MAD AS HELL: THE SEQUEL

While $500,000 a day is a wondrous figure to bandy about, Nicholson obviously doesn’t drop that into his bank account each evening. As an example (on a much smaller scale, of course), I recently worked one week on an episode of “Matlock.”

I “made” $5,400; however, after paying an agent, a manager and tax deductions, I ended up with $2,600--not even half. (But it may help compensate for the $125 a week I’m being paid in the Equity production of “The Survivor.”)

And though teachers are an incredibly important part of our society, so are police, firefighters, nurses, etc. Should actors give each of them 10% of our salaries also--until we’re all the “starving artists” we’re “supposed” to be? Who decides which profession is more important than another?

Most of the actors I know are caring, generous, sensitive people. They donate lots of time and money to many social and environmental organizations to combat our “staggering social problems.” Let’s get the people in Washington and Sacramento to address the issues of education reform instead of begrudging a profession where a bare percentage makes the kind of salaries Belinski is talking about.

DAVID KAUFMAN

Los Angeles