Letters

Published: Thursday, January 29, 1998

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