TO THIS DAY, still one of the most controversial anchors from KTVU. And downright scary too. Just ask Mark Ibanez who was unfortunate enough to get first-hand account of Leslie Griffith's "Play Misty for Me" repertoire.
Griffith was a talented, smart, and modern-day Wonder Woman of a news anchor at KTVU but her off-camera behavior was at best, bizarre and at worst, incredibly scary and disturbing. She was so scattered KTVU high tops --namely, GM Kevin O'Brien was scared as shit of her and even more so when she left the airwaves.
In her most bizarre act --and there were many, Griffith confronted Ibanez in the parking lot one night and hit him with her high heel. It was difficult enough for Ibanez to get her wrath (she was suspended) but her worst act on Mark was embarrassing him on air. She was also suspended for that and things were beginning to get out of control.
Again, Leslie was (and still is) a very solid news person but she couldn't contain her temper (no shit, Sherlock) --her personal life was anything but too: she dated A's pitcher Dave Stewart and ex-Giants' HOFer, Willie McCovey.
Sorry to hear the accounts of her instabilities.
ReplyDeleteWas a big fan of her on-air work, and watched her newscasts regularly. Like many folks who are troubled in particularly egregious ways, she had some convincingly charming guises. Sad story, of an otherwise talented and very good looking woman.
You know the old saying... Crazy in the head, Crazy in the bed...
ReplyDeleteAnd if she is a pathological wrecker, guard your pecker. Better yet: if her sanity has gone astray, stay away.
DeleteLeslie appeared as the commencement speaker at an East Bay high school graduation at the peak of her popularity. She managed to include "I" in her speech so many times that I lost count.
ReplyDeleteShame. I always liked her. Sounds like she's what you call a "bunny boiler".
ReplyDeleteWhat was the on-air incident - what did she say
ReplyDeleteSounds like some narcissism at play - which is what you get from the deranged left and right
Yes! Given 12:08's recollection of her commencement speech at his school, I get the impression that she has had narcissistic tendencies. Couple that with the "drama mama"/rage episodes. And her political views were pretty hard left, during her reporting days.
DeleteSo that makes Heather Holmes; Leslie Griffith Version 2.0
ReplyDeleteIf you follow HH on social media, you will see that she doesn't present like LG at all. She had a daughter and she lost her dad early. She also does a lot of charities.
DeleteGood at news but sucks at life is still better than what we have now...sucks at both.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Leslie now and what is she doing? Is she well?
ReplyDeleteShe seemed nice and personal. I met her once in a Frankfort Airport,Germany travel lounge. We had flown on the same plane from SFO and we sat together for a while talking.
I was on my way to Zurich. She and her KTVU crew were on the way to do a story in Romania about gypsies (Roma, Travelers).I started the conversation by asking her who she pissed off at the station and was being sent into exile.She laughed but I guess she was being punished after all!
> She and her KTVU crew were on the way to do a
Delete> story in Romania about gypsies (Roma,
> Travelers).
OH MY GOD, I remember that story! Sadly, KTVU (and the rest of them) don't do things like that anymore. They had budgets back then, and professionalism. Now they pad out each newscast with horrible interviews, a dozen weather "updates" that say nothing new, and reracks of the same lame stories every 20 minutes.
The remaining "staff" are making so much money, they have little left to actually do stories like that, do very much extensive research, or in-depth reporting on stories. They refer to a litany of "experts" to comment on stories, some of which are pushing an obvious agenda.
DeleteR.I.P. Leslie, I'm simply shocked.
ReplyDeleteIt was a painful fall to watch back in the day in real time. She had to be on a lot of meds at the end, her eyes wouldn't even focus. Used to drive me nuts when she would lower her chin and try to talk much lower than her usual voice,
ReplyDeleteAye Carumba, Kevin T!
ReplyDeleteThe one KTVU alum that really made Dennis Richmond's blood pressure boil. Richmond may have rubbed a lot of folks at Channel 2 the wrong way, but no one got his dander like Griffith did. Disturbed is an understatement; Griffith definitely carried herself that way.
You know what Rich? Leslie Griffith walks on Sacred Ground: she is UNTOUGHABLE, and boy trust me, I'm a news hound from 1970 onward ...
ReplyDeleteJulie is much nicer and now I know why she went to another state. Who wants to hired a person disobeying the management team and use violence the shoe thing to get even. Did Mark sued the station and her for the attack???
ReplyDeleteLeslie Griffith was too good for KTVU. She made Dennis Richmond look like a rank amateur, so I'm sure he was defensive working next to a professional, and a woman to boot. And, we all know Ibanez is a jock worshiper who is arrogant and thinks he's too cool for school. I'm sure he deserved what he got and more. Based on his and Somerville's little romp with the help, they are both typical white trash.
ReplyDeletePicture this...
