DEFINING ‘FONDLE’

Dawna Kaufmann, in her April 12 letter, offers to “educate” me on what she believes were my inappropriate remarks regarding the “fondling” of a woman in your April 5 article about me (“At 60, He’s Still Burning Bright,” by Jan Breslauer). Let me return the favor. If Ms. Kaufmann looks in the dictionary, she will find the word “fondle” defined as: “To touch or stroke lovingly; caress.” Ms. Kaufmann’s assumption that the word automatically means insulting or demeaning actions by a man toward a woman is precisely the point I was making.

As a result of one word in a 40-paragraph article, Ms. Kaufmann assumes the worst, name-calls and threatens to boycott my work. She even writes that some actors should not give candid interviews and condescendingly suggests my companion “legally insulate” herself from me. Such a rush to judgment and attempted character assassination defeats any ability to take Ms. Kaufmann’s words to heart. Boycott if you must, Ms. Kaufmann, but use the time to educate yourself.

FRANK LANGELLA

Westwood