Cocktails & Popcorn: Was Jack Lessenberry Butina-ed?

Even though I am not a fan of the Lessenberry, because he has enjoyed being mean to my Sweetie, I am just going to throw it out there that this sounds more along the lines of one of those psychoptics, as I so much like to call them.

This looks like one of those....oh, how shall I say this...porno ops, where someone recorded lots of personal stuff and was very clear as to their intentions of using the HUMINT to their personal benefit.

In the legal world they call it blackmail, but hey, what do I know?

I know Jack's loss of his show may have something to do with a preservation of the station's financial sustainability through image rebuilding.

I also know Jack better jump hard and tell his story before they tell it for him.

 Violet Ikonomova

The allegations were made in an in-depth report published last week by Deadline Detroit. The online outlet quoted both former students and colleagues of Lessenberry, who recounted multiple alleged instances of verbal sexual harassment, and on one occasion, physical sexual harassment, between the years of 1990 and 2009. Lessenberry has denied any wrongdoing.  Violet Ikonomova

I talked to M.L. Elrick, who I'd met when he taught at WSU. At his suggestion, I contacted Ben Burns, then head of the journalism faculty. In a phone conversation, I explained what had happened between Lessenberry and me, and my concerns with having Lessenberry run the internship program at Wayne State.  I also spoke about my concern about his treatment of other women. It was not a comfortable conversation for me, though Burns was receptive. It was such an awkward subject. Evelyn Aschenbrenner

Embattled Detroit Journalist Jack Lessenberry Loses Radio Show

This post was updated on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. with the proper spelling of Kevin Adell's last name, after Jack Lessenberry pointed out the error in the comments section. We've also included a portion of Lessenberry's response.

Jack Lessenberry

Detroit radio station 910-AM is known for giving some of the city's most notorious characters a platform when no one else will. But the partnerships rarely last — as was the case, for example, with Monica Conyers, who was fired.

The latest to fall is veteran journalist Jack Lessenberry, who joined the station last year after resigning from his roles at Metro Times, Michigan Radio and Wayne State University over allegations of inappropriate behavior towards women brought to light by Deadline Detroit.

Lessenberry lasted seven months to the day at 910amSuperstation before his "Primary Source" show was "suddenly canceled" on Thursday, he said in a Facebook post. The show aired weekdays from 9-11 a.m.

While Lessenberry said he was let go because station owner Kevin Adell "wanted to go in a different direction," Adell provided a little more detail for Deadline Detroit. The show, Adell said, "wasn't fitting with the station."

"There was nothing wrong with Jack, but he wasn't really taking calls," said Adell. "And, you know, radio is engaging. I need calls, I need guests. I think what Jack went through before, I think he was a little bit timid on taking calls."

In a comment on this post, Lessenberry claimed he had "multiple guests and many regular callers from all walks of life" on his program.

"Perhaps Mr. Adell was too busy to listen," Lessenberry said.

He also again dismissed Deadline Detroit's report on the harrassment allegations as "totally one-sided and dishonest." Deadline Detroit quoted parts of Lessenberry's response to the allegations in last May's in-depth main article and presented his full statement in a separate post that day.

In his comment, Lessenberry added that had the writer of this piece, "Ms. Ikonomova," been his student, he would have "flunked" her for mispelling Adell's name.

Lessenberry's radio show came on the air last July, two months after Deadline Detroit published the in-depth report that revealed behavior considered offensive by female colleagues at a Memphis newspaper and, more recently, by students he taught at Wayne State University.

After the report, the university launched an investigation by outside attorney Tara E. Mahoney. Mahoney concluded that she would have recommended Lessenberry be terminated if he had not resigned as head of the journalism program in late June.

At 910, Adell said Lessenberry will be replaced by someone named "Omar," whose last name he could not remember. Adell said "Omar" has filled in at the station before and appeared on CNN "a few times."

Omar's show — which, along with his last name, is to be announced — will cover politics and community issues in Detroit. 

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