Letters to the Editor

What You Say

Death in the Family

Your look back at Philadelphians we lost in 2009 [Cover Story, "People Who Died," Jan. 7] neglected to mention Cathy Crimmins, the humorist/satirist/memoirist whose writing career started in the pages of the City Paper. A look back at her prescient social commentary and heartbreaking personal narratives reveals a writer who should have been way more famous and a voice that went silent way too early.

I really liked the in-depth story that you did about people who died this past year, especially how you outlined many great Philadelphians. The one thing that I was extremely upset about was the omission of "Mr. Movie" Steve Friedman. I completely understand that you had A) a lot of people on the list, and B) limited space. I do believe though, that such a Philly institution should not be over looked.

Steve was a man with encyclopedic recall and could tell you about the most obscure movies. He taught at Temple, and had one of the longest-running radio shows in the area.

Again, I understand the constraints. But to leave this man off of such a notable list is nothing short of a crime.

I was once just like [Brian Howard] — a Philadelphian who only briefly looked up at the Mummer's Parade [Editor's Letter, "Broad Jump," Jan. 7].

A few years ago, a sportswriter at the Daily News convinced me and one of our photographers to march with him in the Froggy Carr brigade of wenches. I rationalized it as an anthropological experiment, a chance to see the parade from inside the parade. Then I did it two more years in a row, just to make sure my experiment provided an accurate assessment.

You should definitely march next year. It is a culture. Happy New Year.