Letters from VIDIOTS

Letters from VIDIOTS

MORE VEEJA YS!

You wanted letters? Well, you have one now.

I don't normally purchase Videorelated magazines, my tastes being aimed toward more literary mags, but I was perusing one that my younger brother bought, and came upon your article on MTV. Being addicted to the only 24 hour rock V roll channel, of course I had to read the thing.

For the most part, I agreed with DiMartino's opinions oh the videos shown on MTV. I, too, feel that the live videos are relatively boring, and that some bands should be heard and not seen. But you left out a very important part of MTV. What's that? The V.J.s!

If you're going to write anything about MTV, you should write about the channel's personalities. Of course, not all of them are as nice to look at as Alan Hunter, but they deserve to be heard too!

Carla Lottis

Adrian, Ml

"WRITERS"?

I DON'T BELIEVE IT! A publication associated with CREEM that can actually improve! Really, guys—number one was Suck City. Why the hell ya letting East Coast slime do so much anyway? What do they know? Gay bars, that's what they know.

I did notice one unfortunate trend, however. Moronic writers—/o' sho'! Johnson and DiMartino are the worst of the worst of the CREEM-style "writers." They do not belong in VIDIOT! They belong at the aforementioned eastern bars. As for the others, John "Smoker's" Hack and Steve Kenyon probably play videogames with diving bells on. The only one I could understand was Kevin Christopher. Almost forgot—Louis Sleagle? Who you think you're kidding?

Faron Nuff

Garden City, Ml

Louis is unavailable for comment.—Ed.

FUN TO CHIAN

I liked your article about how to cheat on videogames because let's face it, it's more fun to cheat than to play.

You mag's’pretty good, but you should have more pictures of girls like the one on the last page.

Other than that, you should write more about MTV and lots of the new home games. A lot of people don't know which games are which. You should also have a lot more color, too.

Jay Sedrish

Los Angeles, CA

FIRE IT UPI

I read in your magazine that your reviewer doesn't care for MTV, well, I haven't seen anything so far to beat it, so I wonder just what you're getting at. There isn't just heavy metal on MTV, like

Please address correspondence to: LETTERS FROM VIDIOTS P.O. Box P-1064, Birmingham, Ml 48012

you put down .38 Special, but there's new wave and even country—whattaya want, anyway? Why don't you do something on behi nd the scenes at MTV or how they choose their videos, and what the veejays are like—particularly J.J. Jackson and Martha Quinn? We've had MTV for quite a while here, and the rest of the country is just now catching up —you'd better do better coverage of them or else! Better that than the zillionth article on Donkey Kong and how to play it — whoopee, my little brother should be your AA correspondent if that's what you want. Is Rick Johnson the same guy who

is always "Rock Critic Of The Year" in CREEM? What'd you do fire him? hahahahahahaha.

Laura O'Neill

Ann Arbor, Ml

This Rick Johnson is a "deep guy. "—Ed.

FROG "HER"?

You know in "Why I Hate Arcades" where John Richardson says to jump on the lady frogs? He doesn't mean what I think he means, does he?

Also, Ben Pupko's House of Bedspreads would never advertise with you after making fun of him.

Whitey Louiston

Troy, Ml

We're aware of this.—Ed.

WATCH IT!

My son brought home a copy of your magazine from his favorite arcade. I happened to page through some of it and I can only say, it's disgusting. Especially the man grabbing the lady's rear end in the "Arcade Injuries" article. You probably think your nasty humor goes right over the heads of your younger readers. Not so. When I heard my son and his friend laughing about "fruit scented erasers" and big twerps, I was appalled. You probably won't print this but I hope you at least read it and reconsider the direction of your magazine.

Mrs. H. Johnson

Orlando, FL Sure. Now what?—Ed.

MESSAGE FROM SMURFETTE

Regarding J. Kordosh's story on "offing the tube," everyone knows it's hip to blast out a TV screen. If I were a rich person, I'd do it aII the time, especially during reruns of The Brady Bunch. I only wish that Kordosh wouldn't have quoted from Albert Goldman's book on Elvis, giving it more publicity than it deserves. Everyone knows that Goldman is a slime.

Jean Bath

Memphis, TN

MORE ROCK VIDEO

I thought your second issue of VIDIOT —the one with E.T. on the cover—was far superior to the first issue. Especially enjoyed the colorful art and Dave DiMartino's article on rock videos. My only complaint: if your magazine is supposed to be about home video, why not include reviews of the latest in video cassettes and video discs? I personally think you devote too much space to video games, and would like to see more articles similar to the one on rock vidiocy.

Ben Marceneau

Pittsburgh, PA

HIGH SCORES

One of the things that I don't like about lots of the video mags now are that they make too much of a big deal about arcade players. I have one friend who's really good on Robotron and played for hours once—then I saw a mag saying that some kid held the record, but my friend's score was higher. Just because some players don't feel like making such a big deal out of how good they are doesn't mean they aren't just as good as the people who do.

Bud Gangemi

New York, NY

"X" AND VIOLENCE

Having bought the second edition of VIDIOT, I feel inclined to write and complain about the lack of coverage on cable TV, and on adult films.

With all of the new cable stations that are becoming available in the US, I am one of the many curious, wondering which systems to subscribe to. I also would like to know more about individual cable channels, and what they have to offer.

And, which adult films are worth renting? Are there any worth purchasing? Perhaps a monthly review section on films for 18 and over could be helpful.

I will continue to buy your magazine, as it is one of the more upbeat video magazines offered. I only feel that it could be aimed at a more adult audience. There's more to the new technology than video games.

Peter Caldwell

Oregon, OH

WHAT IS MTV?

I think your video magazine is OK. But you shouldn't have any of this rock 'n' roll crap in it. Mick Ronson is a Vidiot? Who the hell is Mick Ronson. And I thought your crappy picture of Steve Bishop meant the whole article was about him. I've never seen that MTV you're talking about. Do you have to have your TV hooked-up special like?

Jerry Bick

Beechmont, CA Only to watch the Don Henley videos.—Ed

CABEL, MABELI

I have just finished reading your second edition, and I think that you have come leaps and bounds since your first issue. My question is, why the emphasis on videogames?

There is a whole slew of things to feature in your magazine besides videogames. (In fact, it seems that the games are just rehashed and rehashed.) More information on cable systems is needed. I admit I don't know much about discs, and what they have to offer, and I would really like to know more. And, is foreign cable available?

I also think it would be helpful to know what kinds of movies are available to rent from the video stores. It seems that one can rent virtually anything, but when I went to rent Quadrophenia, it was not available anywhere. Why is this?

I come from a relatively large city where many kinds of video systems are offered, and I think that others like myself would also like to know which ones are best.

J. Holmes

Flint, Ml

Quadrophenia has been shown on cable. Check for It, John.—Ed.

EVER?

If John Richardson really hates arcades, why doesn't he just not go to them? I'm getting so tired of bad Andy Rooney imitations.

If all the guy is gonna do is bitch, how can you expect anybody to believe you?

How come so many old people are so down on the games anyway? What do they think anyway? Like we're going to go beat up old ladies in candy stores just to get a quarter to play a game.

Don't put any more of these people in your magazine, OK?

Donkey Kong King (get it?)

Downesworth, CN