Whenever Princess Diana appears on our cover (PEOPLE, Dec. 6), we expect abuse from readers who tell us they are fed up with tales of the Windsors. This week, our expectations were fulfilled once again. In addition to criticizing Di's latest appearance, fans of the late Bill Bixby felt we should have paid more attention to him than they believed our one-page Tribute implied.
PRINCESS DIANA
Diana looks as happy about being on the cover of another PEOPLE as I am about seeing her.
MAUREEN CROMEANS, Spring, Texas
As a loyal Diana watcher since I was a little girl, I am saddened at the turn her life has taken. Now that all her private troubles have become public news, Diana should be commended for standing tall and continuing to fulfill her royal duties with grace. Despite the Palace's efforts to edge her out, Diana will remain the star of this blemished family.
JOANNA DREIFUS, Cambridge, Mass.
As a frequent visitor to London, I found your cover story on Princess Diana biased and misleading. Save your "cracking up" headlines for Michael Jackson. The princess is holding her own and continues to trounce Charles in the polls. Thanks, however, for the priceless photo of Camilla in that ridiculous hat. She puts the rot in rottweiler.
MARY JO VANDERWERKEN
North Miami Beach, Fla.
BILL BIXBY
You barely gave Bill Bixby a lousy page after he gave us better than 30 years of enjoyment in spite of a personal life that would have destroyed many men. Both his life and death were testimony to strength, hope, faith and courage and offered you the opportunity to tell a remarkable story about a very special man. You should be ashamed.
VICKIE GARLAND, Greensboro, N.C.
Bill Bixby, one of television's finest actors, loses a heroic two-year battle with cancer, and PEOPLE rewards him with an obligatory tribute consisting of a few meager paragraphs. Meanwhile, boring, nearly useless Princess Di gets her hundred-thousandth cover story. It's enough to make your skin turn green.
PETER GREER, Hicksville, N. Y.
STEVE GARVEY
So Steve Garvey thinks that striking out in the ninth inning of a ballgame is similar to having little or no contact with four of his five children. Let me help you out, Steve. One is the failure of a ballplayer, the other is the failure of a human being. Big difference!
RAYE BARNES, Corona del Mar, Calif.
Steve Garvey has two daughters by an ex-wife, then marries a woman with two kids while two lovers are simultaneously pregnant with his two illegitimate kids. And he wants to run for national office someday? Better hang up the dream of a Senate seat, Garv, and keep up "the acting thing," because your life is already a soap opera.
MICKEY HOLLIDAY, Anderson, S. C.
JOEL RIFKIN
I understand and fully sympathize with the immense grief, pain and anger all the families of those he killed must endure because of Joel Rifkin's inability to "appreciate the victim as a human being." However, it is not too difficult to understand the grief, pain and anger Joel must have endured because of his classmates' inability to appreciate him as a human being. Being called "nerd," "doofus," "oddball" and "turtle," being an "abuse unit" and "easy to make fun of" had to contribute to how this "just plain evil" man felt about himself and others.
PENNY BURNS, Minneapolis
DAVID CARUSO
While I agree that David is one of the sexiest new faces and rear ends to brighten the TV screen this season, it's this woman's opinion the real hunk of NYPD Blue is Dennis Franz. I get goose bumps whenever he's on the screen.
JOANN RODRIGUEZ, Chicago
To David Caruso: Your parents' divorce also prevented you from meeting me and all your other cousins on the Caruso side of the family. Rest assured we have been following your career with a great deal of familial pride. If you want to make our acquaintance, your grandmother Caruso has all our phone numbers. I think you'd like us!
DIANE KLIMOWICH, New York City
MAIL
As the mother of two boys, I must respond to the mail you received regarding your coverage of River Phoenix's death. Every letter you printed contained a clear indication of why so many young people today are in trouble. None of those writers could place the responsibility for this young man's sad end where it clearly belongs—with River Phoenix himself. Regardless of how gifted and successful he may have been, he chose to use drugs, and drugs killed him! We must make kids know that no matter how young you are, no matter how much money you have, no matter how promising your future, substance abuse can destroy you and devastate those who love you. Why take the chance?
DANA M. MYERS, Broken Arrow, Okla.
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