Thursday, January 29, 1998
Letters
Jokes in bad taste
This letter is in response to Mark Shapiro’s Jan. 27 article
titled, "Commercials, food make Super Bowl so special." I was
annoyed and dismayed to read comments such as, "the king-sized
Queen Latifah" and that "next year, (the Super Bowl half-time show)
be called the ‘Weight Watchers Tribute to Motown.’" Queen Latifah
is a successful, confident, beautiful woman. What right has Shapiro
to pass judgment on her or anyone at all based on his or her
weight? It is comments such as these that contribute to people
becoming anorexic and/or bulimic. Some people, such as Princess
Diana, manage to overcome their eating disorders. Others, such as
Karen Carpenter, become fatalities.
Not everyone can have the model-perfect "ideal" build, women or
men. Some people have a propensity to be heavier, some to be "too
skinny." It’s in their genes. In other times, the large, extremely
curvaceous figure was the ideal. Ever hear of Botticelli’s
ample-figured Venus? She is the goddess of love and beauty, the
final word in physical perfection – and not at all skinny.
Shapiro’s articles are usually well-written and entertaining.
However, this article crossed some lines of decency (not to mention
the poor taste of comparing Gilbert Brown’s navel to that of Chris
Farley, considering the comedian’s recent demise). However, making
fun of people’s weight did not add to his article. Shapiro may have
had the intention of being cute and funny, but his article turned
out to be offensive and hurtful.
Martine Bernstein
Second-year
English and Italian
Just be a fan, not a nuisance
I am writing in response to the letter to the editor ("Standing
up for UCLA," Jan. 23), by Ryan Tamm.
As someone with first-hand knowledge of the situation, I can
accurately portray the situation. Tamm stated, "My friends and I
got to the game two hours early to get good seats, and I refused to
sit down just so lazy people who show up later can sit down."
Since my "lazy" friends and I arrived at the game only one hour
early, I find it hard to believe that we got seats directly behind
these so-called "fans" who had been there a whole hour earlier.
My definition of a Bruin "fan" is one who goes to the games to
support his or her school with one’s fellow students. These
so-called "fans" were so rude and obnoxious as to warrant the
attention of an elderly usher (Irene Scott) because they were the
only ones in the section standing.
After countless attempts by the entire section to courteously
ask the three "fans" to sit down, one of the students responded,
"Every one of you can kiss my ass!"
The usher politely, then forcefully, asked the three students to
sit down because they were blocking the view of the rest of the
section, and they responded by yelling at her. I didn’t feel the
need to be standing for the entire two-hour game to show my
support. Several alumni members, seated in the section adjacent to
us, showed their support for Irene by calling her over to agree
with the unnecessary and extremely unruly behavior of the three
students.
In response to Tamm’s statement, "UCLA’s triumph over USC’s
basketball team Wednesday night was ruined for me," I object. What
about the other hundred or so of us who had to strain our necks to
see around you and ignore the profanities you were shouting at your
fellow students and a poor elderly woman who was just trying to do
her job? It is people like you who give college students a bad
name.
If standing for the entire game is the main criteria of a "true
fan," then clue in the other eleven thousand spectators sitting in
Pauley Pavilion that they are not true fans.
I am proud to say that the rest of the entire student section
had enough decency and respect for our school, our alumni and our
basketball team to behave as real "fans."
Gloria Todd
Fourth-year
Communications Studies