Lighten up, pal
As one of the comedians who contributes to Stand-Up University at Governor’s comedy club in Levittown, I must admit I was pleased when Voice writer Stacy Albin told us she wanted to do a story about our comedy class. But when her article appeared [Class clown, Nov. 4], it was replete with nasty portrayals of some of our students and imbecilic factual inaccuracies. Imagine writing that Andy Kaufman, Jerry Seinfeld and Lenny Bruce “perfected their material on Long Island?” Where might that have been? The original Improvisation in Deer Park?
I ask Generation X’er Albin and her editors to ponder just for a brief moment whether or not it is possible for relentless snide condescension to reach a point of overkill in which it ceases to be an effective journalistic technique and becomes simply mean-spirited. At one point when she visited us I lightheartedly asked the deceptively friendly Ms. Albin if she’d ever like to try stand-up comedy. “Oh no,” she replied, “I’d be too scared.” Well, it might interest Albin to know that all comedians starting out are scared but at least they have the courage to face their fears and accomplish something they’ve always wanted to do. Or course, it’s much easier to retreat behind a word processor to mock and demean.
Peter Bales
East Northport
A smile is a frown turned upside down…
As a graduate of Stand-Up University I am disturbed by your recent article about it. If it were not for people like Peter Bales, Rich Walker and Steve Lazarus, people like me would never get to fulfill a dream of being on stage and making a crowd laugh. Since graduating I have performed at the Brokerage comedy club several times and Governor’s twice. If it were not for Stand-Up U., I would not be able to come up with the material I have. Peter and the gang teach the basics of set up and punch, but also give inside secrets that most comedians take years to figure out. I think your article was biased and unfair. For a paper that claims to be pro-Long Island you are pretty anti-Long Island, and anyone that doesn’t kiss your illiterate asses you blast and ridicule. I think the LI Voice should go back to where it came from–under a rock!
Vinny Araducci
Huntington
Stayin’ alive
I will tell you about Gianni Liberatore [Disco infernal, Clubbed, Oct. 28]. He and his friends thought they ruled the clubs, hanging out at the hot corner of the bar with bottles of Dom Perignon or Cristal lined up, staying at the club until Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” came on. Those were the days. It was fun, but now we are all in bed by 11.
A guido wife in Florida
via e-mail
Truth, justice and the political way
I was just deeply involved in a political campaign, one of many over the years. This one, though, was so different from most of them. For one thing the candidate was so superior to the vast majority of people I have known in my lifetime and for another, the opposition sank to a new low for even the Suffolk County Republicans. The personal attacks were uncalled for. Jon Cooper made no secret of the fact that he had a domestic partner and together they had adopted and were raising five wonderful children. The last-minute attack on him about Judeo-Christian values was typical of unthinking people. If the attackers’ religious values were so great, they would have known that God doesn’t make mistakes and the way Jon was created is between him and his God. What he has made of himself is a credit to himself, his parents and his life partner. The way they are raising these children is a beautiful thing to observe.
Thank God the electorate of Huntington was wise enough to reject the vicious attacks and elect to office a man who will make us all proud to know him and love him. Most people who know Jon don’t only like him, we love him. Jon and Rob add so much to the lives of everyone they know.
Dolores Malone
Dix Hills
Combing through history books
Regarding Stacy Albin’s article The mullet [News, Oct. 21]: The hairstyle popularized by Rebecca de Mornay, Geddy Lee and Joey Buttafuoco has been known as the Mullet since the latter half of the 1980s, or perhaps none of you remember the campus of Nassau Community College when it was full of “mullet heads.” I first heard of the Mullet from the Beastie Boys, but I do recall seeing a picture of a Mullet-like Native American in a savings bank sometime during my early childhood. One thing is for certain: The Mullet is as Long Island as glittered unicorn sweat shirts and as charming as hearing WBAB mention your hometown over the airwaves right before it plays Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” This cut was also known as the “shlong,” because it is both short and long.
James Yerry
Locust Valley