
Shawn tells more tawdry tales from his Texas college days, while ML trips out on “Shen Yun” and Marc tries to maintain.



STRAIGHT DOPE: Our Patreon membership program is LIVE, so you can join up and enjoy benefits like ad-free episodes, video of the show, a bonus episode, free swag and exclusive merchandise. Sign up here.



Since online ads are usually driven by your browsing habits, ML can’t figure out why he keeps getting inundated with ads for some Chinese dance spectacle. Just what the hell is “Shen Yun” anyway?!? And Marc wants to know how they got such a big marketing budget.



Donald Trump trounces Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley in Iowa while Republicans are tearing themselves apart here in Michigan. How bad is it? For three Saturdays in a row, Republicans will meet to vote for a leader and members of the overwhelmingly white GOP are accusing each other of being racists! All this and more in ML’s latest “On Guard” column.



Shawn tells us more about the drugs that were a part of his college days, while ML shares his mushroom experiences and Marc talks mescaline. Somehow, this leads to stories about stolen Honda Sprees and how Shawn used to buy nickel bags in a tuxedo, which confused his Jamaican dealers so much they questioned whether he was James Bond. Really!



The conversation takes another twist to Gary Oldman and his latest bravura performance in Apple TV’s “Slow Horses.” Shawn and ML are fans. Marc isn’t there … yet.



Listener Kyle discovers a Windsor connection to “orange sunshine,” the illicit substance Shawn told us about last week. Read more here.



There is a new Kwame Kilpatrick biopic out. Cast members are expected to join us in studio next week. In the meantime, check out the trailer – and let us know what you think about the actor who portrays ML.



The Lions almost messed up ML’s hockey game last Sunday, but everyone else had a great time! Marc and Shawn pay tribute to Sheila Ford Hamp, with a nod to Chris Spielman. And, of course, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. Read Shawn’s latest here.



The Detroit Lions (and Michigan Wolverines) success has a bittersweet side: Long-time Detroit Free Press photographer Kirt Dozier, who captured many of their most memorable moments, was not there. He passed away suddenly earlier this month. Read all about him here.



ML’s annual Clark Park charity hockey game takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20. Come out and join us, or just send a few bucks to help the kids of Southwest Detroit using this link.



GEEK OF THE WEEK: ML makes a 180-degree turn and pays tribute to Matt Stafford, who never disappeared on the Detroit Lions, before naming Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who disappeared on the Free World, as this week’s geek.



ROOM 7609: ML ushers in a new era and uses his Imagination when he asks Shawn if he’s really in the studio or “Just An Illusion.”


Kingpin – January 16, 2024

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James Crumbley’s attorney breaks her silence to describe a prosecution that often seemed more like a smear campaign, while ML and Marc dive deep into defense strategy and what it’s like to represent the reviled.



STRAIGHT DOPE



She might not be a lot of fun at parties that don’t involve deep discussions of constitutional law, but Mariell Lehman is still mighty interesting to anyone who wonders what it was like to defend James Crumbley, the father of Oxford High School massacre shooter Ethan Crumbley.



Mariell spent 2½ years representing James Crumbley in a case that she says was unlike just about any other she’s ever handled. For starters, she said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald began making decisions about the case long before the evidence was in. Mariell says it was part of a pattern that seemed more about ruining the Crumbleys’ reputation than administering justice.



Mariell offers lots of revelations — including that she originally wanted to be a prosecutor and that she really likes James Crumbley.



Marc asks Mariell whether she has been targeted by people outraged about the Crumbley case. She shares stories about the keyboard warriors (who ML prefers to call keyboard cowards).



The Crumbley case made history because of the charges filed against the parents, but there were plenty of other unusual occurrences, such as the judge waiting until the last minute to announce whether mom Jennifer Crumbley or dad James Crumbley would go on trial first. Mariell discusses how she handled all the curve balls.



Did Jennifer Crumbley’s decision to testify in her case – and her conviction – impact Mariell’s strategy for defending James Crumbley? Listen and learn.



ML asks Mariell what happens to the pets, the homes and anyone or anything else dependent on people who get locked up? Mariell says life – and a lot of sales – goes on.



Mariell says the prosecution’s agreement not to prosecute school officials came as a surprise to defense attorneys – and had a significant impact on the way they handled their cases. She explains why.



