The Stalker responds

The night before last I went to watch my youngest sing at a do for a local beauty queen (not the lady on the left) in East Orange, New Jersey.

To me it was significant - and rather sad, to be honest - that I was the only white face at that gathering. In my view the U.S. is definitely more divided on racial lines than the U.K.

Anyhow, now I'm down in Delray Beach, Florida to entertain with voice and gesture at the annual Early-to-Rise event. I think they're also going to give me an award for staying out of jail for so long.

Meanwhile, back to the matter of photography. The other day Rupert Suren was very dismissive of Joanne Stowell's work.

"What professional," he asked, "cuts off the head of a subject?"

Over the years Rupert has given me quite a few laughs, as he has an fair old fund of knowledge and quite a way with words.

But to be honest Rupert I really don't see much future for you as an expert on photography after that rather acerbic (that's polite for bloody rude) statement.

You really are talking through your lens-cap. As Joanne said, using as an example one of the most famous photographs by one of the very best photographers of the last few decades:

"Someone should tell Helmut Newton he was not professional. Cutting Catherine Deneuve's head and feet off.......... I ask you!"

The fact is, there are scores of examples of such slices off life, as I'm sure Joanne will be delighted to demonstrate.