K Chronicle.com Blog

I read Keef's stuff for free..How does he make any money?"

K Chronicle.com Blog

Sunday, April 30, 2006

*EMAILS OF THE WEEK...

>Keith,

Wow man, Bohemian Rap CD is killer stuff! I've been a subscriber of Funny Times for many years, and when I saw the band name pop up on my Magnatune update, it had a ring of familiarity -- I think that you've mentioned it in the K-Chronicles once.

I really like Magnatune, and I can't say how happy I am that you are distributing music through them.

Your stuff is great -- thanks and keep it coming!

A fan in Fairbanks, Alaska,
T. C.

>Keef,

You wrote, "And special thanks to the Portland guys who dropped off some potential newspapers. I didn't get to meet you, but it is most appreciated."

That was me! I was with my friend K. from Tacoma. I'd love to see your work in one of the local papers - I get Funny Times, but once a month is not enough. I can read your stuff online, of course, but I'd rather see you get more paying clients.

Sorry that Emerald City didn't work out for you. Here's something you might find more compatible - the Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland is smaller and more oriented towards the artists creating and publishing their own stuff rather than back issues of Marvel comics. It happens in late October; check http://stumptowncomics.com for more info.

R. A.

(Stumptown is on my list of Cons that I hope to visit this year. -kk.)

*EXTRA!!EXTRA!! DETAILS ABOUT MY RECENTLY BOOKED GIG IN CEDAR RAPIDS (PLUS A LOT MORE)...

ARTISTS, EDUCATORS AND ACTIVISTS UNITE
TO BUILD COMMUNITIES

Authors of new book to lead community arts workshops May 9-11 at CSPS

Mat Schwarzman is an educator and community activist based in New Orleans. Keith Knight is a San Francisco rapper, musician, cartoonist, and creator of the syndicated comic strip "The K Chronicles."

Together they're the authors of "The Beginner’s Guide to Community-Based Arts" (New Village Press, 2005).

Schwarzman and Knight will bring their ideas to Cedar Rapids May 9-11, when they'll conduct two workshops at CSPS and participate in other activities.

Their workshop is designed to help learners at all levels understand and begin to implement the basic processes of community development through the arts. "Community-based art," say the authors, may seem like a new concept, "but in reality it's an ancient, highly developed set of practices with related values, standards and ways of thinking."

The interactive workshop is suited to artists, educators, and leaders in all community-building fields (health, human services, criminal justice, youth development, etc). Although copies of the Guide will be available at CSPS, participants do not need to read the book in advance.

The workshop will be offered twice, on Tues May 9 from 7 to 9 pm, and Weds May 10 from 3 to 5 pm. Cost is $20 including a copy of the book, which sells for $20, or $10 for the workshop alone.

To register for the workshop or for more information call CSPS at 319-364-1580 or visit www.legionarts.org.

Schwarzman and Knight's visit to Cedar Rapids is organized by Legion Arts and New Bohemia, with support from the Iowa Arts Council and the City of Cedar Rapids.

An exhibition of cartoons by Keith Knight, Lynda Barry and Tom Tomorrow will be on view at CSPS from May 10 through July 30. Knight will attend an artists reception for the exhibit Weds May 10 from 5 to 7 pm, and will also present a gallery talk on graphic art and social change on Thurs May 11, time to be announced. Both the reception and the gallery talk are free and open to the public.

*MORE UPCOMING STUFF...

***This year marks the 10th Annual Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival (http://www.mcmf.org), THE local celebration of everything indie in the Bay Area with
events held at multiple venues throughout San Francisco from May 14 – May 22.

