LETTERS TO L.A. LIFE : COVERAGE OF OSCAR NOMINATIONS DRAWS BAD REVIEWS.As a 10-year reader of the Daily News, I have always enjoyed reading your L.A. Life section. And as a teacher, the paper is a valuable tool in my classroom where I share it with the students two days a week. I was looking forward to your coverage of the Oscar nominations. I was disappointed in the blurbs under each nominee's pictures in the Feb. 11 edition (Oscars '98). There was no writing credit given next to the photos, so I'm writing a general letter. With all of the information available to the press, especially in Hollywood, I found the comments shallow, sophomoric soph·o·mor·ic adj. 1. Of or characteristic of a sophomore. 2. Exhibiting great immaturity and lack of judgment: sophomoric behavior. and insulting. Thousands of people support these actors and directors in the making of these films. All of the nominees have long histories of doing outstanding volumes of work (with the exception of newcomer Matt Damon). I find it irresponsible of management to allow a writer who wasn't even given credit to decide to be a critic for a day. I don't agree with his ridiculous, sarcastic comments. They make a mockery of the nominations themselves and also the academy. Bernandette Haderlein North Hollywood Probably the only reason for a critic to exist is to fill space. Bob Strauss' ``analysis'' (and who needs it) is just more whining from a person who has theatrically self-imposed himself one notch below God. Strauss' biggest beef, well-closeted midway through the article titled ``Indies won't die in the `Titanic' tide'' (L.A. Life, Feb. 11), is about which gay role should have been honored, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. his taste. Then he proceeds (as will Jesse Jackson Noun 1. Jesse Jackson - United States civil rights leader who led a national campaign against racial discrimination and ran for presidential nomination (born in 1941) Jesse Louis Jackson, Jackson ) to proclaim that no black was nominated, never mind if there were none of Oscar quality. Hey, an Iraqi or Korean wasn't nominated this year either. Since when should skin color preclude whom should be nominated? His Oscar review claims Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (born November 11 1974[1]) is a three-time Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning American actor who garnered world wide fame for his role as Jack Dawson in Titanic. was snubbed in ``Titanic'' because of jealousy. The entire movie business is predicated on jealousy, so that idea is hardly newsworthy, and those who voted were not impressed by a teen-age-looking leading man splashing about in a landlocked landlocked adj. referring to a parcel of real property which has no access or egress (entry or exit) to a public street and cannot be reached except by crossing another's property. ship beached on the shores at Rosarito, Mexico. Strauss' analysis is again out of whack when he states ``Good Will Hunting'' was calculated for a ``mainstream audience.'' Really? A script which spouts off the ``f-word'' some 50 times or more to make one point is hardly pleasing to those remotely mainstream, who go to the movies to get away from what they heard in the streets. His ``artistic risk'' nomination is ``Boogie Nights,'' a porn film expose taking place in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Oh yeah, we really need that kind of risk-taking. About as much as the world needs Strauss' critiquing. - Paul Vaughn Paul Vaughn is an American actor, most notable for his recurring role as "Paul" on ten episodes of the American situation comedy, Cheers. He also made guest appearances on television series including Fantasy Island, Three's a Crowd, and I Dream of Jeannie. Van Nuys Talk-radio history lesson from guy who was there I am responding to the letter by Charles Comstock (Letters to L.A. Life, March 1). I very much appreciate his frustration with what he considers the deplorable condition of radio programming in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . He cites Joe Pyne as an example of all that was good and right with the airwaves back in the 1960s. In 1969, I was a ``kid'' editor for Hartwest Productions, the national syndicators of the Joe Pyne radio and television shows. I knew the man and his circumstances. With no offense intended to Mr. Comstock ... a few corrections. Joe Pyne was on KLAC, not KFI KFI Key from Image KFI Key Facts Illustration (UK financial services) KFI Kraft Foods International KFI Korea Fire Equipment Inspection Corporation KFI Key Frame Interval KFI Kernel Function Instrumentation . Although he had been a Marine, he did not lose his leg during the war. He damaged his knee in a Jeep accident on V-J V-J Victory over Japan (also seen as VJ) Day, and three years later cancer took his leg. In 1970, cancer took Joe's life. Having known the man, I don't think he'd be rolling in his grave from anything other than laughter. Not that he would enjoy what is on the air now, but he'd be roaring at the state of affairs that has made this kind of programming a hit. My heart goes out to you sir. In the early 1980s, I was a talk-show host at KMPC (the first time KMPC was talk-radio). I was on from 9 a.m. to noon following Robert W. Morgan Robert W. Morgan (born July 23, 1937, died May 22, 1998) was a renowned disc jockey who was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1999. He did most of his work in Los Angeles, California at stations such as KHJ, where he was known as one of the "boss jocks" that dominated the Top . Of course, this was a KMPC with ratings, personality and even some dignity. We were sly, but never crude. Today, innuendo innuendo n. from Latin innuere, "to nod toward." In law it means "an indirect hint." "Innuendo" is used in lawsuits for defamation (libel or slander), usually to show that the party suing was the person about whom the nasty statements were made or why the comments and double-entendre have been replaced with IN YOUR FACE. Perhaps, what you're hearing on the air is a good reason to turn the radio off and start talking to your friends. Wouldn't it be something if talking to each other actually showed up in the ratings? - Brent Seltzer Studio City |
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