Laugh

Re "Heat, J. Lo, Ben: Enough's Enough," by Paul Brownfield (July 24): I've been assuming it was pronounced "G-Glee" and was actually about jeans. But then, I live in the Valley where apparently we haven't any dew point at all. Anyway, I got a good laugh from Paul Brownfield's piece. Glen Doll Burbank

U.S. politicians and the news media delight in criticizing Asia for dictatorships, single-party political systems, human rights, etc., a la American style. Two of the most populous countries in Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines, have women presidents now. Asia can laugh at the U.S. civil rights/human rights, a la Asian style. Will the laugh last 100 years? Steve Lau Huntington Beach

This letter is being sent in response to the premature and immature comment printed on May 27 about "In Living Color." Keenen Ivory Wayans is a genius in his own right. He can create a great skit and then make people laugh. Instead of putting the man's work down, I believe we should thank him. In today's society, we need laughter. Wanda Broome, Los Angeles

Thank you for printing the ridiculous quote by David Paul Kane, president of Kennedy Cabot Inc. in the Nov. 13 story, "Ford Emerges as Possible Bidder for Charles Schwab," which also discussed the possibility that Kennedy Cabot might also make a bid for the brokerage firm. I had to laugh when I read that if he were to acquire Charles Schwab & Co., purportedly at a price approaching $300 million, he would "fire everybody." We are a service organization whose greatest asset is the talent and dedication of both management and employees.

So the cost of stupid comedies is going up ["Latest Flop Caps a Painful Year at New Line Cinema," The Biz, Dec. 1]. New Line Cinema's "Little Nicky" cost $80 million to produce and $35 million to foist on a dubious populace--which, alas, probably leaves little in the kitty for an Oscar push. Doing a little basic math, that comes out to about $17.5 million per laugh. Which must surely make Adam Sandler the best-paid comedian in town. PETER LITTLE Monrovia

Quite frankly, I am appalled. Not by "There's Something About About Mary" but by the insipid article that appeared in the Saturday paper (" 'Mary': The Contrary Romantic Comedy," by Judith I. Brennan, Aug. 1). Does Brennan honestly believe that women are only drawn into this film because of its romantic elements? Would it be impossible to imagine women flocking to simply a comedy, or are those reserved only for the boys? Could it be that this is what is wrong with the executives and producers of Hollywood?

Each week, Health columnist Elaine St. James tells us how simplifying our lives can lighten our load--physically, spiritually, mentally and materially. Today, as part of our August plan to de-stress, we excerpt from her bestseller, "Inner Simplicity: 100 Ways to Regain Peace and Nourish Your Soul" (Hyperion, 1995). Here are 10 of those ways. Spend Time Each Day in Nature Many cultures throughout history have thought of nature as an integral and necessary part of their inner lives.

America: Do you feel like laughing? The television industry hopes so because a slew of family, buddy and workplace comedy pilots might be coming to a small screen near you later this year. Despite the cloud of anger and anxiety hanging over the nation because of the ailing economy, the broadcast networks believe the genre is poised for a comeback.

Before embarking on a career as a technology entrepreneur, Dick Costolo took part in an improvisational comedy troupe in Chicago that relied on quick wits to spontaneously prove any wild theory that the audience could dream up ? say Jim Morrison wrote all of Beethoven's symphonies or pop-up umbrellas caused the downfall of the Mayan culture. Costolo is still the king of quip even as he settles into his new role as a start-up straight man for Twitter Inc. in San Francisco. His first update on Twitter after joining the popular Internet service as chief operating officer in September 2009: "First full day as Twitter COO tomorrow.

Digby Wolfe, an Emmy Award-winning comedy writer who helped producer George Schlatter develop "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," a landmark TV series that became an overnight sensation in the late 1960s, has died. He was 82. Wolfe, who later became a professor of writing at the University of New Mexico, died of lung cancer Wednesday at his home in Albuquerque, said his wife, Patricia Mannion-Wolfe. The British-born Wolfe - an actor, writer, singer and comedian whose early career included writing for the BBC's satirical "That Was the Week That Was" and hosting an Australian TV variety show - moved to Los Angeles in the mid-'60s.