CHICAGO — First, I just want to say that I have really enjoyed [Steve Johnson’s] writing for quite some time. It’s consistently funny and smart, informed and literate, and achieves the elusive quality of breeziness, without apparent effort — which of course is the only way you can be breezy.
That said, I have a specificbone to pick with his review of the Medici documentary (“`Medici’ paints vivid picture of the family,” Feb. 11). He says, “It’s almost stunning that filmmakers so finely attuned to period detail and good storytelling would employ such a ham of a narrator.”
Maybe, as a performer, I’m oversensitive (ya think?), but it sounds to me as if you assume the producers/director and their great program were somehow irretrievably hijacked by the hamminess of the narrator.
In fact, one can virtually guarantee that if the tone of the narration was excruciating, that is only because it was specifically directed to be that way, period. In this business, the “talent” serves at the pleasure of the director, who serves at the pleasure of the producers. They get what they want and if you don’t provide it, you’re out.
It seems clear from your description that the producers wanted to “sex up” their history for broad appeal and the narration was directed to that end. My point being that it is unclear — and probably unfair — to say that they employed “such a ham of a narrator.”
Far more likely, they employed a good narrator and ordered the ham a la carte from his menu, which he then dutifully served them.
— Mark Richard
Something for everyone
WEST ORANGE, N.J. — I’m glad [Julia Keller] did a story on the demise of “Playmakers” (“Requiem for a heavyweight ESPN drama,” Feb. 10). It’s very sad.
One thing I loved about the show — it was a program my boyfriend and I could share together. He loved the fact it was about sports and the actual game of football, I loved the drama and the focus on relationships. There are few shows that can accomplish that.
— Ashanti M. Alvarez
Giving `charity’ a second look
CHICAGO — Thank you for your articles about the Tvind/Gaia “charities” (“Promising the Earth,” Feb. 12, 13). I am grateful for the information provided.
I must admit I am quite ashamed of myself for not looking into the groups more thoroughly — that is to say at all — before making donations. I’ve seen the bins all over the city and suburbs, and have seen the group’s large storefront on Milwaukee Avenue. Somehow this equated to “legitimate” in my mind. Hardly an acceptable assumption for someone with a research degree, but I believed in the inherent good of people — and guess I just assumed it was on the up-and-up. How naive of me.
— Koren Ganas
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