Unacceptable ridicule

Although it was meant to be cheerful, your Aug. 20 front page saddened me.

I refer to the story about the passing of Dick Assman and the big joke regarding his name, with the caption, “his name became famous thanks to some help from David Letterman.” I understand that Mr. Assman was a hard-working man who worked for not much more than minimum wage his entire life. He was easygoing, friendly and helpful to all he met.

For me, the joke on his name is demeaning and insulting to this kind man and if he were a lawyer or physician, I doubt that Letterman would have had the nerve to call him and poke fun at him.

The situation is an example of “classism” — ridiculing working-class people. Just because Mr. Assman played along does not make it “OK.” He probably was subject to this degrading humour all of his life and Letterman is no better than his juvenile schoolmates decades ago. Doug Durst, Regina