. I have hopes, though … I see signs that they are beginning to wake up.

I went to the first rally in Washington, in 2010. All the roads, buses and trains had to be shut down because the city literally ran out of room. Mall police said later that based on aerial photos, etc., they estimated more than two million people were there. And yet the highest count we heard reported was a couple of thousand. Will the people who were there ever really believe news reports again? Doubt it.

J.P.: When I think of the Tea Party, I think of—just being honest—a bunch of white people who think government is evil and guns are fantastic. How am I wrong?

L.E.: We do have a bunch of white people, bless their hearts. What’s wrong with that? But we also have blacks, Asians, Filipinos, Mexicans, young, old … you name it. I’d bet you’ve never been to a 9.12 Project meeting. My 9.12 Project had six original organizers, one of whom is black.

You want to hear some serious shouting and name calling? Go to a union rally, not a Tea Party; those people are seriously out of control. Who are they, anyway? I see them in Indiana, for example; they would rather destroy the state and its residents than give up what they should never have had in the first place. The greed is hard to believe; it’s so foreign to how my generation was raised.

J.P.: Over the course of the next nine months Mitt Romney will be busting his ass to A. Convince the right that he’s one of them; B. Convince the left that he’s one of them. What does he have to do—if anything—to land your vote? And is it possible you’d abstain, or vote for a third party candidate?

L.E.: Abstain? Are you kidding? No way. A vote for Obama is a vote for socialism, and perhaps more likely fascism. Obama’s purpose is clear, from spreading the wealth to destroying America’s values. Why can’t you libs admit that the man who was the furthest-left man in Congress is now the furthest-left president? My liberal Dem neighbor says the only thing she doesn’t like about Obama is that he isn’t Democratic enough for her. Her refrigerator is covered with his postcards (Michelle and I can’t wait to have you over for dinner! Just send in 3 bucks for your chance to meet the girls!) Fair enough; I can respect her opinion; it’s the people who either don’t know or who deny what’s happening who depress me.

Speaking of the Democrats, Charles Barkley once said that poor blacks have always voted Democratic and they are still poor. It’s the conservatives who want better education for everyone in order to get them off public assistance; the social programs promoted by the Democratic Party have been proven not to work, and to keep people down instead of helping them to become independent and ultimately successful.

J.P.: Getting back to climate change—here’s a case I’ve been waiting for someone from the right to answer. I’ll ask you, Linda: OK, let’s say I’m wrong, and climate change doesn’t exist. Well, that would suck, and maybe we’d waste a ton of money. But we’d invest in cleaner air, and probably start some new industry. If you’re wrong, however, we’re screwed. S-c-r-e-w-e-d. Earth melting in an irreversible way. You’re not a scientist—so why not err on the side of caution? Because if you’re wrong, and we do nothing, it’s a nightmare.

L.E.: Do I need to point out that we don’t have a ton of money left to blow on this or anything else? Or that most of these new energy businesses aren’t succeeding? Or that polar caps have been melting for millions of years, that’s what they do?

America has been cleaning up its act. Maybe it’s not perfect here, but the environmental problems are horrendous in China, India, etc., and they have said flat out, tough darts. Does that mean we shouldn’t keep working on it? Of course not. I’ve been recycling my stuff since the 70s; somewhere my egg cartons and Coke bottles have been crunched up and made into Playtex bras. Again, why don’t we give ourselves credit for what we have done instead of the constant hammering of how bad America is?

But for the sake of argument, let’s say the polar caps do melt, and the polar bears die, and the oceans rise 25 feet. Isn’t evolving what the earth has always done? And haven’t humans evolved in whatever way was necessary to survive? We are better equipped to survive whatever happens now than ever before. Noah had his ark; I have my kayak …

J.P.: Do we need more religion in government?

L.E.: No, we just need to keep the symbols of religion in place as they have always been. Eighty percent of Americans describe themselves as religious; sounds like a solid majority to me. You don’t want to bow your head and pray? Fine, don’t, doesn’t bother me at all, but don’t keep others from their right to do so. How can a cross on a hill offend anyone?  If you don’t like it, don’t look at it but don’t take it away from those who love it.

QUAZ EXPRESS WITH LINDA ENSOR

• Five reasons for someone to make Summerville, S.C. his next vacation destination?: 1. The town absolutely drips with wisteria and the azaleas are on fire in the spring! 2. The historic houses in nearby Charleston are wonderful! 3. If the sun is out, so are the alligators! 4. When you need to pull out onto a Main Street, they slow down to let you in! (In New York, that would have led to the one-finger salute—if not gunfire.)  5. People say hello and thank you to complete strangers!