For the first time ever, the festival will celebrate the medium of comics and graphic novels with the Mission Creek Comic Book Art Show. Co-curated by
Shannon O’Leary, this one-night-only show will be held at the Queen’s Nails Annex gallery (http://www.queensnailsannex.com/) on Wednesday evening, May 17, from 6:00 to 10:00 PM, followed by an after party at the 12 Galaxies with the musical
stylings of Hey Willpower, Anna Oxygen, Flaming Fire, and Hello Fever. Featuring the work of some of the finest emerging and established comic book artists in
the Bay Area and beyond (including Lauren Weinstein, Jeffrey Brown, Sam Henderson, Tom Hart, Keith Knight and many, many more) the show will celebrate the
release of Girl Stories by Lauren Weinstein and Fortune’s Bitch by Eric Koepfle, among others. In addition to live music by Steeple Chase, there will be
readings and lots of great original comic book art, comic books, and graphic novels for sale so bring your checkbook! A portion of the proceeds from the Mission
Creek Comic Book Art Show will go to benefit 826 Valencia’s cartooning workshops and other comics-related programming for Bay Area youth.

***Date: Saturday, May 20, 2006, 7:30 to 9:30 PM, doors open at 7:00 PM
What: WRITERS WITH DRINKS
A fundraiser for other (http://www.othermag.org) a magazine for people who don't feel represented by mainstream media categories. Other #9 now available!
Featuring: Ayelet Waldman, John Lescroart, Keith Knight, Sheng Wang and Bianca James
Location: The Make Out Room, 3225 22nd. St. between Mission and Valencia, San Francisco
Admission: $3 to $5 sliding scale.
Charlie Anders MCs and vamps
Email for more info: charlie@othermag.org
URL: http://www.writerswithdrinks.com

***“Third Tuesdays/Sketch Tuesdays at 111 Minna Gallery”

Live sketching/art making by local artists

Where: 111 Minna Gallery,

111 Minna Street@ 2nd St., San Francisco, CA 94105

When: June 20th 6pm-9pm during happy hour Free 21+

Contact: sacha@111minnagallery.com

Gallery#: 415.974.1719

http://www.111minnagallery.com

111Minna Street Gallery is pleased to announce Third Tuesdays/Sketch Tuesdays. Each Third Tuesday of every month the gallery will host an evening of live art making by local artists. Inspired by Southern Exposure’s Monster Drawing Rally, 111 Minna would like to offer patrons the opportunity to see local artists at work and get acquainted with them. It is also a way for artists to meet each other and to be inspired by each other’s creative process.

Third Tuesdays will offer the local arts community a place to congregate, to talk, to create and to be seen. 111 Minna curator Sacha Eckes hopes to eventually create a zine with works created during Sketch Tuesdays.

Each month 1 or 2 artists/hosts will invite a few artists to participate in Sketch Tuesdays. This is a way to bring artists together that might not know each other.

Music will be provided by artists throughout the night.

All art will be for sale and will be displayed until 9pm

Tuesday June 20th:

Hosted by Sacha Eckes and Kottie Paloma

Featured artists:

Brian Barneclo

Alika Cooper

Keith knight

Andrew Junge

Mike Ingram

Maryelizabeth Yarborough

Chase Bowman

Sophia Wang

Adam Schwartz

(uh, yeah...I'm gonna be busy..-kk)

COMING IN JUNE: KEEF RETURNS TO THE EAST COAST (NEW YORK AND BOSTON) AND NEW ORLEANS!!
posted by keith at 10:52 PM

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

*HEY!! IT LOOKS LIKE I'LL BE DOING THE WORLD FAMOUS K CHRONICLES SLIDESHOW IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA REAL SOON...

It's being worked out right now. Details to come..but look for me to come sometime between May 9-11..

Also, I'll be returning to New Orleans in June...
posted by keith at 11:25 PM

*EMAILS OF THE WEEK!!

-Hi.

I became familiar with your work when I saw your "Hot Tub Confessions" on MAD Magazine. I really like your drawing style and I hope you'll keep up.

Thanks!

C.

P.S., will there be a new "Hot Tub Confession" for MAD?

