AUDREY IN AFRICA

An actress with a cause; a tragedy in South Africa; million-dollar zombies; and more

Audrey Hepburn is near and dear to those of us in the UNICEF family, so I was thrilled to see your cover story about her life in Rome ["Audrey's Dolce Vita," by Luca Dotti and Laura Jacobs, May], A brilliant actress, fashion icon, and devoted mother, Audrey was also a fierce advocate for the world's most vulnerable children. In the last years of her life, she traveled to more than 20 countries, lending her powerful voice on behalf of children struggling to survive. Her 1988 visit to famineravaged Ethiopia, for example, helped save countless young lives by shining a bright spotlight on the devastating toll of droughts plaguing the country. By the time she passed away, in 1993, Audrey had opened hearts and minds all over the world and inspired a new generation of celebrity activists. We are tremendously grateful to Audrey and to her sons, Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti, who arc continuing her beautiful legacy.

CARYL STERN

President and C.E.O., U.S. Fund for UNICEF

New York, New York

OSCAR PISTORIUS ON TRIAL

Mark Seal's incredible reporting on the Oscar Pistorius tragedy is by far the most thorough investigation of this terrible event I have read so far ["The Shooting Star and the Model," June], However, if I may say so, Graeme Joffe's statement that "people didn't know where South Africa was until Oscar stood on that platform" further exposes the hero worship of this troubled young man by the South African media. To think that Nelson Mandela's iconic stature is placed behind that of Oscar Pistorius is indeed saddening. The world has known South Africa for a long time, and Nelson Mandela is the first and most important reason for that, not Oscar Pistorius.

SIBONGILE W. MAKHAYA

Washington, D.C.

The death of Reeva Steenkamp at the hands of Oscar Pistorius is a tragedy. It is a lesson in what can happen when something goes wrong and there's a gun in the house.

Pistorius's father implies that it is the natural consequence of the way we live in South Africa, but this is not true. In a population of 50 million, only 1.8 million people have registered firearms, and a significant percentage of those are for purposes other than self-defense; many are for hunting and for sport.

Whatever else he may or may not be, Pistorius is not representative of ordinary South Africans. While we suffer a high crime rate, we do not cringe in our beds, fearful of attack. Gauteng, the province that houses both Pretoria and Johannesburg, is a vibrant, thriving society in which we live fulfilling lives, not a house of racially motivated horrors.

We face our challenges with a gritty determination that we learned through the great leadership of Nelson Mandela and others who dedicated their lives for an integrated and transformed South Africa.

I hope that your readers see us through a more complex and less manipulative lens and that when the trial starts it will be Pistorius—and gun violence—on trial, not South Africa and all South Africans.

DR. BARBARA HOLTMANN

Johannesburg, South Africa

THE MONEY PITT

'Brad's War" [by Laura M. Holson, June] provided a perfect example of Hollywood today—an old people's home for purveyors of gore in film. World War Z's plot of zombies running wild, destroying the world, simply boggles the most fanciful mind. As for the enormous budget, which means that the movie must earn $400 million just to break even, good luck! I won't see it. I'll watch the 1943 zombie classic, I Walked with a Zombie, on TV—moody and creepy photography with an interesting plot and a total budget that might cover costumes for a few extras in this latest cinematic elephant.

LOUIS C. KLEBER

Las Vegas, Nevada

FANTASY GIRLFRIEND

An absorbing piece of writing and reporting, "The Boy Who Cried Dead Girlfriend" [by Ned Zeman, June], was wasted as soon as the writer gratuitously referred to "Notre Dame's long history of self-mythologizing malarkey" and parenthetically included the irrelevant personal admission that "I happen to be a diehard fan of Michigan— and therefore weary of all things Notre Dame." At which point I stopped reading what should have been a compelling piece of journalism but had instead morphed into a narrative I could no longer trust.

LYNN HENNING

Troy, Mich igan

I am astounded at the utter credulity with which Ned Zeman and/or Vanity Fair approached the Manti Te'o hoax, particularly given the quality of V.F.'s usual investigative work. Best (worst?) line in a preposterous article: "That Manti never actually laid eyes on Lennay makes sense." To whom? Have you ever known anyone over the age of hve who referred to a person he had never met as his "girlfriend"? I haven't.

LYNNE GLASS

Princeton, New Jersey

THE MUSIC MAN

In the May issue, Jerry Weintraub unwittingly perpetuated the myth that Paul Anka wrote "Times of Your Life" [V.F. Portrait], The song was in truth written by Roger Nichols and me.

BILL LANE

Los Angeles, California

Thank you for publishing Jerry Weintraub's gruffly affectionate tribute to Paul Anka, a tummler of the highest order.

In addition to writing and performing the anthems of our youth—every guy who was in grammar school in the late 50s can identify with "Diana"—Anka is the definition of a stand-up guy. Perhaps more accurately, a get-back-up guy.

It's all there in "My Way." Justin Bieber, eat your heart out.

PETER STAMELMAN

New York, New York

Letters to the editor should be sent electronically with the writer's name, address, and daytime phone number to letters@vf.com. All requests for back issues should be sent to subscriptions@vf.com.

The magazine reserves the right to edit submissions, which may be published or otherwise used in any medium. All submissions become the property of Vanity Fair.

MORE FROM THE V.F. MAILBAG

The June issue spoke meaningfully to V.F.'s broad readership, from Geoff Utley, of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico ("You have produced a magazine that transcends all others into a perfect melding of pop culture, finance, and sport"), to Elizabeth Deane, of Roanoke, Virginia ("If you consider this journalism, Vanity Fair is in trouble"). And that, in a nutshell, is why we got into this crazy game (not magazine producing, not journalism-mailbagging!).

Another reader, Bob Osterholt, of St. Louis, remains a fan but nevertheless fixes on one sentence in the cover story ("Brad's War"): "Pitt did not talk to Vanity Fair for this article." Osterholt writes, "I was awestruck at this admission. To construct this entire article as an 'Inside Story'... but NOT TALK TO HIM is clearly misleading.... I do have to admit respect for [Laura M.] Holson's writing style; without the giveaway sentence, I wouldn't have had a clue."

About that cover story. "A hundred and seventy million dollars! No, $210 million! The cover and 10 interior pages in Vanity Fair! Guys, it's a movie. About zombies," notes Ron Bonn, from San Diego. "What will be the impact on the course of civilization if nobody ever sees the thing? A sense of proportion here—please."

"Zombie movie, Brad Pitt, really?? Who gives a shit?" So says Darlene Randazzo, of Sparta, New Jersey, before signing off with a cheery "Keep me in mind for all your Real Estate needs!" (Sure.)

When Albert "Buddy" Ficklen, of Dallas, wonders, "Are you sure that's not David Spade on the June cover????," Albert "Buddy" Ficklen, of Dallas, isn't the only one wondering. Karen Kelly, of Markham, Ontario, says, "Your cover stumped me. I honestly thought you were featuring David Spade." This gives her an idea: "Spade would be perfect for the role as a zombie killer. Think about it." And Henry Rome! Guy writes from North, Virginia, that "hair, makeup, maybe a good night's sleep? Whatever—it all came together to make the June 2013 cover a real career event for David Spade."

Finally, this: "I want my money back for the June issue.... [You] top the whole boring mess off with the ordination of another Baldwin" ("Baldwin and Beautiful," on Ireland Baldwin). Wait, we know that tone. Who but (once again) Darlene Randazzo? For all your Real Estate needs.