When someone with no talent defeats you, do you suck it up? Or do you complain and get accused of being jealous of someone better?
Jealousy
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The Final Countdown" talk show on Radio Sputnik. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
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Did she take your twitter account away, Ted ? Do you miss it ?….
(Agree with you, by the way, about the stuff being published these days in both the New York Times and the New Yorker – Tail Gunner Joe flies again !…)
Henri
“I’m angry because I’m losing to someone worse than me.”
I can relate – twice in my career, I’ve been replaced by someone with considerably less talent than me. In both cases, they were younger. Coincidence? I think not.
Roz Chast perhaps?
Ted,
For what it’s worth. The problem is you. Now, hang on. Let me finish.
I have watched as quite a few people go up, up, up the ladder. Most of them do it by being able to laugh at the jokes and stick their noses just that extra bit further up the boss’ ass then everybody else.
Look at the New York Times. I mean, really. Look at it. Cut away all the crap: articles about the “problem” of finding a nice apartment in the $900K range, articles about Ivy Leaguers marrying each other, articles about Jimmy Kimmel hosting the Oscars. By the time you’re done, you’ll have about six pieces. It take all of 20 minutes to read the “useful” parts of the New York Times.
Do you have any idea how many reporters clawed their way to the top of the pyramid and can’t believe how gross they feel? “Oh, I write for the New York Times!” “What do you cover?” “How hard it is to find a good apartment for under $950,000.” “Excuse me, I have to stand over here, not talking to you.” Go on, dig through it. Find me anything the Times wrote that really sank its fangs into someone’s calf. The best they can do is a brief kerfuffle of outraged squawking before settling back down to insipidness. These are the people who got tricked by a 20-something drug addict who was fabricating easily verified falsehoods. These are the people who let Judith Miller cheerlead the country into a war we’re still fighting. Bill Keller? Do you think he actually learned anything from the mistakes? Shit. He probably still has to go to his osteopath for shoulder treatments from patting himself on the back so much.
The New Yorker? It’s good. But no one quakes in fear when the New Yorker calls with some questions. “Jesus. Hide me. It’s E.B. White. He’s gonna write something warm and gentle and mildly jabbing. About 30 people will read it. Hide me!” It’s a good magazine, but let’s not think for a single second that it’s anywhere near as good as it was when New York City still had a soul.
Funny thing? I can’t remember a single New Yorker cartoon I’ve read in months. I sure as shit can remember some of your stuff.
«Funny thing? I can’t remember a single New Yorker cartoon I’ve read in months. I sure as shit can remember some of your stuff.» Good point, Alex ! I check the cartoons out on the net, and I enjoy them, but I’ll be damned if I remember them afterwards. This in distinction to cartoons by people like Jon Link and Mick Bunnage, Steve Bell, Martin Rowson, Dwayne Booth, and, of course, our own Frederick Theodore Rall. Here a link to one by the first named pair….
Henri