ReplyDeleteIt's 4am on Easter morning as a crazed visiting woman chases you through your own home. There is company cellphone that's mounted in the car inside the garage...and I can't get to it.
She just screams...
"I will cut you! I will fucking cut you up!"
Great fucking times!
Oh?
I thought this thread was about #.@.
Oopsey my bad.
My Bad
I clearly remember seeing her in the parking lot at a Walnut Creek Safeway. The only reason I remember is because after she put her groceries in the back of her SUV she forgot to swing the spare tire back into place after closing the hatch. She headed for the driver's seat and I yelled over to her that she forgot the spare. She shot me a look like 'how dare you speak to me', strutted back over to the spare, slammed it shut and got into her car. You're welcome.
ReplyDeleteI remember that KTVU commercial in the 90's where they showed the anchors dancing. She could move. SO fine.
ReplyDeletegross
DeleteDennis Richmond was break dancing on cardboard while she was strutting.
DeleteRich, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Leslie have drinking problem? I recall one night that she was a bit on the drunk side, or so it appeared.
ReplyDeleteShe had a sex problem, I know that. She needed some. Constantly.
DeleteLol !!!
DeleteThe whole freaking newsroom had a drinking problem back then.
Just ask Mz.PartyPants in H.R.
Anybody who scared Kevin O'Brien must have been terrifying. That man could arm-wrestle a sasquatch.
ReplyDeleteLeslie was at one point writing a "tell all" book about her time at KTVU and posted chapters on a blog she used to keep. Suddenly a chapter that was very critical toward Andrew Finlayson, KTVU's former News Director and push puppet, disappeared (I wish I'd copied it before it did) and shortly after that, she stopped blogging and the book seemed to die away. I'm surprised you weren't following it, Rich, because it was juicy to say the least. I have a feeling Finlayson or maybe some of the other people she was getting back at had their lawyers send her a warning letter. And KTVU and the various powerful people who worked or used to work there can surely afford more and better lawyers than she can, so I have a feeling a great book manuscript is sitting at the bottom of a desk drawer somewhere. I'd love to read it.
ReplyDeleteBeen there, done that, got the T-Shirt. It's not the lawyers, that's much too civilized. It's the death threats online and the highly nuanced intimidation. It's the people in your house rifling through your personal belongings when you aren't home. It's the front door unlocked in the morning when you know you locked it before you went to bed. It's the little hints that they've been there and there is nothing you can do about it. It's the cars slowly cruising your house when you're working in the yard. It's knowing that the sanctity of your privacy has been violated with concealed mics and cameras. It's the car parked beside you popping your trunk when you come out of the market with your groceries. It's being followed when you leave your house. It's the goon who silently enters your home while you're sleeping and punches you in the face. It's the reports to the police who just think you're an annoying fruitcake. It's what the media does to shut up its critics and people they have violated. A well-oiled machine of corruption and intimidation functioning to silence people who have knowledge of their depravity, rivaling Mafia organization and menace.
DeleteAnd, the oft repeated "Snitches End In Ditches."
DeleteKTVU...Can you see it? There is a new star on the horizon, she is a pleasure to watch! The only thing missing is a 'prime time' orbit.
ReplyDeleteThe Women Are The News...Christina Rendon.
You can also see the 20+ pounds she has put on since staying at home.
DeleteChristina Rendon is just another KTVU robot.
DeleteI remember there was Leslie Griffith, but I suppose I'm so old I don't remember what years she was on and can't remember anything else about her on the news. I (barely) remember there being an Elaine Corral.
ReplyDeleteI used to work with her and she was horrible. She hated Ibanez. One time during a commercial break she removed her tampon and put it in his cup right before the sports section started. The worst part was that Ibanez didn’t noticed. We couldn’t say anything because he was on the air, but he made a remark that his raspberry tea tasted funny. No one ever told him what really happened.
ReplyDeleteSounds erotic to me.
DeleteI bet Ibanez knew. And came back every month for more.
ReplyDeleteHold a snake still long enough Ibanez would nail that to.
DeleteWOW this is some crazy stuff. Great Job Rich.
ReplyDeleteRich this is one hell of a scoop. Great job! Man I feel bad for Ibanez drinking that tea.
ReplyDeleteI was there at Leslie's home the night she and the other woman (much younger) confronted Ibanez. They had discovered he was two-timing both. They attacked him and I stepped between them and shoved him out the door.
ReplyDeleteNot sure she had a "sex problem", as one posted. She crawled into my my bed one night and simply wanted to be held.
You should have seen her in her Grand Junction days: all wide-eyed and raw talent.
Later, at KTVU, she sure could rock that long ponytail. Never saw that that on a big-time anchor before (or since).
She was sweet. She was tough. She was under a good deal of pressure (much of it springing from within).
I need to contact her and let her know our good friend Jeff Kaufman died last week. If anyone can reach her, please let her know.
Still puzzling...misogynist character assassination without citations a decade later.
ReplyDelete