Another potential blow to the defense was the judge’s decision to move the cases forward even after Ethan Crumbley’s last-minute decision not to testify in his parents’ case. Mariell explains why that was a big deal – and how there was nothing defense attorneys could do to stop it.



The judge issued a gag order early in the Crumbley case, but it’s not clear whether the prosecutor’s decision to give a documentary film crew access to her team may have impacted that gag order or the case itself. Mariell gives her take, while ML wonders whether the judge expressed any concerns. This also gives him a chance to work in this week’s Kwame Kilpatrick reference.  



Listen for some instant classic Shawn drops from last week’s episode with Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports that capture Shawn’s feelings about a former lover … and, quite possibly, how he feels about his podcast partners.



Marc asks a deep question about innocent victims of Luke Skywalker’s assault on the Death Star, inspiring ML to trot out his lame imitation of Mark Hamill’s spot-on imitation of Harrison Ford.



Please join the Soul Patrol by becoming a Patreon member. For as little as $5 a month, you can enjoy benefits like ad-free episodes and video of the show. For $15 a month, you get the bonus episode. At the $25 and $60 a month levels, you get free swag and exclusive merchandise. Sign up here: Get more from ML Soul of Detroit on Patreon



GEEK OF THE WEEK



Crumbley Lawyer Speaks – May 7, 2024


Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports stops in to talk about an epic FBI fail and Detroit’s epic performance as host of the NFL Draft while Marc joins in and ML types Shawn’s national sports writing award.



STRAIGHT DOPE: We start this week’s show trying to celebrate Shawn, whose outstanding work for the Detroit Free Press was honored with a third place award for sports opinion writing in the prestigious National Headliner Awards. Shawn tries to downplay it but, like Ron Burgundy, he really IS kind of a big deal. Read his superlative work here.



Dan returns to the basement just in time for ML to inadvertently revive the Caitlin Clark discussion when he makes the mistake of mentioning that Burt Reynolds, in this week’s intro, is wearing 22 in the movie “Semi Tough,” then noting that it’s the same number he wore in “The Longest Yard.” As luck would have it, 22 is also Clark’s number.



That conversation turns to controversy stirred up when a sports writer for the Indianapolis Star rather awkwardly welcomed Clark to Indy, where she landed as the top pick in the WBNA draft. Read his apology here.



Dan and Marc bemoan the fact that more people are paying attention to that tempest in a teapot instead of another huge story out of Indianapolis: The FBI’s agreement to pay more than $100 million to Larry Nassar’s victims.



Dan discusses how the FBI did virtually nothing to investigate or stop Nassar from abusing young gymnasts – and may have even prevented other authorities from stopping the diabolical doctor. Read his column here.



Detroit is still basking in the afterglow of a successful NFL Draft. Dan, Marc, Shawn and ML discuss what went well, and why Detroit could reap the benefits of throwing a great party for years to come.



Please join the Soul Patrol by becoming a Patreon member. For as little as $5 a month, you can enjoy benefits like ad-free episodes and video of the show. For $15 a month, you get the bonus episode. At the $25 and $60 a month levels, you get free swag and exclusive merchandise. Sign up here: Get more from ML Soul of Detroit on Patreon GEEK OF THE WEEK: Shawn finished third in the national sports writing competition. The person who keeps finishing number two a Dearborn cemetery is this week’s geek.



ROOM 7609: DJ Dan introduces us to a side of the Thompson Twins by booking “Squares and Triangles” into the New Wave suite. Send us your favorite deep cut or obscure band – and a story about them or why they mean something to you – by writing to mlsoulofdetroit@gmail.com.



FEEDBACK: Shawn on NPR, Lee Chatfield faces criminal charges and revisiting the Super Bowl XL murder is on your minds. We welcome all your comments – and constructive criticism – atmlsoulofdetroit@gmail.com



DONATE OR SPONSOR US: Support us on Patreon or make a donation at mlsoulofdetroit.com or drop us a line at mlsoulofdetroit@gmail.com to find out how cheap and easy it is to advertise on our show! We now accept donations via Venmo (and if Venmo tells you your money is going to Daisy...

Detroit Wins the Draft – April 30, 2023


Did Detroit sweep a murder under the red carpet it rolled out for the NFL during Super Bowl XL? ML, Marc and Shawn discuss a cold case that police officials once described as a “delayed arrest.” Even if that was a legit law enforcement term, the delay is now going on 18 years.



