Comments on: DISAPPEARING ACT http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/ Comics about movies Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:26:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ann http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2774 Ann Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:50:31 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2774 Wow, thank you, Mike, that was one of the nicest, most eloquent replies I've ever gotten! And you're right, there is a lot of a gray area, but the more generally accepted definition of journalism is the one you mentioned, and I agree that editorial comics and columns don't conform. But I do think they inform the process, and - along with Jon Stewart - fall under the broader definitions by virtue of spreading information (if not entirely objectively), presenting various facets of a given issue, and (hopefully) getting people to think. (I tend to think of Dave Barry along the same line as comic strips, as a source of humour which appears in the press but has little to do with current events or issues, and therefore, is only journalism in the very broadest sense.) And as for 'champing/chomping' the phrase appears under both definitions on the Merriam Webster site, and 'chomp' is shown as an alteration of 'champ'. So everybody wins! :) Wow, thank you, Mike, that was one of the nicest, most eloquent replies I’ve ever gotten! And you’re right, there is a lot of a gray area, but the more generally accepted definition of journalism is the one you mentioned, and I agree that editorial comics and columns don’t conform. But I do think they inform the process, and – along with Jon Stewart – fall under the broader definitions by virtue of spreading information (if not entirely objectively), presenting various facets of a given issue, and (hopefully) getting people to think.

(I tend to think of Dave Barry along the same line as comic strips, as a source of humour which appears in the press but has little to do with current events or issues, and therefore, is only journalism in the very broadest sense.)

And as for ‘champing/chomping’ the phrase appears under both definitions on the Merriam Webster site, and ‘chomp’ is shown as an alteration of ‘champ’. So everybody wins! :)

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]]> By: demonfafa http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2766 demonfafa Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:50:22 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2766 Much of the novel has a very adolescent feel to it. Niffenegger didn't really do a good job making the characters seem more than archetypes, especially the males. I'm hoping the movie doesn't succumb to this. Much of the novel has a very adolescent feel to it. Niffenegger didn’t really do a good job making the characters seem more than archetypes, especially the males. I’m hoping the movie doesn’t succumb to this.

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]]> By: Anthony http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2765 Anthony Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:11:46 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2765 I think it is champing, if you type "champing" into dictionary.com then it gives you "champing on the bit" as an example of an idiom. I don't think its a big deal at all but I had to know so I looked it up =P As for editorial comics, I think they are an effective means of providing commentary on current events. They often take a hot topic and make a joke out of it, which I think serves to loosen the tension that many people feel when it comes to important issues. But I think that they're generally too opinionated to really serve as objective journalism. I think it is champing, if you type “champing” into dictionary.com then it gives you “champing on the bit” as an example of an idiom. I don’t think its a big deal at all but I had to know so I looked it up =P

As for editorial comics, I think they are an effective means of providing commentary on current events. They often take a hot topic and make a joke out of it, which I think serves to loosen the tension that many people feel when it comes to important issues. But I think that they’re generally too opinionated to really serve as objective journalism.

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]]> By: Richard http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2764 Richard Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:10:12 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2764 Am I the only one who thought of the series on NBC a while ago, Journeyman, when they heard of this? Not being able to control when he travels, the strain it puts on his relationship with his wife and family, etc. There seem to be a lot of similarities at first glance. That may change if/when I read the book or see the movie though. Am I the only one who thought of the series on NBC a while ago, Journeyman, when they heard of this? Not being able to control when he travels, the strain it puts on his relationship with his wife and family, etc. There seem to be a lot of similarities at first glance. That may change if/when I read the book or see the movie though.

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]]> By: Jacob http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2763 Jacob Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:53:17 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2763 I think it's pretty telling that where you, for most newspapers, find the editorial cartoons is in the op-ed section. Surrounded by other opinion pieces submitted to the paper, discussing, rebuting, or just yelling about whatever article or story they find most fascinating. I can't say I consider editorial cartoons journalism, nor their artists journalists. Editorial cartoons are not news stories; they don't break news, do (new) research, or site sources. Theirs is to make absurd some story, be it political or topical, that is already in the public mind, in as large a hyperbole and caricature as possible in (usually) a single panel. Dissolving Walter Cronkite down into the speech patterns of SpongeBob Squarepants. Or Hunter S. Thompson, if that's your style. I like Jon Stewart. He is not a journalist, has never claimed to be, but is very intelligent and knowledgeable about current events. His job, as I've heard him put it, is not to break the story, but to bring more focus to (and back to) it, and also to the absurdity that mainstream and "true" journalistic media go to in both avoiding the true issue and blowing out of proportion minor details that make for better TV and ratings. I think it’s pretty telling that where you, for most newspapers, find the editorial cartoons is in the op-ed section. Surrounded by other opinion pieces submitted to the paper, discussing, rebuting, or just yelling about whatever article or story they find most fascinating.

