Letters

OFF-TARGET AUDIENCE

Re: Calendar’s Jan. 27 issue, has the editor a one-track mind?

1--”So Raunchy, Even Grown Men Balk” (by Peter H. Brown).

2--” ’80s Beefcake: Sexploiting the Boys?” (by John M. Wilson).

3--”Love Docs Prescribe Aural Sex” (by Craig Rosen).

4--”New York Show Examines Sexuality and Persuasion” (by Robert L. Pincus).

What audience is Calendar aiming for? Not mine.

FRANCES G. ROSENBERG

Pacific Palisades HAD

Yo! Sup! I a elementary school teacher who work like, you know, like 6, 8, 10 hours a day tryin to get my kids not to write like dis , dig?

But man, along come the dude who answer Carol Schmidt’s letter (Letters Annex, Jan. 27), and he say, “. . . you best read the following historical information.”

Now, man, what kind of writin is dat, huh? Do that make you feel like you hip, or black, or somethin? ‘Cause you ain’t neither one.

Now, ain’t no sense in me teachin’ kids how to write real good if professional writers cain’t get they own act together.

Don’t never come to my school, fool, or you be in the corner recess-time wit a Harbace College Handbook, 9th Edition, stuffed down yo throat--square biz, homeboy?

ERIC A. GROVES

Los Angeles QUASI-QUASI BOY

It only hurts when you think, indeed (“It Only Hurts When You Think. . . ,” by Martin Bernheimer, Jan. 20).

By referring to Boy George as “a gifted quasi-ersatz-castrato,” Bernheimer surely didn’t mean to suggest that Mr. George’s voice is that of a soprano; your music critic must know a tenor when he hears one.

Did he mean to imply that Mr. George’s ersatz-feminine attire and quasi-open bisexuality signify a lack of masculine assertiveness?

If that’s the case, I’d like to ask Bernheimer if he’d have the bona-fide reproductive equipment to present himself to the public in such a manner.

ROBERT PANECO

San Diego CHARITY OVERSIGHT

How could Calendar have failed to even mention one of the oldest, certainly the most entertaining and successful of telethons, “The Lou Rawls Parade of Stars,” which benefits the United Negro College Fund (“TV Charities: Let the Giver Beware,” by David Johnston and Jennifer Leonard, Jan. 20)?

On Dec. 29, “The Lou Rawls Parade of Stars” aired in 80 cities for 12 hours (15 hours here on KHJ), featured one of the greatest line-up of performers and celebrities ever assembled for television, and raised more than $10 million in pledges.

WAYNE L. ALEXANDER

United Negro College Fund

Project Manager, Special Promotions THE SENSUOUS CRITIC

I couldn’t stomach Otis Pettigrew’s remarks concerning Colman Andrews’ restaurant reviews (Letters Annex, Jan. 20).

Not only is his assault on Andrews’ weight mean-spirited, as if to imply that gluttony rather than good taste marks the critic’s eating habits, but his psychoanalytic (if disclaimer-laden) interpretation of the restaurant critic’s disposition and modus vivendi reveals his fundamental lack of sensuality.

I suggest that the enthusiastic appreciation of fine food, like other pleasures, reflects a total sensitivity (albeit hedonistic) to life’s treats.

GARY KANOFSKY

Los Angeles SAY IT AIN’T SO, ITZHAK

Itzhak, you have become the Victor Borge of the violin. Your stage mannerisms and constant chatter with the public is turning your recitals into a coffee clatch atmosphere comparable to your appearance on the Johnny Carson show.

When Kreisler and Heifetz walked on stage there was electricity in the air and a great deal of love and respect flowing to and from the public and the artist. You walked on stage in a business suit, your playing was nonchalant, you appeared to be bored almost to the point of suffering from burn-out.

If you wish to be a comedian, lay your bow and violin aside and start a new career.

When we leave your concert recital we should be highly emotionally charged and elevated. Your concerts do not have this effect on us at the present time.

Please Itzhak, restore dignity to your concert hall appearances.

HERMAN BERLAD

Los Angeles ROCK BOTTOMS

As part of the readers’ Bottom 10 video poll (Pop Eye, by Patrick Goldstein, Jan. 27), Ian Kennedy of Los Angeles wrote, “Maybe if Mr. Le Bon can stay tied to the windmill forever, he might end up shedding a few pounds.”