(There'll be more Father O'Flannity coming for MAD..and hopefully, some new characters and strips..-kk)

-Your husband goes to the SF Alt-press/comics convention and comes back apparently empty handed ….. Then gives you an autographed Life's Little Victories calendar a couple weeks later … YES!

Made my day! Thanks!

L.

(No more Little Victory calendars, but I will have 2007 calendars at the San Diego Comic-Con-kk)

*FREE CONE-DAY IS TODAY AT BEN & JERRYS!!
Yes!! Tuesday, April 25th...Go get your ass a free Ice Cream cone..(and don't say ya ain't never learnt nothing from this here site!!
posted by keith at 1:11 AM

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

*HERE'S A LINK TO THE WOMAN IN THE CELL PHONE ACCIDENT:

http://www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4449021

*FROM THE CARTOON ART MUSEUM IN SAN FRANCISCO...
I just wanted to let everyone know that the new exhibition Earthquake!!! Bay Area Cartoonists Look at 1906, 1989 and Beyond is now on display at the Cartoon Art Museum, and will be running from now until June 25. Please tell all of your friends and family in the area to stop by and check it out, and if you have any media contacts that would be interested in covering the exhibition, be sure to let them know about it, too.

We haven't firmed up plans for a reception yet, but we'll probably have at least a small get-together so that you can invite all of your friends to visit and see the exhibition. The final roster of artists, by the way, follows (and I've listed additional creator credits for some artists, to give you an idea of the distinguished company that you're keeping):

*Phil Frank (Farley--SF Chronicle)
*Steven Lait (Oakland Tribune)
*Jeff Walker (Mad Happys)
*Brian Kolm (Beyond the Great Chimney)
*Jon "Bean" Hastings (Terrabella Smoot, Mad Science)
*Keith Knight (the 'K' Chronicles)
*Terry Hollowell (Hollow Press Posters)
*Mark Bode & Bill Fitts (Heavy Metal)
*Trina Robbins (The Great Women Cartoonists)
*Lee Binswanger (National Lampoon)
*Grant Corley
*Tamara Lusher-Stocker
*Nate Orman (Mad Happys)
*Floyd Johnson (Tahoe Daily Tribune)
*Paul Madonna (All Over Coffee--SF Chronicle)
*Betsy Streeter (Brainwaves)
*Peter S. Conrad (Attempted Not Known)

*KEEF ON TV...WHEEEE!!
They're replaying my episode of Spark! on Bay Area PBS affiliate KQED (Channel 9) this week. It's airing on Wed. Apr. 19th at 7:30pm. And repeats on Fri. Apr. 21st at 11pm and Mon the 24th at 12:30am. And as I've said before, I'm the new narrator of the show. Of course, I'm not narrating MY segment, but I'll be recording a "dvd commentary track" that you'll be able to view on the KQED/Spark website..where I'll just make fun of the whole thing. Look for it soon!!
posted by keith at 11:50 PM

*WHEW..IT'S NICE TO SLOW DOWN..

I don't have any convention/signings/whatever til Mocca in New York in June. I hope to set up a signing in Boston, too...

*EMAIL OF THE WEEK!!
My gal and I are reading your book and laughing our ass off right now.

By the way, did i ever tell you that I make a living writing because of you?
I originally gave away all i knew from making DIY or DIE on a website called "99-cent film school".
I had a 20-page document and let people download it free.
I had a paypal icon and encouraged them to tip me 99 cents.
2000 people downloaded it, and not one person tipped me 99 cents.

Then I remembered what you said in DIY or DIE, that "people don't appreciate stuff they get for free."

That's when I learned to write a proposal, and wrote one for $30 Film School.

I've since put out six books.
$30 Film School sold 20,000 copies and the second edition just came out.

