Cher the Survivor

Drama! Implants! Info-commercials! Man, where has Richard Cromelin been? In his review of Cher’s glorious farewell concert (“A Diva’s Adieu,” Aug. 8), he said a true diva, which according to him Cher is not, survives adversities and keeps on bouncing back. Here are the facts:

She outlives early folk rock hippie phase (“I Got You Babe”) to return as a true TV icon in “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.” Introducing the world to her deadpan comic delivery and Bob Mackie fashions.

She marries Greg Allman. Renegade rocker.

She outlives the built-in bias of being a “pop” singer to star in many important movies, culminating in getting an Oscar for “Moonstruck.” I don’t see Whitney or Mariah anywhere close.

She suffers from Epstein-Barr syndrome and drops out at the peak of her movie career.

Her daughter Chastity comes out as a lesbian.

She sees her former partner, Sonny Bono, die in a freakish ski accident, and delivers one of the great moments in VH1-”Behind the Music” history by delivering an amazing eulogy.

She scores a No. 1 worldwide single and album with “Believe” while in her 50s, surviving her infomercial “ridicule” phase.

Liza, whom Cromelin cites as the real thing, is only reliving her mother’s life (I think she’s on Night 2 of her mom’s TV biopic). Cher is the real deal! She can act, she can sing, she can cry--she can survive!

MARK WINKLER

Los Angeles