Calendar Letters: In defense of Cardi B and those senators’ Facebook questions

She really was historic

I just read “A TV Critic on Watching Beyoncé’s Coachella Performance at Home” [Robert Lloyd, April 16], and I wanted to thank you. You brought up the fact that the word “historic” has been bandied about in reference to the performance, and I have to say it’s not without reason. I’ve seen her perform many times over the past 10 years in person and on TV, and nothing has ever felt as important as this.

When I think of performances on TV that were significant or Earth-shattering, I think of Michael Jackson’s first moonwalk, Prince at the Super Bowl and, well, Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand at the Grammys. “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” kills me every time — sue me.

I am happy that someone else stayed up and watched and appreciated it.

Mark David Alvaranza

Hesperia

Cardi B deserves her due, OK

Are you serious about Mikael Wood’s review on Cardi B [“Cardi B Celebrates Her No. 1 Album With a Packed Coachella Gig,” April 15]? She wasn’t that good

She had choreography! She had dancers! She danced herself, even though she’s pregnant! Factor that into the monthlong press tour, and it’s easily one of the more commendable non-Beyoncé performances.

We all know Beyoncé set the standard. At least Cardi B stepped up to the plate. Give the pregnant lady a break!

David Goldberg

Van Nuys

His prized words not fit to print

It’s unbelievable that the [Kendrick Lamar] album “Damn” would be celebrated as the best music that anyone made last year [“Hip-Hop Makes Pulitzer Mark,” Randall Roberts, April 17]. I dare The L.A. Times to publish the complete lyrics of any song on that album in your newspaper. I guess that this is the result of the Trumpian times that we live in.

John Humble

Santa Monica

Sweetened through the ages

Re “Elvis, the artist” [Randy Lewis, April 14]: I’ve been a fan of Elvis Presley my whole life.

I was enchanted by the story my mother, an aspiring singer, told me of meeting Elvis in the early days of his career after witnessing him bring down the house at a live broadcast of “Louisiana Hayride.”

According to Mom, Elvis was polite, courteous and unassuming. He addressed her as “ma’am,” shook her hand and thanked her for enjoying the show.

I am elated that the sordid tales of Presley’s life have at last been subordinated to his role as an unparalleled musician and cultural innovator. Thanks to the documentary, “Elvis Presley: The Searcher,” the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll has now been given his just due as an artist. Long live the King.

Ben Miles

Huntington Beach

They knew what they were asking

While I agree with Lorraine Ali’s general sense that senators were out their element in discussing online technology [“A Congressional Generational Gap,” April 11], she fully misread the questions of Sens. Lindsey Graham and Orrin Hatch.

I am not an ideological ally of these senators and have no political agenda here, but I feel compelled to point out that their questions were posed to highlight certain well-understood social media realities. Graham was asking Mark Zuckerberg to acknowledge that Facebook is a monopoly, and Hatch was asking Zuckerberg to state the essence of the Facebook business model; both senators were asking questions that they already knew the answers to.

In these instances, Ali mischaracterized them as befuddled old guys trying to understand Facebook. Fortunately, two articles in the Business section reported and understood the full context of the questions.

Hans Berggren

Santa Monica

Give this critic her encore

I so look forward to the Friday Calendar because it affords me the opportunity to read Kimber Myers’ movie reviews, which are clever and funny. Please consider her for more reviews!

Jack Backer

Corona

Where were the ‘Wire’ women

How sad and typical. There was not one woman of diversity mentioned in Sunday’s article “They Went Down to ‘The Wire’” [Stuart Miller, April 15]? It wasn’t titled “Men Who Went Down to ‘The Wire,’” was it? Did I miss something? What about Michael Hyatt (Brianna Barksdale), Felicia Person (“Snoop”), Sonja Sohn (Kima) and several others who could have been mentioned

Steven Stoffers

Monrovia

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I found it interesting that you did not mention Lance Reddick’s role in “Bosch,” nor Sonja Sohn, who is now on “The Chi.” So many great actors came out of “The Wire,” one of my all-time favorite series.

Nancy Reisner

Woodland Hills

Value the ‘both/and’ biracial

I scanned the article about “Hapa.me” [“Revisiting Faces of Change, Unity,” Bonnie Tsui, April 15] searching in vain for my favorite notion about biracial people. If I ran the culture, they would be revered — worshipped, even, because they carry within their very essence a duality. In a polarized world of either/or, they are both/and.

Sometimes biracial people choose to identify with only one of their two sides, perhaps because it seems to them in some way easier. But those who resist that urge can bring a unique wisdom to us and to our world. Barack Obama is our first black president. He is also biracial.

Virginia Hyde

San Diego

He would have seen, it didn’t die

We just got back from a sold-out performance of “Love Never Dies” at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. If letter writer Barry Davis [Letters, April 15] had stayed until the end and not left at intermission, he would have witnessed a very emotional, wonderful and quick-moving second half that brought tears and a standing ovation. We didn’t notice anyone leaving at intermission, and we are glad we didn’t listen to Mr. Davis.

Steve Shaevel

Woodland Hills