Mr. Rotten’s Hoax

One would think that L.A. Times’ Richard Cromelin would have caught on to Johnny Rotten’s current hoax (“Johnny’s Only Partly Rotten With Public Image Limited,” Dec. 5).

Knowing the sort of contempt Johnny has held for his audience in the past, one would be inclined to question any of his material. Cromelin too easily accepted Johnny’s sincerity.

PiL’s presentation--a psychedelic stage enhanced by brightly colored clothes--was a complete contrast to the audience, which was filled with much of the late ‘70s punk imagery. This was Johnny’s way of making the crowd feel ill at ease with their own image.

He mocked rock idol worship by pandering to cliche antics of the inflated egos of today’s popular rock world. The sing-alongs and hand-clapping interludes are Johnny’s way of showing his contempt of the trendy, bored and socially ignorant middle class.

His message is that of a bleak world doomed by epidemic ignorance caused by too many people following others’ thoughts unquestioningly. A world of apathy doomed to an escalation of yesterday and today’s illnesses.

While Johnny does not profess to have any answers, he does encourage everyone to face up to the world’s problems instead of resigning oneself to the world’s fashion show. He laughed at those who played along to his “new found” rock showmanship.

The hand-clapping, sing-along, and prancing around the stage like a bad Duran Duran imitation was nothing more than a well-executed and elaborate prank.

A well-conceived joke on us all.

LAURENCE G. WILCOX

MICHAEL J. SANDOVAL

Los Angeles