Wall Street Journal cartoon - Roy Delgado

This drawing appeared in the business newspaper on 

January 11, 2012 in the Pepper and Salt

feature that has been running steady for over 50 years, edited by the what I call a " Hall of Fame Cartoon Editor, Charles 'Wolf' Preston . . .

The Wall Street Journal doesn't like to get TOO political in their cartoons.   About as close as you can get is something kind of subtle like you see here . . . The current President in the White House now blames everything he can on " Bush " . . . I'm sure back in the old,old days it was the S.O.S., nothing has changed.

Funny thing, just last week, WSJ bought another new one . . . Scene: The Pearly Gates . . . St. Peter listening to what is obviously a Liberal politician . . . The pol with a briefcase states:   " I made a lot of mistakes, but most of them were the fault of the Bush administration. " 

This is the cartoon I'm talkin' about right here below . . .

After I got paid, some editor at the top had reservations about it and at the last minute, they pulled it and asked if I could come up with another gagline like right now . . . to substitute for the "boiler-plate" Pearly Gates scene they were ready to go with.

I offered two substitute  gaglines: First one was . . .  The guy is telling St. Peter: " I want a Skybox. "

Second suggestion: The guy is saying: " Are my Forever Stamps still good ? "

They went with the first.

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This is probably the most enjoyable part of being in this business . . . probably boring to outsiders . . but to your peers it's this kind of trading war stories and getting real "inside" chit chat from the your buddies - - - maybe over lunch or a beer or a starbucks - - -

Kinda reminds me of Larry King, kinda braggin' about all the famous people he's met and starts one of his short stories by calling a famous person by his first name, like   - - - " - - I remember, Bob Mitchum told me, blah-blah-blah - - - "

As my Muhammed Ali story, I have a couple Bob Mankoff stories, A Charlie Unitis Story, A Bob Barnes story and a few others - - - at the appropriate time they'll be coming - - - Just keep your computer marked with www.plumlococomic.blogspot.com

on your favories list - - -

or, as Greta Van Susteren told me, " Just keep watchin'. "

I was in Washington D.C.. back in the '90's when I had my sign business in the area and I was leaving the underground parking lot at an office building on Vermont Street, near 15th Street and K Street downtown.  My appointment had been in that building and it was the National Association of Facial Reconstructive Surgery or something like that . . it was to discuss about designing and producing and installing graphics on their interior glass door, I think they were on the fifth floor.

After getting into my car in the basement parking lot, which I walked to from the elevator there, I wheeled around to exit up the ramp and just then, I ended up driving just by where the people had exited the elevator lobby and I see what I thought looked exactly like Greta Van Susteren standing there waiting for her car . . .  . . she was about 15 feet from my driver's window.  I slowed down and I hollared like a moron,  " Greta ! " - - -  and she answered  " Yes. "   . . . and then I replied ,

" I watch you every day ! "

And she relied politely, " Keep on Watchin' ! "

I mumbled to myself, some day I can talk like Larry King !

At that time, Greta used to come on at noon on CNN and I used to catch her at a lunch watering hole in Woodbridge, Virginia near my sign shop . . . those were the days . . .

I coulda been somebody  . . . instead of a bum which is what I am . . . Let's face it . . .   It was your fault, Charlie . . it was you . . . Remember that night in the Garden?  You came to my dressing room and you said, This ain't your night, boy , we're going for the price on Wilson . . . This ain't my night ? ! . . .  I coulda taken Wilson apart ! . . . It was YOU Charlie . . .  It was you . . .

I sometimes get carried away . . .

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Muhammad ALI - The Greatest, Happy 70th Birthday !

Today is a special day.  It is the 70th Birthday of probably the greatest boxer who ever lived.

Quickly, my Mumammad Ali story . . . Back around 1972 I was living and working in Tucson, Arizona for Addis Signs, a long established electrical sign company in Tucson.  I was working as a sign sketch artist and was managing the plant.

That year, NESA  (The National Electric Sign Association) was holding their international association convention in Washington, D.C. at the new Washington Hilton Hotel.

My boss, Tom Addis invited me to join him and attend this annual important-to-the-industry event. 

I said great and we were off. 

We got a room at the Washington Hilton Hotel, the site of the convention. 

 I remember being in the elevator one day and someone stated that Muhammad Ali was in the Coffee Shop right now.

I thought this might be a great opportunity to see the champ for myself . . . so I hustled to the lobby coffee shop.

There was a light crowd of about 80 people around him as he stood near the counter.

I remember hearing a steady loud speech from the champ touting he was the greatest. 

I ambled my way up closer to the excitement . . .  I felt and  knew I was in the company of a truly great giant of a person. 

He literally stood there like a real giant with his entourage of about 5 men and  a group of at least 6 or7 of the most beautiful women I've ever seen surrounding him . . several people were in line waiting anxiously to get this man's autograph.  I quickly got at the end of the que and searched for a piece of paper and a pen.

As my turn came I handed the champ's aide and bodyguard, ( a  six-foot burly Fruit-of-Islam-type gentleman ) the only thing I could find for Muhammad's autograph . . . My American Airline's boarding pass !  It was better than nothing, at least the back was blank.

When I handed it to him, he turned it over to inspect the back side before handing it to Ali ( As if it might be an I.O.U. note ! ) , Not a bad idea, I thought.

I treasured that autograph for at least 30 years . . then, like a moron, I misplaced it !

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" The secret of genius

is to carry the spirit of the child

into old age,

which means never losing

your enthusiasm. "

Aldous Huxley, 1884-1963

ENGLISH WRITER

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