Katie Couric's Notebook: Nutcracker Controversy

As the saying goes, no one ever erected a statue to a critic. 

But that hasn't stopped fans of one ballerina from chipping away at a critic who dissed her.

Jenifer Ringer, a 37-year-old professional dancer and mom, plays the sugar plum fairy in The Nutcracker at the New York City Ballet. 

Alastair Macaulay, a dance critic for the New York Times, wrote that ringer looked like she'd eaten, "one sugar plum too many."

That comment sent lords and ladies a leapin' to her defense. Ringer has reportedly battled eating disorders and body image problems in the past and admits the line hit her below the dance belt.

Now Macaulay's facing a few bad reviews of his own and says he's offended by some of the emails he's received. But just like a pirouette, what goes around comes around.

As for Jenifer Ringer, perhaps next year, she'll get to play the Nutcracker. I'm sure there's one critic she'd like to invite as her special guest.

That's a page from my notebook. I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.