Love/Hate Mail
Jon Stewart would be proud
I sort of expected the standard Scene elitist, condescending nugget: “Lottery tickets are now available in Tennessee, and poor citizens who can least afford them are expected to flock into retail outlets staking their fantasy life on picking the right numbers. No doubt most will be disappointed” (News Briefly, Jan. 22.). But finding a Tennessee Lottery advertising insert in the same issue was a bit surprising. I guess one should never let principle dam a revenue stream.
Pete McPherson
ptmacp@yahoo.com (Pegram)
Do the Dean people ever sleep?
Whoa there, little Dobie! I think you’re giving more credit to the Iowa caucuses than is their due. Before writing “Chaos Theory” (Jan. 22), did you bother to research how many times the winner of the Iowa caucuses has gone on to receive the nomination? I’ll tell you: not many. Those who were in Iowa the night of Dean’s non-concession speech have a slightly different take than those whose primary news source is television (your own words, Mr. CNN). He was rallying his troops after a sobering, although ultimately inconsequential, defeat. Where you get “brutality” I have no idea. Actually I have a pretty good idea. To counter the amazing grassroots support gained though the Internet campaign you mention, the right-wing media persist in clinging to the idea that Dean is too angry. Those of us without country club privileges, poodles or other bourgeois trappings such as yours feel that there is a lot to be angry about. St. Augustine said that hope has two sisters: anger and courage—anger at the state of things and courage to change them.
Dean is just angry enough and courageous enough to get Bush II and Big Business out and the People in. My hope rests in Howard Dean.
Joel Rose
477 S Front St., Memphis
Finally...
I’ve never seen such a reaction to any article in your paper as all the letters written in reply to Bruce Dobie’s article about Howard Dean (“Why I Can’t Stand Howard Dean,” Jan. 15). But being a conservative, I loved his article and found it very refreshing. After a steady diet of the megalomaniacs the Democrats are offering us, we are starting to miss Bill Clinton.
Bill Carter
over99per@wans.net (Nashville)
Hey, it was just a thought
Shame on Martin Brady! Making the recommendation in his review of Weekend Comedy that actors should “try to create characters that are as daffy as possible” and for the director (me!) to force my “charges to create some over-the-top distraction” for this very sweet, very romantic comedy is just ridiculous (“Comic Episodes,” Jan. 22). He should know that a production is built on the script—if it’s not in the text, “forcing” anything on it doesn’t make better theater. He should know that “kookiness” is not for every situation. Anyone who comes to Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre will be treated to a hot meal, a splendid salad bar, a huge table of delectable desserts, a wine list and full-service bar. The show is played by four very competent professional actors—not amateurs “hamming” for laughs.
We may have disappointed Martin, but this production is for thinking, feeling people who know that theater can be a source of inspiration and personal growth. It’s also very funny. I can’t imagine how he didn’t hear the laughs coming from the people all around him. Maybe he was just too mired in his misery to have a good time. What a shame.
Denice Hicks
denicehicks@comcast.net (Nashville)
There’s a scene, just no audience
No jazz scene in Nashville? How about Chester Thompson, Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, George Tidwell, Mark Douthit, Chris Brown, Chris Walters, Barry Green, Futureman, The Wooten Brothers, Adrien Belew, Rod McGaha, Roy Agee, Jim White, Derico Watson, Beegie Adair, Roger Spencer, Lori Mechem, Jim Ferguson, Jim Williamson, Joe Gross, Steve Herrmann, Doug Moffett, Jim Hoke, Pat Bergeson, Don Aliquo, Tom Cherry, Nioshi Jackson, Jack Pearson, Jack Silverman, Chris West, Alana Rocklin, Johnny Neel, Jody Nardone, Steve Kummer, Manny Yanes, Rahsaan & Roland Barber, The Nashville Jazz Orchestra, Liz Johnson, Rebecca Sayre, Annie Sellick, Orkesta Mondo Pingus, Nashville Jazz Workshop. Do I really need to go on?
All you need to do is open your ears and eyes to understand that there are some of the greatest musicians in the world playing great music right here in our own front yard. Improvisation is the mainstay of jazz and other forms of music, and the styles have blurred and morphed into something wonderful and mysterious. Improvisation is the backbone of today’s contemporary music as well with groups like Radiohead, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Phish, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Norah Jones, Tortoise, Bjork, Ornette Coleman, Pat Metheny, Prefuse 73, The Roots, free-style rappers, poets, etc. Take a chance and you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of talent and musical diversity that exists here. I would be happy to recommend some great music to people interested in furthering their listening. Please send me an e-mail if you are interested.
Jeff Coffin
dolphy444@aol.com (Nashville)
Correction
Feng shui consultant Holly Tashian’s rates were misquoted in last week’s Scene (“A Centered Life”). She charges $100 an hour for offices and homes, and most consultations are one-and-a-half to two hours long. Also, in our “Best Products and Practices” piece, we misquoted the price of Hyper-C Serum at Wild Oats. It runs just over $33. We’re not so good with numbers. Sorry.
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