Not their Brand

Nice picture of that scarecrow, Russell Brand on the front page of Calendar (“Sex Is the Brand,” by Ann Powers, Sept. 10). I find his remark about Gov. Sarah Palin being a VILF (he should be so lucky) to be quite offensive. Her views on abstinence or abortion notwithstanding, she has a right to her private life, and I feel this cretin Brand crossed the line from humor to disgusting.

Don Daniels

San Diego

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What a waste of space. The column gleefully lionized a potty-mouthed Russell Brand, whose appearance at the MTV awards had all the charm of a child flinging around the contents of his diaper. Apparently, Powers likes that sort of thing, calling it “friskily filthy.” Personally, I find it beyond offensive that a simple-minded egotist from abroad thinks it his duty to instruct us on politics, religion and chastity, and equally pitiful that Powers thinks his conduct is deserving of celebration.

Chuck Horan

Glendora

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You see, once again, with Brand’s help, the Brits have ordained themselves as the progressive liberal intelligentsia while looking across the Atlantic as if we were a redneck nation. I hate that as much as I hate the fact that they are absolutely correct about our puritanical hypocrisy.

Given how far we’ve come in pop culture and barrier-breaking humor, I resent the fact that a forced on-air apology for a joke about virginity would somehow be required. Further, it would seem to me that such sensitivities, and the participation of the Jonas Brothers in general, would be more appropriate for Nickelodeon than MTV.

You make a great point in citing the irreverence of previous performers, including the punk rockers. Even the Sex Pistols and the Ramones performed on stages built for them by earlier pop pioneers.

Strange world it has become that we must now retract jokes about teenage virginity as if they were as harmful as cartoons of Muhammad.

Gil Rishton

Malibu