Tom Junod, one of the great longform journalists of the Magazine Age, is probably best known for his 2003 Esquire piece, “The Falling Man.” If I could only tell people to look at two things related to the WTC, I would recommend Man on Wire, the documentary about Philippe Petit, who didn’t tumble from the buildings’ heights, and Junod’s article, about a man, on 9/11, who did.

Junod just did a predictably smart Ask Me Anything at Reddit. Here’s an exchange about a contemporary figure he once profiled, the serial groom and bible salesman Donald Trump:

Question:

From a journalist’s point of view, What do you think of Donald Trump running for President in 2016?

Tom Junod:

Well, he’s been a treasure trove for journalists, hasn’t he? But there’s lesson here, because his campaign has been driven by the fact that he doesn’t sound like anybody else. He doesn’t sound like a politician, so he can get away with stuff people think that politicians shouldn’t say. But a lot of journalists want to sound like journalists. A lot of journalists want to sound like everybody else. Trump speaks to the advantage of having your own voice.

Question:

Thank you for your answer, I agree and that is why I think a lot of people really like him. But do you think it seems like he is making most of us feel dumb by the way he is talking to the press? Or do you think he is trying to appeal to more of the uneducated voters in America by making this run for President a Circus?

Tom Junod:

I’ve met Trump — I wrote a story about him, oh, a long time ago. I don’t think he’s trying to make anybody feel dumb, or even that he’s trying to turn the whole campaign into a circus. That’s just the way he is. The interesting thing is that it makes people think he’s authentic, think he’s telling the truth, when he’s flat out the most insincere person I’ve ever met. That he’s ridiculously needy, and responds to everything situationally and by instinct, doesn’t make him a truth teller.•