LETTERS TO L.A. LIFE; THE NOT SO COMICAL COMICS.

Dear L.A. Life: After reading ``Letters to L.A. Life'' (Jan. 9), I have to make some comments: ``Dinette Set,'' ``Zippy' and ``Mallard Fillmore'' are all excellent. ``Dinette Set'' is one of the funniest comics I've seen.

If you wish to drop any, let it be ``Brenda Starr'' and ``Dick Tracy,'' which for too long have fallen to being politically correct.

- Robert Kennedy

Camarillo

DEAR L.A. LIFE: Statistically, one would think that, with all of the changes you make to your offering of comic strips, you would occasionally make an improvement. Apparently not so. You have shot yourself in the foot - again - with the latest revisions. Bring ``Shoe'' back forthwith!

Of the three new offerings, ``Six Chix'' holds promise and should have a three-week trial (giving us three looks at each of the artists).

``Randolph Itch'' is definitely in the bottom percentiles. It is better than ``Dinette Set,'' and it's best panels are perhaps comparable to ``Flight Deck'' on a bad day. ``Superzeroes'' is so bad, it makes Bill Griffith (``Zippy'') look like Charles Schulz by comparison.

Granted that ``Broom Hilda'' and ``Motley's Crew'' have not been terribly original lately. But you don't seem to hold that against ``Between Friends'' or ``Drabble.'' And all of these are still better than ``Itch'' or ``Superzeroes.''

- T.H. Falconer and family

Saugus

STAPLES CENTER SOUND RUINS CONCERT

Dear L.A. Life: I attended the concert of the Divine Miss M. recently at the Staples Center. I have seen her several times before and enjoyed each event. She is absolutely Divine.

What I didn't expect was to attend two concerts in one - the one from Miss Midler and then the other, three-quarters of a second later, that bounced off the arrogance of the sky boxes at the far end of the arena.

I wasn't alone. All those I spoke with around me had the same complaint - the echo. It made it very difficult to understand much of what Miss Midler had to say and sing. There was much ``What did she say?'' going on. My seats weren't half bad, either - two-thirds of the way back from the stage and halfway between the floor and the sky boxes.

My other complaints are about the narrow passageways from the concession area to the seats, an indiscreet VIP entrance and a light above the far side sky boxes pointed directly at our seats. What purpose that light had, we don't know.

The Staples Center is a wonderful tribute to overpriced, whiny athletes and their corporate, pompous sponsors. The caste system is developing nicely here in L.A.

I urge everyone to attend concerts at other venues in L.A. or Orange County. You'll hear what you came to hear ... only once, though.

- Sonny Klamerus

Northridge

NO SUBSTITUTE FOR 'REAL' LAUGHTER

Dear L.A. Life: A writer to Ann Landers (L.A. Life, Jan. 2) defends those irritating, obnoxious TV laugh tracks by stating ``it has been scientifically proven that when OTHER people laugh, you are much more likely to enjoy the scene or the joke than when you are laughing by yourself. Things seem a lot funnier when you are aware that others are enjoying them, too.''

Those ``others'' on the laugh track are not ``enjoying'' what we are viewing. It is phony, canned laughter as everyone knows. It is turned on for practically every line spoken, every move made. A laugh track could be played during a heinous crime. Does that make it ``funny''?

Then Ann adds, ``laughter is good, not only as a social lubricant but for physical health.'' That is true, but only when it is ``real'' laughter, not when it is phony, canned laughter. A while back, I read where the inventor of the thing wishes he had not.

- Jo Haver 

Van Nuys

CAPTION(S):

Box

Box: L.A. Life welcomes letters from readers on subjects of general interest. They are printed on Sundays.

Letters must be signed and must include the writer's home address and telephone number.

All are subject to editing and condensation. They can be printed only with the writer's true name.

Mail letters to: L.A. Life Letters, Features Department, Daily News, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, Calif. 91365-4200. You also can fax us at [phone], or e-mail us at dnlalalife(at)aol.com.