In the Biz - Donna Barstow Blog #2

Season 2 Glee Auditions for more Emmys.

I don’t think so.

random photo of the old football coach ken Tenaka, good actor — random photo of the old football coach Ken Tenaka, good actor

Didn’t like any of the songs in Audition, and turned the sound down. Thought the new blond, quasi-Derek Hough was okay. The Filipino girl was kind of cute but didn’t like her voice. Quinn is one of my faves and she had only one line, if that, and no close ups.

The new football coach is the biggest fugly lesbo I’ve ever seen in any show, anywhere. Just an awful actress But will she get together with Jane Lynch, who outed herself this year as gay? Who knows. Typical Ryan Murphy, telling himself he’s pushing boundaries, by pushing his agenda in the face of straight people. (and picking unattractive people to prove he’s…not ugly?)

Let’s keep score on the gay list so far on the show:

Chris Colfer, Kurt, in real life and on the show. He outs himself to his father every other episode, so we’ll probably have another outing next week.

Jane Lynch, gay only in real life. I was disappointed to find this out about her, as it was so much more unusual to have a dowdy straight woman character who had given up on men.

Principal Figgins (Igbal Theba) only in real life. Outed himself years ago.

Not gay:

Matthew Morrison, (thank God), according to ELLE. I read an interview with him in the LA Times and he was ambiguous, however.

I don't Watch TV In the Biz

bad tv glee

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By Donna Barstow

Hammer me.

This is a typical New Yorker cartoon about Hollywood. Not that this is really Hollywood, of course, but it’s what NEW YORK thinks Hollywood is. You got your palm trees,…

In the Biz New Yorker cartoons

hollywood cartoon illustration friday new yorker cartoons

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By Donna Barstow

Which came first, Democrats or Republicans?

chicken or egg cartoon

Oops, did I spoil the cartoon? For Illustration Friday: propagate is the challenge. And chickens do that.

This is an easy idea to tinker with, if you’re good with words. The ending to Which came first, could be anything, and I think I’ve come up with half a dozen gags over the years. But politics has been a big part of my life this last year, working for Slate, so these hens have that on their mind, too.

I’ve been thinking recently about New Yorker cartoons vs Editorial cartoons – which I’m spending most of my time doing? now. New Yorker cartoons are easy, so easy that anyone can do it, and they can and do, with the little caption contests. I haven’t looked at the contests in years, but there are many clever entries, I’m sure.

“But I can’t draw,” they sigh. That’s what she said.

That’s what I said. I wanted to write them, not draw them, but I sent ideas to a couple of New Yorker guys, they said they didn’t buy gags, and I gave up on just writing right away. I’d have to learn to draw. Sigh.

In the Biz New Yorker cartoons

illustration friday new yorker cartoons

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By Donna Barstow

One minute movie reviews.

Life is short. Time is precious. Movies are only 2 hours long. I can’t invest too much time or thought in them, but some are enjoyable, and stick to your…

In the Biz

movies cartoon

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By Donna Barstow

Marty Murphy Memorial (and books.)

I went to Marty Murphy’s memorial service on Monday at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This is only the 2nd funeral I’ve ever been to since I’ve been a grownup, and my first time at this famous cemetery. We signed in and met Marty’s sister and nephew, and some people said some nice things about him. (Not that many people spoke, but I think that’s because most of the guests were artists, and they are very right-brained, not too wordy, and internal people.) Afterwards we went into another room for coffee and chatted.

I only recognized 4 people: Floyd Norman (who I don’t think knew me), Bill Riling, Bob Foster, and Sergio Aragones. I hadn’t seen Sergio in at least a year, and it was great to chat with him. He never gets older! And he’s still quite the ladies man. Interestingly,? Virgil Partch (VIP) came up in the conversation, probably because Marty had always talked about him, and admired him so much. He had died tragically in a car accident many years ago. He has a very distinct way of drawing that anyone can recognize! As it turns out, Sergio had also always admired him, and when he moved here from Mexico he was so excited to finally meet the man! VIP was one of the best. I didn’t know he had done so many books – I think he’s quite collectible. I know he’s a little risque! Here are some I found on Amazon:? Virgil Partch (VIP).

Man the Beast by VIP.

In the Biz The Others

books cartoonists marty murphy

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By Donna Barstow

Who doesn’t hate AIG?

“Now I’m confused. Is that a black hole, or the maws of AIG?” Cartoon ?D. Barstow 2009

NOTE: My political cartoons for Slate have all been moved to The Opposite of Wrong, where I skewer all the cartoons!

Who doesn’t love a cartoon bashing AIG, the worst insurance company of all time? And there’s a dog in it for you, too.

I’m choosing this cartoon for the Illustration Friday assignment, Subtract. All artists know that to subtract means you better deal with the negative space, dude! (subtract it) This was for Slate, and I did it right before the big news broke about AIG asking for even more money, for those f-ing bonuses. On this day it was just “normal” money they wanted.

I thought AIG was an insurance company, but I? think it’s an insurance company FOR banks. But this whole idea that the world’s economy will collapse if AIG dies is a bunch of baloney. Insurance companies are always up to no good.

The Drawing

I had a somewhat modified version of this cartoon that I did years ago, when I did a whole bunch of astronomy cartoons. I knew a couple of cartoonists – Sidney Harris and Nick Downes – who were doing pretty well doing cartoons for science magazines. (And books: Whatever Happened to ‘Eureka’?: Cartoons on Science and Einstein Simplified, Revised Edition: Cartoons on Science!)

In the Biz Slate cartoons

art editorial illustration friday

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By Donna Barstow

Ted Rall gives Time Magazine what for.

OOh, great dustup on Time Magazine’s list of Best Editorial Cartoons of 2008!

You’ll have to decide for yourself if they made the right decision, and if these cartoons are the BEST – I started to really study editorial cartoons just this year, and they don’t seem great to me, but I am not one to judge. Yet. (Give me a little time, and I’ll be circling like a shark…)

Anyway, Ted Rall thinks the editors there suck. Ted is a well known syndicated political cartoonist, radio guy, author (Wake Up, You’re Liberal!: How We Can Take America Back from the Right), and no doubt creator of other things. He is also editor at a syndicate? and president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. He got mad at Time’s lame editorial picks, and let them have it! Daily Cartoonist published his letter in full, and here is an excerpt:

Your list of the Top 10 Editorial Cartoons of 2008 is an insult to editorial cartoonists, many of whom are losing their jobs to the economic downturn in the newspaper industry. In 2008 hundreds of brilliant political cartoonists produced thousands of hard-hitting, thought-provoking and hilarious cartoons about everything from the flash in the pan that was Sarah Palin to the rise of Barack Obama, and all you could come up with was this phoned-in crap?

More at the link! Well, when has a cartoonist ever kept his mouth shut when he sees bad work? Not I. One bad cartoonist spoils the place for everyone.

Some of the comments at Daily Cartoonist:

So much for not directly insulting the cartoonists involved ;) That said, bravo. Particularly enjoyed the “clean and sober” slice. Time magazine has become as relevant and useful as an ’80s cocaine binge.

Wow.? This was already mailed, right?? Well, in that case, um, wow.

I’m in agreement with Ken. This wasn’t a well thought out letter. I agree with the sentiments but this is not how you persuade people. As much as I hate using tact, it is necessary. Bad move.

In the Biz Slate cartoons

political cartoons ted rall time magazine

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