WEDNESDAY'S LETTERS: 'History Boys,' Little Replaces Colbert, Carpal Tunnel

By: E&P Staff In today's letters, a reader responds to Greg Mitchell's recent column on the "History Boys' movie, an assertion that "Treo Thumbs will be the next ergonomic nightmare for journalists, and a vote of confidence for the choice of comedian Rich Little as performed at the White house Correspondents dinner.

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On the Abuse in 'History Boys'

My wife and I also had a spirited discussion about this aspect of the movie (we didn't see the play) and some differences with my parents. Our back-and-forth, however, turned on the plot. Why did the author choose to have "Hector" perish on his motorcycle if not to pass some kind of divine judgment on his predilection, we thought. After Hector essentially blackmailed his way out of punishment for his actions, he is struck dead in a kind of deus-ex-machina way -- and on the very motorcycle he used to further his pederasty. We saw that as the author's acknowledgment of the wrongness of Hector's actions, but one that did not overshadow the larger themes of the movie and the good Hector had done in other ways. My parents saw that line of reasoning as ludicrous, and contended there was no such message in the movie. They pressed the point that others have about the "normalness" of pedophelia at British schools, and left it at that.

In either case, this was worthy of discussion by critics and in our estimation was unfortunately overlooked.

Anthony Moor

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The New Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Never suffered from carpal tunnel, but I've got an annoying case of "Treo thumbs" right now.

Those damn devices are addicting, and ergonomically they're a disaster

Ken Sands
Online publisher
www.SpokesmanReview.com

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Rich Little Not So Safe?

Just read about the choice of Rich Little for this year's WHCA dinner. I have no problem with that choice; he's a fine comedian -- and if I were he, I'd be insulted about being labeled "safe!" But in view of Mark Smith's comment that he had plenty of fallout from Stephen Colbert's performance last year, I wanted to weigh in (better late than never?) and let you and?Mr. Smith know that I thought Colbert was absolutely BRILLIANT. And frankly, appealing to the Bob Novaks of the world is the last thing the WHCA should use as a gauge when choosing entertainment.?

M. C. Goldstein
Plainsboro, N.J.