Reject corner!!!
We haven't had a candidate for the rejects pile for quite some time, either because my work has been so superlative that no fault could be found in it, or because as a cartoonist, I failed to push the envelope far enough to go over the edge with my editor.
Judging by some reader comments, it certainly wasn't the former.
Anyway, the one you see here was spiked for several reasons: my editor felt that it was too risque for starters, but also allowed that he "didn't think it was that funny. Almost, dare I say it, obvious." Normally he'll stretch the taste envelope if the cartoon has enough merit. Evidently, this one did not.
Not every cartoon needs to be funny. They can be poignant, trenchant and serious, as long as they make a point. This cartoon makes a point, but it isn't a deep one, so its success does rely more on humor.
Maybe it's a certain pride of authorship, but I thought it was funny, particularly in the South Florida context. So did several of my colleagues.
What do you think? Was my editor right?
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
I think it's hilarious!!!!
Posted by: B-Bon | November 23, 2009 12:44 PM
Maybe your editor woke up on the wrong side of the bed. This one's a "keeper!"
Posted by: john c. tryon | November 23, 2009 12:49 PM
This is a great cartoon! Not to mention the whole issue is a great one. I say YES, ABSOLUTELY add a tax on elective plastic surgery. This isn't something anyone NEEDS (not to mention how ridiculous it makes so many people look) but rather it is an extravagant indulgence. What's a boob job cost? Figure a 5% tax on a $5000 job. That's $250 for each one and that adds up to a nice chunk of change with the number of jobs that gets done each year (especially here in So. Fla.
Posted by: kenny rogers | November 23, 2009 1:33 PM
Very funny! And yes, the tax makes perfect sense to me.
Posted by: anna rogers | November 23, 2009 2:03 PM
I think your editor should fire you.
Posted by: Al | November 23, 2009 3:50 PM
I'm often a critic of Chan because his head is so far up his *ss, that he only sees things from one very liberal point of view, but I think this comic is great! Unlike Anna Rogers, I don't think Chan should be fired, but I'd like to see a conservative based cartoonist to balance it out.
Posted by: T | November 24, 2009 4:05 PM