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Sunday, May 3, 1981

Richard Grayson letter in The New York Times Book Review: "Mass Sensibility"


Richard Grayson and his brother Jonathan Grayson have a letter in the New York Times Book Review today (May 3, 1981), "Mass Sensibility":

To the Editor:

In his review of Michael Arlen's "The Camera Age" (April 12), Robert Brustein supposes that the literary sensibility and the mass sensibility never meet in today's world. He poses the question, "How many readers of this review can actually identify the lead actresses in 'Laverne and Shirley,' or the host of 'The Price is Right,' or the central characters in 'Dynasty' -- names that are bywords to millions of fellow Americans?"

In the interest of healing the great American cultural schism, we thought we'd answer Mr. Brustein's questions: (1) Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams; (2) Bob Barker (formerly Bill Cullen); (3) Denver oil tycoon Blake Carrington, his unfaithful wife, homosexual son and nymphomaniac daughter.

These were easy. Can we come back next week and try for more prizes?

JONATHAN GRAYSON, RICHARD GRAYSON, Davie, Fla.