Taste Makers

In the Dec. 24 article “The Eighties Taste Makers,” Calendar writer Lawrence Christon selected Eddie Murphy and Roseanne Barr to represent comedy. These choices seem to relate to Christon’s reference to “seething mean-spiritedness” in his Page 3 article in the same issue, “Putting the ‘80s Behind Us.”

Barr has announced that she will stop male-bashing in her stand-up routines. Murphy, however, has carried his old-fashioned female-bashing from the verbal to the physical in his misogynic movie fantasy, “Harlem Nights.”

The Murphy item in “Taste Makers” states that “his stardom had nothing to do with the small range of his acting.” If Mr. Christon had wished to mention comedians who are also talented actors, he could have chosen Oscar nominees Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg or Steve Martin. Robin and Whoopi also deserve credit for their humanitarian efforts.

BOB FARLEY

Hollywood