Please Heather, I love reading you (and I do not even own a TV!), but I didn't even finish this article yet before I wanted to say PLEASE PLEASE do not use a comparison to a 10-year-old girl as a deragatory expression. There is plenty of that crap EVERYWHERE, putting down young girls, they are not stupid and have important thoughts too. Your vocabulary and poetry is much more expansive than such a cheap shot. Ok that said I'll finish the article.

Many times I read Salon precisely because of the letters the articles generate, they often give me other perspectives I hadn't originally considered.

Since my post generated several direct comments, I'd like to respond. The "10-year-old" comment is no different than "throws like a girl". This isn't an issue of a young girl actually reading Heather, it's the general acceptance of using that very tired attitude.

The comparison wasn't made to Paula alone - it was made about the "endless chatter" of "media professionals and demi-celebrities". I could care less about Paula Abdul and the whole damn American Idol crap. I'm sure she does act like an idiot - the majority of people looked to for so-called "insights" on TV do. That's the whole reason I gave away my TV in the first place, it's mostly an endless stream of chatter and drivel (a computer with an internet connection and DVD player is much more satisfying). Heather is an AWESOME writer and I don't need to watch regular TV programming to appreciate her pop critiques. But look - anyone's talking is annoying chatter when you don't want to hear it, and unfortunately most people just don't want to hear what a 10-year-old girl says, because girls are not considered valuable people culturally, and that's exactly what this comment reiterates. Throws like a girl, talks like a girl, ugh. There's nothing PC about it.

not that it makes a difference after all these letters before me but I am one momma who did not allow my son to be mutilated at birth. known plenty of dudes with foreskins and they didn't have problems.

what's with all the hostility and name calling here?

The "Fresh Air with Terry Gross" interview with the director is very enlightening. To shame to all the nay sayers who say these horrors are so untrue