Speaking his beautiful mind to writer Benjamin Svetkey, cover star (#633, Jan. 4) Russell Crowe won over readers, who couldn’t get enough of the guy from Down Under. ”What excitement I [felt] when I pulled Russell Crowe out of my mailbox!” exclaims Meredith Gladwell of Miami. Of a similar, er, mind was Grace Spenser from Nashville. ”It’s nice to see an interview that gives Crowe a chance to tell his side of the story. Others may see him as difficult, [but] we see a man passionate about his craft.” Readers also enjoyed our ”In Memoriam” tributes. Says Sherin A. Abraham of Dallas: ”The Memoriam successfully praised the achievements of artists who passed away in 2001. I appreciate the coverage of such incredible people.”
Crowe’s Feat
If ”Counting Crowes” is any indication, Benjamin Svetkey is the best interviewer on your staff. His questions were fearless and incisive. He was respectful of Russell Crowe’s privacy, but not afraid to ask for information outside of what’s in the press kit. Kudos to Svetkey for taking a head-on approach to a star with a reputation for being reticent and difficult.
Joshua T. Nite
mightybjorn@hotmail.com
Phoenix
It’s refreshing to see a celebrity who is down-to-earth and speaks his mind. The cover was fabulous—it melted the snow on my mailbox!
Veronica Parker
Talfe@aol.com
Louisville, Ky.
Thanks for the no-b.s. interview with Russell Crowe. It’s nice not to be bored by another cliche-heavy article full of empty compliments and mushy praise of the actor’s costars and directors. Give me arrogant any day….He seemed more real than many of his peers!
Kimberly Corso
kimmiddle@aol.com
Sandusky, Ohio
Mr. Crowe should not worry about tabloids making him seem like an ass because he does that so well on his own. Thanks for providing a portrait of him in his own words—it has greatly diminished his appeal as an actor for me, no matter how good he thinks he is.
Mary Fabrizio
Maryfabrizio@aol.com
Greensboro, N.C.
All-Star Tribute
The ”In Memoriam 2001” article was especially touching since many tributes were written by other actors or musicians. As a huge Kevin Spacey fan, it was very personal to me to read his piece on Jack Lemmon. He was one actor who could make me smile no matter how bad my day had been. Thanks for a great tribute; this is one issue I won’t throw or loan out.
Michelle Moorhead
shadaram@hotmail.com
Oklahoma City
In your list of those who left us this past year, you omitted John Hartford. One of his last appearances is on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack—and he’s clearly the star of the accompanying documentary, Down From the Mountain. He is missed by musicians, river rats, and countless friends.
Anne Arenstein
Cincinnati
Thanks for your remembrance of Jason Miller. Though he spent most of the past two decades out of the limelight, its glow still clung to him, and he generously shared that with Scranton, Pa. I don’t live in Scranton anymore, but I know that without Miller, my hometown will never be the same. Jennifer Kearney-Strouse
jkstrouse@hotmail.com
Narberth, Pa.