Jerry Lewis, warts and all

Re James Verini’s “In the Kingdom of the Clown” (Jan. 2): Great writing and pictures too. Beautiful layouts. I think the writer’s description of [Jerry Lewis’ Las Vegas neighborhoood] the Scotch Eighties perfectly describes where Lewis is at without any judgment.

My family and almost all the adults I knew disliked him and Dean Martin -- first, for not serving in wartime, and second, they felt Lewis made a living mimicking the handicapped, the disabled, the less fortunate and ethnic minorities. I was told that the backlash against his acts is what made Lewis take on the telethon -- to offset public criticism.

Mike Salisbury

Venice