Feedback: Kanye, Taylor and Jim Carrey — readers react to celebs getting political

A cartoonish take on U.S. politics

Regarding “The Cartoon Art of Jim Carrey’s Political Fury is Headed to a Gallery Exhibition” [Oct. 14]: This article includes one of Jim Carrey’s ugly sketches of the president of the United States of America. Millions of people voted for President Trump for many different reasons. Maybe because they like having a little more money in their pockets (crumbs) or maybe they want less crime or fairness for all and prefer immigrants who will love this country.

Elayna Vincent

West Hollywood

One museum’s responsibility

I commend Christopher Knight for his entirely righteous outrage over the Petersen Museum presenting Kenneth Robert Howard/Von Dutch without a hint of acknowledgment of the neo-Nazi sentiments over the entire lifetime of this truly low-brow artist [“Petersen Ignores the Bigotry of Von Dutch,” Oct. 11]. The only thing I would want to see added is some mention of Von Dutch’s use of brand commercialism in the production of his cheesy clothing that capitalized on the public’s desire for trendy names displayed prominently on casual clothing items.

We don’t usually concern ourselves with the personal or political views of the person behind a product we appreciate on its own merits. Von Dutch doesn’t deserve that separation of maker from product. The man was a pop-out commercial opportunist who also happened to be a raging fascist. If only the buying public had been better informed and more concerned about their association with schlock that was produced by such an odious character.

TR Jahns

Hemet

*****

If a person’s works or tributes are to be shunned because of objectionable personal views, we’ve got a lot of work to do. Charles Lindbergh was a racist and anti-Semite, so the Spirit of St. Louis will need to be pulled from the Smithsonian and scrapped. George Washington owned 100 humans, so there goes Mt. Vernon and the Washington Monument. Theodore Roosevelt called Filipinos Chinese half-breeds, so there goes that Mt. Rushmore thing. Von Dutch made some interesting, culturally significant art. I think we’re smart enough to separate a person’s works and talents from his or her often unfortunate personal beliefs.

Dexter Ford

Manhattan Beach

*****

Kudos to Christopher Knight on his excellent article deservedly skewering Von Dutch and revealing him as the despicable neo-Nazi he was.

The Petersen Museum needs to acknowledge Von Dutch’s sordid beliefs and they deserve to have their feet held to the fire.

Bill Silverman

Pasadena

When pop stars sound off

My God, don’t the editors of The Times realize that just because someone has an extraordinary ability to sing or dance, it doesn’t mean that their political opinions are important? How could you waste front-page space on the opinions of two people who have no credentials in that area?

While Lorraine Ali’s article [“West-Swift Feud Turns Political,” Oct. 11] does give a brief respite from the Trump-bashing and stumping for the Democrats that usually fills the front page, it’s time the editors started making some intelligent decisions about what is news.

Bob Harbicht

Arcadia

*****

I thoroughly enjoyed this article. A fine point about the absurd convergence of politics and pop culture, but also full of puns and a “devil may care” attitude. Loved it.

Mackenzie Brown

Los Angeles

*****

You declare that Kanye West shills for David Duke’s party of choice [“West-Swift Feud Turns Political,” Oct. 11] but fail to mention that Taylor Swift shills for “antifa’s” party of choice.

An urban rapper “shills” while a country-rooted pop star merely “advises Middle America to vote blue.”

Your use of words make it quite easy for any reader to instantly determine for whom you do the shilling.

Robert Flaxman

Beverly Hills

*****

The journalists at The Times continue to divide with rhetoric like, “… an urban rapper shilling for David Duke’s party of choice.”

And in the next sentence, “Meanwhile, the POTUS is busily talking about the two as our divided nation threatens to split apart over whatever he says next.”

The nation is split not because of whatever he says next. The nation is split between those who love the Republic and those who wish for socialism. Period.

Diane Thornton

Los Angeles

*****

Very well written. It is nice to at least have brilliant writing to enjoy with the apocalypse upon us.

