No one should be surprised by the slop that was presented in the guise of entertainment at the recent American Music Awards, the disgusting sexual display put on by "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert. The blame lies not as much with the perpetrator of this television atrocity as it does with those who have an insatiable thirst for all that is tasteless, base, offensive and undignified.

Mr. Lambert hails from a program in which voyeuristic audiences tune in not in the wholesome spirit of legitimate old-time television talent programs like the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour" or "The Arthur Godfrey Show," but largely to watch woebegone contestants being humiliated.

Money-driven, amoral entrepreneurs have consistently pushed the envelope in order to promote various forms of media indecency, and society has not pushed back. The notion that there were once broadcast standards is laughable today. Situation comedies with inappropriate themes, blatant sexual connotations and coarse language command the television dial. Movies and radio are no better.

We have become desensitized to so many deleterious influences that would have been unthinkable to promote just a generation ago. If we believe that there is no price to be paid for this phenomenon or that it has no effect on society, we are fools.

Oren M Spiegler
Upper St. Clair

I just finished seeing "Twilight: New Moon," and I thought it was very well done and too harshly rated (" 'New Moon' Rising," Nov. 20).

I thought the fight scenes were very well done and choreographed and was extremely impressed with Dakota Fanning's debut as Jane and Michael Sheen as Aro. So everything Barb Vancheri wrote or saw in the movie was total bupkis.

To be a movie critic, you need passion and a good attention span of details. I think I make a better critic than any of those in the field.

Robert Drew
Indiana

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.