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October 23, 2009
I'M MAKING FRIENDS!!!
Gee, I seem to be ruffling some feathers out there! CGhost got this e-mail, from a person claiming to be none other than Barrett Brown. Barrett is a writer for HuffPo, Vanity Fair, and a few other media-type things. Whether this person is the actual Barrett Brown or just someone using his name, I dunno. After a few minutes of Googling, I did find that the return e-mail and the e-mail listed for Barrett on one of the informative sites is identical, but then I've also received lots of good news about Acai berries and penis enlargement from my own e-mail address, so the jury is still out on this.
But herein is the faithfully reproduced e-mail correspondence between myself and Mr. Brown:
Howdy!
I liked your recent comic strip, but thought the text could use a
little-reworking. I've attached my version here.
Regards,
Barrett Brown
Brooklyn, NY
((This was forwarded to me from CGhost. Attached was a copy of my Baby Blogs cartoon, with most of my original text removed and replaced with a more Charles-friendly script, including further slander against RS McCain. I'm not including the pic in this article because frankly, the rewrite wasn't particularly funny.))
My response:
On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 3:21 AM, tfmo@christmasghost.com wrote:
Thanks. But I prefer it as is, as do people whom I hold in much higher esteem. Perhaps your time might be better utilized by coming up with your own cartoon, instead of applying unsolicited, unnecessary, and unwanted edits to mine.
Or perhaps you could use your influence as a writer for such media as Vanity Fair and Huffington Post to actually spread a little truth about the blatant deception being committed by the White House and members of the various media, instead of dickering around with a largely unknown amateur political cartoonist/commentator's work?
I'm not sure what artistic circles you associate with, but where I come from, vandalizing another artist's work without their prior explicit permission is a grave insult. Please bear this in mind the next time you decide to "improve" someone else's creation.
Sincerely,
TFMo
Barrett's reply:
"Vandalizing?" Wow.
My response:
On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 9:24 AM, tfmo@christmasghost.com wrote:
Well, how else do you describe it when someone takes part of your property and scribbles all over it against your wishes? If I were to take one of your articles, remove your writing and replace it with my own opinion, would that not be much the same thing? Or if I went to your house and did that on your kitchen wall?
If you have an objection to my cartoon, there's a couple of handy little doo-dads called "e-mail" and "comment box." Feel free to voice your opinion in either or both, but do not assume that because more people know your name than mine that you have any authority to alter my work. You are not my editor. You are not my boss. You are not my coworker. You are not my partner. If you want me to draw a cartoon, then we can discuss content and fees. Otherwise, kindly keep your hands to yourself.
Sincerely,
TFMo
Barrett replies (and completely misses the point):
This is what's known as "parody." I didn't damage any of your "property" - rather, I altered a downloaded copy of your work as a means by which to make fun of you, then I sent you that new version as a joke. You'll be happy to learn that your original cartoon is safe and sound in your own possession.
Welcome to America.
My response:
On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 9:53 AM, tfmo@christmasghost.com wrote:
Really. Then why don't you try this little experiment: Take any article your boss at Vanity Fair or HuffPo has written, rewrite it to "make fun of" him, then send it back to him and call it an "improvement."
Let's see if your "parody" argument helps you keep your job.
Welcome to reality. And the unemployment line.
One can hope Barrett got the point, but it's never safe to assume such things when dealing with a leftist idealogue. His reply:
Okay, I think we're done here.
My reply:
I think you were done quite some time ago, Barrett. I don't mind hearing a differing opinion, but I take exception to someone out of the blue butchering a copy of my work, then toss it back at me and saying they've "improved" it. As I said before, if you disagree with my opinion, feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment. But don't alter another artist's work and expect them to be amused.
But when have you ever known a lib to NOT have the last word?
I didn't expect you to be amused. I was insulting you. Trust me, it won't
happen again.
Well, at least he can admit that he was insulting me. Which is pretty damn amusing; a big shot famous writer for a handful of lefty publications, who has written a couple of books, and has probably even been on TV...going after a largely unknown commoner like myself, for a cartoon that, as best as I can tell, has nothing to do with him and was viewed by MAYBE a hundred people.
