Gonzo Journalism

Give the Detroit reporter who shredded a new skatepark during a live report on said skatepark all the Pulitzers

October 14, 2021

Edward R. Murrow. Walter Cronkite. Dan Rather. Barbara Walters. Victor Williams? One of those names might not carry quite the same heft as the others. They are journalism legends, after all. They’ve gone toe to toe with witchunting senators and jingoistic presidents. They’ve interviewed everyone from Michael Jackson to Fidel Castro. And yet none of them could do what WDTV 4 reporter Victor Williams did this week, shredding a new Detroit skatepark ... while simultaneously giving a live report on said skatepark. Hell yes, dude.

From the moment Williams rolls in, you can tell he knows what he’s doing. He skreeches a quick revert in front of the camera, slaps a fakie tail stall on the quarterpipe, and rolls back into the center of shot. “As far as Chandler Skatepark,” he says, rolling by clearly thrilled he didn’t just break his ankle, “they’ll be done in about 10 days or so. Victor Williams. Local 4.”

Like we said, the Pulitzers, all of them.

As far as local sports reports go, it’s one of the coolest of all time. Normally you get some guy who looks like he hangs out with your dad robotically reading off the scores of the high school football team he used to quarterback, but Williams is walking the walk while talking the talk. As he also points out, it’s just a good story. A new, positive recreational outlet in an area short on positive recreational outlets, offering lessons and guidance for free. What’s not to like about that?

And who knows, maybe Williams can even moonlight as an instructor ...