Episode 211 - Harry Bliss

Matt Diffee joins us for a second time on this week's podcast.Matt had been a New Yorker cartoonist until recently, when he decided to try his hand at creating children's books. His first book, "Zip Zap Wickety Wack", will be available on September 30th. We talk with Matt about the process of creating and publishing a Children's book. We also touch on his Rejection Collection cartoon books and the reluctance of creating controversial cartoons in today's world.You can learn more about Matt's book on his Instagram page:https://www.instagram.com/mattdiffee/You can order his book here (and get it signed with a free art print!):https://www.skylightbooks.com/matthewdiffeeAnd then send your receipt here for a chance at winning a hand lettered print (you can use a receipt from any retailer that sells the book):https://forms.walkerbooksgroup.com/view.php?id=10940You can also learn more about Matt at his website:https://www.matthewdiffee.comOn Part 1 of the episode, we discuss the current contests:Winning captions for New Yorker contest #956 (Do you know how to drive a drumstick?)Finalists for contest #958 (No man is a Coney Island.) Current New Yorker contest #960 (Local Yokel.) We also talk about our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker.You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Tom Toro returns to the podcast for a fourth time this week.We talk with Tom about the publication of his cartoon book, "And to Think We Started as a Book Club . . .", a curated selection of his best cartoons from over the last 15 years. We also talk about his New Yorker cover he did last November (he neglected to mention that he has also done the cover for the next American Bystander. A great humor magazine that you should be reading).Trigger warning, there is a higher percentage of bad puns in this episode, proceed with caution. Pre-order Tom's book here:https://www.amazon.com/Think-We-Started-Book-Club/dp/B0DV4N65GRYou can find Tom's website here:https://tomtoro.comAnd subscribe to his Substack, Undiscovered Masterpieces, here:https://substack.com/profile/61701874-tom-toroTom also joins us for the contest discussions and our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker. The winning caption for New Yorker contest #955 (Rat-astrophe).  Finalists for contest #957 (The search for the Holy Grill). Current New Yorker contest #959 (Coffee Clutch). You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Larry Wood, the all time New Yorker cartoon caption contest winner, author and CartoonStock caption contest judge, joins us again to talk about the current New Yorker contests, our favorite cartoons from this week’s issue of the New Yorker and the latest CartoonStock contest. We have some great discussions on what we think makes good (or bad) captions and why we dislike certain kinds of captions. It turns out it difficult to determine a funniest caption when no one can agree on what's funny.We discuss the winning entry for Contest #954 (The lifeguard from the black lagoon.)Finalists for Contest #956 (Tail feather gating.)Current Contest #958 (AAA meeting.)You can order Larry's book, "Your Caption Has Been Selected: More Than Anyone Could Possibly Want to Know About The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest" here:   https://www.amazon.com/Your-Caption-Has-Been-Selected/dp/1250333407/You can purchase original New Yorker cartoon art from Curated Cartoons here: https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