• Rank in order (favorite to least favorite): Hillary Clinton, TupaC Shakur, Ross Perot, Ted Nugent, Ohio State, New York Times, Sean Hannity, Denzel Washington, Daryl Hall, strawberry milk: Ted Nugent, Rand Paul, Mark Steyn, bagels, the Weekly Standard, Madonna, the Washington Post and the New York Times, castor oil.

• Your top five desired picks to be our next president?: Allen West, Bobby Jindal, John Thune, Jeb Bush, Tim Pawlenty. Let me see, aren’t my top two people of color?  Well, there goes the prejudice thingie again.

• Should gay couples be allowed to adopt? Why or why not?: Sure. Why not? Anyone who is willing to love and care for someone else’s child should be allowed to, and people who hurt their children should be forced to give them up.

• Have you ever thought you were about to die in a plane crash? If yes, details, please: Flying into Omaha one night years ago in a white-out blizzard, I have to admit it crossed my mind, and I’m not a white-knuckle flyer. That pilot didn’t see the ground until after he had landed. We figured he had a hottie waiting for him. Yikes!

• If Barack Obama knocks on your door, do you: A. Invite him in to chat?; B. Tell him to bug off? C. Not answer?: I can’t imagine having a conversation with him. I respect the office of the President and I am (mostly) a polite person, so I wouldn’t want to be rude, but boy, it would be hard to be civil.

• Is Ronald Reagan over-mythologized or under-mythologized?:  Over-mythologized. Reagan had a unique ability to make Americans proud of their country, and to surround himself with excellent people. He was the best kind of administrator, who understands he doesn’t have to do it all himself.

• Best movie you’ve ever seen?:  “Ballad of the Sad Café” and “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” stand out, but clearly I like the obscure. Worst?  Something about Al Capone, back in the ‘80s.

 • My friend Mike Lewis is looking for a creative way to propose to his girlfriend. What you got?: Ya know what?  The more creative they were, the shorter the marriage.  Tell him to call her dad and ask for her hand; she’ll probably be shocked.

• Would Sarah Palin make a solid president? Why or why not?: Palin is a good executive; she is capable of doing an excellent job but because the media has made a lightning rod out of her, it would be almost impossible for her to succeed, and no doubt it would divide the country even more than it is. We have to come together somehow.

QUAZ DATABASE:

Quaz 1: Wendy Hagen

Quaz 2: Chris Burgess

Quaz 3: Tommy Shaw

Quaz 4: Russ Ortiz

Quaz 5: Don McPherson

Quaz 6: Frank Zaccheo

Quaz 7: Geoff Rodkey

Quaz 8: Meeno Peluce

Quaz 9: Karl Mecklenburg

Quaz 10: Amra-Faye Wright

Quaz 11: Phil Nevin

Quaz 12: Jemele Hill

Quaz 13: Drew Snyder

Quaz 14: Roy Smalley

Quaz 15: Michael Shermer

Quaz 16: Kathy Wagner

Quaz 17: Travis Warren

Quaz 18: Scott Barnhardt

Quaz 19: Chris Jones

Quaz 20: Cindi Avila

Quaz 21: Crystal McKellar

Quaz 22: Dan Riehl

Quaz 23: Prime Minister Pete Nice

Quaz 24: Glen Graham

Quaz 25: Dave Coverly

Quaz 26: Marie Te Hapuku

Quaz 27: Christian Delcroix

Quaz 28: Jack McDowell

Quaz 29: Jake Black

Quaz 30: Brian Johnson

Quaz 31: Craig Salstein

Quaz 32: John Herzfeld

Quaz 33: Jenny DeMilo

Quaz 34: Tina Thompson

Quaz 35: Seth Davis

Quaz 36: Dave Fleming

Quaz 37: Mike Sharp

Quaz 38: Kathleen Osgood

Quaz 39: Gabriel Aldort

Quaz 40: Lennie Friedman

Quaz 41: Rick Arzt

Quaz 42: Sean Salisbury

Quaz 43: Mac Lethal

Quaz 44: Cord McCoy

Quaz 45: Cameron Mills

Quaz 46: Jim Abbott

Quaz 47: Alison Cimmet

Quaz 48: Linda Ensor