Chimp Cartoon Controversy – Day 3
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- February
- 20
The NY POST has issued an “I’m-sorry-you-misinterpreted-and-were-therefore-offended-by-this-cartoon” semi-apology, so thought I’d give you a further update. A couple posts ago I was critical of their cartoonist, Sean Delonas’s cartoons, particularly “the chimp” cartoon in question, which as you know has now taken on a media life of its own. I also said I had never met him. Sean emailed me to say that we were in fact in art school together(!) and had met once. He very politely inferred that he didn’t like what I had written: “ Sorry you don’t like my cartoons. I don’t see a lot of your cartoons, but the ones that I do see I really like. As far as politics, I work for a tabloid. We’re geared more towards entertainment and sensationalism than most papers.”
He and I had additional email exchanges that he asked me to keep off the record, so I will respect his wishes. Suffice to say that even though he swore up and down to me that he didn’t intend for the cartoon to have any racial overtones, things have gotten very hot for him indeed.
I still can’t defend the cartoon, but as Joe Biden Said in one of the VP debates, it’s safer to question a person’s ideas rather than their motives. Still, I personally try to be as surgically precise as possible with my cartoons simply because there is a Rorschach Test element to a loosely conceived cartoon, wherein people can insert interpretations that the cartoonist might never have dreamed of. There’s nothing worse than taking responsibility for nasty unintended consequences. It’s happened to most cartoonists, including me, so I know.
This entry was posted
on Friday, February 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pm by Matt Davies.
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Well Matt, what can one say..it is stimulating that you believe that “you” dont participate in “rudimentary politics”...Can I borrow this phrase from you for future work, or is it copyrighted?
BTB
That particular low hanging fruit already got plucked two days ago by “joe” in the first chimp cartoon thread. Someone had to, though. It was too easy.
Except, um, where did I say that I don’t participate in rudimentary politics?
let it go man. honestly, its easier to get worked up over his cartoon and take it primae facie as racist rather than just saying ‘oh its a mediocre cartoon; that’s that’. i doubt he intended any other interpretation.
huzzah for art school buddies!
tell me you did not just draw your blind governor with no eyes!!
On my first viewing of the cartoon, I admit I did not get it. After looking at it again, I see that the writers of the bailout bill… (Senate & House Democrats)....are being parodied as being dangerously off the tracks, similar to the offending chimp in Stamford.
The president is not mentioned, nor is he referred to.
Arising from the cartoon itself, no other interpretation is possible.
During the time I stupidly failed to grasp the meaning of the artwork, Mr. Delonas was in no way responsible for my stupidity, my opaqueness, or any paranoid tendencies I might have harbored ( like thinking it referred to me, or my ethnic group ).
End of story.
instead of having the cops speak. maybe if he labelled the chimp (stimulus bill) it would have been viewed the same but different. he would have had a better out. this way he could have said i was calling the bill itself a rampaging chimp and our local poli(ce)(ticians) the ones needing to shoot it down.
Instead he went with what he did, i believe thats the heart of it.
At least Mr. Delonas has the sense and humility to admit that he’s drawing cartoons to entertain. Contrast that with his pretentious twit colleagues who think that their doodlings are profound and offer incisive commentary on social and political issues.
And just who would that be ?? ......
P.Eldrich,
Saying mr. delonas draws cartoons to entertain doesn’t, in my opinion, make him either humble or sensible. His intention may have been humor, but that doesn’t let him off the hook. And the word, “admit” – if he’s really in the mood to admit anything, that would mean owning up to his own boorishness.
True humility doesn’t allow for a stubborn refusal to acknowledge other people’s feelings.
What about MY feelings, watching Demoncratic Porkola masquerade as “Stimulus”, while my country goes down the crapper with Acorn?
Artisan 33,
I sense that it’s the stimulus pacakge itself that provokes your feelings. I was referring to the CARTOON. That’s what stirred up such passion. I think it’s implied/inferred racism is at the heart of the controversy, & right now, I’m focusing on those feelings.