I’m in Montreal for the annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonist which is riding on the back of the annual convention of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists. We love our Canadian friends. But before I got here, I got ahead with my cartoons. The last one I drew is dated for Monday…I think. My brain tends to burn out during these things from alcohol, lack of sleep, and caffeine. I just finished having cappuccinos with Lalo Alcaraz.
But I feel bad. I haven’t given you a new cartoon since Thursday afternoon, so I gotta give you something. I did draw a cartoon during this convention for the Fredericksburg Advance which you’ll see Sunday. So what do I have left to give you? I have letters.
I’m a business. A kid has to eat. I self-syndicate my cartoons and I have to mail out pitches for new client newspapers. Sometimes I get responses. Some responses are from editors screaming at me. Some are nicer.
This is from an editor in Texas.
"Mr. Jones,
While I certainly appreciate your humor — and all the fun stuff floating around in your cartoons (Bill the Cat!) — I’m afraid the majority of our readers would NOT be as amused.
This is a VERY conservative area. You should see all the Trump flags. Ugh. And the holes in my tongue from biting it constantly.
We have to be very careful about the editorial cartoons we run. I’ll paste one below I ran earlier this year that actually got me my first death threats as M.E. Seriously. (And I didn't even think it was that controversial!)
Thank you for reaching out to us. At least I had a good chuckle! And I sincerely hope there are plenty of newspapers that print your stuff — you deserve to be seen!"
I didn’t include the cartoon she sent because I don’t want to drag another cartoonist into this, but I can assure you it wasn’t that provocative.
And this is is from another editor in Texas.
"I absolutely LOVED your cartoons and would run them in a heartbeat if I thought that I wouldn’t get tarred, feathered and - literally - run out of town on a flatbed rail car!
Unfortunately, I’ve been an in-the-closet liberal Independent voter editor in this very small, very red community for less than a year, and I don’t dare stir the pot. (Although I do long to see a Harris/Walz yard sign in front of just one house…) I wish you the very best and hope you find lots of readership!"
It’s hard for a cartoonist to stick to his principles and remain in business. If I drew the kind of cartoons these editors could use, sure…I’d have more clients and make more money but I would be so bored. I wouldn’t have any enthusiasm for my job.
This is from an editor at a daily newspaper in Minnesota. I may have already shared this with you. I can’t remember nuthin’.
"Is this sampling a fairly accurate representation of what would be provided each week? We have a lot of people who really don't like Kamala Harris and really like Trump in our coverage areas. While I really like your cartoons, personally, we try to keep our cartoons balanced between the two sides of the political spectrum for our readership. While Trump is great at making himself an easy target, a whole lot of anti-Trump and very little anti-Harris wouldn't fare well for us.
Thoughts?"
If there’s a cartoonist making false equivalences between Trump and Harris, and trying to both-sides it with his work, then that’s a shitty cartoonist. You put balance on your page by using more than one cartoonist.
Now, here’s a pic of me drawing this week’s cartoon for the Fredericksburg Advance in a Montreal alley.
Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon at Claytoonz is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402.
Tales From The Trumpster Fire: I’m currently out of copies but I’ll restock my personal batch soon so you order your copy signed by me, for $45.00. You can pay through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402.
Knee-Deep In Mississippi: There are only ten copies left of my first book, published in 1997. These can be purchased for $40.00
Tip Jar: If you want to support the cartoonist, please donate through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402
You can just send a thank to the editors for their time and honestly. And point out that you have a substack where they can keep enjoying your work.
This same issue was addressed by Mike Peterson in his blog this morning on The Daily Cartoonist. It really goes to show the fear that these right-wing thugs have instilled in everyone who doesn't agree with them - editors, politicians, neighbors, and even family members. It is very frightening that the powers that be will not do something about this; I really can't see this turning around and I think all hell will be breaking loose in another month. I very much respect your courage and integrity, Clay. Ditto for many of your colleagues as well.