Ali Hakim Too

I get tired of the politically-correct Brits calling the paddler man "Ah-lee Ha-keem." In the original stage play and the movie, his name was "Alley Hack-um." Americans enjoyed the pronunciation and the fun that it brought to the stage and the screen. Mispronunciation of names and even nationalities is as American as apple pie and hot dogs. My name, Jim, became "Jim-ess" to the dad of one of my very good boyhood friends. "Hey, Irish!" is often what a kid who comes out to play baseball will be called, if his family somewhere back there came from the Isle. (Or, sometimes, even if his family didn't.)

Now I admit that Americans are less likely than Brits to be blown up for offending some Muslim. But if you ain't got the guts to bring on the fun in American productions, don't do them. Stay with Shakespeare--we love him and respect the players here in America. I'm just not certain what the Mossad might do about Shylock, however.