Readers' mailbag: Did Trompeter have to go?

Readers are beside themselves over WCCO-TV laying off anchor Jeanette Trompeter.

This installment of the mail bag begins with an over-wrought e-mailer who wrote this in the subject line: "Why our Jeanette?"

Dave Engdahl of Mankato said: "Jeanette was one of the two reasons I even watch WCCO, the other being Don Shelby. Both are CLASS ACTS. How are you going so screw up next, CCO? Management usually sucks everywhere, here's proof. God, what an injustice."

If the economy doesn't improve, my gut says Shelby may not be signed to another TV contract, so gird your loins.

Kathleen Schmidt wrote, "It is a real tragedy. Why doesn't WCCO seem to see what the public sees? First Paul Douglas and now Jeanette."

I think this next one is some poetry from Don Montgomery: "Jeanette Trompeter, crushed to the earth, shall rise again, While WCCO wounded, writhes in pain and dies amid its worshippers."

About Anne's hair Reader Deborah Ronglein has sent a note kindly suggested that I stop patting myself on the back for the improved 'do on KSTP-TV's Anne Hutchinson's head.

Ronglein's e-mail to Hutch read like this: "We enjoyed you on KSTP for some time now and often comment on what a pretty girl you are. Just a suggestion for your hairstylist. Add a few low lights for some extra dimension. Studio lighting will be less harsh and if you choose to use hair extensions they will blend in well too!"

Viewers really like getting into Hutch's hair and others eyebrows.

"... the hair is a distraction," wrote Mary Davis. "There is always regrowth showing and the condition of it is terrible. I speak as a former hairdresser. I keep thinking a shoulder length cut with layers would look good."

Kristine Moses wrote: "... to have such a long article about how nice her hair looks is just your way of being rotten. Your jealously shows through."

Kristine, what does it say that you can't tell when I am being sincere?

Nancy, my take is that your abiding dislike of Shortal is coloring your judgment. Shortal is an excellent reporter. I contacted Shortal about your e-mail and I rather enjoyed her response:

"It's not surprising, that someone is contacting you about how ugly they think I am. That's been hounding me for years. Am I tired? Yeah, I'm tired. About my HAIR? It's less than an inch long so I really don't know what their beef is. Some people just don't like it. I really don't care. Later."

Juli Barb Adams wanted to talk about FOX9 traffic reporter Juli Jay's hair. "It looks so brassy and the cut it not good. I know you see her every Thursday and I'm wondering if it looks better in person than it does on TV." I like the layers in Jay's hair and perhaps because it looks so great in person, I think it looks fine on the air. Jay says you're right though: "The bright lighting does tend to make my hair look brassy."

I was not a fan of her hair when she first came to FOX 9 but now it looks terrific, and having touched it for you, Barb, I can report it feels quite healthy.

Bel "Is Belinda Jensen pregnant or maybe just putting on a few pounds like a lot of us lately?" asked Jeff Kambeitz.

Julie You guys are all up in Julie Nelson's eyebrows, where there appears to have been an altitude change.

"Just wondering," wrote R. Storie. "Did Julie Nelson have an eye lift? Her eyebrows are really different. I don't recall them being that pointy."

E-mailer Ann Bryant asked: "What's the deal with Julie's eyebrows? Her left eyebrow has a 'surprised' look and her right one looks like she's frowning. What happened?"

Bryant and Stories should know that normally Nelson returns my phone calls, but she apparently has drawn the line at responding to inquiries about facial tweaks. It is her face!

Josh Hartnett "Well I see you are at it again in regard to your hateful attitude in regard to Josh Hartnett. You are really something!!!" wrote Mary Byrnes. "Just keep in mind millions feel just the opposite, thank goodness he is the movie star and not you."

Instead of being angry with me for not being impressed with Hartnett's acting ability, why not invest a little energy into being disappointed with him for not getting better? I'm willing to adjust my attitude about him as soon as I see some acting. I didn't say Hartnett wasn't cute. Who was that wise old gossip who when confronted at the Mall of America about his immense indisposition for Jennifer Aniston asked, Do I have like everybody? It was Perez Hilton. Does anybody ever take him to task for not liking a celebrity?

A vendetta? A Morgan Bell accused me of having a vendetta against Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr.. "It does seem as if your Fitz watch is more revengeful than anything else," Bell wrote in a most lengthy e-mail. "You've only made yourself look bad."

Dear Morgan:

If Jr. treated the ex-girlfriend and mother of his child with the same respect his dad, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., treated his late mother, there would be no domestic abuse matter with Jr.'s name on it. The elder Fitz is indeed angry with me for writing about the messy side of his son's life. Sr.'s anger will never diminish the high esteem in which I hold him as a man who loved and cherished his wife, Carol, so much, he still can't talk about her on TV without breaking down -- years after her death.

After watching all the Super Bowl coverage about Jr., I was left with the impression he's a hard head with a million-watt smile.