My article on gnarly feet and flip-flops elicited a flood of wide-ranging responses.

The most provocative comment came from "Tina," who wrote:

"I wonder what Jesus' toe nails looked like. But anyway, all you men out there , if you want to get laid get well groomed! Put your best foot forward, not your turkey claws. Get a pedicure!"

Here is what I wrote in response:

"Jesus' toenails is a subject fairly unexplored until now. (A quick google search on "Jesus' toenails" yielded little - mainly questions about the appropriateness of coloring the toenails of the baby Jesus in your creche.) The Jesus in the church I grew up in had unremarkable toenails, largely because he was fairly tan, the lighting was dim, and small features like toenails just blended in.

If anyone was familiar with Jesus' toenails, it was likely Mary Magdalene. She did after all wash his feet. The Gospels tell us little more than that. Did Mary Magdalene bring along a nail care set and give his feet a quick trim? Perhaps. (I'm not well versed in the Apocryphal books which could very well offer clues.)

It's perfectly plausible that Mary Magdalene would offer these services. Once she stopped hooking for a living, she needed to make a decent living somehow. Simply washing feet offered little remuneration.

By the way, am I the only one that thinks "Jesus' Toenails" sounds like Carrie Underwood's next hit song?"

I expected that to be the end of it. But then came this comment from "Kaycie":

"Okay, Mo, check your facts. Mary Magdalene was not a hooker. Bet her feet were pretty, though."

Strange, I thought. Of course Mary Magdalene was a hooker. But then came this comment from Denise:

"BTW, Mary M, was NOT a hooker! You really shouldn't bring religion into a conversation open to every religion. Its offending to me that you woudn't get the facts about a Biblical Character before you comment like that. With all of the recent studies and programs revolving around the relationship between Jesus and Mary M, I find it disheartening people still think that of her.
Thanks for reading my comment."

I'm sorry, Denise, but in my house we were taught that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute before she met Jesus and repented. But perhaps we were misinformed.

So what's the truth here?

I am thrilled by the outpouring in response to my article on gnarly feet and flip-flops. Obviously this topic has been ignored for far too long by the MSM.

Food and Flip-flops was a big issue with "Jack Faxx" and "E" and "Sandy." This from "Sandy":
"Recently, I was in a resturant enjoying my meal when a man wearing flip-flops was seated at the table next to mine. His feet looked wet and sweaty, and needless to say, I couldn't eat another bite of my dinner, I was just too grossed out."

"T. Miles" conjured a disturbing image that every parent should be alerted to:
"Yeah I just hate the toes that throw up gang signs and other offensive gestures. I live in NYC and usually the men with the toes that looked like they have been through a meat grinder, are usually the most flirtatious. Ewww!"

Toes through meat grinders is grisly enough, but exposed toes used for gang recruitment is a new front in organized crime. Neighborhood Watch programs should take notice and start looking at feet. Thanks for the heads up.

This morning I rushed into my office minutes before an emergency conference call. (A shipment due to arrive in Ft. Wayne was re-routed through Indianapolis for no known reason.) As I swept past my secretary Peggy, I thought I heard her sigh, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Curious, I thought, but I had no time to respond. Once the call ended (one of our reps drove out to Indy for the pickup), Peggy came in to bring me my coffee.

"What did you mean by "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Peggy?"
"What do you think?" she countered. "I think Randy Jackson muffed the whole thing up."

An intriguing theory. Peggy's point:

American Idol is a delicate balance - a formula that's worked brilliantly since its beginning. Simon is acerbic, tough and no nonsense. Paula is the wacky mom with a heart of gold. (Simon and Paula are the comic relief, too. The sparring "lovers.") But Randy's role has always been crucial. He's sometimes been characterized as neutral or simply repeating Simon's criticisms in blander terms. Wrong. He has been the all-important straight man, but he's also been the supportive friend - not unconditionally loving like Paula, but constructive. An optimist who realistically looks for the best in each performer. (It's why historically Ryan asks Randy for "advice" for faltering contestants.) For many Americans, he's the point of identification on the panel.

But this season Randy chose to reinvent himself as Simon 2.0. At no point was the new Randy more wincingly mean than after Sanjaya's performance of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." He was more than mean. He was contemptuous. He called the song "unlistenable" and laughed at Sanjaya, then sneered about his hair. Rather than defend Sanjaya, he stoked the crowd to mock him further.

(Randy should have taken a cue from Diana Ross, a legend who surmounted unparalled hurdles as an African-American. In the video intro, it was clear that Ross could sympathize with the special pressures faced by Sanjaya, AI's first Indian-American finalist.)

Peggy is convinced that the backlash that has now brought AI to the brink began at that moment. Sanjaya was defenseless before the mob.

"I half expected the crowd to yell 'We want Barabbas!'" said Peggy. "And Randy was weaker than Pontius Pilate."