Feedback: From the Golden Globes’ hits and misses to ‘Mrs. Maisel’s’ ‘stereotypes’

What a golden dud

Regarding “Opening Doors: ‘Moment of Change’ is plain to see as groups overlooked on film and TV get their due” by Lorraine Ali [Jan. 7]: I thought these Globes were more tarnished than golden. The hosts’ opening roast was a dud. The introductions sandwiched between commercials were little more than baton passes to a fashion parade. No singing, no dancing, no skits. Our guests begged to leave early, leaving lots of food. Wonder if it will keep until the Super Bowl.

Hal Rothberg

Calabasas

::

I applaud the awarding of the Golden Globe to Glenn Close for her outstanding performance in the film “The Wife.” I do not believe, however, the character she plays is quite the martyr to her husband that critics and audiences have taken her for. In fact, the real villain of the piece is not her husband. He is simply the patsy she uses to get an audience for her work. The villain is the character played by Elizabeth McGovern. Here is a published female author who tells the Glenn Close character not to bother to get published herself because (since she’s a woman) her works will be relegated to obscurity, thus betraying the fact that she never heard of Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton, etc.

Jonathan Mumm

Pomona

::

Kudos to the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. for bursting a couple of critical balloons. “Roma” was the very definition of a bad time at the movies. I hated the entire family for the way they mistreated and neglected their dog. “If Beale Street Could Talk” was two torturous hours of moony, lovesick stares, with a retrograde caricature of the Bull Connor police officer, never mind that today’s urban police forces are heavily female and often majority-minority.

The category winners, “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Green Book,” exemplified achievement in filmmaking without sacrificing the fundamental purposes of film to entertain and foster empathy. And Glenn Close was a discerning choice for a performance and a film (“The Wife”) that got richer and deeper as it went.

Jordan Chodorow

Los Angeles

::

The producers and writers of last night’s Golden Globes have likely watched all of the award shows I’ve watched through the years: ones that did it right and ones that did it wrong. So it is incomprehensible to me that, with all the examples of what works and what doesn’t, the show I watched last night ever made it out of the writer’s room. Words like inane, witless and stupid come to mind. Where are the professionals?

Eileen Valentino Flaxman

Claremont

Can’t we just laugh at a comedy?

Rachel Brosnahan, left, and Marin Hinkle in a scene from the second season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Nicole Rivelli / Amazon Prime Video

A debate over ‘Mrs. Maisel’

Regarding: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” [“Oy, the Stereotypes,” by Paul Brownfield, Jan. 5]: It’s a comedy. A damn good one, with no more stereotyped or exaggerated characters than “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Veep” or “Barry.”

But maybe Brownfield is right. Maybe the anti-Semites of the immediate future will be fueled by binging “Mrs. Maisel,” rather than by listening to their elected leader.

Bill Nuss

Brentwood

::

Stereotypes only have negative connotations when used in a prejudicial way to demean a particular group of people. But the Jewish characters in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” are wonderful stereotypes putting on display all of their cultural idiosyncrasies, good and bad, funny and irritating. They are authentically neurotic, self-defeating at times, guilt-ridden most of the time, but always ready to celebrate a common love of laughter, music and food. In my opinion, the writer’s notion that this wonderful series with Jewish stereotypes could somehow encourage anti-Semitism, is simply wrongheaded.

Robin Garb

Calabasas

::

Thank you for your insightful commentary. Not being Jewish, all of the issues you broached were ones I had frankly not ever considered. Even the term “Holocaust” and the timing of its adoption into our current language I had never explored even though the timing of word adoption frequently interests me.

Your comments regarding family origins are astute. The omission of the elders and historical backgrounds are unfortunate: There is no ballast to counterbalance the parody.

Lastly, I commend your courage in writing this article. I strongly expect you to be excoriated in the letters to the editor for daring to cast any aspersions on this current darling of a show.

Paul Brown (honest, this is my real name)

Newport Beach

::

Paul Brownfield misses the point of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Writer Amy-Sherman-Palladino makes being Jewish a wonderful thing to be.

Maisel is the funniest, chic-est, wittiest and prettiest show on TV. I love the colorful period costumes worn by Rachel Brosnahan and Marin Hinkle. Mr. Brownfield must have been watching a different show. Enjoy, already.

