Letters

To clear the air…

To the editor:

First, thanks very much to those of you who have visited The Royal Scam. We’ve tried to create a place like no other in Mobile, and so far the response has been great. As promised, our guests have already been treated to live music by people like Corky Hughes, John Milham, Harold Floyd, Corey Johnson, Sean Peterson, the Urban Jazz Quartet featuring Debbie Stewart, etc. Our innovative food menu has been well received by most all who have dined at both lunch and dinner, and the extensive beer, wine and liquor selections have already made us a popular high-end destination in downtown Mobile.

Boozie Beer Nues recently reported that The Royal Scam was positioned as a non-smoking bar without confirming this rumor with myself or anyone associated with The Royal Scam. I’m not mad at Boozie (everyone makes mistakes from time to time, and it IS a gossip column, after all) but the fact is I’ve never given much thought to going non-smoking – UNTIL NOW!

It is true that we are totally non-smoking inside until 3 p.m. – smoking is allowed in the courtyard at any time. It appears that we will all have to adjust to a smoking ban at some point in the future like they’ve done in so many other places across the country. What is unclear is exactly how popular would a place like the Royal Scam be if we didn’t allow smoking inside whatsoever. I have heard of places in Mobile trying to go smokeless and then changing their mind due to the loss of bar business. I have little doubt that our out-of-town guests would have no problem with a no smoking bar because they are most likely already dealing with that back home anyway.

This begs the following 3 questions: “Would the locals make running a non-smoking bar/restaurant a profitable venture or are they simply quick to complain from their couch (or a barstool in a smoky bar)? How would our smoking customers adjust to smoking in the courtyard only (it is, after all, a very nice courtyard)? What would happen if we went smokeless every Saturday for the month of January?

I am very interested in how people would react to this scenario and this would clearly be an opportunity to “vote” on the issue even if they have a prior felony conviction or an aversion to the dreaded “hanging chad(s).

I would love to get feedback on this issue and would encourage everyone to e-mail me personally at drasputin@comcast.net.

Thanks very much and we hope to see you soon!

David Rasp

Owner Heroes Sports Bar and Grille and The Royal Scam

Editor’s Note: We regret any error we had that may have caused confusion. Also, let us know what you think about the issue of smoking in bars and restaurants by going to our Web site and casting a vote in our current online survey, at www.lagniappemobile.com

Bah, humbug!

To the editor:

As an avid reader of your fine newspaper I do have, what I hope, is some constructive criticism. It’s the tendency of the majority of your columnists to think they are comedians and then to actually act it out in their writings.

I guess Pete Gleszer’s column, in your most recent issue, pushed me over the top. Mr. Gleszer usually writes in a professional manner with only a stab at humor here and there. But in this issue, in one part of his column, out of six sentences five were attempts at being funny.

Hey I’m not a humorless guy, I like Seinfeld as much as the next guy. The difference is Seinfeld is a comedy show and it’s funny. Whereas a lot of your writer’s ramblings are just grade-school sophomoric stuff. As for the Kudzu Queen, forget it. If she’s a frustrated comedian maybe she can get a gig as a comedy writer.

I don’t expect a paper devoid of humor, but maybe we can have just a little more meat and a little less of the silliness. Maybe you can ask your writers to tone it down a tad. In lieu of that maybe you can, in each issue, select one of your writers as the designated comedy columnist and this designation can be rotated in each new issue.

Sorry for the rant. I might just have the Christmas Carol Scrooge blues…...Bah Humbug!!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to You & Your Staff

Norman Sanchez

Fairhope

Kinnon’s French fans

Mr. Phillips:

I enjoyed your article about Paris very much, I would love to get a list of/ the locations you spoke of at the end of the article. Thanks very much.

Sue Buffkin

To Kinnon:

You make me want to be there NOW! You have an incredible way of writing. A gift you are sharing.

Cora Causey

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