You effing rock sir.
Call me some time and let's rap.

http://www.MichaelWDean.com

(Michael Dean is a true D.I.Y. artist who ruled San Francisco with his band Bomb back in the early nineties. I am featured in his film doc "D.I.Y. or Die". Buy his books and learn the ways of the force.- Keef)
posted by keith at 1:53 PM

Thursday, April 13, 2006

*EXCELLENT ARTICLE BY TWO CARTOONISTS I TRULY ADMIRE..

(courtesy of http://www.inthesetimes.com)

Can’t Make a Decision, Ladies? Call Bill Napoli.
By Mikhaela B. Reid

If anti-abortion politicians are so sure they can tell women what to do with their bodies, why not make them deal with the rest of women’s decisions? That was the premise of political cartoonist Stephanie McMillan’s response to South Dakota State Senator Bill Napoli’s comments that he could see an exception to the state’s near-total abortion ban for a raped and “brutalized” religious virgin, but not for “simple rape.”

In McMillan’s cartoon, a young man asks his sister Kranti which salad dressing she would like, to which she responds that as a woman, she can’t make a decision without calling Bill Napoli at home or at work. The cartoon contains the relevant phone numbers.

According to the Rapid City Journal, Napoli received a “flood” of calls, which he claimed were mostly “intolerable filth.”

McMillan, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is a “self syndicated” cartoonist: while she recently put out her first cartoon collection, Minimum Security, she says that her work is primarily published in magazines aimed at “radicals and dissenters.” But the “Call Bill” cartoon, published on her Web site, went viral with the help of supportive blogs and e-mails.

The cartoon generated so many positive responses that McMillan decided to auction it off on eBay and donate the proceeds to help keep abortion safe and legal in South Dakota. The bidding started at 99 cents, but by the time the auction closed on April 5, it had jumped to $2,201. McMillan is splitting the proceeds evenly between Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Oglala Sioux President Cecilia Fire Thunder recently confirmed plans to build a women’s reproductive health clinic on the Pine Ridge Reservation, where the South Dakota state government has no jurisdiction.

What inspired you to draw the Bill Napoli cartoon?

When I read about the South Dakota ban on abortion being passed, I knew I had to address the topic. I read commentary by Molly Ivins about politicians like Bill Napoli thinking they should make decisions for women, and so I decided to make it about him.

What made you decide to include his work and home phone numbers in the cartoon?

I was almost done with the cartoon before I thought to put them in. In fact I had to white-out some of what I already wrote, in order to add them. Once the thought occurred to me, and I found his numbers on the Web site of the South Dakota legislature, there wasn’t any question—I had to do it.

Have you ever gotten such large reaction to a cartoon?

I’ve never had one of my cartoons go viral like this before. I’ve received hundreds of supportive and encouraging responses. They show me that the cartoon really tapped into a deep well of anger throughout society against attempts to ban abortion, and against Napoli in particular. His recent comments about rape are so offensive that many people are appalled that someone like him is attempting to control women’s lives.

I also received a few negative comments. One guy called me a bitch.

Why salad dressing in particular?

It could have been any trivial thing, really. I often draw my characters together at the table eating, and since Kranti [the woman pictured] only eats food that’s healthy and vegan, there were limited options.

How would you respond to his complaint that many of the phone calls he received were profane or obscene?

After his creepy detailed description of rape, I suspect that his sensibilities are not very delicate—he can probably handle rough language. His righteous indignation sounds like a put-on.

What’s really obscene is his effort to force women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term, even if they’re victims of rape or incest, even at the risk of their health, regardless of their desires or circumstances.

Did you call Bill Napoli yourself?

No, I haven’t wanted to talk to him. The funniest [question] that someone told me she asked was: “Tampons or pads?” Another one asked him if it mattered that her bra matched her underwear.

Cartoonist Ted Rall has commented that you’re much more of a political activist than a lot of cartoonists—while we’re sitting behind our drawing boards, quietly commenting from the sidelines, you’re out on the street demonstrating and getting arrested.

