Jack Hammell

Wow! Mr. Carlson's question this evening on the Smollett case was absolutely on target, regardless of one's ethnicity! If you missed it, he asked (I paraphrase): a. Was Smollett's story (accusation; now being seriously debunked BTW!) accepted at face value, primarily because of its "racist" [black is always wrong, so we MUST believe Smollett] implications"? b. Wasn't that THE major problem in "the Old [white was always right] South"? Bam! Dead on! And before he even asked that, Carlson asked, "Whatever happened to the days when we got the FACTS FIRST and then start making accusations?" Amazing that someone is finally saying what almost all responsible citizens - again, regardless of ethnicity - are thinking and feeling! Great job, Mr. Carlson!

I saw the "The Nutcracker" with same cast from the American Ballet Theater supported by the same National Symphony Orchestra in 1978 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC - live - with my then-8-year-old daughter from box seats. Our seats were in the front of the box, overlooking the stage on the left side of the stage as you face it from the audience. My daughter and I were entranced and have never forgotten it. We watch it digitally every Christmas season. This production is 100% faithful to the live performance. It's amazing!!