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62 MAY | JUNE 2015 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTEGAZETTE iven its dramatic twists and turns, what’s most surprising about the fact that Michael Finkel W’90’s life has been Gturned into the new film True Story— produced by Brad Pitt and starring Jonah scheduled for general release in late April Hill and James Franco—may be that it’s (after the Gazette went to press). Early taken 10 years since he wrote the book reviews have been mixed, with some crit- version [“Arts,” Jul|Aug 2005] to make it ics praising the thoughtful treatment of to the big screen. the material, and others saying the direc- To put things into context, back then tor didn’t quite pull it off. two-time Academy Award nominee Hill, “If this all sounds like red meat for phi- who plays him in the movie, was just get- losophers and ethicists at the movies, it ting noticed as “eBay customer” in The certainly is. It doesn’t, unfortunately, 40-Year-Old Virgin; Franco was between make for crackling cinema,” wrote Jordan stints as Harry Osborn, the bad guy/best Hoffman in the Guardian. But Variety’s friend in the Tobey Maguire Spiderman; Peter Debruge wrote, “In [director Rupert] and Brangelina was just becoming a thing. Goold’s hands, the two thesps [Hill and The story of True Story starts with a James Franco, as Longo] deliver measured, bizarre coincidence: Finkel, a star jour- soul-searching work. Both Finkel and Longo nalist with a clutch of New York Times found in one another a much-needed con- Magazine cover stories to his credit, is fessor, as well as a potential redeemer.” getting dismissed from the Times over fabrications in one of them—effectively Finkel says he “never in a million years” destroying his identity as a writer. expected his life and career to end up on Within days of his firing, he learns that the silver screen. a man named Christian Longo, wanted Before they did, he was a scrawny Jew- for the murders of his wife and three ish kid from Stamford, Connecticut, who children in Oregon, had been calling was on the varsity track team at his himself “Michael Finkel of The New York high school. He ran in the Penn Relays Times” while on the run in Mexico. and took a shine to Franklin Field, By then Longo has been captured and which helped him decide to apply to sent back to the US. Finkel writes letters Penn. He also had a head for business— to the killer in prison, and manages to he netted more than $20,000 in profits strike up a relationship, and embarks on dealing in baseball cards—and chose a memoir as a way to revive his writing Wharton as his school at the Univer- career. The film explores the implications sity, majoring in finance. of their connection, as well as Finkel’s Neither choice stuck, though. Finkel romance with the woman who would quit Penn’s track team after two years, become his wife—and her concerns about and by the time he graduated, he “didn’t Finkel’s interactions with the killer. want to do a single minute more of The film premiered at the Sundance finance,” he says. “I think I learned what Film Festival in Utah in February and was I didn’t like in college.”

ILLUSTRATION BY MARTHA RICH THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE MAY | JUNE 2015 63 Finkel had written for his high-school He also published a long story in the US worker. Finkel survived, but later newspaper, and midway through his Penn Sunday Times Travel section about a described the experience as “horrible” in career, he joined The Daily Pennsylvanian. cross-country biking trip he took with the Gazette article about the magazine. He covered sports, with a prediliction for Bret Parker C’90, a friend and fellow DPer In a story for the Times, he squeezed into long-form stories—“I thought I could learn who is now the executive director of the a tightly cramped boat of Haitian refugees more about the human experience through New York City Bar Association. Within a bound for the US. Passengers were sick soft features than hard news,” he says—and year, Finkel was offered a low-level edito- from dehydration by the second day, but also wrote for 34th Street. rial staff job at Sports Illustrated, but luckily a Coast Guard ship caught them (Coincidentally, his editor there was Larry turned it down. “I’m not a good editor. I heading toward a shallow reef. Finkel’s story Smith ASC’91, who—besides creating the want[ed] to write,” he says. about the experience was well received, and “Six Word-Memoirs” publishing phenom- After 20 months in Manhattan, he moved the Times made him a contract writer. On enon—is the real-life model for the character to Montana. He had fallen “in absolute assignment in the Gaza Strip, he ducked Larry Bloom in the Netflix series Orange love” with the region when he and Parker into the trenches to avoid gunfire. After is the New Black, which is based on the rode through southwestern Montana on September 11, he was sent to cover the US memoir by Piper Kerman, Smith’s wife.) their bike trip, he says, and he was also invasion of Afghanistan for two months. Finkel was also a DP columnist, pour- inspired by John Steinbeck’s descriptions “I have a certain style of adventure that ing out his bleeding-heart liberal views of the state’s natural beauty in Travels