I probably shouldn't have to post this but I will: The articles to which I link and the websites I recommend will not necessarily show you viewpoints with which I agree or even "facts" which I believe to be true. They will, at best, show you articles that I think are worth reading, even if […]
It may not burst into the public arena in this form, but an argument is currently building in several companies that either publish comic books or syndicate comic strips or otherwise exploit and merchandise cartoon or comic book-style characters. The argument is over what the target audience is, and to what extent they can market […]
Over at the New York Times (registration required), Frank Rich laments that the only artists who have been effective in categorizing 9/11 are those in the White House. […]
I don't usually recommend books I haven't read yet unless they're (a) by one of my favorite writers or (b) by one of my closest friends. Alan Brennert's new novel, Moloka'i, qualifies on both counts. Alan is a superb author of books, screenplays and plays and a helluva good guy, so I can't imagine not […]
I'm on a number of mailing lists for Las Vegas news and others for magicians. In the last hour, I received a Vegas News bulletin that said it "doesn't look good" for Roy Horn, who was mauled by a tiger last night, and a Magic News bulletin that says he'll pull through. Naturally, we hope […]
Something bothers me about this whole "Arnold the Groper" story and it's something that I guess bothers me about politicking in general these days. In most elections, we hear a lot about the "character" issue, meaning what kind of man is this person seeking the job? Is he honest, courageous, etc.? A lot of the […]
William Steig was a prolific author of children's books and he drew wonderful cartoons for magazines, most notably The New Yorker, for 70+ years. But the obits (like this one) will probably all focus on the fact that he wrote and drew the book, Shrek, which was freely adapted into the hit movie of the […]
Fifty-five years ago today, the world of comic strips changed for the better. The event was the quiet debut of a new one in the pages of The New York Star, a short-lived Manhattan newspaper. The strip was about a mild-mannered little possum with a striped shirt and a penchant for saying clever, incisive things. […]
A few days ago, I wrote about a show in Vegas that made the audience extremely uncomfortable. What could be worse than that one? I dunno…how about watching Roy (of Siegfried and Roy) getting ripped to shreds by a tiger? What an awful experience that must have been for the audience. I mean, it goes […]
The "Even Stephen" debate on Thursday's episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. If and when they post an online video clip, I'll link to it. (It's the episode with Rob Lowe as guest but nothing on any website tips me as to which reruns in the next few days might be that one. […]
Looks like the Fantagraphics folks have a winner. Since I posted the previous message, I've received an even dozen messages saying, "I went over to their website and I can't find a place to order The Complete Peanuts." That's right, you can't. As I noted, they haven't announced the price yet. That obviously means they […]
Just realized I haven't mentioned this. A lot of us are about to make a large monetary commitment to Fantagraphics Books, which is about to commence publishing The Complete Peanuts. Two hardcover volumes a year, commencing in April of 2004. Each will contain two full years of Charles Schulz's wonderful strip in chronological order (the […]
What does it take to be a "Great American?" In this article, Art Buchwald tells us. And I have to admit that this is the first time in about eight years I've realized that Art Buchwald is still writing that column of his. […]
Here's another article by William Saletan on the implications of the ban on so-called "partial birth abortions." I think he's right. […]
In the interest of accuracy, I should clarify my earlier item that said the chairman of the Republican National Committee had agreed that the current scandal (regarding leaking) was "worse than Watergate." Here is the exact quote of what Ed Gillespie said on the MSNBC series, Hardball… MATTHEWS: Well, of course, this whole thing started […]