I’ve been involved since high school in groups that have been against war, imperialism, police brutality, [and] for immigrant rights and reproductive freedom. I’ve participated in defending abortion clinics from Operation Rescue, marched at Krome Detention Center in Miami against the detainment of Haitian refugees, got arrested protesting Star Wars in Washington D.C. Actually over the course of 20 years, I’ve been to more demonstrations than I can remember, as well as put up countless posters and leaflets. I still participate when I can, though I’m too busy to be any kind of organizer. There’s a weekly anti-war vigil nearby that I attend sometimes. I’m astonished and wildly pleased that even in South Florida, the anti-war/social justice movement is blossoming—to the point that there’s too many events to go to all of them! It’s great to see people awake and active.

Prints of the “Call Bill” cartoon as well as McMillan’s new book, Minimum Security, are available online at minimumsecurity.net.
posted by keith at 10:46 PM

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

*A.P.E. 2006 WRAP-UP
I was a big-time special guest at APE this year, which means I got my table fer free!! (Wheeee!!) It was nice and busy. More exhibitors. More people. And I noticed a few more L.A. types (including my former Nick producer and Matt Groening!!).

My slideshow at 4:10pm was well-received. In the audience was the Director of San Francisco's Afro-Solo Festival. Hmmm..Mebbe I'll end up with my own solo theatre show!!

As far as parties go..eh. I was way too tired to do much. I had been going non-stop since before Seattle!! But I did hit this party called "KInk Ink" with Steve Notley and Shannon Wheeler. It was a benefit for this Sex & Culture space in S.F. run by Carol Queen. there were lots of naked people walking around that you could draw on.

Overall an excellent APE. AND I got a dogtag with my APE art on it!!.

*BEGINNER'S GUIDE EVENT IN S.F.
The turnout was small at an event to celebrate the "Beginner's Guide to Community-Based Art" in San Francisco last Thursday. But those who did show up had a great time.

Featured artist Rhodessa Jones led us all through some cool activities and co-author Mat Schwarzman announced that the book is now being taught at TEN colleges..inlcuding Harvard University!! Cool!!

*MORE C-VILLE WEEKLY FEEDBACK (COURTESY OF THEIR "VENT" PHONELINE):
"Hi, my rant is, uh Keith Knight is a black satirist and if you don't get outraged at what he says, then he's not doing his job, so don't fret over a cartoon, just worry about the subject material of the cartoon that's really pissing you off. Is it that terrible to have to think about things instead of ignoring 'em?"

*OLYMPIA/EVERGREEN WRAP-UP...
Aaaah..Olympia, Wa...I love this town. Sure, they just had a handful of Neo-Nazi's gathering at the Statehouse, but that's beside the point...

Olympia reminds me of a poor man's Berkeley. Cheaper housing..fewer hippies.. barely any uppity shoppes..and Olympia's got a fine school in Evergreen State College.

And it was Evergreen that had me do my world-famous slideshow on their campus last week. It was a nice turnout and there were some really good questions. Many in the crowd were students who had to read the "Beginner's Guide to Community-Based Arts" as part of their studies!! Nice!!

Special thanks to Cheryl King for bringing me. A shout-out to big fan Mike in Tumwater who gave me a grab-bag of novelties, including a whoopie cushion and a plastic finger that farts when you pull it.

And a super special thanks to the folks at Last Word Books and the Sitting Duck Newspaper. Editor (and long-lost family member) Terry Knight took me and the wifey out for a drink and some happy-hour munchies...Good Stuff!!

Almost makes up for Emerald City..

