I had always planned to write about the controversy over my Cruz cartoon last year but wanted to wait for a while to really think about the role social media played in it. I hoped the Columbia Journalism Review would consider publishing my piece and was so pleased when then CJR editor Liz Spayd agreed to take it on. Thank you also to current CJR editor Vanessa Gezari and Maralee Schwartz for their expertise and guidance; they were a pleasure to work with.
My story for the Columbia Journalism Review about the great editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant goes live on Monday.
Last year I gave a presentation at the CTNexpo in Burbank, CA. This very popular annual animation conference hosted by Tina Price is packed with the biggest names in the field who hold workshops and presentations for fans and others interested in the animation field. Since the theme was “One of a Kind”, I was invited to talk about my transition from animation to editorial cartooning. Here’s a link to a recorded studio interview CTN did while I was in town. I’ll post the link to the actual presentation soon. 
I think the last time the Washington Post put together a video of me working was in 2011… here’s a link to the just released latest one:
Just returned from a quick trip to NYC to attend a gallery opening of the great cartoonist Pat Oliphant. Here’s a few photos:
Oliphant drawing
Ed Sorel & Jeff Danziger
Signe Wilkinson, Tony Auth, Pat Oliphant at reception
Pat likes to play the crabby cartoonist but he’s really a sweetie
It’s not news to anyone who follows editorial cartoons that the art form is going through some tough times here in the US. Because of newspaper closings and the fact that more people are getting their news online, editorial cartoonists are finding it hard to find jobs and decent pay for reprints. However, It’s also doesn’t help the profession when a cartoon syndicate starts offering the same editorial cartoon with two completely different viewpoints. 
This is a clear case of a cartoon syndicate trying to maximize profits by offering the same artwork but changing a few words to address both ideological sides of an issue. An editorial cartoon is supposed to have a clear point of view. Let me repeat that: an editorial cartoon is supposed to have a clear point of view; it should reflect the opinion of the creator. Otherwise, it’s not an editorial cartoon but just a cartoon. Distributing this kind of work demeans and devalues the profession.