MAILBAG:

I don’t understand the fuss about the “Rent” premiere at Corona del Mar High School.

“Rent” is a takeoff on one of my favorite operas, “La Bohème,” which I’ve seen many times; this was rewritten as “Rent” and produced in London by my sister’s stepdaughter, Ginger Montel, and later came to New York (Broadway) where I saw it again, and again at the Performing Arts Center here in Costa Mesa.

Whether you like it or not, homosexuality has been a part of our culture for hundreds of years and kids today are much more savvy about these things than most adults.

So, what’s the harm of putting on a musical by kids who simply like to perform, and perhaps go on to become stars?

With our world in such a terrible turmoil now and our economic situation just as bad, certainly there are more things to worry about than some high school musical. People who don’t like it don’t have to go and others who travel across state lines to protest should get a life and do something worthwhile.

All I can say is “scary!” I read in disbelief that several “Baptists” from Topeka, Kan., of all places, would bother to travel all the way to California to picket a high school drama production! Topped by the ACLU filing suit!

Please. Isn’t all of this about getting in the way of freedom of expression? Certainly in this day and age, our local high school kids are very tolerant of alternative lifestyles, and have the right to express their views in the form of a theatrical production!

Hey, Topeka: Get real. You could have a field day picketing the myriad Broadway productions that portray God knows what different forms of expression! I guess it would be appropriate to just say get a life!

PETE RABBITT

Newport Beach

Why award someone for a dead seal joke?

How could the Orange Country Restaurant Assn. award C. Howie for his sick, sick seal bar joke?

Perhaps its members should travel to Canada to watch the clubbing of the baby seals while their wailing mothers stand by helplessly as the ice is covered with blood.

I am disgusted that anyone would think that was funny.

ANN MERRITT

Newport Beach