STRAIGHT DOPE



The entire city is amped up about the NFL Draft coming to Detroit, and ML has a story about an 18-year-old cold case including interviews with cops who worked the case and the victim’s family, so of course Yawn Windsor gets the show started with musings on people who take trips by themselves. For the rest of the world, here’s a link to ML’s On Guard column.



ML’s mention of Tecumseh – the hometown of a 24-year-old woman murdered in downtown Detroit during Super Bowl XL – reminds Shawn of a story he did with Jim Schaefer back in 2006 about a creepy high school coach from the small town that includes the epic line: “…how you going to play the Dizzle like that?”



When the conversation FINALLY turns to ML’s latest investigation, he and Marc get caught up on the case of Kyle Smith, a 24-year-old woman who was shot to death on Woodward Avenue a day before Super Bowl XL. ML and Marc discuss Smith’s fascinating life, which included a heroin addiction and a brush with one of the most notorious cops in recent history: Robocop.



Smith was standing outside the Good Life Lounge when she was shot by a man she bumped into around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2006. ML discusses what happened next.



Police had a suspect in Smith’s murder, but couldn’t break his alibi. Smith’s family wonders whether Robocop might have been involved, since Smith testified against him in one of the biggest police corruption cases in recent Detroit history. The jury didn’t convict any of the officers, and Smith slept with a sawed-off shotgun under her mattress out of fear Robocop might seek his revenge.



Marc asks whether the killing could have been a hit. ML shares some details from an investigator on the case that suggest it could have been more than a random shooting.



ML shares some homicide statistics that reveal how murders have gone down since 2006, then shares one statistic that hasn’t changed.



Marc asks about the other person shot when Smith was killed. ML shares what the man’s father said about the aftermath of the tragedy.



Not everyone ML contacted would talk about Smith’s murder. Two people who blew him off were former Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings and current Detroit City Council President Pro Tem James Tate, who used to be a police spokesman. Listen and learn why ML thought they had something to share.



Please join the Soul Patrol by becoming a Patreon member. For as little as $5 a month, you can enjoy benefits like ad-free episodes and video of the show. For $15 a month, you get the bonus episode. At the $25 and $60 a month levels, you get free swag and exclusive merchandise. Sign up here: Get more from ML Soul of Detroit on Patreon



GEEK OF THE WEEK



A Chipotle customer who shot a employee in a dispute over guacamole is this week’s geek.



ROOM 7609



Music for Pleasure checks into the New Wave suite to spend some “Time.” Send us your favorite deep cut or obscure band – and a story about them or why they mean something to you – by writing to mlsoulofdetroit@gmail.com.



FEEDBACK

Super Unsolved Mystery – April 23, 2024


Eli Zaret zooms in to talk about a major league wife swap, Caitlin Clark, the Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons and whatever the hell else he wants. (Hey, he’s Eli!)



STRAIGHT DOPE



Marc creates another outstanding intro with matching video starring ML and Shawn in a trailer originally featuring Roger Moore and Stacey Keach, which you can only see if you’re a Patreon supporter donating $5 a month. ML wonders whether he is Moore or Keach. Shawn offers his answer.



Eli barely says hello before Shawn takes over the show, turning it into a Caitlin Clark and women’s NCAA basketball love fest. ML tries to reassert control, but Eli and Marc tell him to stand down.



The Detroit Pistons season ended, mercifully. Eli opines on his experience with the team and ML says Tom Gores is one of the worst owners in professional sports for keeping a GM who couldn’t win and a coach who didn’t want to coach.



Did Tarik Skubal blow his chance at the Cy Young on Opening Day?  Who even suggested such a preposterous thing? The crew discusses.



Eli weighs in on the Tigers broadcast teams and ML tells a Craig Monroe story that turned him into a fan. Get Eli’s take. (Spoiler alert: If you’re not Ernie Harwell, Eli isn’t impressed)



ML asks Eli why so many Michigan Wolverine coaches are getting busted for drunken driving. Marc says there’s nothing to see here. 



Fritz Peterson, a New York Yankees pitcher who traded families with a fellow Yankees hurler in 1973, died. ML asks Eli to reflect on the public outcry at the time but, in another act of defiance, Eli prefers to talk about Dennis Eckersley and Rick Manning’s complicated relations with Eck’s wife.



