Dear Editor,
Why is anyone in Utah paying any attention to Martha Stewart when we have our very own, homegrown, Mormon Martha? For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, you need to check out 'Culinary Creations with Mary Crafts' on KBYU or BYUTV or online at http://www.kbyu.org/cooking/.
I haven't lived in Utah for years, but I occasionally check out the opinion page online at the NewsNet website just for laughs. But to see that there was a viewpoint written about Martha really goes to show how Mary Crafts has been overlooked in her own market.
When I used to live in Utah, I got hooked on watching Mary Crafts and now that I have BYUTV on satellite, I'm back to watching Mary. The first few episodes I saw were filmed her on a camcorder. I think she invites over some Relief Society sisters to serve as the studio audience when she needs volunteers.
I generally refer to Mary Crafts as the 'anti-Martha.' While Martha is all polished and fake, Mary is real. She keeps a dead pig in her freezer year round, so she can be a good hostess at her luaus. She doesn't wash her strawberries so that the chocolate sticks to them better.
While Martha's dialogue and voice are smooth and almost lull you to sleep, Mary's voice has clearly been fine-tuned by years of motherhood, probably a trip or two through the Primary Presidency and just general 'Utah-ness.'
Mary is a real human being with a family and a life. Martha has an army of advisors, lawyers, make-up artists and people who actually do the cooking and crafting for her. Mary Crafts may not be perfect, but she actually does come up with all the stuff she does on her show. She may be a little crazy, but Martha Stewart is criminally insane.
Joel S. Hinckley
Pittsburgh, Pa.