Calendar Letters: Hollywood could not have written this ending
Hollywood lays an egg at the Oscars. If that wasn’t the most botched, obnoxious, ridiculous, embarrassing, and poorly planned and coordinated presentation for the best picture Oscar — I don’t know what was! Talk about a letdown to cap off a somewhat pleasant evening. A blockbuster ending it was not.
Rick Solomon
Lake Balboa
I’m usually a cynic about show biz, but that was the best Oscars telecast I’ve ever seen. Fun and surprises. Politics were there but not obnoxiously so. Kimmel’s bits were hilarious. And the final blunder poked a hole in the pomposity of the event, showing the pointless absurdity of an awards show and leaving Hollywood’s self-loving sanctimony in a haze of confusion.
Stan Evans
Glendale
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One may rationalize an Oscar standing in the clouds in defiance of gravity on the front page of the Sunday Calendar [Feb. 26], but the moon is impossibly and conspicuously reversed.
Astronomically alert,
Dr. E.C. Krupp, Director of the Griffith Observatory
Los Angeles
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Apparently we are now living in a time when experience and expertise is considered irrelevant to doing a good job — in Washington, D.C., and in Hollywood, as “La La Land” is lauded for its stars’ performances. I have seen stage musicals and old movie musicals in which the lead actors were “triple threats” who had studied and mastered acting, singing and dancing for years or decades. I know for certain that young performers like that still exist (remember Billy Elliott?).
Phyllis Rubin
Wynnewood, Pa.
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In the run-up to the Oscars, the newfound diversity of the academy and nominees has been in the news. While this is laudable, the real story is the lack of minorities in the production end of the industry: the people one sees on sets, from lighting techs to boom operators. Here in Acton, where I live, there are numerous shoots for various productions. What I have noticed, is that on the typical set the only people of color are the security guards. One would think that as we approach the 25th anniversary of the riots, this so-called progressive industry could take more steps to eliminate the “white privilege” that seems to define it.
Roger Way
Acton, Calif.
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In anticipation of political statements at this Sunday’s Oscars, host Jimmy Kimmel said, “I don’t think anybody’s doing this to make themselves more popular. The easiest thing they could do is go up there and wave the American flag.”
Really? OK, I challenge any speaker to pull out Old Glory, wave it proudly and announce that you want to see America made great again.
Of course that won’t happen. Diversity of thought is the kind of diversity that is not acceptable to Hollywood “progressives.” Too bad.
Ken Grow
Newbury Park
Women are just fine as they are
I appreciated reading “‘Battle of the Sexes’ Rages On,” [Feb. 22], about the opera based on the Billie Jean King/Bobby Riggs tennis match, but I was disheartened and offended by the author’s closing line regarding what we should do in response to sexism in our current culture: “In other words, whatever your particular talent or medium, grow a pair and get ready for the fight.” I watched the King/Riggs tennis match on TV and I attended the recent Women’s March in L.A. In both cases, I witnessed women (in L.A. hundreds of thousands of them) who did not need to grow any part of their anatomy in order to be whole, strong, and courageous.
Deborah Ventura
Ventura
Al Yankovic shows respect
Bless Al Yankovic for being a good and decent performer and for asking those he parodies for their permission before releasing [So Much More ‘Weird’ to Cover,” Feb. 26]. And he’s a really funny guy, a good example of what those in the public eye should follow. Respect. I wish him a long successful career.
Rick Mervis
Porter Ranch
A better show at new circuses
It is with great delight that I read about the creativity and humanity that is now expanding the circus experience without exploiting wild animals such as elephants, lions or tigers [“Fresh Takes on the Circus,” Feb. 21]. Wild animals should never to forced to perform humiliating tricks to entertain.
Elaine Livesey-Fassel
Los Angeles
Women missing at the L.A. Phil
Regarding “What’s It Like to Hear L.A. Phil Play Your Music in Disney Hall? These Teens Know” [Feb. 20]. Congratulations to those young men, but where are the young women? I would be interested to find out how many women composers entered the competition and maybe even some insight as to why women are underrepresented in this field.
Susan Christiansen
Santa Clarita
Judd Apatow on the small screen
Regarding “Trying Standup When You’re Falling Down” Feb. 19. For those of us who love movies but don’t watch much TV, Judd Apatow’s move to the small screen is a godsend. He all but destroyed the romantic comedy. Compare and contrast the delightful “Moonstruck” and “You’ve got Mail” with Apatow’s dreadful “Knocked Up” and “Trainwreck.”
Alan B. Posner
Santa Barbara
An ‘Odd Couple’ in rotation?
During your interview with Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti [“Costars Bond Over Power Plays,” Feb. 22], they suggested doing “The Odd Couple.” They are both great actors, and I think this is an excellent idea. They should do it on stage and, for an extra double dare, switch roles every other performance. Let’s put those fun acting chops to the test, and we can all go see them twice.
Bill Mann
Burbank
Robert De Niro’s stellar acting
In response to the letter saying that Robert De Niro is a one-note actor [“Calendar Feedback,” Feb. 19], check out “Raging Bull,” the comedies “Meet The Parents” and “Analyze This,” “King of Comedy,” “The Mission,” “The Deer Hunter,” or “Godfather 2.” De Niro has demonstrated his range of roles from drama to light comedy but never losing his basic persona, which makes him a star of the first magnitude.
Dennis Wong
Van Nuys
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