Her kind of talent lasts

THANK you for the terrific profile of Shirley MacLaine [“Unsinkable,” Nov. 27]. Sure, she can afford to be extra-esoteric out in the desert, but she’s still complex, smart, funny and realistic (sort of). She also, sadly, seems to be among the last breed of actors and actresses who have something interesting to say, maybe because she came of age at a time when genuine talent actually meant something in Hollywood or when paying dues was part of making your way up.

It is very hard to imagine a profile of Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton in 30 years that would leave one thinking, “What a savvy old pro she is -- and still so talented.”

Keep dancing, Shirley.

CHRIS EPTING

Huntington Beach

Epting wrote the upcoming “The Ruby Slippers, Madonna’s Bra, and Einstein’s Brain: The Locations of America’s Pop Culture Artifacts.”