Arizona State University students ca. 1950
The tumbleweed snowman has a place in my personal snowman story on a couple of levels. While this is a vintage photo, the tumbleweed snowman is very popular today (you can even buy them on "sale" for $60) and there's a famous one set up every Christmas in Albuquerque, Mexico.
Their patroitic snowman waves an American flag off of I-40 freeway and in the true spirit of America it's snowman's creators employed some hardball-Scott Boras tactics with me to negotiaite a reprint price, which kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. I paid everyone who I used in my snowman book but, of course, I was appreciative to those who were also delighted to appear (e.g. the Charles Schultz estate, the Charles Addams Estate, George Harrison's widow Olivia) while others saw it like I was a gas drill company showing up with a bag of money. One family wanted cash and a signed copy of the book for 6 different relatives. But most deals were cut with institutions with the main two being the New Yorker Cartoonbank and the New York Public Library. Reprint fees reached well into the 5 figures.
That's ironic because today I am an active "partner" at the Cartoonbank (I wasn't even a cartoonist when we were doing buisness back then) and it would have saved me a lot of money (I now enjoy an employee discount). And it was the NYPL where there was to be a major show of this collection right now. I was to be the salaried curator and it was to be a lucative project. The exhibit was canceled when a board of trustee came across a private unpublished Christmas cartoon of mine that they deemed offensive. I am contemplating running on Open Salon but I'm afraid it may be misunderstood again and offend someone.
Back to the original photo. I include it here because when I finish my keynote/powerpoint talks, the last topic I address is the future of the snowman and global warming. When this photo comes on the screen I make the corny joke; "This is what we all fear [usually hear gasps in the audience]...that these hair styles might one day come back."
I promise that future entries in this countdown won't be so long-winded. This item barely made the list only because of it's backstories. #99.
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Con Chapman
Tom Falco
kitd
diary of a food addict
Leah At Law
Amy A
Salon.com
Comments
~ you funny
Looking foward to the 98 others.
And now that you've teased me I really want to see your too offensive to post Christmas cartoon.
How in hell could they object to a private unpublished Christmas cartoon? What a bunch of constricted sphincters.
Gotta admit, though, those hairstyles ........
*just covers his eyes and hangs his head*
Thumbed.
Ah, I have some decorations adorning my cubicle wall at the moment that might interest you. I'll see what I can do about that. ;-D
Yeah, that's not something I'd want in my living room.
;-)
(And that corny joke is pretty funny!)
HILARIOUS!!!!!!
Everytime I read your stuff Bob, I learn something.... always something of great importance. More than anything, I admire your intelligent persistence......well, maybe that is in the wrong order. When I think about it, your craft is of the highest importance, and you ar certainly a Master...
That is exactly a desert scene snowman.
This has prompted my thinking. Could it be that's a picture of a snowman's skeleton?
Have you ex-rayed any snowmen?
I wish I could show the editors here the Christmas card first before finding myself getting into a long discussion should someone find it offensive. Maybe.