with appeals to me,” he says. “The riskiest on topics ranging from Philly’s homeless Charlie. “When I stand among the moun- thing I do is drive a car, statistically. to inherent racism in the yearbook, and tains,” he explains, “I feel at home.” People thought of [my job] as risky. I a co-founder of the Wharton Democrats. Though he’d resigned his staff job at thought of it as interesting. Part of me What set Finkel decisively on the path Skiing, he continued to write features for enjoys when there’s a bit of danger. It to a professional writing career, he says, the magazine that took him to places like focuses me. I feel very much alive.” was taking the nonfiction course taught Iceland, Iran, and China, and one on ski- Finkel was thriving, writing for by the legendary Nora Magid [“The Nora ing Mount Kilimanjaro. He also had a National Geographic Adventure and Network,” Mar|Apr 2013] in his senior year. column, “Alpine Circus,” for which he did Sports Illustrated as well as the Times. Magid famously encouraged her charges “odd stunts” like skiing down a runway Then, one day, he made a bad choice. to aim for publication, to send out their truck ramp or on a volcano in Mexico, and work to magazines and newspapers. visited offbeat locations like the “smallest only happened once. For a story Finkel submitted a story—about his ski areas in the United States.” about the child slavery trade on reluctance, as a skinny kid in high school, And he proved adept at pitching short It cocoa plantations in West Africa, to change for gym, and how his love of travel-pieces to the Times—writing about he interviewed several boys but didn’t literature distracted him from his own, topics ranging from his love of getting find the evidence he was looking for that er, shortcomings—to the Times’ “About a haircut in foreign countries, to the fact they had been physically abused. Under Men” column, addressing his cover letter that he brought his Frisbee and played pressure to deliver a certain sort of tale, to the (male) editor, Leslie Gelb, “Dear with strangers everywhere he traveled. he combined several boys’ stories into a Mrs. Gelb.” The faux pas didn’t hurt: “Wet Still, however rich in experience, those composite character. After a relief agen- Behind the Ears” ran in The New York were “lean times” financially for Finkel. cy complained and Finkel was forced to Times Magazine and was Finkel’s first The Times pieces, for example, only brought admit one of his factual errors, the Times big literary paycheck. “Mike got a thou- in a few hundred dollars each. “It didn’t sniffed out the rest of the lies in the story sand dollars from the Times, and an A matter if I was only eating peanut butter and fired him in early 2002, publishing from me,” Magid told a subsequent class. and jelly,” he says. “I must like it. I must a terse note about his dismissal. After graduation, Finkel moved back to love it, actually. I’ve always been extraor- The Times looked carefully and found Connecticut, waited tables, penned sto- dinarily interested in a lot of things. I’ve no similar problems in Finkel’s other ries for the Stamford Advocate at $15 a been careful not to have a specialty.” stories, which sets him apart from noto- pop, and sent resumes all over Manhattan. His author’s bio after a 1998 travel rious serial fabricators like fellow DP An avid skier, he landed an associate edi- essay read, “Michael Finkel writes fre- alum Stephen Glass C’94 [“Through a tor slot at Skiing magazine for $18,000 quently about travel and unusual sports.” Glass Darkly,” Nov|Dec 1998] and fellow a year. He moved into a $1,500-a-month However, he soon began carving out a Times writer Jayson Blair. Nevertheless, apartment in New York with former DP niche with stories that put him into dan- his career was ruined. Managing Editor Randall Lane C’90. (At gerous situations. “I have no talent in the world except the time, Lane had an entry-level fact A signature piece was one he wrote for listening to other people and writing checking/reporting job at Forbes. After a POV, a well-regarded but short-lived their stories,” Finkel says. “I fucked it series of his own sometimes hair-raising young-men’s magazine Lane founded in up. I blew it. I imploded.” adventures in journalism, Lane is now the late 1990s [“Start Me Up,” May 1998]. back there as the magazine’s editor.) The Finkel spent a month on an Alaskan crab It was at this low point that his life became gig at Skiing was “the perfect job for me,” fishing boat, considered one of the most intertwined with that of Christian Longo. Finkel says. “Anything that could be writ- dangerous jobs in the United States, with He first heard about Longo when a ten about skiing, was.” 26 times the fatality rate of the average reporter from the Oregonian called look-

