Believing in Magic

I applaud Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s “I’m happy with me” attitude--his real “magic” (“ ‘Magic Hour’ Third Failed Try to Copy Hall’s Success,” by Greg Braxton, Aug. 8). When I watched “The Magic Hour,” there were moments when I cringed at his fractured statements and lack of hosting skills.

However, I relished the quality of genuine sincerity that Magic radiated--precisely because he wasn’t a polished performer. I’m sick of canned and slick shows.

SUSAN CAMPBELL

Los Angeles

The cancellation of “The Magic Hour,” “Vibe” and “The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show,” despite what some Hollywood execs would like to make us believe, was not because America doesn’t want another black talk-show host. Those shows were rejected for the same reason Chevy Chase, Jon Stewart and Stephanie Miller were: They stank!

As an African American, I want to see more than anything else a sharp rise in the number of blacks on television, but not at the cost of perpetuating some of the worst stereotypes imaginable.

Maybe one day those analretentive folks who run Hollywood will finally pull their heads out of their butts and realize that blacks and whites want pretty much the same thing when it comes to television: quality programming. Stop thinking in terms of race and start thinking in terms of people.

ANTHONY GARNIER

Marina del Rey