Emmy Cancellation: Is It Respect or Fear?

I can respect the decision to nix the Emmy telecast. It was a decision made with great thought. But I think they made the wrong decision.

Awards shows are silly, but they’re our silly. They are trivial, but, ironically, the opportunity to be trivial is profoundly important. And not just as a distraction. As a true expression of part of what makes this country great. We are defined by foolish arguments over who was the best pitcher, about whether Mike should come back and play hoops as much as deep considerations about whether we have faith and in what.

I want to proudly proclaim that today, in the face of this tragedy, I am still interested in what Jennifer Lopez is wearing and whether Ross and Rachel will get married. Yes, I have more perspective today. But that perspective won’t make me feel guilty for silly pleasures.

I won’t go so far as to say the cancellation of the Emmy telecast was a victory for terrorists, because that would be far too trivial and terribly inaccurate. The decision was made with heart. I just don’t agree with it. And, as an American, I intend to get into a very silly argument with someone about it.

JAMES BRUCE

Los Angeles

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I just returned from New York City, where I had gone to sing at a memorial service for a dear friend, Valerie Silver Ellis, a partner at Cantor Fitzgerald who died on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center. I was disappointed by the decision to not forge ahead with the Emmy telecast because our community, as Les Moonves reported, “just did not want to come out and participate.”

After spending a week in New York City feeling the compassion, strength and resolve of New Yorkers, passing every firehouse with flowers and photos of lost firefighters who did manage to come out and participate in their jobs, one can’t help but think this was not just the television community trying to avoid an “inappropriate” situation. In simple words, it makes us look like wimps, fearful of making that walk from the limo to the seat in the Shrine Auditorium.

I think it would have been infinitely more “appropriate” for my 9-year-old son to have gone to bed last night thinking of something funny, ironic and poignant that Ellen DeGeneres had to say instead of [Osama] bin Laden’s words telling him America will never be safe again.

KARLA DeVITO

Toluca Lake

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The cancellation of the Emmy Awards is a blessing! Shows like the Emmys are only for the egocentric Hollywood people who want to publicly praise themselves. It is about time they see how shallow and insignificant their lives are when real events overshadow their fake lives.

Celebrities make millions while others make pennies to defend our freedom. Emmys, who cares!

GINO V. FARRARA

Alta Loma

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Let’s see ... after weeks of careful and well-thought-out presidential leadership, Bush starts the bombing of the Taliban’s horribly repressive, completely evil military machine. My family watches the broadcasts and prays. We are heartened to see America respond to this by continuing on with their lives, not letting fear win. Barry Bonds hits his 73rd, hundreds of thousands of Americans bravely fill football stadiums across America to watch their teams play ... and the actors cancel their Emmys--knowing this program was [to have been] a tribute to the heroes of Sept. 11. This was the time America could have been reassured by the Emmys broadcast the most, and they blew it.

CYNDI VODHANEL

Los Angeles