Where is the Clamor?

I tend to spread myself a bit thin when it comes to entertainment.  Much as it may appear from this website and visits to others that I live, breath and die books, I spend a nearly embarassing amount of time watching television (though, I argue that I only spend time with the worthy shows :)), listen to my fair share of music, see the occasional movie, and have always been a huge sports fan.

I've noticed that when a local high school or college sports hero moves on professionally, and the local team has a chance to obtain his (or occasionally, her) services, the local media is quite loud about it.  The Lions HAVE to draft so and so from Michigan, or the Tigers can NOT pass up on Anderson from Divine Child.  It gets discussed in papers, on the radio, and local television news.  You hear people chat about it at work, at lunch, in restaurants. 

When a local band makes it, huge stories all over the place - papers have their return shows on the front page, not just of the entertainment section.  Radios screech how they used to play the band before anybody knew them (which is usually close to absolute bullshit).  Local news shows cover their concerts.  Here in Detroit, it's amazing how many people "knew" Jack White was destined to be a star, but don't have a clue who Dan Miller is (google Blanche, or Goober and the Peas), but ask a music fan in Europe who he is.

Yet, Wednesday, I had the opportunity to go see Tyehimba Jess, former Detroiter, come back and read his poetry.  Where was the clamoring for his return?  Yes, the Detroit Free Press had a small column about Jess and his return last week (though, I'm thinking it helped greatly that the columnist who wrote it also hosted the event).  Nothing on television.  Nothing on the radio.  Not even local NPR stations begging for interviews or for him to read a bit of his work on the air.  There were less than 60 people in attendance.  Where is the clamoring for our local writers beyond a very small underground (which would include this site).  Even our alternative weekly paper, The Metro Times, while covering the hell out of movies and music, seems satisfied to review a couple of books per month.  Per month!  Is this just a Detroit issue?  Is it like this in other cities?

Jess is an award winning poet.  His debut collection, leadbelly, was included in the National Poetry Series.  He just was issued a $40,000 Whiting Award.  He is an important voice in the future of poetry. He is an incredible reader of his work.

And he lives and teaches in Illinois.  Not at Wayne State University.  Not at the University of Detroit-Mercy.  Not even out further at the University of Michigan or Michigan State University.  Instead he's at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  He read in Detroit, the city of his youth, as a VISITING writer.  When one looks around, and listens for the clamoring about writers and, more specifically, local writers, is there any question as to why?

Edit:  I must apologize to the Free Press as they do promote the hell out of writer (and their columnist) Mitch Albom.  I believe today's paper had a count of approximately 74 mentions of his latest novel and places he'll be reading in the future.  They had nothing about Mary Gaitskill coming into to Ann Arbor two weeks ago, or many other readings in the area, but to claim they don't promote literature and authors was just plain wrong.  My bad.

Comments

[Norene Cashen]

Dan,

Nicely done.

NC

[Tamara]

It really is a shame. Yet I'm heartened, Dan, by your efforts and those of Write Word, Write Now and its participants, Desiree Cooper, et. al.

Let's raise a clamor!

[Vie]

Righteous