Sonya Sargent

Los Angeles

::

Paul Brownfield’s commentary was way off the mark. I’m positive that if the show’s creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, did her level best to Anglicize the cast and avoided their Jewishness at all costs, Brownfield would be criticizing her for that. As it stands, the show certainly mirrors the reality of its time while exhibiting a nice feel for the history of its era. Yes, using the word Holocaust in a storyline based in the 1950s was an anachronism, but nothing more than that.

Charles Reilly

Manhattan Beach

::

I am the daughter of Holocaust survivors, who arrived from ravaged Europe and met each other in Los Angeles in 1947.

My handsome doctor father, and my elegant, beautiful jewelry designer mother, both multilingual, both without family, established their lives in Los Angeles and embraced America wholeheartedly, yet always retained their European-ness.

For my brother and myself, our childhoods were mixed with survivor guilt, great adventures, beauty and education. We never felt completely like American Jews, because we were first-generation, and didn’t relate to the easy, relaxed, casual kids in our circles at school….We were a bit different.

In watching “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” it is, for me, a snapshot into a life that I truly wish my parents had….One of being born in the U.S.; safe, secure, taking family vacations in the mountains…rowing boats and laughing….and not spending a chunk of their lives reliving the sound of bombs, the constant nightmares and PTSD that my mother suffered for decades.

Anti-Semitism has always been just under the surface, not just recently. I have seen films and TV shows far more insulting and stereotypical, yet haven’t read too many articles about them.

Maybe we should all just lighten up a bit, and see this show as a deliciously wrought, beautifully designed piece of entertainment, and nothing more.

Mona Shafer Edwards

Los Angeles

::

Being Jewish isn’t necessary to be able to identify with Mrs. Maisel’s family trials and tribulations, and self angst, and, recognizing ourselves in them, find ourselves laughing at how she expresses them. The absolute historical accurateness of what it is presented is of little relevance to this. When a particular phrase came into general use is only going to matter to a few nitpickers. What matters is the universality of the feelings and emotions she has and is able to convey.

John Snyder

Newbury Park

::

Thank you for your insightful commentary. Not being Jewish, all of the issues you broached were ones I had frankly not ever considered. Even the term “Holocaust” and the timing of its adoption into our current language I had never explored even though the timing of word adoption frequently interests me.

Your comments regarding family origins are astute. The omission of the elders and historical backgrounds are unfortunate: there is no ballast to counterbalance the parody.

Beyond the content, I also commend you for a well-ridden article. Your phrasing and choice of words was outstanding. At the risk of sounding like a complete ignoramus, I learned several new words and a term which is always fun: macher, shtetl, and work blue.

I was struck by your self-disclosure (perhaps tongue-in-cheek?) of Jewish self-hatred. Is it really of that intensity? I am quite capable of wincing over the antics of my braying midwestern relatives when they visit California but it is never to the degree of self-hatred. The contrast of our reactions might be worth exploring.

Lastly, I commend your courage in writing this article. I strongly expect you to be excoriated in the letters to the editor for daring to cast any aspersions on this current darling of a show.

Paul Brown (honest, this is my real name)

Newport Beach

::

What a fine piece of writing. I really liked the discussions of parallel history to the plot of the show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” I think it’s very important to discuss the actual history of anything or any events, with regards to truth and actual facts. Thanks for writing. Oh, one question, I was a little lost when the writer wrote, regarding Abe’s character, that his change of heart concerning Bell Labs and his future, was a “signal of virtue rather than a deepening of his character.” Did you expect him to stay with Bell Labs after the shoddy treatment?

Chet Chebegia

San Marcos

::

While the article about “Mrs. Maisel” viewed through the lens of Jewishness is fascinating, it totally misses the point. The Jewish culture is purely set dressing and character enhancement, and makes the point that Jews are Americans, just like everyone else. The point of the series is this young woman breaking her bonds and flying free. She has found her talent, and learns to use it effectively. This story is about women’s emancipation, not Jewish history. Where they came from and when is irrelevant. The characters are well fleshed out so that we may see them as real people. The New York and Catskill experiences ring true even to someone who has never experienced them. Lenny Bruce lends some historical perspective. All of this makes outstanding entertainment.

