The Bloom is off the rose: My show, The Rick Bloom Show, was reviewed by your journalist Robrt L. Pela, who invited me to his home for an interview in early September of this year. The article that resulted from that interview was published in late November, nearly nine weeks later ("Sonic Bloom," November 20).
During the nine weeks before the publishing date, I repeatedly contacted Mr. Pela by instant message that the show's format had changed to news/talk and that I was no longer performing any parodies, bits or morning-show humor. He ignored me, never listened to the show, and refused to update the interview. I repeatedly e-mailed to him about the format change and improved guest list at least once a week. The article was a preconceived, close-minded attack resulting from ignorance and laziness.
Mr. Pela obviously didn't want the facts to get in the way of a story. There were numerous misquotes, and the questions were edited to make the piece "edgier."
Mr. Pela's excuse for a feature article was mean-spirited, lazy and totally inaccurate. Further, not only did he fail to mention my extensive educational and vocational background and experience (licensed attorney and Realtor, and an owner of a successful home health-care agency in Phoenix), but he didn't even mention the time of the show, 6 to 9 a.m. on KFNX-AM 1100, nor did he live up to the promise that he mention news director Dale Silverman's important contribution to the show.
Finally, the article was a disservice to your readers; to my staff, who have worked hard to produce the best news/talk show possible; and to the station that has contributed greatly to the success of the show.
Rick Bloom
Via e-mail
Editor's note: In the column, Robrt L. Pela quoted Rick Bloom as calling Phoenix a "hick town." In fact, Bloom was referring to an old TV program starring Martin Mull about the mythical hick town of Fernwood.
Jesus Freaks
Let he who is without sin . . . : I saw your story on Tupac Shakur, and I must say that I am highly outraged ("Holy Crap," Charles Gray, November 20)! How in the world can you find the justification to compare Tupac to Jesus, and then actually state that Tupac is a better person, or example to live by?
Jesus is the savior of this corrupt world, Tupac was just a distraction. Granted, he had good points in his music and had a strong voice, but he is nowhere close to Jesus Christ. Tupac died, and that was it. Jesus was resurrected from the grave, but I don't expect you to understand that. See, people get caught up in things of this world that aren't set to last, and a prime example was Tupac. The way he was living, he was set for doom; it is sad that it happened, but it did. The only people who are trying to keep Tupac alive are the ones in need of money, and they are misdirected and confused.
Tupac can't save anyone, only Jesus can, but articles like this are clouding the mind of individuals who just don't know about Jesus yet. The only reason that people are trying to be like Tupac is because they see a profit in it, and the Bible talks about the love of money as the root of all evil. So even this trash of an article is probably written with profit in mind because you are just writing what people want to hear -- lies! Something to just make them feel better about not living right. Keep up the good work; you are leading readers to hell.
Michael Reed
Phoenix
No gripes here: I recently read the article about Tupac. All I have to say is that this was an excellent article, and kudos to the author!
Karee Baugh
Via e-mail
Garbage in, garbage out: In the article, Charles Gray states: "I, however, have my own postulate . . . Tupac is Jesus." Honestly, now, doesn't the paper have an editor? Do you honestly allow this type of garbage to be printed in your paper? It's bad enough that someone would make an idiotic statement saying that Tupac, a self-proclaimed drug-dealing gangbanger who happened to rap, is Jesus. What's worse is someone being allowed to get this crap printed in a newspaper.
Here, read this excerpt and tell me that this isn't horrid: "But Tupac isn't just similar to Jesus. He's better." People are entitled to their opinions, but this kind of garbage belongs in a cult following's mission statement, or someone's own personal memoirs, not a local newspaper.
I'm not an evangelist, nor am I any type of religious fanatic; however, I recognize garbage when I see it. Apparently nobody there does. I sincerely hope your paper gets many negative reviews for allowing such nonsense. Tupac may be many things to his fans -- role model, cultural leader, best rapper, etc. But let's not get carried away here, Jesus he is not.
Josh Taggart
New York
