Time to buy a tape recorder
I was egregiously misquoted by your writer Arnold Wayne Jones in his story about WaterTower Theatre’s production of the baseball-themed play “Take Me Out.”
As an actor and a 30-year sportscaster, I was asked by director Terry Martin to assist him in the production to ensure athleticism and accuracy.
In a wide-ranging interview with Martin, actor Ted Wold and me, the conversation turned to how many gays there might be in professional sports.
Jones has me saying, “I can name seven players I knew personally who are not just rumored to be gay, but who absolutely are.”
What I actually said was that during my time as a broadcaster for the NFL Houston Oilers (1978-81) I knew of five or six players who were heavily rumored to be gay, but I didn’t know the truth one way or the other, and I didn’t care! [Emphasis original.]
Before we began our discussion, Jones told us that, because he finds them difficult, he doesn’t like to use a tape recorder when he conducts interviews.
I think it’s time he got one.
Mark Oristano
Dallas
Mr. Jones re-checked his notes after Dallas Voice received this letter, and he stands by the quotation as it originally appeared Ed.
PBS and NPR in trouble
Right now Congress is considering President Bush’s federal budget, which includes over $200 million in drastic funding cuts to public broadcasting a staggering 38 percent cut compared to previous years. And more than half of these cuts are funds already approved by Congress.
Public broadcasting plays an important role in every American community including ours. It’s estimated over 30 million Americans tune in to a public radio station and more than 80 million Americans watch public television each week. But public broadcasting is at a serious risk.
While viewers and listeners, business and foundation underwriters, and state and local governments provide very important contributions to support public broadcasting, nearly one dollar out of every five in 2006 is provided by the federal government.
President Bush’s proposed budget, which drastically cuts this amount, could put our local public radio and TV stations at risk.
Over the next few months, Congress, and particularly the House Appropriations Committee and its subcommittees, will approve actual spending amounts for programs like public broadcasting.
If they agree to Bush’s proposed funding cuts, our local stations could be shut down.
It’s critical that supporters of public broadcasting communicate with Congress before the appropriations subcommittees finalize their funding recommendations.
This is made easy at a website dedicated to public broadcasting, www.TellThemPublicMatters.org. You can also find out more about the issue and keep up-to-date by visiting this site.
Lee Evans
Dallas
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, June 2, 2006.