For Gag Cartoonists Wondering When Did Selling Become So Difficult; Part 14

Heart-to-heart for those of us who were hoping to make this their livelihood

Available at the CartoonStock

It’s too hot today to get into a discussion as to what is, and what is not, dry humor today. I just came across this cartoon because it appeared in today’s CartoonStock newsletter. I also saw in the InBox that comedian Fred Armisen will be the drummer for DEVO during their tour this summer with the B-52’s, but that is neither here nor there.

Speaking of neither here nor there, a couple of days ago, Google maps sent me down a remarkable street¹ of mega mansions. They were the size of resorts and some driveways had a fleet of new cars. While I stopped to try to make a call and I thought to my myself these people may have more material wealth than I could imagine but I had the one thing back home that they didn't have: phone reception. My iPhone had only one bar there.

I think there are two groups of people in the world, those who would be thrilled to make a commencement speech and those who would be petrified. I’m in the latter group but I never remember which is the former and latter thing, so who knows. I, myself, just spoke to an art class at Yonsei University in South Korea from the comfort of Zoom. One day I will teach there in person but for now, for reasons I won’t go into, Trump has put a pin in those plans.

With Bob Mankoff’s blessing, his recent commencement speech at his alma mater, Syracuse University. It was insightful, inspired, and had some major-league laughs.

Cartoon courtesy of The Weekly Humorist

A couple of days ago, on Jenna Bush’s Today Show podcast, guest Adriana Trigiani was kind enough to recommend my museum book as a summer read.² Adriana is a true champion of book’s and reading. She has a new book out now called The View from Lake Como that I started reading. It came in the most spectacular packaging. It came with postcards and a luggage tag in the coolest envelope ever.

For writers here, this should be turning on light bulbs for your own marketing.

I was definitely inspired and spoke to my Inspired by Cats marketing team about swag (I threw out the idea of personalized pencils that look chewed up by cats) and decorating the envelope. I looked into getting publicity from this contest where the winner lives with the grumpy musician, Morrissey, for one year in his small garden shed. I’m still a big fan although I’m aware our politics now don’t align plus I eat meat. But I convinced myself, the press would be worth it.³

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