I have been an avid “Durannie” for three years, and I must congratulate Kennedy for a very good joke. I laughed for about five minutes.

We “Durannies” can take the jokes--we have to put up with groups like Van Halen and Motley Crue, don’t we?

MICHELE DeMENT

Chatsworth

To Ian Kennedy: Simon Le Bon does not need to shed any pounds whatsoever. Maybe, if we stuck you on the windmill forever, you could shed a few pounds on the mouth.

P.S. Sting is not skinny.

AMANDA RHODES

San Diego

“Hot for Teacher,” one of the 10 Worst videos of the year? Come on! This is one of the most refreshingly silly videos I’ve seen in a quite a while. I don’t see how anyone can think it’s degrading to women when it’s such an obvious put-on

Van Halen displays a welcome tongue-in- cheek attitude that puts its videos light-years ahead of anythin offered by such self-important drivel-mongers as Duran Duran, Madonna, Culture Club and the like.

And by the way, has anyone noticed the striking similarity beteewn David Lee Roth of Van Halen, Trevor Rabin of Yes and You-know-who of Spain?

ELLIOT A. LOWE

Irvine

In the grand scheme of things, my heartburn with Kristine McKenna’s little injection of “(sic)” after “facility” (“Jumping with David Lee Roth,” Jan. 27) matters not a whit.

Yet, I must take exception. Roth used it correctly, and unless he said (sic) it really shouldn’t be there.

I’m neither his wife nor his ex-wife, so you can trust me on this one. He did have my baby though.

REBECCA PHILLIPS

Santa Monica

Roth actually said: “Video has made personality a much more important facility in popular music.” We, as in the editorial we, put in (sic) ; Three copy editors have been killed over the issue so far. Maybe we should have left it alone; it’s only rock ‘n’ roll. ALLA BREVE REDUX

I noticed that all of the reviews published under the “Alla Breve” heading in Calendar (Jan. 20) were items that had appeared in Calendar before (one of them twice, I believe).

Is this a subtle endorsement of Philip Glass? Are we being punished for not putting up enough money to stage “the CIVIL warS?” Is there something we readers can do to help?

Would you believe it was winter re-runs? STEPHEN R. MERRITT

Canoga Park SPECIAL INTEREST

Although I thouroughly enjoyed watching last week’ American Music Awards show, I do not agree with the “seperate but equal” concept for making the awards.

Why did they label the awards a “Best Black Group,”etc. It was ridiculous!

Does this mean a black canot sing pop or country? Of course not, but why devise and perpetuate this type of thinking?

KELVIN D. FILER

Compton PLOT CAT

Sheila Benson says that the best thing about being a film critic is being able to see a movie before “every plot cat is out of the bag and well up the street.”

Benson is a very funny person. She boasts of the joys of seeing a movie untainted by these plot cats when she reveals the ending of every movie she reviews, herself.

By the time Sheila is done reviewing a film she’s out of the bag, well up the street, around the corner and heading into the sunset along with any desire I had of seeing the movie.

STEPHEN J. HABERSKI

Fullerton FLORIDA FACTS

Although Key West is famous for lime pie, Jimmy Buffet and now a Hemingway festival (“Key West--Where They Really Remember Papa,” by David Martin, Jan. 20), it was definitely not the place where Hemingway “ . . . wrote the majority of his books. . . .”

In fact, only “Winner Take Nothing,” “Green Hills of Africa,” and “To Have and Have Not” were written in the Whitehead Street house, a residence he never lived in after 1938.

WILLIAM H. KOON, professor

Department of English

Cal State Fullerton

ANOTHER BOOKIE

I love to wake up on Sunday morning. The little dog brings me the paper and the first thing I read is Doonesbury, but, the second thing I read is the Book Review. I think it is the highlight of the Sunday paper and I wish it were a daily section. It is such a relief to read something that is written correctly.

NANCY WEST

Santa Monica

How many trips does it take for your little dog to bring you the Sunday paper?

Letters should be brief and must include full name, address and phone number. Mail to Calendar Letters, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053