Maybe he is a friend of Chuckie's. Maybe he exercised that more unpleasant aspect of human nature that urges one to insult someone he deemed beneath him in order to feel better about himself. Maybe he's paranoid and afraid I will get more attention than him someday. Maybe he's just lonely and wants someone to talk to, but chose a crappy way of initiating a conversation. I dunno. I don't know the guy. When I saw the first mail, the name seemed familiar so I Googled him. Even though the search revealed his affiliations and the names of a few of his books, I still didn't particularly recognize him.
Maybe I'm just being too thin-skinned. It's not like I haven't been insulted before; my family made Roseanne look like the Waltons. What really ticked me off was not his opinion of the subject, but the fact that he vandalized my artwork to make his point, then sent it back to me, claiming it was an "improvement." For one, it wasn't an improvement; which only helps prove the belief that people on the left have NO sense of humor. For another, you just don't screw with someone else's art. You don't walk up to a comedian after a set and tell him "Hey, your joke would have been funnier if you had said" whatever.
And yes, I fully admit that I have nothing to do with the little flame war between Chuckie and RS McCain and the rest of the blogosphere. I've done two Football-head cartoons, both of which I was ASKED to do; first by CGhost, then by Will Teach at Pirate's Cove. I didn't mind; they were both quick jobs and got me a little recognition, which I intended to parley into further fame for my other cartoons and commentary, in hopes of garnering more hits on CGhost's site and my new site JBYP.
I've read enough of both sides to form the opinion that Chuckie is full of crap, so I have no problem with cracking jokes at his expense. I tend to do that with people who take themselves far too seriously. And yes, I poke fun at myself when I take myself too seriously; luckily I have a wonderful, intelligent, witty wife who is more than happy to help me recognize these moments.
I have no illusion about my skill as an artist or as a commentator. I'm above average, but only just. I'm not the wordsmith that Michelle Malkin or Thomas Sowell or Mark Levin is. At best, I'm on par with Glenn Beck, but only if you include goofiness in the equation; I TOTALLY smoke Beck on sheer silliness. I'm not a great artist like Alex Ross or Alan Davis or even the guy that did Calvin and Hobbes.
But these are things I enjoy doing, so I do them. And a few other people seem to like it, so I'm not just entertaining myself. I'm just a dude with a little talent for drawing and being a smart-ass, who occasionally draws something really neat (largely by accident) and occasionally says something a little more profound than "Hey, you want fries with that?"
So why would some big shot writer guy feel the need to go after lil' ol' me?
Dunno.
Well, he says he won't do it again. Time will tell. As I told him, I have no problem with differing opinion, provided you have some facts to back it up. I welcome discussion on topics, I YEARN for it. Debates are boring if both sides are arguing for the same opinion. Talking in a vacuum does nothing to further one's knowledge. I will be as polite as you; if you start off by insulting me, expect the same in return (but with far more panache.) And I think I deserve a little pat-pat for NOT calling Barrett a douche-nozzle for screwing with my cartoon; by all means, if you don't like the cartoon, then say you don't like the cartoon. But keep your damn dirty hands off the merchandise.
Crossposted at JBYP
Posted by TFMo at October 23, 2009 09:12 AM
Useful? Then Digg It.
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Comments
"Isn't it pathetic, don't you think? Just a little too pathetic I really do think..."
That's for you Barret.
Yeah....I'm just rewriting a famous singer's song to "improve" it for her and really make a point about wee little Barret.
But TFMo I really have to correct you on a couple of things first off, it was waaaaaaay more than a couple hundred people that loved your cartoon. Oh waaaaaaaaaaaay more.And secondly,if you took one of Barret's crap articles [if you can even call them articles and not just suck-up- for-pay-puff-pieces] and rewrote it, he might actually get some real work. After all, YOU can write, he can not......
"If I were to take one of your articles, remove your writing and replace it with my own opinion, would that not be much the same thing?"
Nope it wouldn't....you would be doing the fool a favor......