64 MAY | JUNE 2015 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE ing for a comment about the fugitive who had used his identity while traveling through Mexico to escape his crimes. “I don’t deserve to be portrayed as an Longo, 27, had killed his wife and three children in December 2001. He was not a career criminal, but his business had angelic do-gooder,” Finkel says. “It’s not started to go bad. He began trying to cover it up, then decided to start over. He stran- gled his wife and daughter, dropped his a fl attering portrayal, but accurate.” other two children into the bay, and escaped over the border, posing as travel writer Mike Finkel. He even befriended and slept with a female photographer while pretending to be Finkel. The FBI caught Longo and brought him home. Finkel was eager to talk to the alleged killer. Longo’s lawyers had forbidden their client from speaking to the media, but Finkel handwrote Longo a letter and sent it to prison. In the book, he describes their weirdly comic conversation when Longo eventu- ally contacted him. Skeptical that he’s talking to the “real Michael Finkel,” Longo starts quizzing him on details from his Times stories. Things look doubtful when Finkel can’t remember the headline for his last published story (editors come up with those, not writers, he explains), but he saves himself by quoting correctly from the opening paragraph. Over time, the pair began correspond- ing with letters that numbered, collec- tively, in the thousands of pages. They Jonah Hill as Finkel and James Franco as Longo in a scene from the film. also spoke regularly on the phone. And Finkel began writing his book. “Of course I took advantage of it,” Finkel own journalistic sin and fall from grace and movie has been frustrating to Finkel, says. “I was fighting for my career.” and the path that Longo’s life took, as in the intervening years he has managed But Finkel wasn’t just using Longo for well as the relationship that developed to get his career back on track. He wrote a book. As with the subjects he’d written between the two men. for Runner’s World, and for Esquire about about previously, he was fascinated. “In this astute and hypnotically absorb- Longo’s wish that Death Row inmates be “I didn’t want him to be guilty, with ing memoir, Finkel recounts his subse- able to donate their organs. He and pho- every fiber in my body,” he says. “The quent relationship with the accused, tographer John Stanmeyer won a National scariest thing about Longo is, there’s Christian Longo, and recreates not only Magazine Award for a feature on malaria nothing scary about him. You could call Longo’s crimes and coverups but also in National Geographic. him on the phone right now and he’d his own,” wrote Publisher’s Weekly in Last year, he wrote a story for the make all kinds of jokes.” one of a number of rave reviews. September 2014 issue of GQ that went But despite his wish that Longo was An excerpt ran in the June 2005 Vanity viral on the Internet: the tale of the innocent, Finkel was “99 percent sure” Fair. Angelina Jolie was on the cover of “North Pond Hermit,” a Maine man who he wasn’t. Eventually, Longo confessed to that issue, which may have been how hid in the woods for 27 years until his Finkel that he’d committed all four mur- Brad Pitt noticed it; in any case, the book recent capture, filching food from local ders. The media diagnosis was that Longo was optioned by Pitt’s production com- homes in order to live. As he had with had narcissistic personality disorder. pany, Plan B. Longo, Finkel was able to get an inter- Those with the disorder may seem charm- The filmmakers then put together a view with the jailed hermit where other ing and successful, but they lack empathy script (written by director Rupert Goold journalists failed. and are capable of dangerous acts. and screenwriter David Kajganich), chose Now, Finkel is experiencing something Finkel’s 2005 memoir, True Story: the cast, and raised money for production. new—having the world learn about his

REGENCY ENTERPRISES Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa, retraces his While the decade-long gap between book life via the movies.

THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE MAY | JUNE 2015 65 inkel didn’t attend the True Story stands. It’s my career. That’s why we’ve says. “I’m Jewish. Of course I’m feeling premiere at Sundance—he and his been married for 10 years. She understands guilty about everything. He took my Fwife and their three children are my strange compulsion. Yeah, she fucking identity; I was thrust into this story. But now living in France—but Fox arranged a hates the fact that I take the calls.” of course I feel guilty.” screening of the film for him in Paris. It was because of Jill that they moved to He says that some good can come of the He had already seen a few drafts of the France: when they were discussing their tale. “It’s my hope that people in a control- script and responded with notes, but future together, they made several agree- ling, abusive relationship may have the wasn’t involved beyond that. ments, including that they would live strength to leave the relationship rather He says he appreciated Jonah Hill’s per- outside the United States for a time. She than waiting until it’s too late, like formance, calling him “a great actor.” also told Finkel she wanted three kids. [Longo’s wife] MaryJane,” he says. James Franco’s portrayal of Longo also The trailer for the film has been out for impressed him, as did Felicity Jones, who a while, and Finkel’s friends who’ve seen Finkel is now focused on a new project, played Finkel’s wife, Jill Barker Finkel. it or the film have been “almost entirely which he won’t discuss. “I am complete- Jill and Jones still trade texts, Finkel