Friday 12 August 2011

Robert Crumb explains what forced him to cancel his trip.
Sydney Morning herald August 13
After I told a journalist who sent me the article that I might not go to Australia because of this, he took it on himself to call and talk to Hetty Johnston, who told him she was contacted by ''the media'', sent links to some of my more ''offensive'' images, and asked to comment on the fact that the Sydney Opera House was exhibiting my work.
From this it is evident The Sunday Telegraph was looking for ways to discredit me and the City of Sydney by using people like Hetty Johnston. Who's going to put down an anti-child abuse campaigner? If this person hates my work, I must be a child abuser myself. And the Sydney Opera House is condoning child abusers.
The Sunday Telegraph, after contacting these groups and showing them apparently offensive images extracted from my work, can then say, as they did in their article, ''Cartoonist Robert Crumb's visit, funded by the Opera House and endorsed by the City of Sydney, has sparked outrage with sexual assault groups describing the France-based American artist as 'sick and deranged'.''
One can see in this example how skilled media professionals with low standards of integrity are able to mould and manipulate public opinion, popular beliefs and, ultimately, the direction of politics.
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9 Comments:

Blogger spacedlaw said...

I've just read the article and can't help but think that the sick and deranged in that case are the finger pointers. As we used to say when I was a kid: "c'est c'ui qui dit qu'i' est"
(or as the Italians go "chi la sente, sotto li pende".

13 August 2011 at 05:12:00 GMT-5  
Blogger spacedlaw said...

While Crumb is safer amongst us mad French people, I just stumbled upon this on the internet and enjoyed a mildly wicked chuckle.

13 August 2011 at 05:33:00 GMT-5  
Blogger Unknown said...

I read it on the Syd Morning Herald this morning... I'm sad for the situation but totally agree with his decision.

13 August 2011 at 05:47:00 GMT-5  
Blogger Hayley Campbell said...

I totally agree with him and think he's a sweetheart. Aline would have gone out of her mind. I would have.

13 August 2011 at 06:18:00 GMT-5  
Anonymous Anthony Thorne said...

I like Crumb's usual honesty here and don't blame him for pulling out. Neither of them need the hostility (or worse) that might have come from the usual idiots. I can't make it to Sydney for this (will next year) but I'd be surprised if this whole thing isn't a big topic of discussion on the panels.

13 August 2011 at 06:34:00 GMT-5  
Blogger Unknown said...

Main stream media will always be the enemy of the arts. Anything they can use to make fear, gives them more power to control the thoughts of others, in their mind. I am reminded of the vampire Lestat, when he is confronted by (and called a blasphemer) by the coven of Satan worshipers, who tell him that God will strike him down. "It is not God who troubles me." says Lestat. "It is you who trouble me."

13 August 2011 at 13:52:00 GMT-5  
Blogger B Smith said...

Aline should have come with him...I'd have happily paid to see her

13 August 2011 at 20:48:00 GMT-5  
Blogger The Passenger said...

Both of you two are really welcome to my house in Milano all the times you will like it! ^__^ ps I founded a copy of THE COMPLETE ALEC TPB ACME PRESS...uh uh I can't wait to read it!

14 August 2011 at 01:47:00 GMT-5  
Anonymous Dave Taylor said...

Mr Crumb shouldn't be too upset by being called a "pervert" and "offensive" by Australia's Sunday Telegraph. He should bear in mind that the Telegraph is owned by News Corporation, whose proprietor, Rupert Murdoch, is the guy who thinks it's perfectly okay for his news reporters to hack the cell phones of murder victims and the parents of children killed by paedophiles (for more on this I refer you to the ongoing investigation into Murdoch's professional ethics by the British Parliament). Being on the wrong side of the Telegraph is probably the right side to be on. :)

16 August 2011 at 17:39:00 GMT-5  

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