Paul Moser III

Palm Desert

::

Thank you for your column about “Ms. Maisel.” The show is cringe-worthy and embarrassing. These characters do not represent any Jews I have known in my 68 years (as a Jew). In fact, they don’t represent any humans I have known. While Jews and many gentiles know it is ridiculous, many gentiles may well believe the show is an approximation of reality. That is not good for anyone.

Eliot Samulon

Los Feliz

::

You really have no sense of humor do you? No one can do any comedy anymore without being offended. Lighten up!

Hugh Kelly

La Verne

::

Paul Brownfield has not succeeded in reducing my enjoyment of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” He needs to curb his analytical reflex and enjoy the wonderful period detail and superb writing and acting.

Watching Tony Shalhoub in the role of a lifetime (an Arab playing a Jew) is worth the price of an Amazon subscription alone.

Jim Worthen

Pismo Beach

::

Everything about “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is hilarious. Brownfield should listen to a Belle Barth recording. It would improve his sense of humor.

David Sievers

Encino

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a great show. This show is set in the 1950’s not the 2000’s. It is fairly accurate for its time period. If you grew up in the fifties and sixties, you would know this is true. You can’t and shouldn’t whitewash history. If we do, then how will we remember what we were doing was wrong then.

Sonrisa Roulier

Camarillo

::

Can’t get enough of Marvelous Mrs Maisel!

Carl Swartz

Indian Wells

An appreciation of Ethan Hawke

Regarding “Surprise, it’s Ethan Hawke” by Justin Chang [Jan. 6]: I thought Ethan Hawke’s performance as Chet Baker in “Born to be Blue” was the best male performance of 2017. But nobody saw it. I’ve always wanted to ask Hawke about how he copes with giving a great performance that never gets recognized. It’s baffling.

By the way, as an actor, Hawke has the best forlorn expression in Hollywood.

Tony Macklin

Las Vegas

Sightseeing while blindfolded

Seeing the mother and her adult children on the cover of the California section Saturday wearing blindfolds was so disheartening and ridiculous [“Film-famous House is a Sight for Closed Eyes,” Jan. 5]. Fans of the recent film “Bird Box” flocking to the house where the movie was filmed to attempt to walk around blindfolded reminds me of when your mother would say to you, when you were about to do something really dumb, “If your friends jumped off a bridge....would you do it too”

It appears the answer is yes. It seems that common sense has flown out the window with the rest of the bird brains!

Frances Terrell Lippman

Sherman Oaks

Trying to mix showbiz and politics

Regarding “A Balance Between Party, Politics on the Red Carpet” by Amy Kaufman [Jan. 6]: With the number of possible targets among Hollywood’s powerful thinning out, the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements seem terribly stuck. That makes you wonder only as long as you need to to understand that these movements will go nowhere if they do not start to look at the bigger picture: What kind of society produced the men and women who were the centerpiece of their action? And what are we going to do against this?

Michael Esser

Los Angeles

Ageism doesn’t belong in movie reviews

In his review of “Being Rose” [“Cybill Shepherd is the Rose in a Thorny Tale,” Jan. 4], Gary Goldstein describes Cybil Shepard’s character as an “aging widow.” I wonder why Goldstein, and so many other critics, can’t resist tacking on the truism “aging,” especially when describing female characters. That a character, or any sentient being, is aging seems hardly worth noting.

Rebecca Cummings

Long Beach

Public domain may not be global

I found Michael Schaub’s article about works falling to the public domain interesting and informative [“Trove of Works Now Available for Public Use,” Jan. 4]. However, I believe he should specify “public domain in the United States, not worldwide.” There are too many people ready to exploit works without consulting a knowledgeable attorney as to their status worldwide, especially in this era of the internet.

Eldridge Walker

Los Angeles

The writer was a vice president of music clearance at Paramount Pictures

The original version should be mentioned

I want to say how much I appreciate television critic Lorraine Ali’s review of “The Masked Singer,” [“No Secret How Bizarre This Is,” Jan. 4]. However, nowhere in your article is mention made of the original source of this show. “The Masked Singer” is a poor imitation of a popular Korean TV show. I’ve watched the Korean show a few times, and, while I don’t understand most of what is said, I can appreciate the true effort put in by the singers and those who try to figure who the singer really is. The live audience seems to really enjoy it. There is a lot of humor, laughter [and] fun had by all, including the singers.

