Amazing. More than 3,000 people in Grand Rapids, Michigan, including firefighters, marching bands, local politicians and celebrities, took part in the making of this “lipdub” YouTube video, made in response to a Newsweek piece that called the city one of the country’s fastest dying.
MSNBC held up this video as definitive proof that “Grand Rapids is Awesome.” I am inclined to agree. (It made me cry.)
As a result Newsweek issued this response:
First off, we LOVE your YouTube LipDub. We’re big fans, and are inspired by your love of the city you call home.
But so you know what was up with the list you’re responding to, we want you to know it was done by a website called mainstreet.com–not by Newsweek (it was unfortunately picked up on the Newsweek web site as part of a content sharing deal)–and it uses a methodology that our current editorial team doesn’t endorse and wouldn’t have employed. It certainly doesn’t reflect our view of Grand Rapids.
-A.S.
