bˈɔːɹn ɪn kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, dˈʌf bɪɡˈæn hɜː dʒˌɜːnəlˈɪstɪk kɚɹˈɪɹ æz ðə fˈaʊndɚɹ əvən ˈʌndɚɡɹˌaʊnd skˈuːl nˈuːzpeɪpɚ, ðə tˈaɪɡɚ klˈʌb, wˌaɪl ɐn ˈeɪtθ ɡɹˈeɪdɚɹ æt sˈaʊθ pˌæsɐdˈiːnə dʒˈuːnjɚ hˈaɪ skˈuːl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn.
Born in California in 1976, Duff began her journalistic career as the founder of an underground school newspaper, The Tiger Club, while an 8th grader at South Pasadena Junior High School in 1989.