Sunday Mailbag

Q: I have read on your blog about movie and TV parodies you have done where you say you loved the movie/TV show and ones where you say you didn’t like the subject. Would you rather do a parody of a show you really like or one you really dislike? What was your favorite parody for MAD? What was your least favorite?

A: Since you specifically asked my preference between those two choices I would prefer to do a parody of a show or movie I really like, but honestly either one is preferable to doing one of a subject I care nothing about.

It’s much easier to summon up the energy and enthusiasm I need to do a good job on a parody of something if I have some real interest in it. Love it or hate it, either feeling feeds the fires and gives me a reason to get interested and invested in the project. It’s apathy that is the hardest thing to overcome. Movies or shows that are boring or uninteresting to me are the ones that I least like to do parodies of.

My favorite/least favorite is hard to answer. I guess I’d have to say the Christian Bale “Batman” films have been my favorites to do just because the character is a favorite of mine and getting to parody them for MAD Magazine was a kind of dream come true. My least favorite? Probably one of the reality shows like “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”.

Thanks to Grant Jonen for the question. If you have a question you want answered for the mailbag about cartooning, illustration, MAD Magazine, caricature or similar, e-mail me and I’ll try and answer it here!