Letters in edgewise - The mailbag

I'll never forget the day the Daily Press’ former editor told me I should submit my work on the same day every week, "for your readers." At the time, my semi-stunned reaction was, "I have readers?" Two years later, I’m still amazed that anyone takes the time to read my stuff; and it blows my mind whenever someone recognizes me from this column. They say a good opinion piece is like a conversation with the reader and, as much as I love and appreciate my readers, I’m glad the conversation is relatively one-sided. That said, I thought I’d take the opportunity with this last column of 2008 to respond to some of my favorite e-mails (if it goes well, maybe I’ll empty my mailbag more often). So Happy New Year, dear readers, be safe and I’ll see you in 2009!

"Amazing the SMDP allowed you to waste a whole page with your hate. You twisted more facts in this story than Bush did to justify war. Gee Kenny, I guess Shaq gets a full pass from your manure-filled timeline, and you imply that Jackson is about $$$ only. It would have been kind of novel and interesting if you had written the piece from the perspective of a transplanted Easterner rooting for your team among all of us native Angelenos, but you choose the hate road and filled in the piece (I really mean it) with your nasty hatred. The laugh is going to be on you when Pau and Lamar dominate the middle and the Lakers take this series quickly,"

Michael A.

If I was going to "hate," I would have brought up the fact that the Lakers’ signature athlete almost threw his life away over some Plain Jane from Colorado when his goddess of a wife was at home taking care of their new baby. Or I would have mentioned that Phil Jackson would have never come back if he wasn’t sleeping with the boss’ daughter. I didn’t. As the great Yogi Berra said, "prediction is hard, especially about the future." Don’t let the fact that I’m so good at it make you believe anyone can do it.As much as I appreciate the tip on how I should have approached the subject, I can’t take advice from a guy who was so wrong about so much. Still, you’re welcome to join me at Sonny MacLean’s for the Celtics/Lakers rematch in February.


"I was reading your column in the Santa Monica Daily Press, and I just wanted to let you know that there is a recurring misprint. In your short biography section at the end of the column it lists you as ‘comedian.’ Clearly, youmeantto write ‘talentless hack.’ You are the absolute worst. Never have I seen a more frustrating, worthless, stale piece of regular drivel than your God awful rants. I didn’t realize that mining 10-year-old tapes of the Tonight Show counted as comedy. I can’t even imagine what a bore you must be in real life.

I find reading your self-indulgent tripe a constant reminder of the fact that Los Angeles is an intellectual wasteland. Not only do people like you feel that you have editorial-worthy opinions, somebody at an actual newspaper agrees!"

Dustin B.

You probably meant this to be hurtful, but I actually enjoyed it because you admit that you read me regularly and I’ve clearly struck a nerve. And if I’m such a "talentless hack," what does the fact that you keep reading (and took the time to write this e-mail) say about you?


"Well, Kenny, you are the man for predicting the fabulous day for America. I was so nervous, but watched the TV last night with hope. What a night and what a great thing for America and the whole world! God bless you, Kenny Mack and God bless and keep Barack Obama. We are going to see some class in the White House. We have an ethical, brilliant man in the White House at long last. I am very grateful for what this presidency means for us, and in particular for my granddaughter, who asked me what ethical means. I said it means doing the right thing no matter what it costs you. I am the happiest woman in the world."

Marilyn B.

If you’re not going to the Inauguration, I’ll be happy to mail you a postcard from D.C. so you can have a little piece of history to give to your granddaughter. I’ve had to respect your gangsta (as the brothers say it) ever since you wrote, "I don’t care if (rappers) paint the White House black, or green or purple as long as President Barack Obama is sitting in the Oval Office in January 2009." That’s a bold statement from a self-described "Senior white woman," and I want you to know that you are, by far, my favorite reader.