Fox 2 Morning legend-turned-author Alan Lee tells ML and Marc how he went from a reporter in the Virgin Islands to Detroit TV news icon to thriller-writer taking meetings in Hollywood. Shawn, like Alan’s protagonist, zooms in from an undisclosed location.
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STRAIGHT DOPE: Alan L. Lee – don’t forget the L – had the sweetest gig in all of journalism, working for a newspaper and television station in St. Thomas, driving a company car, hanging out on the beach, spying Playboy models visiting for a photo shoot, but he STILL wasn’t satisfied. So he took a behind-the-scenes gig in Chicago, at WMAQ (Channel 5), then got back on the air in Evansville, Indiana before heading to Washington, D.C. before landing in Detroit at WJBK-TV (Channel 2), where he would eventually launch the juggernaut Fox 2 Morning show. STILL not satisfied, Alan chucked it all to write spy novels.Alan says there are no sharks or snakes in the Virgin Islands. He explains.
Taking risks is nothing new to Alan. Back when he was a student reporter at Purdue University, when everyone else was afraid of bombastic Indiana Hoosiers coach Bobby Knight, Alan made an unexpected friend when he was the only reporter to rise to Knight’s challenge.
It seems like everyone has big local morning news shows, but Alan set the pace at Fox 2. He talks about how he helped make the station, and his show, best in class – and set the standard for morning news across America.
Fox 2 once asked ML to fill in on the morning show. It was a mistake they didn’t make again. The reason? Two words: “Mistletoe belt.”
Alan met loads of famous people anchoring the morning show, but one of the most memorable moments involved Henry Kissinger doing the weather, a story that prompted Marc to bust out his killer Kissinger imitation.
ML and Alan discuss the most powerful man in Detroit media – and what he has in common with legendary Today Show weatherman Willard Scott.
Katie Couric’s comment about her cleavage caught Alan off-guard, just like he tried to keep Bryant Gumbel on his toes when they would chat on air.
Alan’s career as an author may have gotten a major boost when he met his idol, Robert Ludlum, early in his career. The bestselling author gave Alan a piece of advice he’s never forgotten. Listen and learn.
Alan has written two Alex Kove novels – “Sandstorm” and “Ashes to Ashes.” He tells ML and Marc what he had to go through to get a treasured blurb from Elmore Leonard for his first novel.
Hollywood meetings aren’t like normal meetings, as Alan learned after dressing up for his first encounter with movie moguls.
“Not enough sex.” That was the feedback Alan got on “Sandstorm.” So he fixed it. Check out his books here.
ML’s latest “On Guard” column digs into a county commissioner who will serve the first year of his new term while in prison. Read all about it here.
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GEEK OF THE WEEK: Shawn questions ML’s choice of a multiple murderer for this week’s geek – just in time for the holidays!
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