From Dungy to A.J. to Symbolina: Readers have lots on their minds

At least Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has a sense of humor about those satellite dishes on the sides of his face. I make this observation while kicking off today's batch of reader complaints and comments.

Donna Arnold-Dungy insisted that Tony Dungy, her brother-in-law and Colts coach, had nothing to do with her calling to complain about a column item that compared Obama's ears with Dungy's ears.

Donna gave me a sweet, Christian-toned butt-chewing. "I'm sad about the conversation you chose to publish regarding myself and Alon [her son, who volunteered a comment when I was videotaping his mom] about T.D.," Donna said. "Out of all the conversations we had ... I would have written more along the positive impact T.D. is having on the [black] community, the spiritual community. There [are] a lot of things I think I could have focused on ... versus the ears."

ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Writers always gush about Dungy being a lovely role model. I personally thought he was perfect until Donna tried to guilt-trip me with this: "Do you think that when you write something along those lines that could have an impact on, for example, my son's interaction with his uncle?"

If lighthearted quips from Alon could have any impact on Tony Dungy's feelings for his charismatic nephew, that's an unflattering reflection on the coach.

Because ears are not typically dressed in, say, pants, I don't think of them as an intimate body part of which you should never speak.

'It's just ears' Reader "Jamaican Babe" thought the ears item was funny. When told about the complaints, JB said: "Some people get to a point in their lives when they think they are so high and mighty, you should genuflect to them. I don't think this is Tony Dungy, I think this is his family. It's just ears."

Dude looks like a lady A "Christopher Coen" said he knew exactly why I wrote about the obnoxious behavior of RuPaul, who kicked the camera of photographer Hubert Bonnet and, by extension, butted his head when the diva was here for an appearance.

"You're just jealous cuz she looks better than you," Coen wrote.

My reply to Christopher: That's it!

Defending KG "Please don't try and tear a class act like Garnett down," wrote Scott Gilbertson.

Ah, Scott, there is so much more to being classy than laboring on a sorry team or playing on one that wins a NBA championship. Someday maybe Kevin Garnett will learn what those things are.

Beloved Bob "Darcy from Channel 4," said the 332.TIPS caller. "I just wanted to thank you for the [July 27] remembrance of Bob Rainey. It was a lovely tribute. I loved the story that you told. It was so him."

Right about Rainey "C.J., I called you years ago to say that I liked 70 percent of your stuff and I was annoyed by 30 percent. I may sound like I'm fawning, but the piece you wrote on Mr. Rainey over the weekend was beautiful," said the caller whom I'm nicknaming Mr. 70 Whopping Percent Question Mark.

Symbolina sock empathy "As I sit here reading your column in my 'lovely' white T.E.D. [anti-embolism] socks, I have empathy for His Purpleness. See, we both belong to a special club; those with hip replacements! I'm on the recovery trail after have the second leg done, and one of the recommendations given to me was to wear these most unfashionable socks while flying as they will help to prevent blood from pooling in the lower leg and the possibility of throwing a clot or two. Blood clots can be fatal, as you know, and I would guess the option of looking good or death is not a hard choice! -- Kathie Teslaw, Apple Valley."

Thanks, Kathie, but I don't think Prince has ever confirmed the hip replacement gossip.

Dye-hard critics "A.J.'s hair -- hate it," wrote Karen B. Olson, while Ken Voight said, "Great article. A.J. is a pot stirrer, for sure."

This brings me to a curiosity and questions of my own.

I received e-mail only from readers who agreed with me regarding Pierzynski's hot mess of a platinum dye job. However, on the website, the same 15 people who comment on anything I write mostly disliked the item. Has commenting on the Web meant you think you can't send me testy e-mails? And why aren't these people with the time to pounce on everything I write busier on their jobs? Educate me. I also hope you babies can handle it when I start commenting on your comments.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 on Thursday mornings.