"My only compass for whether I've gone too far is the reaction I get from people in wheelchairs, or with hooks for hands. Like me, they are fed up with people who presume to speak for the disabled. All the pity and the patronizing. That's what is truly detestable."
-John Callahan, "a quadriplegic, alcoholic cartoonist whose work in newspapers and magazines made irreverent, impolitic sport of both people with disabilities and diseases and those who would pity and condescend to them," died this weekend. Perhaps best known for his cartoon "Don't worry, he won't get far on foot, Callahan once told the New York Times Magazine that he hoped to have children because, "I think it would be fun to hear the whir of little wheels around the house." He was 59.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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Used to intern at PDX's Willamette Week during high school, back when the alt-weekly's offices were on SW 10th (down the street from Powell's and across from the big public library).
The first time I ascended the ridiculous number of stairs to get to WW's editorial offices--there was no elevator--I thought "hmm, guess Callahan doesn't come into the office much." Which made me sad, because I enjoyed his work a lot--as well as the ton of angry letters we used to get on a weekly basis. Anyway, RIP.
I liked all the evil nuns. "I am personally responsible for the agony of Christ. I am personally responsible for the agony of Christ. I am personally responsible for the agony of Christ."
Great. We lose someone like this yet Paris Hilton still trods the earth in size 20 heels.
RIP brilliant John.
I also was an intern at Willamette Week. (Hi, Seth.) You always knew when John had faxed in a new cartoon (he always faxed it, I think) because the EIC would be wandering around the office flashing the paper to anyone he came across and asking, "Do you get this?" I usually didn't, but eventually realized that was the point. Callahan was one of the two or three things still truly weird about Portland. RIP.
Everyone should read Weingarten's appreciation, which is sad and honest and ends with a really terribly disgusting joke. http://bit.ly/bK0lUx
Thank you for that.
Talk about bodysnarking.
His website has a section called "Hate Mail from America" which makes for great reading.
I liked his cartoon "look at the ass on that bitch" best.
Don't worry, she won't get far on foot.
@ scroll_lock's Paris jab.
@myfan: But she'll get there with fewer steps.