If Actors Can Be Presidents, Why Can’t They Be Journalists?

Why are the top journalists at ABC so upset that the president was interviewed not by them but by Leonardo DiCaprio, an actor, when those same journalists spent eight years interviewing an actor as president (“ABC to Air Parts of DiCaprio-Clinton Talk,” by Elizabeth Jensen, April 12)?

Back in 1980, to no avail, I warned anyone who would listen that electing a broken-down, old, third-rate film hack to the White House would make a mockery of the presidency; 20 years later, the process of turning politics from anything serious into pure show biz has now simply come full circle.

And why not? We have long practiced this lunacy that actors--people who make their livings by pretending to be other people--actually have something of value to say. For years after retiring from TV, “Dr.” Robert Young expressed amazement that people asked him for real medical advice, as if his “Marcus Welby, MD” role had actually taught him medicine. What’s next, “Fail Safe” veteran George Clooney for secretary of Defense in the next administration?

THOMAS E. BRAUN

Palmdale

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This is only an issue because Leonardo DiCaprio is a sex symbol and not known for his journalistic ability. If Oprah Winfrey was interviewing the president, nobody would blink an eye. Of course, she’s acted in plenty of movies (and has an Oscar nomination for “The Color Purple”).

This flap is about egos, not journalistic integrity. ABC News staffers should examine the size of their heads.

CHIP HUTZLER

Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

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Unlike Diane Sawyer or any of her news colleagues at ABC, Leonardo DiCaprio has the ability to get many young people to watch a program on the environment. I think this makes him a good choice for the job of interviewer. I also think he will show more mature judgment than Sawyer and her older associates who were involved in the famous Elian Gonzalez interview.

DON BENDER

Burbank

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If ABC thinks that Ted Koppel, Peter Jennings or any of its stable of aging, white male reporters wouldn’t garner Generation X viewers to watch its presidential Earth Day interview, rather than hiring a Hollywood star for the job, perhaps ABC needs to employ some younger, colorful reporters and make stars of them to appeal to the young and colorful generations coming up.

KATHI SMITH

Ojai

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I got a laugh out of Howard Rosenberg’s column “Not a Trained Reporter? Just Act the Part” (April 12). Time to talk with some of your news media friends and get off your high horse.

What about the “flip side”? Why is it OK for L.A. news people like KABC’s Harold Greene and Laura Diaz to get all dressed up and interview movie stars before and after the recent Academy Awards show? I thought they were supposed to be “serious news reporters.” How can we take the anchors and reporters seriously when they are delivering news if I remember their frivolous Academy Awards coverage?

In Australia, they call them “news readers.” Seems like a more appropriate job description to me.

KATHY DAVIDS

Hawthorne

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Rosenberg forgot to mention the first host of “Good Morning America”: actor David Hartman. He did an excellent job at it too!

DAVID BATTERSON

Palm Springs