LZ Granderson

LZ Granderson
Born Elzie Lee Granderson[1]
(1972-03-11) March 11, 1972
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Residence Chicago, Illinois[2]
Nationality United States
Ethnicity Black[3]
Alma mater Western Michigan University
Occupation Columnist
Spouse(s) Steve Huesing
Children 1

Elzie Lee "LZ" Granderson (born March 11, 1972)[4] is an American journalist and commentator for CNN and ESPN. He writes a weekly column for CNN.com. A senior writer and columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com's Page 2, he has contributed to the channel's SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, Around the Horn, and ESPN First Take and commentates for ESPN's coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. He has also hosted the web-based ESPN360 talk show Game Night.

Early life and education

Granderson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, where he developed a passion for ice hockey and the National Hockey League. He graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Career

Before he moved to ESPN and Page 2, he was a sportswriter at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a columnist at The Grand Rapids Press.[5][6][7]

Granderson's writings for Page 2 usually center on the social and human aspects of sports. He writes about his own personal struggles, the life of athletes, and occasionally provides social commentary. He submits two articles weekly for Page 2 and writes a weekly op-ed column on CNN.com.[8]

On April 18, 2012, Granderson wrote an opinion article titled "Ted Nugent should be in jail" for the online CNN website, accusing rock musician Ted Nugent of threatening the life of President of the United States Barack Obama, based on comments from a speech Nugent gave.[9] On June 27, 2012, Granderson published a controversial[10][11][12] opinion article titled "Don't be nosy about Fast and Furious" for CNN's website, accusing the American public of being too nosy about the way their government functions, saluting disgraced Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North for "taking one for the team" in his role in the Iran-Contra affair, and suggesting that illegal acts by government officials taken in the name of protecting the public should be hidden from public and legal scrutiny.[13]

In 2013, he defended NBA center Jason Collins' decision to announce himself as the first openly gay male professional athlete in a major North American Sport.[14]

On January 28, 2016, Granderson made his debut on the ESPN program Around the Horn, losing in the "Showdown" portion of the episode to Jackie MacMullan.[15]

Awards and honors

Granderson was the 2009 winner of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation award for online journalism, and was nominated for the award again in 2010. He is also a 2008 and 2010 honoree of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for column writing, and a member of the Advisory Board for You Can Play, a campaign dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports.[16]

Personal life

In a column for CNN.com, Granderson openly stated that he was gay.[17] Granderson has one son, Isaiah, from his previous marriage to a woman.[18] Granderson's partner Steve Huesing is ULTA Beauty's Merchandising Operations Director and Interim President of Chicago's Marriage Equality USA.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.northwestern.edu/class-descriptions/4520/JOUR/JOUR/390-0/17790.html
  2. ↑ http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/about/faculty-and-staff/faculty/lz-granderson.html
  3. ↑ Granderson, LZ (June 8, 2012). "No Contradiction: I'm Black and Gay". CNN.com. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Profile: ESPN, CNN journalist LZ Granderson". Grand Rapids Press. January 8, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2014. LZ is a shortened version of a family name that goes back several generations: Elzie.
  5. ↑ Tcheyan, Max (November 18, 2008). "The B/R Interview: LZ Granderson". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  6. ↑ Granderson, LZ (May 14, 2010). "The late Gary Bond, friend and mentor". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  7. ↑ Granderson, LZ (February 8, 2007). "Another ex-athlete comes out? Not impressed". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
  8. ↑ Martin, Jen (April 12, 2011). "CNN Opinion deepens bench of contributors with ESPN's LZ Granderson". CNN.com. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  9. ↑ Granderson, LZ (April 18, 2012). "Ted Nugent should be in jail". CNN.com. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  10. ↑ Limbaugh, Rush (June 27, 2012). "LZ Granderson and David Brooks: Don't Be Nosy, Just Shut Up and Follow Obama". rushlimbaugh.com. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  11. ↑ Rothman, Noah (June 27, 2012). "CNN Contributor LZ Granderson: 'Don't Be Nosy About Fast And Furious'". mediaite.com. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  12. ↑ Benson, Kris. "CNN Typist LZ Granderson Simply Does Not Care for Investigative Reporting". wonkette.com. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  13. ↑ Granderson, LZ (June 27, 2012). "Don't be nosy about Fast and Furious". CNN.com. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  14. ↑ ESPN News Services, ESPN News Services (April 29, 2013). "Jason Collins says he's gay". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  15. ↑ https://twitter.com/Locs_n_Laughs/status/692842838069944320
  16. ↑ "Staff and Board". You Can Play Project. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  17. ↑ Granderson, LZ (June 8, 2012). "No Contradiction: I'm Black and Gay". CNN.com. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  18. ↑ http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/01/profile_espncnn_journalist_lz.html
  19. ↑ http://www.marriageequality.org/board_steve_huesing
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