Cartoonists With Attitude

Naturally, people are seeking information on Sonia Sotomayor, Obama’s pick for the Supreme Court. There are some particularly controversial topics that need to be addressed 24 hours out from the announcement, such as who will play her in the biopic based on her inspirational life story and struggle against all odds and nasty GOP interest groups. Thankfully the Associated Press has addressed this pressing issue in an article that gives us a run-down of possible stars. Jennifer Lopez tops the list.

I’d like to cast Ron Perlman as Scalia, perhaps in Hellboy makeup for added effect.

Here are two videos I’d like to share.

The first is a powerful music video, a collaboration between activists Nikki Craft, Derrick Jensen and Lierre Keith.

The second is a funny new cartoon by Ted Rall, animated by David Essman. (Babette Pennysaver’s voice is… me! I kept having to do it over, Ted requesting: make it snappier and stupider!)

Sydney just told me, “People think sharks are cool but they’re not. There’s only one person who doesn’t like sharks, and that’s me.”

Sydney draws exceptionally well for a five year old. You might think that I’m only saying that because I’m her honorary uncle. But her mother thinks her drawings are exceptional, too, so there.

(Another photo after the fold)

*LAAAAAME-O KPCC…
My local public radio station, KPCC, didn’t air the Story episode that features yours truly!! WTF?!!

The first piece of publicity I get in Los Angeles and it doesn’t get aired. BAH!!

Anyway..I’m getting a lot of great emails from new readers, who came on after listened to said interview:

Keith,

i heard the interview today on NPR, thought you sounded like Chris Rock-at first
and decided to listen in. I searched for your sight on the web as soon as i got out of
the car. i’m now a fan. thanks for choosing to share your wit, drawing skillz and
intellect to make your field more legitimate. i had a short lived strip in college in our
“black” newspaper, but my fan base didn’t extend outside of my bedroom.

Best to you.
peas.

F.
—
Keith,

I am a 38 year black man from Cincinnati, Ohio. I was listening to NPR
(public radio) and I heard your story. I was late for an appointment because
I wanted to hear the entire interview. I related so much to you and your
humor. At first I thought you were a white guy (sorry if I insulted you but,
people say that to me all the time; I speak proper too) then when I heard
you talking about racial issues I was pleasantly surprised. I was looking to
get some of your material book, cd, dvd anything. . . does it all have to
be ordered over the net or are you in stores anywhere? Please let me know. .

Anyway I just wanted to give you a shout out. . . keep doin what you do
bro. . .

M.
—-
Hi Keith,

Listening to you now on The Story on NPR. Love your cartoons – we read them in the Funny Times. I’m especially enjoying your enjoyment of your new baby. Our kids are turning 5 and 7 and I miss the baby head smell.

K.

from the Knight Life Comic site:

Hello Keef,

I listened to your experience on NPR and thought it was absolutely refreshing and inspiring. I’ve discovered your comic strip and totally love it! I almost flipped when I read a Kojak reference in the toddler cop strip, I used to watch that in the seventies when I was about 8 or 9 and it just made that particular comic strip really hilarious. I love your character, he’s really believable. Thanks for your enthusiasm, your art and your great example in these hard times. I wish you the best but it seems you already have so much success in your life that is not related to money or fame!

Sincerely,

C.
Charlotte, NC

—–

I heard you on The Story and you were great. I hadn’t heard about you before but I’ve been reading up all evening.
P.S. I have an evil twin too. (She’d probably say the exact same thing though!)

M.
——

NPR works! Without our local NPR station I never would have heard of this strip. And it is good. I even get most of the jokes!

J.

*NATIONAL CARTOONISTS SOCIETY WRAP-UP..
The NCS had their annual convention here in La-La Land, at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel at Hollywood and Highland. Basically ground-zero for everything cheesy in Hollywood.

But you know what? It was a GREAT location. The hotel was filled with a combination of actors (Ed Asner, Scott Bakula, the plain woman from the original 90210) in for a Screen Actors Guild meeting, rock and porn stars and drunken cartoonists. What a combo!!

I speak a good coupla days crashing events since I’m not a member. I hung out with Darrin Bell, Lalo Alcaraz, Hilary Price, Dave Coverly, Guy and Rodd and fellow Salem State alumnus Mark Parisi.

I did a one-on-one conversation with Zits cartoonist Jim Borgman, that will be running in the 300th issue of the Comics Journal. Jim is a great cartoonist and a really nice guy. Can’t wait to see it in print!!

Overall, it was a good time. Rumor has it that the convention is headed to Boston next year. I’ll be psyched to head home for it.

*I NEED YOU TO NEEDLE THE SEATTLE TIMES..
So they pick up the Knight Life.

snail:
The Seattle Times
P.O. Box 70
Seattle, WA 98111

Lynn Jacobson-Features Editor:
ljacobson@seattletimes.com

*BELOW ARE THIS WEEK’S STRIPS AND..
..a strip I did in 2000 about one of my favorite movies of all time, Do the Right Thing.
I remember when that strip ran in the L.A. Weekly, thinking he might see it and buy it off me….AND LO AND BEHOLD, he did.

Just off the top of my head are a few more of my favorite films:
Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Hairspray (the original), What’s up Doc?, the Incredibles, Bringing up Baby, Three Kings, and the 40 year old Virgin.

*HEY!! I’M LOOKING FOR AN INTERN..
Somebody located in L.A. who wants to put in one day a week learning the ins and outs of the business of professional cartooning. YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DRAW!! But computer skills are necessary (photoshop, html, social networking crap etc.). And you cannot be a co-ed from Sweden (sorry).

I wish I could say this comic was only about Republicans, but it’s not. Last week, Senators from both parties lined up to whine about putting Gitmo detainees in our massive city-sized Supermax prisons that cannot possibly be escaped from. These detainees are all docile and broken from years of torture and isolation, but lawmakers worry they’ll convert all the prisoners into raging hardcore Muslims that stab guards with shivs made from juice box straws.

In reality, Western prisons would break these guys faster than Mancow on a waterboard. In no time they’d be trading porno mags and getting sloshed on toilet hooch with the rest of the inmates. Then we will have won a massive psychological/cultural victory in the War On Terror.

But Harry Reid’s too much of a wuss to see things that way.

the K Chronicles by Keith Knight
the Do the Right Thing strip I did in 2000.

(th)ink by Keith Knight

*KEEF INTERVIEWED ON THE STORY TODAY!! (TUESDAY. MAY 26TH)
I’ll be interviewed by that public radio smoothie, Dick Gordon, today on American Public Media’s the Story. It’s a national show that is syndicated on many public radio stations, some NPR, some not. To find out when it’s playing in your neckadawoods, or to listen online, go here.

… wasn’t a “nice guy” from the very beginning.

Evidence here and here.

Via Barry, here’s an interesting blog post that expands a bit more on what I was saying about the new Uhura in the Star Trek movie. The main argument about Uhura is a few paragraphs down.

“Barack Obama’s One-Man Show“