Golden Globes fell short of expectations

Re coverage of the Golden Globes awards, Jan. 18: I was excited as I tuned in to the Golden Globes show but emcee Ricky Gervais changed that fast. His monologue was so offensive I switched channels fast.

A.J. Buttacavoli

Oakland

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Too bad the Golden Globes award show was marred by the inglorious appearance of presenter Mel Gibson, James Cameron’s inglorious “I have to pee” remarks and some of host Ricky Gervais’ inglorious jokes.

Carol Polk

Dana Point

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How nice it might have been if, instead of talking about his urinary habits, James Cameron could have given a well-deserved nod to Peter Jackson’s Weta studios in New Zealand for their innovative and revolutionary digital programs and groundbreaking visual effects techniques.

Kay Dangaard

Beverly Hills

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Jeff Bridges wins a Golden Globe for best actor?

I’ve never seen him change his expression, even when lighting a cigarette.

Edward Golden

Northridge

Giving credit for ‘Blind Side’

In her otherwise well-reported article on “The Blind Side” [“Making ‘Blind Side’ Was a Real-Life Drama,” Jan. 17], Rachel Abramowitz gives direct credit to everyone involved in the process of making “The Blind Side” a success except for “an agent at CAA [who] slipped the script to Molly Smith” and “Alcon waited six weeks while [an agent at] CAA extracted ‘The Blind Side’ script out of Fox . . . . “

Credit for the former should go to Scott Greenberg, and for the latter to David O’Connor. I think it’s important to give credit directly where credit is due.

Robert Bookman

Creative Artists Agency

Los Angeles

Popular actresses do win Oscars

Susan King’s thesis that “it’s difficult for mainstream actresses to win acting Oscars” is full of holes [“Oscars Not Really a Popularity Contest,” Dec. 31]. She bizarrely cites only Audrey Hepburn and Gwyneth Paltrow as exceptions, and would probably say that Olivia de Havilland and Sophia Loren “frumped it up” to win their Oscars, as she says about Grace Kelly, but what about Claudette Colbert, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Vivien Leigh, Greer Garson, Joan Fontaine, Jennifer Jones, Susan Hayward, Elizabeth Taylor, Julie Andrews, Julie Christie, Barbra Streisand, Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Meryl Streep, Sally Field, Cher, Halle Berry and Reese Witherspoon -- all huge movie stars, most of whom won for very mainstream films?

She also presents lists of “some legendary stars who never got a nomination” and “legends who earned only one nomination,” but neglects to point out that, with two disastrous exceptions, Mae West stopped making films in 1943 (just 15 years after the first Oscars were given); Jean Harlow died at age 26; Marilyn Monroe died at 36, and Carole Lombard died at 33.

As for Hedy Lamarr, Kim Novak, Ava Gardner and Lana Turner, all were great beauties and even great “stars,” but I’m curious for what films she thinks any of those women should have won Oscars.

Adam Lazarus

Los Angeles

Will Met success help others?

A reported 240,000 viewers saw the Metropolitan Opera’s HD transmission of “Carmen” in theaters [Quick Takes, Jan. 19]. Great news for the Met, an exciting viewing experience for opera lovers and undoubtedly some additional revenue for the opera company. No one can deny the exhilarating experience of watching these extraordinary telecasts at a nearby movie theater.

But the big question for this lifetime lover of “live” opera is the effect all this will have on attendance at the major American opera houses in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Houston as well as the many regional opera companies, all of which are fighting to survive in these difficult economic times. The Met may build an audience for opera but will it be only for themselves?

Earl Schub

Sherman Oaks