Right--but Wrong

It was with anticipation that I had been awaiting the arrival of “Monty,” Fox Television’s new series, starring Henry Winkler (“A Little to the Right This Time,” by Judith Michaelson, Jan. 9).

It had been my understanding that during development of the series, a recurring gay character appeared and then disappeared, a fact Michaelson confirmed. So I was interested to see what the final product would present.

As the article mentions, the Monty character does use “pejoratives” for gay men. As the dictionary defines the word: “having a tendency to make or become worse: disparaging .” Why is it that lesbians and gays are now the brunt of our humor?

Marc Lawrence, creator of the series, says that making Monty overtly racist would “make me sick to my stomach.” If that is the case, why is it still appropriate to promote other bigoted attitudes? One’s sexual orientation should not always be a joke, just as one’s ethnic background is not a joke. The problem with “gay” jokes is that much of that humor leads to bashings of people who are gay or may even just look gay.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is concerned when the media continue to allow disparaging descriptives for groups. We will watch “Monty” and hope that his character becomes more educated about how to treat fellow human beings.

LEE WERBEL

Manhattan Beach

Werbel is the executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/Los Angeles.

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I watched the first episode of “Monty” with doubled anticipation. First, as a longtime fan of the Fonz, the character Winkler created on “Happy Days.” Second, as a Libertarian, to see if the production could manage to pull off a script that is advertised as being about an archconservative talk-show host but that co-producer and liberal Democrat Marc Lawrence describes in your article as having a “political philosophy (that) is actually libertarian.”

While it remains to be seen whether the Monty character actually begins to take some Libertarian positions on future episodes, he has soundly flunked my basic Libertarian test on the very first.

And that test is tolerance . The measure of a true Libertarian is in his or her tolerance of the behavior of other humans that does not involve force, fraud, invasion of privacy or initiation of an adult contract on a minor. Monty’s attitude and rude behavior toward his son’s new girlfriend indicate a total lack of inherent Libertarian manners.

Perhaps Lawrence could find out what Libertarians are really like in the same manner available to others: by calling the Libertarian Party of California’s toll-free information line. It’s in the phone book.

LARRY LEATHERS

Redondo Beach

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LimoLib Winkler, who became filthy rich during the Reagan-Bush years, now intends to capitalize (get richer) on the huge success of conservative Rush Limbaugh, who exposes liberals’ hypocrisy and their failed programs.

Is Winkler, like so many other liberals, finally realizing that socialism is a wasteful blunder that has squandered trillions of our tax dollars? Only a dumb Fonz could’ve voted for Slick Willie.

By the way, will Limbaugh be listed as co-creator and receive compensation? Not from so-called liberals. They only spend other people’s money.

SID REDISH

Hawthorne

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When Winkler’s co-producer admits that “we’re mostly liberals writing this show” but believes that they’ll “give fair credence to what we perceive (conservative) views to be,” no wonder I’m leery that “Monty” will just be an “Amos ‘n’ Andy” for conservatives.

What’s the ideological equivalent of blackface, and will it work or just insult?

JOHN PAUL ARNERICH

Los Angeles