Speaking of great causes, please join the Soul Patrol by becoming a Patreon member. For as little as $5 a month, you can enjoy benefits like ad-free episodes and video of the show. For $15 a month, you get the bonus episode. At the $25 and $60 a month levels, you get free swag and exclusive merchandise. Sign up here: Get more from ML Soul of Detroit on Patreon



GEEK OF THE WEEK



Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is a known micro-manager, so why is he clowning a top appointee for building a new city landmark that Hizzoner claims he still hasn’t seen? The landmark may not win any awards, but Duggan takes home this week’s geek honors.



ROOM 7609



The Suburbs check into the New Wave suite to perform “Waiting,” then ML asks Marc and Shawn if they know what the lead singer and Bill Clinton may have had in common. Send us your favorite deep cut or obscure band – and a story about them or why they mean something to you – by writing to mlsoulofdetroit@gmail.com.



FEEDBACK



The media and Dan Gilbert are on your mind this week. We welcome all your comments – and constructive criticism – at mlsoulofdetroit@gmail.com



DONATE OR SPONSOR US



Support us on Patreon or make a donation at mlsoulofdetroit.com or drop us a line at mlsoulofdetroit@gmail.com to find out how cheap and easy it is to advertise on our show! We now accept donations via Venmo (and if Venmo tells you your money is going to DaisyHouseLLC, you’ve got the right link!)



LISTEN AND LEARN




Sign o’ the Times – April 16, 2024


A star of “Sasquatch Sunset” talks Detroit, Hollywood, surfing and the documentary he stars in during the Freep Film Festival, which kicks off this weekend. Then ML, Marc and Shawn meet two guys using garish track suits to raise money for charity before ML shares some boasts from guys who think they could shut down Caitlin Clark.



STRAIGHT DOPE



Marc is solely responsible for this week’s intro video and audio selection, which explains why he has cast ML in a new version of the Steve Martin classic “The Jerk.” ML responds by telling Marc and Shawn he doesn’t need anything … except maybe this chair, this Thermos, this remote control and this dog. Only it turns out he doesn’t need this dog…



Christophe Zajac-Denek launched his career in the entertainment industry as a drummer in the Detroit band Hard Lessons. After six years without breaking through, he moved to LA and turned to acting to help pay his bills. Surprisingly, his plan seems to be working, with roles in “Twin Peaks” and the new “Sasquatch Sunset.” If you don’t recognize his name, you may recognize him by his 4-foot-4 stature. Christophe tells ML, Marc and Shawn about life as a little person and how he hopes his documentary will make a big difference.



Christophe has found a lot of different gigs in Hollywood, including a recurring role on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” He describes many of those roles as “foams,” meaning he is inside a foam costume. ML asks him how many star vehicles there are for little people who aren’t named Peter Dinklage or Warrick Davis. Christophe discusses the challenges.



Marc inquires what it was like to work on “Sasquatch Sunset,” a new movie that has plenty of Yetis but no dialogue. Christophe has third billing, behind Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough. After the show, Marc showed ML the trailer which starts with, to put it mildly, an rather unconventional clip.



ML asks Christophe how he deals with people staring at him, a topic he discusses at length in his “Standing on Water” documentary.



Marc asks Christophe to share some of the stupid questions people ask him, and Christophe tells a funny story that occurred while shopping at Honey Bee Market.



Dating is so tough for little people that Christophe says 99 percent of women are not interested in him and the 1 percent who are have problems. ML, who is over 6-foot-1, tells Christophe he has the same problem. So they make plans to hit the town together next time Christophe is in Detroit.



Check out Christophe’s podcast, “I’m Kind of a Big Deal” using this link.



Meet Christophe this weekend when he comes to promote his film and the Freep Film Festival. Find out more about the festival, including how to get tickets and participate in some cool events, here.   You might even run into Shawn there. He’s moderating the discussion panel after “Rouge.”



August Gitschlag and Conrad Maziarz drop by to promote Track Suit 10, their annual charity fundraising party at Whiskey In The Jar in Hamtramck. This week’s gig will be held Saturday, April 13. The party features outrageous track suits, great music, raffles, prize baskets and good times. Find out more on Instagram at Magsuit.Detroit



ML asks Shawn to rate some of the reasons men gave for why they believe they could beat Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark. Listen and learn where ML found these offbeat fellows.



Speaking of great causes, please join the Soul Patrol by becoming a Patreon member. For as little as $5 a month, you can enjoy benefits like ad-free episodes a...

Kingpin – January 16, 2024

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