WHEN A CARTOONIST has an idea for a cartoon based on the news, it is essential to send it to the main publications as soon as possible. Firstly, so that they can accept it while it’s still newsworthy and secondly to beat other cartoonists who are undoubtedly coming up with the same idea.
This one is about UK comedian Jim Davidson who is one of the contestants in the current Celebrity Big Brother TV show. He released a podcast defending his racist humour as ‘cartoon racism’. Which was an obvious inspiration for a cartoonist brought up on a diet of Tom and Jerry and Tex Avery cartoons.
This wasn’t the first version though. The first cartoon rather watered down the cartoon element of the violence. I think I was concerned about getting a likeness to Jim Davidson into the picture.
Getting gag cartoons published in the UK is a very tricky business. It may be something to do with British reserve, but most successful gag cartoonists I know spent years sending in batches of six jokes to the same editors of magazines such as Private Eye, The Spectator and The New Statesman before getting one accepted and published. It’s almost as if the art editor needs to get to know you. But after that, you are more likely to repeat your success, even with substandard jokes. It’s like a strange initiation ceremony into a Masonic cult. There I go exaggerating again for the millionth time today.
This cartoon has already been rejected by The Spectator who said “It’s good, but no thanks’ and I haven’t heard anything from Private Eye, so I feel time is ripe to publish it on the internet for the amusement of, potentially, millions.
Great stuff here!