Growing up, I used to like the single-panel comic strip The Family Circus.
I know, I know, I really don't have any good explanation. Maybe it was better in the early 1980s or (more likely) maybe I was less discernible at a young age and hadn't realized that Keane was repeating the same half dozen jokes over and over again.*
At any rate, I share my shame with you today because today's gag--which appears in this month's New Era--reminds me a great deal of a Family Circus gag. Had I placed it in a circle and given the child an abnormally large head, you might not even know the difference.
*Those six jokes include 1) the "Not Me" ghost, 2) Billy getting distracted and taking a convoluted path to complete a simple task (these were my favorite), 3) kids say the darndest things (of which category today's gag falls into), 4) angel Grandpa keeps an eye on his brood, 5) Billy fills in for Dad and makes a lot of puns, and 6) come to think of it, maybe he only had five jokes.
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The amazing thing is that Bil Keane is really a very funny guy. He sometimes acts as emcee at the National Cartoonists Society gatherings and he is downright hilarious. He is much funnier in person than he is in Family Circle, and he's a really nice guy, too. By the way, I enjoyed meeting you in the radio studio last week.
ReplyDeleteBrioan
Brian,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight. I've long suspected that Bil Keane (as well as his son, Jeff) was a cool guy based on his playful relationship with the Pearls Before Swine guy. It was my honor meeting you last week. I've been a fan for a long, long time.
Shame, shame, shame.
ReplyDeleteWhat would Sergio Aragones say?
LOL I'd say Peanuts was a big influence on you too. The way the little girl has her hands placed looks like Charlie Brown when he was on the wall talking to Linus.
ReplyDeleteGood call, MormonHermitMom. Her's are definitely Peanut style arms.
ReplyDeleteI like Family Circle, I could read those and see me, my brothers, now my nephews and nieces... I do not think there is any shame in liking it... Life is kind of repetitive anyway...
ReplyDeletejust so you know that joke is completely true you do have to share your room with your sister for eternity beleve me i would know.
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