Charles Wolfe

Sylmar

::

It’s good to see someone give a critical review of a show it appears is going to be popular. By “critical,” I don’t necessarily mean negative, but this type of show appears, at this point, to be scraping the bottom of the barrel.

John Snyder

Newbury Park

::

I always enjoy Lorraine Ali’s writing, never more so than today. She read my mind. Yes, this show is “The latest sign that we’ve hit rock bottom and End Times are near!”

Keep up the good writing.

Sylvia Hamilton

Santa Barbara

Sons of the desert

Thursday, January 03, 2019

Regarding: “Not just resting on their Laurels” by Donald Liebenson [Jan. 3]: As a longtime member of several different chapters, or “tents,” of the Sons of the Desert, I’m delighted to see the resurgence of interest in the work of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy brought about by the film “Stan & Ollie.” We certainly appreciate the articles in The Times highlighting activity and events in and around Southern California. In today’s world, with all of its frustrations and anxieties, the simple and clever G-rated humor of “The Boys” is a most welcome escape.

Bob Duncan

Diamond Bar

A debate over ‘Mrs. Maisel’

Regarding: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” [“Oy, the Stereotypes,” by Paul Brownfield, Jan. 5]: It’s a comedy. A damn good one, with no more stereotyped or exaggerated characters than “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Veep” or “Barry.”

But maybe Brownfield is right. Maybe the anti-Semites of the immediate future will be fueled by binging “Mrs. Maisel,” rather than by listening to their elected leader.

Bill Nuss

Brentwood

::

Stereotypes only have negative connotations when used in a prejudicial way to demean a particular group of people. But the Jewish characters in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” are wonderful stereotypes putting on display all of their cultural idiosyncrasies, good and bad, funny and irritating. They are authentically neurotic, self-defeating at times, guilt-ridden most of the time, but always ready to celebrate a common love of laughter, music and food. In my opinion, the writer’s notion that this wonderful series with Jewish stereotypes could somehow encourage anti-Semitism, is simply wrongheaded.

Robin Garb

Calabasas

::

Thank you for your insightful commentary. Not being Jewish, all of the issues you broached were ones I had frankly not ever considered. Even the term “Holocaust” and the timing of its adoption into our current language I had never explored even though the timing of word adoption frequently interests me.

Your comments regarding family origins are astute. The omission of the elders and historical backgrounds are unfortunate: There is no ballast to counterbalance the parody.

Lastly, I commend your courage in writing this article. I strongly expect you to be excoriated in the letters to the editor for daring to cast any aspersions on this current darling of a show.

Paul Brown (honest, this is my real name)

Newport Beach

::

Paul Brownfield misses the point of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Writer Amy-Sherman-Palladino makes being Jewish a wonderful thing to be.

Maisel is the funniest, chic-est, wittiest and prettiest show on TV. I love the colorful period costumes worn by Rachel Brosnahan and Marin Hinkle. Mr. Brownfield must have been watching a different show. Enjoy, already.

Sonya Sargent

Los Angeles

::

Paul Brownfield’s commentary was way off the mark. I’m positive that if the show’s creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, did her level best to Anglicize the cast and avoided their Jewishness at all costs, Brownfield would be criticizing her for that. As it stands, the show certainly mirrors the reality of its time while exhibiting a nice feel for the history of its era. Yes, using the word Holocaust in a storyline based in the 1950s was an anachronism, but nothing more than that.

Charles Reilly

Manhattan Beach

::

I am the daughter of Holocaust survivors, who arrived from ravaged Europe and met each other in Los Angeles in 1947.

My handsome doctor father, and my elegant, beautiful jewelry designer mother, both multilingual, both without family, established their lives in Los Angeles and embraced America wholeheartedly, yet always retained their European-ness.

For my brother and myself, our childhoods were mixed with survivor guilt, great adventures, beauty and education. We never felt completely like American Jews, because we were first-generation, and didn’t relate to the easy, relaxed, casual kids in our circles at school….We were a bit different.

In watching “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” it is, for me, a snapshot into a life that I truly wish my parents had….One of being born in the U.S.; safe, secure, taking family vacations in the mountains…rowing boats and laughing….and not spending a chunk of their lives reliving the sound of bombs, the constant nightmares and PTSD that my mother suffered for decades.

