Sketch O’The Week
April 17th, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Remember how I promised threatened to start a new series for the SotW based on famous moments in movies? Bad news… it’s started! This week’s movie moment is Robert De Niro as “Travis Bickle” in the famous “are you talkin’ to me?” scene from “Taxi Driver”. This might be the most often and badly imitated scene in all of movie history… well, this and any Sean Connery impression. Oh, and before I get a flood of responses to this telling me I put De Niro’s mole on the wrong side of his face, remember this scene takes place in a MIRROR! READ MORE
March 27th, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
In a rare break from tradition, the original of this sketch is still available! We are Burning Down the House with this week’s sketch of “Talking Heads” frontman David Byrne! The “Talking Heads” was one of those bands that was impossible to categorize. They came into being during the punk rock/New wave era of the late 1970’s, but they weren’t really part of either movement, although “New Wave” is what they get shoehorned into when being discussed. They were the definition of “their own thing”, and a big part of that was Byrne’s oddball but charismatic presence. You couldn’t quite tell if he and the… READ MORE
March 20th, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
We continue our new “famous blind black musicians” series this week with the late, great Ray Charles! Actually we really could do a series of famous blind black musicians if we wanted to. Ronnie Milsap, Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind John Davis, Art Tatum, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Blind Boys of Mississippi… that would keep me busy for a couple of months! I think we’ll cap it off with Brother Ray, though. This sketch is based on a caricature of him in one of the panels from “The Blues Brothers”… READ MORE
March 13th, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Better late than never! “I just called… to say… I sketched you!” I’m taking an extended break from doing TV sitcoms cast sketches and doing some other subjects, so feel free to make some suggestions! Thanks to subscriber Stu Miller, who suggested I draw Stevie. I can’t believe I missed doing him back when I did my “Rock Icons” series. He’s easily one of the greatest musicians and songwriters in the history of pop music. An incredible talent. READ MORE
March 6th, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Click here if you are interested in this original sketch DYN-O-MITE! It’s yet another 70’s sitcom sketch with the cast of “Good Times”: Jimmie Walker, Ja’Net Du Bois, Bern Nadette Stanis, John Amos, Esther Rolle and Ralph Carter! “Good Times” is another Norman Lear show, spun off from “Maude” with was spun off from “All in the Family”… that’s a lot of spinning. Esther Rolle’s character Florida Evans was a housekeeper for Maude and was married to a NYC firefighter named Henry, but the characters and their family dynamic was changed considerably for the new show. They became poor and lived in a Chicago housing… READ MORE
February 28th, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
We are taking a quick break from our 70’s sitcom series with this sketch of rock keyboard virtuosos Elton John and Billy Joel. We take a quick breather from our 70’s sitcom sketches to bring you caricatures of two of the greatest rock and roll keyboard virtuosos ever! The guitar is arguably the most prevalent instrument in rock music, but a handful of great rock/pop musicians built their careers around the piano. Elton John and Billy Joel are among the best of them. I did this sketch as a commission, but I thought I’d share it here. The Lovely Anna and I saw these two… READ MORE
February 14th, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
It’s another episode of our 70’s sitcom show with our sketch of the original cast of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” Ted Knight, Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore and Georgia Engel. This show has a special significance around here, since it was set in Minneapolis. Minnesotans and especially Minneapolis area residents have always claimed the ground breaking title character Mary Richards, the single, independent, successful career woman played by Mary Tyler Moore, as “one of us.” My sister-in-law lives just a few blocks from the house whose exteriors were used for the show. I’ve been past in many times. Of course… READ MORE
January 31st, 2024 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Hang on, Bernice… it’s Wednesday again! Time for another “Sketch o’the Week!”. Back when I was doing a sketch series of fictional TV detectives I only deviated from “serious” characters once… drawing Abe Vigoda as Sargent Philip K. Fish from “Barney Miller”. That show was another great example of a 70’s sitcom set almost entirely in one small room/set that relied on the writing and character interaction to provide stories and laughs. “Barney Miller” was one of the best examples of making that format work incredibly well. It was one of my favorite shows to watch in syndication back in the 80’s. So, this week… READ MORE
