Thirty years ago, I played the bass in a professional theater company's production of "Ain't Misbehavin'." The critic who reviewed it for the local newspaper enjoyed the acting and Fats Waller's music. His only criticism was of one actor's "shabby shoes."
The managing director reacted to this criticism the next day.
"His shoes!" he exclaimed. "His shoes, for God's sake..."
"Are you going to ask (the actor) to change shoes?" the music director asked.
"No!" the managing director replied. "If anything, we're going to scuff 'em up even more."
I don't fault the managing director for responding that way. There's a difference between valid criticism and nitpicking, after all.