On part 2 of this week's podcast we are joined by Illustrator, John Cuneo. John's art has appeared in many publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, Sports Illustrated and The Atlantic Monthly.We talk with John about his background, his distinctive drawing style, New Yorker covers and much more!You can learn more about John and see his New Yorker covers and other illustrations at his website:https://johncuneo.comAnd you can order his books here:https://www.fantagraphics.com/collections/john-cuneoOn Part 1 of the episode, we discuss the current contests:Winning captions for New Yorker contest #953 (Into the Lion's dentures).Finalists for contest #955 (Row(dent) Housing). Current New Yorker contest #957 (Blessed are the Cheeseburgers). We also talk about our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker.You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Paul Noth returns to the podcast this week.We talk with Paul about winning this year's Thurber Prize for American Humor, his new Substack, "Noth Things" and his upcoming book project that collects almost 200 of his best cartoons (including dozens of new ones)!  You can find Paul's website here:https://www.paulnoth.comAnd subscribe to Noth Things at:https://substack.com/@paulnoth(Paul says there will be a caption contest starting soon there!)Paul also joins us for the contest discussions and our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker. The winning caption for New Yorker contest #952 (Crashing the dinner party).  Finalists for contest #954 (I'm a gill watcher). Current New Yorker contest #956 (Surely you JOUST™). You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Cartoonist, Rose Anne Prevec joins us on the second half of the podcast this week. Rose Anne has been creating cartoons since she was young, but has only recently been having them published, most notably in Airmail, Alta Journal, Narrative, Reader’s Digest, The Wall Street Journal and the Weekly Humorist. The New Yorker has been elusive, but we think she'll get in there in the near future.You can find her cartoons at her website:https://www.groundhoghill.caRose Anne also has a book of her cartoons, "CHUCKLINGS" and has also appeared in the cartoon compilation, "HOLD THAT THOUGHT". Both can be found here:https://www.groundhoghill.ca/chucklingsShe can be found on facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/groundhoghill/aboutAnd on Instagram at:https://www.instagram.com/groundhog_hill/ Rose Anne also mentions attending Amy Kurzweil's cartooning class. You can check it out here:https://amykurzweil.com/classes-and-public-engagement/On Part 1 of the episode, we discuss the current contests:Winning captions for New Yorker contest #951 (Dante's nine channels of hell).Finalists for contest #953 (Safari, so good).Current New Yorker contest #955 (Stooped, stooped rat creatures). We also talk about our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker.You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Emmy Award winning writer and cartoonist, Ken Levine returns to the podcast this week. Ken has been a writer for MASH, Cheers, Frasier, Wings. The Simpsons and many more TV shows.Ken has the most recent cartoon in the CartoonStock Caption Contest and we talk with him about his cartoon and his reaction to the winning captions. He also joins us for the New Yorker contests and favorite cartoons from the current issue. Ken also has a reading for his play, "Back To The Drawing Board", on August 24th in Los Angeles at the Westchester Playhouse. if you'd like tickets, you can contact Ken at [email protected]://kentwoodplayers.org/directions.aspxLarry Wood also joins us on podcast this week.You can find Ken's blog here:http://kenlevine.blogspot.comKen has also written several books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ken-Levine/author/B001KDZ1PU?ref=ap_rdr New Yorker contests this week:The winning caption for New Yorker contest #950 (Who wore it furter?) Finalists for contest #952 (Should we tip 20% or all the way over?)Current New Yorker contest #954 (Beacher Creature Feature). You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Cartoonist Harry Bliss joins us on the second half of the podcast this week. Harry has been contributing to the New Yorker since 1998, first as a cover artist and also as a cartoonist. He has recently collaborated with Steve Martin in a series of cartoons that have been collected in the book, "A Wealth of Pigeons". Harry also illustrated Steve's book, "Number One Is Walking: My Life in the Movies and Other Diversions", about Steve's career in the movies.Harry has recently had his memoir published as a graphic novel, "You Can Never Die: A Graphic Memoir".You can find more about Harry Bliss at his website:https://store.harrybliss.comYou can find his daily cartoon, "Bliss", at GoComics:https://www.gocomics.com/blissAnd you can order Harry's books here:https://www.amazon.com/stores/Harry-Bliss/author/B000APP8SE  On Part 1 of the episode, we discuss the current contests:Winning captions for New Yorker contest #949 (Overboard Meeting).Finalists for contest #951 (Channel Suffering in Hell).Current New Yorker contest #953 (Clarence, the Floss-ed Lion). We also talk about our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker.You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Screenwriter and cartoonist, Alex Gregory joins us on the podcast this week. Alex was a guest on the podcast three years ago and we mostly talked about his career in cartooning on that episode (#66). On this episode, we go over some of our favorite cartoons of his and talk more about his screenwriting. The most recent show he's been a writer on is "The Studio", which was recently nominated for 23 Emmy's (the most for any first season comedy series)!You can check out Alex's IMDp page here:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0339733/You can find "The Studio" on Apple TV+:https://www.apple.com/lae/apple-tv-plus/And "The White House Plumbers" on HBO Max:https://www.hbomax.comAlex also joins us for the contest discussions and our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker. The winning caption for New Yorker contest #948 (The court is in season).  Finalists for contest #950 (Sausage vest). Current New Yorker contest #952 (My Dinner With Android). We mentioned Paul Karasik's patreon page in the podcast:https://www.patreon.com/c/paulkarasik/postsAnd you can buy the book that Paul helped to illustrate, "Paul Auster's The New York Trilogy", here:https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Austers-New-York-Trilogy/dp/0553387642You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comDig deep into the New Yorker cartoon caption contest data at:https://wordsbelow.app Send us questions or comments to:  [email protected]

Larry Wood, the all time New Yorker cartoon caption contest winner, author and CartoonStock caption contest judge, joins us again to talk about the current New Yorker contests, our favorite cartoons from this week’s issue of the New Yorker and the latest CartoonStock contest. We have the usual spirited debates with Larry about the contest finalists and we take a few digressions into politics and the much more controversial debate on what was the better show, "Seinfeld" or "Curb Your Enthusiasm". We discuss the winning entry for Contest #947 (Cartoon Catch & Release Podcast.)Finalists for Contest #949 (Daddy took her T-bonds away.)Current Contest #951 (Hot couch potato.)You can order Larry's book, "Your Caption Has Been Selected: More Than Anyone Could Possibly Want to Know About The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest" here:   https://www.amazon.com/Your-Caption-Has-Been-Selected/dp/1250333407/You can purchase original New Yorker cartoon art from Curated Cartoons here: https://www.curatedcartoons.comSend us questions or comments to:  [email protected]