says. positive and supportive,” he says—aside ly in love with it and obsessed with it and Overall, he thinks it’s a very good film. from a few comments on the movie’s I’ve shut down all other projects to work “It’s not going to appeal to everybody,” Facebook page poking fun at his being on it,” he says. “It should be a book.” he says. “It’s not a Judd Apatow rom-com. portrayed by Jonah Hill, not known for He and Randall Lane also recently com- It’s about a psychopath and a guy strug- being especially handsome or athletic. (“Is pleted a screenplay—it concerns the dark gling with a terrible time in his life. The this the first time in Hollywood history side of social media—and sent it off to an material is challenging.” that the actor is NOT better looking than agent. Having known Finkel since their If the film paints Finkel as an oppor- the real person he is playing?” one wrote.) DP days, Lane says he isn’t completely tunist, using the situation with Longo Finkel says he understands why the surprised about the twists in his life. to help revive his career, he doesn’t have filmmakers would cast someone like Hill. “He messed up once, he got caught, a problem with that. “The character has to have flaws,” he and he paid a very big price for it,” he “I don’t think I look good in the book says. “It’s not a book. He has to have says. “What happened [with Longo] was [either],” he says. “It was a cosmically visual flaws because it’s a movie. It’s the a tragedy; it’s horrible. Mike’s such a crazy coincidence. If it was fiction, no character ‘Finkel.’ It’s not me.” storyteller that he took this tragedy and one would believe it. In fact, the film’s “Finkel” is a nebbishy turned it into a haunting, beautiful book. “I don’t deserve to be portrayed as an Jewish guy with asthma, which Finkel does He’s very resilient. He was punished for angelic do-gooder,” he adds. “It’s not a not suffer from. (Larry Smith got the same his mistake and came back from it. You flattering portrayal, but accurate.” Jewish-stereotype treatment in Orange is can’t get more American than that.” But he shies away from any implication the New Black. As Larry Bloom, played by Another longtime friend, Bret Parker— that he “likes” what has happened to him. Jason Biggs, Smith was transformed from Finkel’s companion on that 72-day cross- “I don’t like anything about this story,” a hip Internet-publishing guru into a neu- country bike trip right after they gradu- he says. “I’ve got three children and a rotic Jewish schlub. Finkel says that the two ated from Penn—also sees Finkel’s wife now. There’s nothing darker in hell of them “have had an odd discussion about response as being consistent with his than what [Longo] did. That said, as a the Smith/Biggs vs. Finkel/Hill tag-teams.”) personality and gifts as a writer. longtime journalist, it’s a compelling “Since I’ve known Mike, he’s been a story. It seemed more visual than most Finkel used to talk to Longo every Sunday, collector of stories and a meeter of peo- of the stories I’ve told.” but “luckily” the murderer can’t call France ple. The summer between college and Finkel’s growing relationship with Jill, collect. Their relationship is complex— law school, when we biked cross-country, a math professor, whom he had more time Finkel doesn’t call Longo, but he accepts we met so many people. My journal to date after being fired by the Times, gets every call he gets from him. included how many miles we biked … his considerable attention in the film. In both “When that fucker calls, I’ll pick up the so well captured all the various people the movie and in actuality, Christian phone,” he says. “I’ll follow his story till we met coast to coast. I’m still waiting Longo reached out to Jill. Clips from the the day I die. I admit it’s not healthy, but for it to be published. film show Longo calling Jill from prison, I will always be curious about him.” “He’s got a real eye for people and a real hoping creepily that they can be “friends,” So are they friends? appreciation for personalities, so people and a troubled Jill questioning Finkel’s “Is there a Facebook category of ‘it’s talk to him. He’s also incredibly curious. involvement in Longo’s case. When Finkel complicated’?” Finkel says. “I hate him. I don’t see Mike stopping what he does, says he thinks Longo trusts him, she I don’t believe in the death penalty in the traveling and talking to people and telling answers, “Can you trust him?” abstract, but put him to death. It’s fine their stories. What happened to him, “My wife hates the fact I talk to him” in and dandy to put him to death. He killed people could have reacted any number of real life, Finkel says. “She hates the fact his children.” ways. Mike didn’t shy away from it; he that the guy calls collect who killed his Finkel says that Longo knows that’s leaned into it. I don’t see him stopping.”◆ wife and three kids, and the guy who how he feels, that he wants him to die. Caren Lissner C’93 is finishing up a screenplay and answers—me—has a wife and three kids. He also admits to some guilt over his novel. Her first book, Carrie Pilby, is being made She knows I’m a journalist. She under- success with such a project. “Shit,” he into a movie.

66 MAY | JUNE 2015 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE