Jabulani Leffall, the KCUR radio host who simply walked off the job a few weeks ago without an explanation, has come clean.
He?s not nuts as some have speculated.? He?s just trying to find himself.? At the age of 37.
In a mixture of a weird kind of justification?for his?unprofessional departure from the Public Radio Station after two years?, Leffall opened up to Kansas City Star African-American columnist Jenee? Osterheldt to try and explain his actions.
He undoubtedly knew it would be a puff interview.? When Osterfeldt actually referred to him by his first name throughout the article it was confirmed.
?He didn?t plan to quit that day. It wasn?t pre-meditated. Instead, it was the right moment,? wrote Osterheldt in her piece on him. ?And though he wished to have departed differently, it wasn?t necessarily about the public radio station. It was simply time to say goodbye to traditional journalism.?
Osterheldt quoted an article from an American University publication about diversity where Leffall claimed?that people called him the N-word after he took over the 10-11 a.m. Monday thru Thursday post that had been held by broadcasting legend Walt Bodine.
Many listeners had thought Bodine?s long-time sidekick, Gina Kauffman, would take over the show.? That didn?t happen.
?Some fans of his predecessor, Walt Bodine, didn?t approve of the new host. Jabulani was called the N-word. People complained about his affinity for hip-hop and critiqued his dialect. And black listeners weren?t sure about his blackness,? quoted Osterheldt from the article.
In the end, while Leffall blames everyone else for his failure as a radio host maybe he should look in a mirror.?He was given his own radio show in a great time slot despite not having any broadcasting experience.
However, over time the quality of his guests steadily declined.? The show became almost?unlistenable.
?He knows people think he?s nuts. The thing is, he?s done caring what people think,? wrote Osterheldt.
She?closed her column with her?gentle thoughts?about Leffall?s actions.
?No. Jabulani is not crazy. Jabulani, like so many of us, is finding himself.?
Source: http://www.bottomlinecom.com/leffall-is-not-nuts-just-tired-of-journalism/
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