It is not every day you see Fantagraphics associate publisher Eric Reynolds and legend Abe Vigoda in the same place (as seen on Reynolds’ FB page.). But it happened last night at the Society of Illustrators opening for Drew Friedman’s Old Jewish Comedians show. Also in attendance: Gilbert Gottfried, Paul Shaffer, Robert Klein and JAY EFF Joe Franklin. And from the arty/comicksy crew many people, including Mark Newgarden, Bob Sikoryak, Stephen DeStefano, Karen Green, Cliff Galbraith, J. David Spurlock, Jim Salicrup, Charles Brownstein, Anne Bernstein, Kriota Wilberg, Scott Eder and many people I’m forgetting. It was one of those “only in New York” times. Sadly, I arrived too late to catch Mr. Vigoda, whose existence I recently celebrated here.
Friedman’s painstaking, eerie and unforgettable portraits of the vast world of old Jewish comedians have been collected in three books, all from Fantagraphics, available as one rib tickling compilation. The exhibit includes some items—presumably from Friedman’s own collection— of books, puppets, and other tchatkes of the Vaudevile-to-Catskills world, now long vanished. However, I did learn from the biographical cards accompanying each art piece that Jack Carter and Marty Allen are still alive, both in their early 90s! VERY old Jewish comedians.
The work itself is a monument to this world so far behind us in the rearview mirror, disturbing yet familiar, creepy yet humane. Friedman’s originals are tiny, they are actually blown up to be reproduced, but his level of detail survives in such a scale, and somehow gain a patina of memory. From Jerry Lewis to Buddy Hackett to Sophie Tucker, it’s a twilight world of schtick, and we’re fortunate that Friedman has captured it for posterity.
Also up at the Society — a huge display of the art of Jeffrey Catherine Jones, including Idyll and most of his most famous works. It’s probably the biggest display of his work ever mounted, and perhaps the only one. There will be a big event for this show in the 21st, including a showing of Better Things, the documentary of Jones’ life, directed by Maria Paz Cabardo. That will doubtless be another only in New York evening.
After quizzing a cross section of the attendees I came to the conclusion that the fanbases for Jones and Friedman don’t overlap too much. Perhaps the Venn diagram includes only Heidi MacDonald. But both are well worth seeing, as is the MoCCA gallery show of Charles Rodriguez.
I’ve been going to SoI events for a while, but I have to say since director Anelle Miller started expanding the membership and the events calendar, it has once again become a true clubhouse as it was in the great days of illustration—and last night’s vastly entertaining event was just one example.
How did you take that photo that you used if you arrived too late to see Abe Vigoda?
Tom, I don’t know, how did I? Do you know who took the picture?
Al Jaffee, also in attendance
Thank you for adding that attribution where you got the photo from you didn’t pay for or know who took when by leaving it out you made it look like you had secured permission and that it was your photo to use. You didn’t and it wasn’t, but it looks better now.
I knew it was from Eric’s facebook feed because I wanted to offer him and the photographer money — and credit from the beginning — for its use. But I’m sure that I will get to pay my fair share of people in the future for their work before you decide to use it for free, so it will all balance out.
(You could have asked Eric in the cab.)
Party looks fun, though.
Shemp.
Tom, I hope things are going well for you — see you at Emerald City I hope?
Still, how could I ask Eric in the cab home if I could post his FB picture when I hadn’t gotten home yet to go on Facebook? I am not the Mentalist…yet.
I did not know that you paid for all the photos on your site. The birthdays alone must cost a fortune. That is very impressive.
Hey, Tom, I’m pretty impressed you don’t rip off photographers, too.
Thanks, Gary.
Heidi, I do pay for photography I use, and I pay for non-contextual art — art used to illustrate a point rather than art that is the point. Very, very occasionally I’ll take a chance on a borderline case, like on Augie’s Birthday photo this year — that looked like a PR photo to me. And when I screw up, I do try to pay. In this case, if your article had been about “Facebook comes alive with photos fo the Friedman show” or “Eric Reynolds posts photo of Abe Vigoda that goes viral” you wouldn’t have heard a peep from me.
As far as not knowing the photo was on Facebook, I was kidding. The idea would be that you don’t use a photo until you get permission.
I can’t afford to go to ECCC, I’m afraid. I need to buy some stuff for the site and for my dog, etc. so that means cutting back on my spring shows. I’m hoping to do TCAF and maybe Heroes. But have fun! It’s a great show. I look forward to your writing on the event.
It should be noted that Abe Vigoda has a more serious connection to cartoonists: his brother, Bill, was a top Archie cartoonist for decades.
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