I can’t say I consider editorial cartoons journalism, nor their artists journalists. Editorial cartoons are not news stories; they don’t break news, do (new) research, or site sources. Theirs is to make absurd some story, be it political or topical, that is already in the public mind, in as large a hyperbole and caricature as possible in (usually) a single panel. Dissolving Walter Cronkite down into the speech patterns of SpongeBob Squarepants.

Or Hunter S. Thompson, if that’s your style.

I like Jon Stewart. He is not a journalist, has never claimed to be, but is very intelligent and knowledgeable about current events. His job, as I’ve heard him put it, is not to break the story, but to bring more focus to (and back to) it, and also to the absurdity that mainstream and “true” journalistic media go to in both avoiding the true issue and blowing out of proportion minor details that make for better TV and ratings.

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]]> By: Tom http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2762 Tom Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:27:16 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2762 Are you sure it's "champing," John? I typed the phrase into Google and it asked me if I meant "chomping..." ;D Are you sure it’s “champing,” John? I typed the phrase into Google and it asked me if I meant “chomping…” ;D

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]]> By: Steve http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2761 Steve Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:10:59 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2761 The plate Cami's holding kinda looks like Pac-man The plate Cami’s holding kinda looks like Pac-man

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]]> By: John http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2760 John Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:33:24 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2760 Champing at the bit. Champing Champing Champing (Sorry, pet peeve of mine) Champing at the bit.

Champing Champing Champing

(Sorry, pet peeve of mine)

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]]> By: Mike http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2759 Mike Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:03:44 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2759 Those are great points, Ann. Art has always been a great way to highlight truths in a multitude of manners, be it humourous or poignant, and editorial cartoons are no expection. To me, though, art and journalism serve two different functions. Journalism should present the facts in an objective manner, free from the writer's opinions, slants or biases. More often than not, art uses subjectivity to express the ideas, emotions, and opinions of the artist, sometimes based on fact and sometimes based entirely on fiction. It's the difference between reading the business section of the newspaper and reading Atlas Shrugged - the paper will present with the facts of what happened in the previous day/week, while Atlas Shrugged presents Rand's stance on what would have happened if the economy tipped to far towards one philosophy over the other. But that's just my opinion, and there's a lot of grey area. Should we consider editorials as journalism when they're essentially subjectively-written art? What about Dave Barry, or even Jon Stewart? Those are great points, Ann. Art has always been a great way to highlight truths in a multitude of manners, be it humourous or poignant, and editorial cartoons are no expection.

To me, though, art and journalism serve two different functions. Journalism should present the facts in an objective manner, free from the writer’s opinions, slants or biases. More often than not, art uses subjectivity to express the ideas, emotions, and opinions of the artist, sometimes based on fact and sometimes based entirely on fiction. It’s the difference between reading the business section of the newspaper and reading Atlas Shrugged – the paper will present with the facts of what happened in the previous day/week, while Atlas Shrugged presents Rand’s stance on what would have happened if the economy tipped to far towards one philosophy over the other.

But that’s just my opinion, and there’s a lot of grey area. Should we consider editorials as journalism when they’re essentially subjectively-written art? What about Dave Barry, or even Jon Stewart?

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]]> By: Ann http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/08/12/disappearing-act/#comment-2757 Ann Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:32:53 +0000 http://www.theaterhopper.com/?p=2403#comment-2757 I think there's validity to the above point, but I also think that very often editorial cartoonists, like many editorial writers, are using humour to highlight a truth. Of course, they do engage in hyperbole, and their work is by its very nature subjective, but more often than not it is based in fact, and can be effective in conveying a serious point in a very simple, direct and powerful way. In fact, I've seen several editorial cartoons that were not particularly funny, but extremely pointed and poignant. I think there’s validity to the above point, but I also think that very often editorial cartoonists, like many editorial writers, are using humour to highlight a truth. Of course, they do engage in hyperbole, and their work is by its very nature subjective, but more often than not it is based in fact, and can be effective in conveying a serious point in a very simple, direct and powerful way. In fact, I’ve seen several editorial cartoons that were not particularly funny, but extremely pointed and poignant.

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