Michael Cavna reports that Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau was given an advance copy of Joe McGinniss’ new biography of Sarah Palin and that the two entered into a partnership allowing Garry the ability to use the material in his comic before the book is released. The first of the Doonesbury series started today.
Trudeau and Lee Salem, president of “Doonesbury” syndicate Universal Uclick, confirm that the excerpts are from the advance edition that the cartoonist received last spring, courtesy of the author. McGinniss did not return requests for comment, but his publicist at Random House/Crown said, “I can confirm that Joe did like the 2010 ‘Doonesbury’ cartoons, and [that’s] why his agent reached out to Mr. Trudeau.”
As for Trudeau, he says, “McGinniss’s office first approached me for [the 2010] strip-reprint rights in March, and then subsequently about a possible review.” The cartoonist says he “demurred on the review, but proposed instead an exclusive first serial arrangement.”
Read the rest for more information on the deal and how Garry and Joe are promoting each other.
The GoComics blog mentions that at least one big paper has pulled Doonesbury. The GoComics Twitter account mentions “some big papers” pulled this weeks run of Garry’s comic strip.
You can read Doonesbury over on GoComics.
UPDATE: Poynter’s Jim Romenesko reports that one of the papers not running this week’s Doonesbury is The Chicago Tribune.
The excerpts should make for a good read. But equally good
would be a series of strips on a political bio author who stalks his
subject by renting the house right next to them. Such a person would seem to have all the makings to become another classic
Doonesbury character. Maybe they could be drawn as quill
pen made from a vulture feather or something…
You know, Doonesbury always makes me feel stupid because I never get it. I am just not very political so I guess that may be the reason. Now if only I knew why I don’t get Zippy…..
right on Jeff. Birds of a feather flock together…Joe and Gary…can go flock themselves.
I’ve always admired Doonesbury. The strip has hit home on many social/political topics in a way editorials can’t. (Of course, if you’re not a liberal, you most likely despise the strip.)
I certainly don’t condone the idea of the author moving in next door to the subject, but the excerpt above seems to come from a former employee. Did the people interviewed for the book receive remuneration in any way? If so, the book’s worthless. If not, then to me it’s worth reading, albeit with a grain of salt.
I don’t have time right now to research the reasons papers are pulling the strip. I just hope it’s because of editorial codes, and not because like the Democrats, newspaper editors are running scared of the Tea Party.
And Jeff D, you’re absolutely right about the biographer making for a perfect Doonesbury character.
Palin wanted to be a celebrity. She is not a politician, or a statesman. She is a product. Nothing more nothing less. The instrument has yet to be devised that could my measure my indifference to Sarah Palin or anything she has to say.
I stole that insturment quote from Hawkeye on MASH.
The Chicago Tribune is replacing this week’s Doonesbury strips with “Thatababy”.
Here’s the rundown via Press Display.
Running current “Doonesbury” storyline:
Anderson (IN) Herald-Bulletin
Arizona Republic
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Ashtabula (OH) Star-Beacon
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Austin American-Statesman
Baltimore Sun
Buffalo News
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Columbus Dispatch
Dallas Morning News
The Day
Dayton Daily News
Hamilton (OH) Journal News
The Hour
Houston Chronicle
Jeffersonville (IN) News and Tribune
Johnstown (PA) Tribune-Democrat
Lorain (OH) Morning Journal
Los Angeles Times
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Middletown (CT) Press
Middletown (OH) Journal
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Mt. Pleasant (MI) Morning Sun
New Haven Register
New York Daily News
Norman (OK) Transcript
Orlando Sentinel
Palm Beach Post
Philadelphia Inquirer
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Plattsburgh (NY) Press-Republican
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Rome News-Tribune
San Francisco Chronicle
San Jose Mercury-News
The Saratogian
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Springfield (OH) News-Sun
St. Petersburg Times
Sunbury (PA) Daily Item
Tampa Tribune
Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Torrington (CT) Register-Citizen
Traverse City (MI) Record-Eagle
Tulsa World
Washington Post
West Chester (PA) Daily Local News
Not running “Doonesbury”
Chicago Tribune (replaced by “Thatababy”)
Not sure:
Spokesman-Review (Spokane WA)
I agree. Actually going to where the subject of your research is a stupid way to gather material in the first place, and, if you have to choose between being near the person you are trying to find out about or being far away, being far away is much, much more objective. Alaska is a huge place and he certainly could have avoided being near anyone who knew anything about Sarah Palin.
The better way to comment on a topic is to watch Fox News or MSNBC and HuffPost (depending on your topic), then just sit back in your livingroom and think about what you’re learned, and come up with something clever.
Mike – I take your point. But I recall watching a long story on
this Authors m.o. about year ago when his living situation was in the news. The whole situation had a real creepy sleazy aura about it. And what I was watching wasn’t on Fox. It was on
NBC/CBS or ABC. The Author came off as creepy stalker and
his rational was lame. The whole situation stunk of sleaze.
I’m no fan of Palin- and this guy made me feel empathy for her
in that situation.
My paper, the Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times, is running the current storyline as well.