Posted by: christmasghost at October 23, 2009 10:02 AM
I dunno how many people saw the cartoon. I don't have access to the hit numbers here, or at Pirate's Cove or McCain's or Riehl World. I know those guys get a lot of hits, but whether anyone paid any attention to my goofy little cartoon (other than the few people who posted and participated in the contest, to whom I extend my DEEPEST gratitude and blushy-faces), eh. **shrug**
But lest anyone get confused; yes, I am speaking ill of my own work. Yes, others can speak ill of my work. NO, THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU GET TO VANDALIZE MY WORK.
Posted by: TFMo at October 23, 2009 11:18 AM
TFMo...as the all knowing "czar" of the numbers here , trust me tens of thousands of people saw it just at this site alone.....
That's why Barret felt it necessary to get his panties and tasseled loafers in a twist.
And you just KNOW he has wee little hands.....
Posted by: christmasghost at October 23, 2009 12:00 PM
I'm willing to bet he makes the Small-Hand-Burger-King guy look like Andre the Giant...
"Tens of thousands" I'm thinking most of that was bots.
Posted by: TFMo at October 23, 2009 01:54 PM
"Tens of thousands" I'm thinking most of that was bots.
You would be wrong.....
Posted by: christmasghost at October 23, 2009 01:59 PM
Are you joking, CG? You publish an insult against somebody, and then get all bent out of shape when somebody does the same to you? As they say, you can dish it out but you obviously can't take it. Grow a pair or stop insulting people, you silly little baby.
Posted by: Smerf at October 24, 2009 11:33 AM
Not quite, Smerf-troll, but nice try. Yes, I posted a cartoon that parodies CJ's various statements and actions. Had Barrett chosen to write an article insulting me, or leave an insulting comment (like yours), or insult me in an e-mail, that would have been fine. I invited it, I welcome it.
My exception is that Barrett chose to deface my artwork. That is not insulting my opinion, that is insulting my ability as an artist. That's like disagreeing with someone who writes a song by attacking arrangement of notes.
I did not go after CJ for his ability to write. I went after him for his choices. He has chosen to slander people, he has chosen to ban anyone who dares disagree with him, he has chosen to send his goons to Hot Air to spew racist statements, then accuse the people at Hot Air for racism.
I depicted CJ as a big baby throwing a tantrum, with a loaded diaper. As a parent, I have seen this behavior plenty of times, and this is how CJ has chosen to behave.
Barrett chose to make his point by defacing a copy of my art, then send it to me with the claim that he "improved" it, which he continues to claim in his nasty little article. As liberals tend to do, he decided to attack the messenger, rather than the message. He didn't agree with me, so he decided to attack me as an artist and used my own art to do so.
Posted by: TFMo at October 24, 2009 02:09 PM
And now the little creep is posting the altered picture. Without the permission of the artist.
Posted by: TFMo at October 24, 2009 03:31 PM
Barrett is now a frequent commenter on LGF and his ego appears to be the same size as CJ's. Two peas in a pod, those two.
Posted by: anon at October 25, 2009 12:33 PM
Anon....well, at least he's keeping busy. Too bad it isn't in journalism...
Posted by: christmasghost at October 25, 2009 06:52 PM
It seems like the latest hobby of those with antisocial personality disorders, e.g., LGF and the Barrett-Browns of the world, is to attack smaller blogs and children and adults with developmental disorders. They don't go after the bigger ones too much. HotAir is an exception but AP and Ed refuse to bite and order their commenters not to hijack the threads responding to their b.s.
Anyway, the solution is more cartoons!!!!
Posted by: sam at October 26, 2009 07:15 PM
sam....I couldn't agree with you more,but since TFMo is sick with the flu right now I will be taking my swing at the idiots.
You might want to stay tuned for my take on Barrett tomorrow. You see, Barrett didn't faithfully reproduce the emails at all. He left out the most important parts....isn't that interesting?
Posted by: christmasghost at October 26, 2009 08:13 PM
Interesting? No. More like typical.
Posted by: sam at October 26, 2009 09:10 PM
Just like a LGFer. Charles has lost his mind
Posted by: Matthew at October 29, 2009 10:27 PM