2008 Woodie Awards
The good, the bad, and the funny
Seriously, Bill Keane, if you're reading this, just stop
John Sieglaff
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Fun House
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Hey, everybody. I've been procrastinating just a tad and now I've found myself writing this article at 3:20 in the morning on The Tuesday (Wednesday morning) production night for The Mirror. Anyway, for your sake I will try not to ramble too much, however, I must admit it is going to be a bit of a feat if I can really speak coherently right now. After all, it is very early in the morning and I'm only on Mountain Dew and Focus Vitamin Water right now. It's been a very long day, and night, and now morning.
But anyway, I'm rambling.
I was listening to the song Tom Sawyer by Rush the other day and then I started thinking about the classic novel by Mark Twain (or Samuel Clements for you geeky Literature majors out there-don't be offended, I'm a minor).
Remember when Tom Sawyer got that dopey kid to finish painting the picket fence for him by saying that it was so much fun and kept going on and on about how great painting was. And then everybody laughs at the end of the scene. Well, first off, I tried it. Painting really isn't all he cracks it up to be!
And secondly, come on, Mark Twain (or Samuel, if that is your real name)! Slice of life? What is that? That's the same sort of humor techniques that Family Circus uses! When's the last time Bill Keane sparked a smile out of anyone under fifty?
In absolute honesty, I don't even intend any offense by this last statement. I know some people who are over fifty and are very cool people with good taste in art (even though they laugh at Family Circus-and Bill Keane, I do intend to offend you).
But the fact of the matter is that my elders (mostly I'm referring to baby boomers) do seem to laugh at things that most people from younger generations wouldn't even smirk at. They say, "Well, it's a little slice of life." But, I'm sorry-slice of life isn't funny. A little scene from what may happen is not inventive.
Statistics have shown that the funniest comics are the ones that don't stay true to our physical reality. For instance, George Herriman's masterpiece "Krazy Kat," featured a cat that was in love with a mouse and felt that the bricks that were constantly thrown at his head were simply love messages from Ignat Mouse. Doesn't really make a whole lot of sense does it?
But anyway, I'm rambling.
I was listening to the song Tom Sawyer by Rush the other day and then I started thinking about the classic novel by Mark Twain (or Samuel Clements for you geeky Literature majors out there-don't be offended, I'm a minor).
Remember when Tom Sawyer got that dopey kid to finish painting the picket fence for him by saying that it was so much fun and kept going on and on about how great painting was. And then everybody laughs at the end of the scene. Well, first off, I tried it. Painting really isn't all he cracks it up to be!
And secondly, come on, Mark Twain (or Samuel, if that is your real name)! Slice of life? What is that? That's the same sort of humor techniques that Family Circus uses! When's the last time Bill Keane sparked a smile out of anyone under fifty?
In absolute honesty, I don't even intend any offense by this last statement. I know some people who are over fifty and are very cool people with good taste in art (even though they laugh at Family Circus-and Bill Keane, I do intend to offend you).
But the fact of the matter is that my elders (mostly I'm referring to baby boomers) do seem to laugh at things that most people from younger generations wouldn't even smirk at. They say, "Well, it's a little slice of life." But, I'm sorry-slice of life isn't funny. A little scene from what may happen is not inventive.
Statistics have shown that the funniest comics are the ones that don't stay true to our physical reality. For instance, George Herriman's masterpiece "Krazy Kat," featured a cat that was in love with a mouse and felt that the bricks that were constantly thrown at his head were simply love messages from Ignat Mouse. Doesn't really make a whole lot of sense does it?
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