Beverly Hills

‘Billy,’ Meet ‘Barbie’

By referring to William Friedkin as “Billy” in his article on Hollywood ageism (“Directing Against the Age Curve in Hollywood,” June 19), Patrick Goldstein knocked 20 years off Friedkin’s age and probably extended the veteran director’s career by a decade or two, long enough for him to crank out a few more sequels to “The Exorcist.”

Maybe Goldstein could give a nip-and-tuck to the names of other filmmakers who may be getting long in the tooth. How about “Little Stevie” Spielberg? Martin “Puff Marty” Scorsese? “Barbie” Streisand?

PAUL SERCHIA

Los Angeles