Anti-Semitism has always been just under the surface, not just recently. I have seen films and TV shows far more insulting and stereotypical, yet haven’t read too many articles about them.

Maybe we should all just lighten up a bit, and see this show as a deliciously wrought, beautifully designed piece of entertainment, and nothing more.

Mona Shafer Edwards

Los Angeles

::

Being Jewish isn’t necessary to be able to identify with Mrs. Maisel’s family trials and tribulations, and self angst, and, recognizing ourselves in them, find ourselves laughing at how she expresses them. The absolute historical accurateness of what it is presented is of little relevance to this. When a particular phrase came into general use is only going to matter to a few nitpickers. What matters is the universality of the feelings and emotions she has and is able to convey.

John Snyder

Newbury Park

::

Thank you for your insightful commentary. Not being Jewish, all of the issues you broached were ones I had frankly not ever considered. Even the term “Holocaust” and the timing of its adoption into our current language I had never explored even though the timing of word adoption frequently interests me.

Your comments regarding family origins are astute. The omission of the elders and historical backgrounds are unfortunate: there is no ballast to counterbalance the parody.

Beyond the content, I also commend you for a well-ridden article. Your phrasing and choice of words was outstanding. At the risk of sounding like a complete ignoramus, I learned several new words and a term which is always fun: macher, shtetl, and work blue.

I was struck by your self-disclosure (perhaps tongue-in-cheek?) of Jewish self-hatred. Is it really of that intensity? I am quite capable of wincing over the antics of my braying midwestern relatives when they visit California but it is never to the degree of self-hatred. The contrast of our reactions might be worth exploring.

Lastly, I commend your courage in writing this article. I strongly expect you to be excoriated in the letters to the editor for daring to cast any aspersions on this current darling of a show.

Paul Brown (honest, this is my real name)

Newport Beach

::

What a fine piece of writing. I really liked the discussions of parallel history to the plot of the show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” I think it’s very important to discuss the actual history of anything or any events, with regards to truth and actual facts. Thanks for writing. Oh, one question, I was a little lost when the writer wrote, regarding Abe’s character, that his change of heart concerning Bell Labs and his future, was a “signal of virtue rather than a deepening of his character.” Did you expect him to stay with Bell Labs after the shoddy treatment?

Chet Chebegia

San Marcos

::

While the article about “Mrs. Maisel” viewed through the lens of Jewishness is fascinating, it totally misses the point. The Jewish culture is purely set dressing and character enhancement, and makes the point that Jews are Americans, just like everyone else. The point of the series is this young woman breaking her bonds and flying free. She has found her talent, and learns to use it effectively. This story is about women’s emancipation, not Jewish history. Where they came from and when is irrelevant. The characters are well fleshed out so that we may see them as real people. The New York and Catskill experiences ring true even to someone who has never experienced them. Lenny Bruce lends some historical perspective. All of this makes outstanding entertainment.

Paul Moser III

Palm Desert

::

Thank you for your column about “Ms. Maisel.” The show is cringe-worthy and embarrassing. These characters do not represent any Jews I have known in my 68 years (as a Jew). In fact, they don’t represent any humans I have known. While Jews and many gentiles know it is ridiculous, many gentiles may well believe the show is an approximation of reality. That is not good for anyone.

Eliot Samulon

Los Feliz

::

You really have no sense of humor do you? No one can do any comedy anymore without being offended. Lighten up!

Hugh Kelly

La Verne

::

Paul Brownfield has not succeeded in reducing my enjoyment of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” He needs to curb his analytical reflex and enjoy the wonderful period detail and superb writing and acting.

Watching Tony Shalhoub in the role of a lifetime (an Arab playing a Jew) is worth the price of an Amazon subscription alone.

Jim Worthen

Pismo Beach

::

Everything about “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is hilarious. Brownfield should listen to a Belle Barth recording. It would improve his sense of humor.

David Sievers

Encino

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a great show. This show is set in the 1950’s not the 2000’s. It is fairly accurate for its time period. If you grew up in the fifties and sixties, you would know this is true. You can’t and shouldn’t whitewash history. If we do, then how will we remember what we were doing was wrong then.