Tim McNamara

Malibu

*****

Funny, well-reasoned and exquisitely written. Thanks for bringing some sunshine to my morning.

Gabriel Gruen

Santa Monica

*****

Just gotta tell you that your writing today was fantastic. I loved how you pulled in song lyrics (clever) into your narrative. Keep writing brilliantly.

Wendy Winter

Altadena

*****

Thank you for such a well-written piece in today’s edition. You made intelligent comments, without rancor, that need to be made. This feud is such a microcosm of today: vanity, arrogance, privilege. The bad boys are still trying to smack down the woman, but my sense with Taylor Swift is she is an empowered woman who will have none of this.

David Osborne

Laguna Niguel

*****

I thoroughly enjoyed your column this morning. Especially your Rachel Maddow line. In just a few words it captures and conveys so many different images and thoughts about political discourse today.

Jesus Armas

Upland

This was a brilliant line: “… the West-Swift drama moved onto the wide stage of politics thanks to an unprecedented presidency where TMZ fodder, hashtag hysteria and beltway machinations all share the same lane.”

Finally, the words “unprecedented presidency” used together.

Maureen McFadden

Santa Barbara

A cartoonish take on U.S. politics

Regarding “The Cartoon Art of Jim Carrey’s Political Fury is Headed to a Gallery Exhibition” [Oct. 14]: This article includes one of Jim Carrey’s ugly sketches of the president of the United States of America. Millions of people voted for President Trump for many different reasons. Maybe because they like having a little more money in their pockets (crumbs) or maybe they want less crime or fairness for all and prefer immigrants who will love this country.

Elayna Vincent

West Hollywood

*****

One of our great joys of Sunday is The Times. However, today we were dismayed and hurt. Greg Braxton deletes Jim Carrey’s uses of the F-word, but left in the use of the holy name of Christ (used as a cuss word). This is a name revered by millions of folks just like my family and me. I would rather have read the F-word than have seen that name defamed in your paper. Please try to be more respectful in future articles.

Paul Deragisch

Corona

Rich musicians complaining

So you have two (possibly three) millionaires who call themselves musicians traveling to the White House to make sure their millions are secure [“Modernization Act Is Music to Industry’s Ears,” Oct. 12].

One of the struggling musicians is wearing 24-karat gold rings and chains and sunglasses that could feed me for three months.

Before artists start complaining about royalties and revenue, why don’t we see what they are spending their money on?

Tim Meadows

Los Angeles

TV highlights that really are

Thank you to Matt Cooper, the sly writer of Sunday’s “TV This Week: ‘The Rookie,’ ‘Charmed’ and more.” I laughed out loud seeing you quote both the Zombies (“She’s Not There”) and the myriad artists who have recorded Joseph Kosma’s “Autumn Leaves.” It’s like finding a mint on your pillow, but without the calories.

Sharie Hartman

Oxnard

‘Star’ spoiler: It’s not scientific

Regarding “Stars Align” [Oct. 5]: I saw the movie “A Star Is Born.” Talk about false advertising. Not once in the film was there any mention of an interstellar cloud of molecular hydrogen undergoing gravitational collapse until a fragment of it condenses into a rotating sphere of gas in which the core turns into a nuclear fusion reactor that converts the hydrogen into helium and releases gargantuan quantities of light and heat as it becomes a star.

Instead, the movie was about singers. While the story and acting were excellent, science fans will be devastated.

Stephen A. Silver

San Francisco

Rock veteran deserves better

Your Rod Stewart article and photos were mean [“Raspy Rod,” Oct. 7”]. They were making fun of an old man, making him look and sound silly. Rod Stewart is a great entertainer, he puts on fantastic concerts, he’s written some of the best and most fun songs in the rock canon.

Please don’t let Mikael Wood anywhere near dinosaur ’60s and ’70s rock stars anymore.

Michel Forrest

Huntington Beach

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