‘YMA, UMA’

Re the source of David Letterman’s “Uma, Oprah” routine (Letters, Aug. 24):

It all began in the comic mind of Thomas Meehan, who conceived a totally off-the-wall 1962 article for the New Yorker magazine entitled “Yma Dream,” based on the premise of his having a recurring dream that he is giving a cocktail party in honor of singer Yma Sumac and as the celebrity guests begin to arrive he has to introduce them to each other: “Oona, Yma; Oona, Ava; Oona, Abba.” Meehan later adapted the piece for Anne Bancroft’s 1970 TV special.

Miss Sumac, whom I formerly managed, is currently riding the crest of the “lounge/exotica” rage, with all of her albums reissued on CD. Ironically, the last time Yma sang on American television was Feb. 4, 1987--on David Letterman’s show!

ALAN EICHLER

Hollywood