Sonrisa Roulier

Camarillo

::

Can’t get enough of Marvelous Mrs Maisel!

Carl Swartz

Indian Wells

An appreciation of Ethan Hawke

Regarding “Surprise, it’s Ethan Hawke” by Justin Chang [Jan. 6]: I thought Ethan Hawke’s performance as Chet Baker in “Born to be Blue” was the best male performance of 2017. But nobody saw it. I’ve always wanted to ask Hawke about how he copes with giving a great performance that never gets recognized. It’s baffling.

By the way, as an actor, Hawke has the best forlorn expression in Hollywood.

Tony Macklin

Las Vegas

Sightseeing while blindfolded

Seeing the mother and her adult children on the cover of the California section Saturday wearing blindfolds was so disheartening and ridiculous [“Film-famous House is a Sight for Closed Eyes,” Jan. 5]. Fans of the recent film “Bird Box” flocking to the house where the movie was filmed to attempt to walk around blindfolded reminds me of when your mother would say to you, when you were about to do something really dumb, “If your friends jumped off a bridge....would you do it too”

It appears the answer is yes. It seems that common sense has flown out the window with the rest of the bird brains!

Frances Terrell Lippman

Sherman Oaks

Trying to mix showbiz and politics

Regarding “A Balance Between Party, Politics on the Red Carpet” by Amy Kaufman [Jan. 6]: With the number of possible targets among Hollywood’s powerful thinning out, the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements seem terribly stuck. That makes you wonder only as long as you need to to understand that these movements will go nowhere if they do not start to look at the bigger picture: What kind of society produced the men and women who were the centerpiece of their action? And what are we going to do against this?

Michael Esser

Los Angeles

Ageism doesn’t belong in movie reviews

In his review of “Being Rose” [“Cybill Shepherd is the Rose in a Thorny Tale,” Jan. 4], Gary Goldstein describes Cybil Shepard’s character as an “aging widow.” I wonder why Goldstein, and so many other critics, can’t resist tacking on the truism “aging,” especially when describing female characters. That a character, or any sentient being, is aging seems hardly worth noting.

Rebecca Cummings

Long Beach

Public domain may not be global

I found Michael Schaub’s article about works falling to the public domain interesting and informative [“Trove of Works Now Available for Public Use,” Jan. 4]. However, I believe he should specify “public domain in the United States, not worldwide.” There are too many people ready to exploit works without consulting a knowledgeable attorney as to their status worldwide, especially in this era of the internet.

Eldridge Walker

Los Angeles

The writer was a vice president of music clearance at Paramount Pictures

The original version should be mentioned

I want to say how much I appreciate television critic Lorraine Ali’s review of “The Masked Singer,” [“No Secret How Bizarre This Is,” Jan. 4]. However, nowhere in your article is mention made of the original source of this show. “The Masked Singer” is a poor imitation of a popular Korean TV show. I’ve watched the Korean show a few times, and, while I don’t understand most of what is said, I can appreciate the true effort put in by the singers and those who try to figure who the singer really is. The live audience seems to really enjoy it. There is a lot of humor, laughter [and] fun had by all, including the singers.

Charles Wolfe

Sylmar

::

It’s good to see someone give a critical review of a show it appears is going to be popular. By “critical,” I don’t necessarily mean negative, but this type of show appears, at this point, to be scraping the bottom of the barrel.

John Snyder

Newbury Park

::

I always enjoy Lorraine Ali’s writing, never more so than today. She read my mind. Yes, this show is “The latest sign that we’ve hit rock bottom and End Times are near!”

Keep up the good writing.

Sylvia Hamilton

Santa Barbara

Sons of the desert

Thursday, January 03, 2019

Regarding: “Not just resting on their Laurels” by Donald Liebenson [Jan. 3]: As a longtime member of several different chapters, or “tents,” of the Sons of the Desert, I’m delighted to see the resurgence of interest in the work of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy brought about by the film “Stan & Ollie.” We certainly appreciate the articles in The Times highlighting activity and events in and around Southern California. In today’s world, with all of its frustrations and anxieties, the simple and clever G-rated humor of “The Boys” is a most welcome escape.

Bob Duncan

Diamond Bar

The conversation continues online with comments and letters from readers at latimes.com/calendarfeedback

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