Bizarro is brought to you today by Vegan Chicken Strips.Just got back from my two comedy things in Santa Rosa, California, home of the Charles Schulz Museum and am happy to report they both went well and we had a great time. Thanks to those of you who came to the shows, it was fun meeting you. (Except for you, Hoyt. Never contact me again.)
The first cartoon shown here is a take on the cliche, "Let me through I'm a doctor" deal. In this case, the cartoony-looking guy has slipped on a banana peel and only a cartoonist will do. In my continuing habit of honoring Alfred Hitchcock, I appear as the cartoonist. My good friend and colleague, Wayno, came up with this idea. We had different ideas about this cartoon which we didn't discover until I published it and we got to chatting. He explains here why his original victim was a wealthy dandy, whereas I always think of the fallen slapstick victim as a blue-collar dude, like the moving guy who gets crushed by the piano.
This second cartoon is fairly odd even for me, which is what I like about it. I often notice bored couples in restaurants who seem not to say a word during their entire dining experience, even while waiting for the food. CHNW talks so much (even when she's alone) that I doubt that will ever happen to us. It always makes me sad to see this, but I could be assuming too much. Maybe they're as happy as anyone else, they just don't like to gab about it all the time.
Cartoon three is from the archives of Bizarro Headquarters. Keith Rust is an actual friend of mine. I didn't choose him for any particular reason, just thought he'd be a good subject for this gag. This is the sort of classically surreal gag that I really love and don't come up with nearly often enough.More tomorrow, don't be late!
10 comments:
Finally! A cartoon that's the right way up! xx from NZ
Love the couples cartoon - you got it exactly right. And your comments are spot on. Lucky you to have a chatty partner - enjoy, enjoy enjoy. BTW I look forward to your blog v v much - I'm always blown away by how generous people are in blogland - I should really be paying you big bucks for the clever take you have on the world. But I'm afraid all I have on me at the moment is a (very very heartfelt and sincere) thank you :-)
=v= The banana gag was a staple of the silent film era, when everyone but Buster Keaton wore top hats or derbies.
There's another funny variation out there on the "let me through..." gag. A vase of flowers crashes to the floor at a party and a guest rushes in saying, "stand back, I'm a florist."
I like the earth hat. It reminds me of the old physics riddle:
Q. How much does the entire Earth weigh when placed on a 10-pound table?
A. 10 pounds.
The supermarket near me has printed stick man greeter cartoons in the window (life size) with the guy thinking (thought bubble) "Welcome to Ralph's!"
It's very nice he's thinking so politely, but if we couldn't read his thoughts, it wouldn't do much good.
Obviously, the low skilled illustrator doesn't know his thought bubbles from his speech bubbles.
I'm also puzzled by couples who don't seem to enjoy each other's company. I was at the movies recently where a couple sat in front of us with an empty chair in between.
At least the chair in between my wife and I was filled with a 10 year old kid, explaining why she and I don't talk anymore. But it leaves me more time to judge others, so who's complaining?
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The diner one reminds me of the men you see sitting by themselves in bars
basically getting a buzz on but not talking to anyone, seems like the lonliest thing you can do. But it better to have someone to not talk to,lol?
Just saw your "triangle" cartoon in the Maui News. Priceless. BTW, I'm a minister (about 30 yrs worth), have always loved your religious-themed work, so does my Boss (have to capitalize, part of my contract).
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