Sunday, October 5, 2008

BFFs















My eldest daughter, Krapuzar, visited me in Brooklyn last week and brought with her the new man in her life, a gentleman who calls himself simply, "Sneetch."

They both assured me that he is not this guy, but I still don't know if I believe them. It was a lovely visit one that we will all remember for weeks. Along with being a damn fine human being, Krapuzar is also a righteous violinist and played onstage with me in the last tour of The Bizarro Baloney Show, back in 2005 or 6 or something.

In other news: I've been in Raleigh/Durham all weekend at an animal rights convention. I did some comedy on Friday night for the troops in attendance, then a book signing at a local store on Saturday. Much fun and success all around.

I also got to meet a young cartoonist with whom I have been emailing for three years. His name is Victor (or was it Vance? I don't know, something with a V). He began sending me his work when he was 14 and I have used a total of 13 of his ideas in Bizarro to date. His hometown paper, the Raleigh News and Observer, recently published an article about our collaborations. As I recall, the headline was, "Hometown Boy Not Completely Useless," or something like that.

He and his ma (Denise? Dorothy?) came to see my comedy show on Friday night, and on Saturday night I went to his family's home for dinner. Not knowing much about vegan food, they prepared oatmeal and dry toast, but it was delicious.

After dinner we played Pinochle and listened to Jack Benny on the wireless. Good, old-fashioned family fun was had by all. Later, I passed a bottle of Scotch around and we took turns telling stories about the strangest place we had ever been naked in public. In all modesty, my stories were way more interesting than any of theirs.

All went well until I lit a cigar in their living room, scaring the cat who then knocked over a lamp and started a fire. They took this opportunity to drive me back to my hotel. I asked them to drop me at a bar, but apparently they all close at 3am there so none were open.


Thanks again to Vernon and the Rodriquez family (Reynolds? Ruiz?) for a great evening. We're all BFFs now.

10 comments:

derekamalo said...

that dudes the man brother 14 years old and in bizarro.....shit i first so website back in 2000 i should of emailed you long before then (2007)lol

doug nicodemus said...

nice of you to help a struggling young artist. it shows you really do have a big heart you old softy.

Lorie said...

Seth Rogen mini-me! Rockin' the facial hair at 17!!! That's really a great thing you are doing, mentoring this kid. I have to stop, I'm getting verklempt.

Jezzka said...

Check out that spiffy festive-o tablecloth and those renegade curtains, wowza, where can i get me a pair?

tornwordo said...

You can't make up decor like that. I love your face in the first shot.

Unknown said...

Dude, your daughter is CUTE! and knows how to pose.

isee3dtoo said...

It looks like in the Pararo house the doorways have been lowered to make everyone look taller. Whereas in the other house the doorways have been raised to make everyone look shorter.

I am so confused, am I a giant in a land of short people or normal sized in a land of tall people???

derekamalo said...

hey dan your daughter is pretty cute....

ask her does she mind a 350lb...(but bench it +) .. guy who lives at home with his mom

.its very important that she knows i live at home... but my parents are loaded ..lol

Anonymous said...

Wow.. the number of Bizarros you've drawn on your own without assist by a struggling cartoonist must number in the teens by now...

Anonymous said...

Well, Derek, you can go ahead and mark us all down as "not shocked or surprised in the slightest."