Letters: Jun. 29, 1998

ARTISTS AND ENTERTAINERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

"If you wanted readers to ask, 'Where's what's his name? Why was he omitted?,' you succeeded beyond your wildest dreams." PEG DUNGAN Clio, Iowa

Of course, the selection of the top 20 artists and entertainers of the century [TIME 100, June 8] was a harder choice than that of the top leaders and revolutionaries. There have been so many influential creative people in this amazing century. What is certain is that the 20 who did make your list, along with the runners-up, all left an indelible mark on our world. GRAHAM TUCKER Kiama, Australia

There was a fundamental flaw in your selection process. By beginning your search for the 100 with neat categories and subcategories, you oversimplified a complicated century and avoided the most interesting debates. For example, by allowing room for only one writer and one visual artist, you begged the questions, Are writers and artists equally influential? Is a TV host as important? Could there be a second writer whose influence outweighs, say, Bart Simpson, your choice as cartoon character? You effortlessly sidestepped these questions. And so again an interesting idea is dumbed down for an impatient society. PETER MARTINO Roxbury, Conn.

Your cover art says it all: the decline of the West. GEORGE HAMILTON North Vancouver, B.C.

I was particularly impressed by the profile of "the Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin. You explored her legendary career in depth and noted her ties to gospel music. Not to disparage the excellent essay on black female blues singers, I do have one quibble. The true liberators of black female singers were the great gospel women. Their vocal and physical expressions were a potent, yet separate, part of the patriarchal church. Mahalia Jackson once said, "Anybody singing the blues is in a deep pit yelling for help." And she also commented, "Gospel music is nothing but singing of good tidings--spreading the good news. It will last as long as any music because it is sung straight from the human heart." Isn't that the essence of Aretha Franklin even to this day? WAYNE TRUJILLO Lakewood, Colo.

A wonderful, ironic commentary on the quality of American culture. R. TIMOTHY O'SULLIVAN Rialto, Calif.

Your selections were tilted toward the second half of the 20th century. Radio and its influence should have been given more prominence. It was one of the century's major sources of entertainment and reigned for 30 years. Without radio, there would have been no TV. Radio first brought to prominence Jack Benny, Amos and Andy, Ozzie and Harriet, Bing Crosby, Benny Goodman, Lucille Ball and Edward R. Murrow--not to mention the creation of the soap opera, newscast, quiz show, talk show, domestic comedy and live sportscast. Not bad for one little medium. GERALD NACHMAN San Francisco

Why did you include that trite, tiresome hoax of the nonexistent "versatile artist" Cranford Glimp? It was demeaning to the genuine achievers you profiled and insulting to your readers. ROBERT BRIDGES Houston

You made very biased and disputable choices. It seems that with few exceptions, only Anglo-Saxons counted. PIERLUIGI SANGIOVANNI Milan, Italy