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20+ Questions with Drew Friedman (view source)
Revision as of 02:45, 7 August 2020
, 02:45, 7 August 2020no edit summary
work for. They’re a right-leaning publication
and if pressed, my politics tend to lean
towards the left. But they never once toldme to draw a Democrat looking any moreridiculous or stupid than a Republican. Ihad editorial control to draw one politicianlooking as idiotic as the next, no matterthe party.That said, I probably would never doa cigarette ad, not that they even existanymore?So who are your main influences incaricature, past and present?The list is so long that I am sure I’m gonnaforget a few of my heroes, but growing up,I adored all the MAD artists, mainly MortDrucker’s movie parodies. I’d obsessivelystudy his artwork wondering how he pulledit off. I also adored Al Hirschfeld’s workand like everyone else, looked forwardevery week to seeing his piece in theSunday New York Times and counting theNinas. Other early favorite caricaturists includedMiguel Covarrubias, Sam Berman,Will Elder, Jack Davis, Al Kilgore, RonaldSearle, David Levine, Robert Grossman,and Rick Meyerwitz. These days I admireso many. a few favorites include PhilipBurke, CF Payne, Roberto Parada, DanAdel, Barry Blitt, Stephen Kroninger, JoeCiardello, David Cowles, Steven Brodner,Victor Juhasz and so many others.What is your favorite accomplishmentillustration-wise?I’d say it would have to be having myillustration of Barack Obama posed asGeorge Washington on the cover of theNew Yorker the week of his inauguration.Even my crazy relatives were impressedwith that achievement!So can you tell our members a littleabout what to expect from you atthe convention?I’m really looking forward to meeting allthe caricaturists on hand and checkingout everyone’s different styles. All mybooks will be for sale for anyone notfamiliar with my work, and I’ll be showingmany examples of my work during mypresentations and will discuss any topicthat comes up about the world of humorousillustration and septic tanks.What do you plan to show and discussfor your keynote presentation?I’ll be talking a bit about my background,growing up the son of a celebratedwriter and getting to meet many celebritieswhen I was a kid, including someI’d one day draw, like Groucho Marx. I’llalso be discussing some of my weirder assignments and the outcomes, workingfor National Lampoon, SPY and MAD.Also some of the reactions I’ve gottenfrom various celebrities I’ve drawn, beingsued once for a comic strip I drew,and the reactions from many of the oldJewish comedians included in my books,including...Jerry Lewis.Do you plan to hang around anddraw as well?My guess is yes, at least for a bit. I’msure I’m gonna be inspired seeing everyoneelse drawing. Also, if any lovelyfaces stand out, I’m sure I’ll want tocapture them!Is there anything else you want totell us? Push a book or product?My brand new book is Even MORE OldJewish Comedians from FantagraphicsBooks. I’ll have copies for sale which I’ll,of course, inscribe. This is the third andfinal book of Old Jewish Comedians.I’m becoming an old Jew myself!! I justrecently spotted my first liver spot!!And lastly, one of our memberswanted to know if there are any oldwhite Baptist comedians you wouldlike to draw?Yes, that’s my next book. It’ll bea pamphlet.-----For more on Drew Friedman, check out his website at http://drewfriedman.net/ or his blog at http://drewfriedman.blogspot.com
