Letter to Leno

[Shepherdsbush@xxxxxxx]

Thanks Brian, for the link to the talk show transcripts. I've actually been 
afraid to watch anyone but Letterman this past week, because I think Dave 
gets along well with Pete. I was shocked that Jay Leno was so irresponsible 
in his remarks. I am including the letter I just sent off to him in case 
anyone is interested:

To Jay & His Writers: 

I have read transcripts of your comments from this past week regarding the 
suspicions surrounding Pete Townshend. I feel that you are treating him 
unfairly on a national stage for the sake of some cheap laughs. Disregarding, 
for the moment, that child pornography is no laughing matter, Here are some 
facts that are known about Mr. Townshend, without any doubt. He has worked 
for humanitarian causes for decades, including Amnesty International and The 
Maryville Academy, the latter of which specifically supports abused children. 
In January of 2002, Mr. Townshend posted an open letter on his website (which 
I have attached) that describes his disgust at child porn and how easily 
available it is on the net, and provides instruction on what to do to keep 
the internet safer for our children to browse. Finally, he has not been 
charged with anything and has cooperated fully with the police. 
Certainly, the public understands that you are paid to poke fun at people in 
the news, but when the charges are this serious, any misrepresentation of the 
facts or wholesale jumping to conclusions by a figure of your far-reaching 
audience can have an irrevocable effect on the subject's reputation, or 
worse. Two people named in this investigation have already committed suicide! 
Do you think you were portrayed accurately in the movie "The Late Shift"? For 
better or worse, that is how you are perceived by some. I hope that you will 
think twice about broadcasting any more jokes regarding Mr. Townshend until 
this affair is settled and he is either exonerated or arrested. If Mr. 
Townshend is found innocent, I hope you will draw as much attention to it as 
you did to the suspicions against him. 

In addition, thanks for all the advice on the tour CD's. I went to the 
Columbus show, so I have that one, and I love it (with the minor exception of 
some of the harmonies being rough). Considering, however, the remarks about 
it being "a bit off" I guess I'll really be blown away by the Toronto one I 
couldn't afford but ordered yesterday anyway! I think that many fans are 
picking up on the suggestion to support Pete by buying the Encore CD's, 
because I went to the website earlier today and got a message that I could 
not enter because there were too many users already on. Either they have a 
crappy server, or Who fans are really overwhelming them! I was never sure 
that buying the CD's was a tangible show of support, but if there is a sudden 
large spike in sales I guess that does actually send a message.

-Chris in Cleveland