Annlanders

ANN LANDERS
The Veteran Woman Journalist in D.S.

Dr. R. Janardana Rao

Ann Landers is a phenomenon in American journalism. She has been reigning in journalism for the past thirty years. She is now around 83. And her forte is the question and answer column, also called personal column. She is a tabloid writer and this column is published in the dailies of almost all the fifty states in America. Most of the readers, turn to the ‘Style’ supplement of Washington Post and read avidly what Ann has to say on the burning social and personal problems. And at the evening social gatherings, Ann Landers answers to peculiar personal questions which forms part of the subject matter of the social chat. In recognition of her meritorious services to the nation, through her sage counsels, promotion social health, she was awarded the prestigious national award “Great Lady of America”.

During my two visits to Washington DC, staying for long periods with my son’s family, it was my daily routine of top priority to go through her answers eagerly and preserve the clippings which have become two trash bag loads which I brought home. And when friends make the usual enquiry what new gadgets I have brought home, I would mischievously point to the two big bags of Ann Lander’s paper clippings.

In almost all the weeklies and monthlies in all languages in our country, we find the personal answers serial, attracting wide readership, as the answers relate to personal problems as well as of general interest. And when I bring the Indian writers dealing with this personal column in juxtaposition to Ann Landers, I find a few distinguishing features.

Our writers give lengthy answers to the short questions sometimes showing off their knowledge and linguistic nuances. In their answers, they put on airs “holier than thou”, and even do not hesitate to heckle or snub the questioner, who seeks a helpful counsel to help extricate out of a problem. They even give out the identity or addresses of the questioner which may cause embarrassment at times.

For a lengthy paragraph size question, Ann Landers answers wry pointedly and wisely just in three or four lines. Her answers exhibit a great sense of respect to individuals which is largely an American trait, and above all shows great concern in solving the personal problem in a dispassionate way. She has a deep knowledge of the human frailties and gives her answers with the humility of a sharer of sufferings and expresses sympathy. When one of her perspectives is questioned by another reader she does not give out her answers direct, but cites another reader’s letter showing the other side of the question and solves the issue in a neat manner, as a lawyer cites case law. There are readers, following Ann Landers column amazingly for a span of twenty to thirty years. And when a reader requests to restate a quote she made some years ago she does not ask her to refer to the issue giving its past date, but readily gives out the whole text, for the benefit of that reader and others too.

Ann Landers in her answers not only gives her opinions, but doesn’t fight shy of quoting other writers for the general benefit of readers. She does it elaborately too. Her books are published by Creators Syndicate and she is based at Chicago.

Further, Ann Landers conducts surveys similar to our opinion polls asking opinions on a specific social problem, which is at times, highly personal and of intimate privacy. She has a penchant for conducting such surveys bringing her innumerable readers extending a wide cross section of the society to her plough. Strangely the American public too responds to her calls of survey and express their opinions honestly. Of course all the replies by the readers are given by unsigned postal cards.

In one survey she gives the puzzling question on motherhood to her women readers “To bear and not to bear”, “was it worth while”, “were the rewards enough to make up for the grief’ “if you had it to do over again would you have children?” The responses were staggering. She writes “much to my surprise 70 percent of those who responded said “no”. But this had raised a storm. The survey was interpreted as an attack on motherhood. Ann Landers conducted another survey giving the intricate personal question of the choice of the life partners. Addressing both married men and women she solicits their opinion “If you had it to do over again, would you marry the person to whom you are now married”. And lo the response! She herself writes “within 10 days my office was bombarded with 50,000 pieces of mail. The mail is still coming in”. She has a wide infrastructure of personnel to sort out her readers’ huge mail, which is her feed, to make any editor feel spiritually satisfied with the task he or she undertakes. And to this question of the choice of spouse for a second time if choice given, the response ‘yes’ came from 70 percent and 30 percent said ‘no’. It was from 50,000 people.

On January 14, 1985 Ann Landers gives another extremely personal question, this time addressing her women readers only. Here’s the question “Does Tenderness Beat the Act?” She elaborates a little, asking women to reply “Would you be content to be held close and treated tenderly and forget about “the act”? Answer yes or no, and please add one sentence. I am over 40 years of age”. Here she wants her women readers to think closely whether the sexual dysfunction of her man, would matter vis a vis the male comfort of support he gives. And in a dignified question “Does tenderness beat the act”? she gathers opinion. She writes “keep in mind my column appears in Canada, Europe, Tokyo, Hongkong, Bangkok, and a variety of other places around the world”. (pity we don’t have her in India). In response to her poll, she states that more than 90,000 women cast there ballots. Seventy two percent said: ‘YES’, they would be content to be held close and treated tenderly and forget about the act. Of those 72 percent who said yes, 70 percent were under 40 years old. That was the most surprising aspect of the survey. Ann Landers quotes a letter from her woman reader “From Columbus Ohio”, I am under 40 and would be delighted to settle for tender words and warm caresses. The rest of it is bore and can be exhausting. I am sure the sex act was designed strictly for the pleasure of males”.

Regarding Question Answers column which is her mainstay, let me cite one example “Dear Ann Landers. I have a suggestion for the woman who confessed her exhibitionist tendencies. It will help her stay out of trouble and at the same time satisfy her urge for exposure and complete freedom. She should do her housework in the nude. Anonymous in Boston”. To this reader’s suggestion how delicate Ann Landers answer runs! “DearBoston, several years ago a reader who signed herself “Lady Godiva” wrote to say she loved to do her housework in the nude and asked if it was sick or immoral. I told her as long as she was home alone with her draperies drawn, she could do her housework naked as a jaybird and it was nobody’s business”.

Americans do have a flair to garb indecency without offending Mrs. Grundy, with ever new simple worded nuances. They have developed a rich body of nomenclature in this regard. Limitation of space thwarts my enthusiasm to quote Ann Landers more elaborately. But let me content myself sharing a few good principles of life Ann Landers quoted in her column, ‘With My Readers’. Let me briefly give a succinct version of her - ‘The Ten Commandments of Row to get along with People” .

1. Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than, what you think.
2. Make promises sparingly.
3. Never lose an opportunity to say a kind word. Praise the work well done.
4. Be interested in others.
5. Be cheerful,
6. Keep an open mind on debatable points.
7. Let your virtues speak for themselves.
8. Rave respect for the feelings of others.
9. Pay no attention to destructive remarks and personal attacks on you.
10. Don’t be concerned about your “just due”, Do a good turn for the sake of being helpful – Anonymous.

Let me conclude with a sorrowful personal note - Pity, I missed a golden opportunity of meeting Ann Landers while I was in the States.