When Mort Meisner set out to write his memoir, Enough to Be Dangerous, he never dreamed he’d one day be interviewed on television’s Extra about it.
It makes sense though.
His memoir tackles the timely issues of racism and sexism that thrived for the decades he worked in the news industry. In his interview, Mort discusses how disgusted he was by these and what he did to change antiquated policies and ways of thinking.
But this is just part of what he highlights in his new memoir.
Enough to Be Dangerous Draws Attention
It was Mort’s memoir, Enough to Be Dangerous, that caught the attention of producers in Hollywood at Extra. They were impressed by the depth of his life and its many facets.
For example, the second chapter is entitled “Plenty of Crazy to Go Around.” And it sets the stage for the harsh childhood Mort would face:
Although white residents would say that Detroit experienced its glory days during the 1950s and early 1960s, the neighborhoods where I grew up were far from glorious. Even though they were predominantly white, they were not reaping the rewards of post-war prosperity.
And it was becoming ever more clear that racial intolerance bred by ignorance in these neighborhoods lent itself seamlessly to religious intolerances as well. Hatred toward Black people was incomprehensible to me; they’d done nothing wrong to me or my family. Instead, I began to see the enemy as white “greasers,” like the four teenagers who attacked my mother.
Sadly, the dangerous neighborhood had nothing on what I’d come to call the House of Horrors – our home, the place where a child should feel safe.
It’s hard to reconcile that the confident and successful man that is Mort Meisner today could have come from such a dismal background. It was one that would drive him to drug use later in his life.
Yet in some ways, the insecurity, abuse, and unpredictability he experienced as a child would also help prepare him for the often ruthless and unforgiving news industry.
And one that was more than peppered with racism and sexism.
A Timely Book
Over the course of the two years Mort spent working on his memoir, the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements picked up tremendous speed.
So it seemed all too appropriate that he highlight what he did to battle racism and sexism in the book. Chapter 10 is entitled, “A Racist Label: The Garbage Men,” and it goes into detail the practice of rooting out Black men in TV news and giving them only the bottom-of-the-barrel stories.
While the sexism was usually a bit more covert than that, it was alive and well in many aspects of the industry as well. Throughout the memoir, Mort recalls all of these situations with disgust and a drive to enact change.
Upon reading his stories, you’ll see that in many cases, he was tremendously successful.
Not a High Profile Celebrity
The exciting thing about Mort’s appearance on Extra – besides having the opportunity to share his amazing story with a wider audience – is that he’s not a celebrity, per se.
While he was well known in the world of news broadcasting, his story basically profiles how a “regular” guy can experience the same ups and downs as a celebrity.
From his wild music days and struggle with a cocaine addiction, to raising a family at home while raising hell at work, his is a story that entertains the entire way through.
And it was all of these factors that landed him on Extra.
Don’t Miss the Interview!
As of now, Mort is scheduled to appear on Extra on December 10th, 12th, and 13th. This could change, however, if something happens in the celebrity world and his interview gets bumped.
So be sure to check with their website to get the full details on times, dates, and which affiliate stations in your area will be broadcasting it.
If you want to grab a copy of the book before the interview, you can do so by clicking here.
And to keep up to date on all of the events surrounding Enough to Be Dangerous, be sure to subscribe to our blog.