*HEY..IF YOU'RE IN SAN FRANCISCO ON SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH..
"Crack on the Rocks" is a benefit for fellow musician Crack Emcee, who needs some cash for some legal issues he needs to take care of. There's gonna be five or six bands, deejays and comedy starting at 6pm this Sunday. It's taking place at CounterPULSE 1310 Mission St @ 9th, San Francisco. See you there!!
posted by keith at 12:25 AM

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

*EMAILS OF THE WEEK!!
(Concerning the April Fools/Thomas Dolby strips:)
Keith,

Hey, I just got finished reading your April fools K Chronicles strip. I loved the premise. And I can totally see some right-winger arguing with you about Bush being bad for the country.. because I've got right-wing friends myself who have for years hated the lack of -financial- conservativism they see in Bush. I just think it's funny that you were able to use all the talking points as you did.

Anyway, I'm writing because I want to thank you for your strip a few weeks ago, on Thomas Dolby. I've been a Dolby fan for decades, but have never actually had the opportunity to see him live. I also recently moved to the SF Bay Area (east bay) from western Massachusetts, but did not hear about that show you mentioned last month. So I did a web search, found Dolby's home page, and realized that he is playing again in SF in April, at the Independent. I've got tickets, and I'm thrilled to finally be seeing him.

So thanks for pointing out your experience to all your readers, through your strip, because otherwise I probably would not have heard about Dolby's tour.

J. P.

Dear Keith Knight,

So I'm sitting here, banging my head against my drawing table preparing for
APE. And I thought, 'what better way to waste what valuable time I have to
prepare than to write a fan letter to Keith Knight?'

Now I know there isn't a gnat's fart's chance in Hell that you'll respond.
Because we all know that you're hotter and more famous than Ben Aflleck, Matt
Damon, Spike Lee and Halle Berry combined! But what the hell, what does
it take to write a letter thanking you for a million laughs and the (more
than occasional) moments of percing insight?

Apparently 5 minutes is the answer..

-J. S.
http://www.gothpunk.com/~jack/ironicmusings
posted by keith at 4:50 PM

Thursday, April 06, 2006

*(TH)INK RECENTLY BEGAN RUNNING IN THE C-VILLE WEEKLY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA..
..and one of the strips they're run is my classic "Cruel Joke to Play on a Black Jogger". It's a strip i did years ago, but I think because of the recent Danish/Mohammed cartoon controversy, people are super sensitive... Both the C-Ville Weekly and my old college newspaper have been getting a load of grief for running the Black Jogger strip...calling me a racist...

Here's a sample:

I was traveling in another country experiencing the endless joys of cultural diversity the week that Keith Knight’s cartoon, “A cruel joke to play on a black jogger” [“Mailbag,” March 14], was sadly published in the C-VILLE. Fortunately, Laura Ramirez, of the Virginia Organizing Project, contributed a letter condemning Kenneth Knight’s cartoon as being “...poorly done and could easily be misunderstood... Racially based violence is not a joke.” Underneath her letter was a reprint of the cartoon, that of a white man pointing to and yelling “Thief!” at a passing black jogger, resulting in a Rodney King style pummeling by the police. The white joker slyly and innocently walks away from the beating with a smirk of self-satisfaction on his face—much like, “Mission accomplished” or, “I dun good.”

By submitting this letter I am probably gratifying Keith Knight’s child-like need for attention, and the aggrandizement that he seeks to feed himself with via acts of passive-aggression, as exemplified by his cartoon. But I must, it’s the socially responsible thing to do! I can only assume that his cartoon is really a projection of who and what he really is on the inside and, of course, the smirking white man is really himself in the starring role of his ”B” cartoon.

I feel sorry for someone like K(K). Knight, and hopefully he will one day realize that his flatulence of ink is an insult to and assault on all people. Until then, he will not be viewed as a creative artist, but most likely as someone with racist views posing as a cartoonist.

N.Young

Palmyra

The editor responds: Mr. Young may be correct that Keith Knight is casting himself as the character of the “smirking white man” in his cartoon, but in the interest of accuracy, I will point out that Knight is African-American.

I'll post more of these as they come in...
posted by keith at 5:06 PM

Sunday, April 02, 2006

*EMERALD CITY CON WRAP-UP..
Yeesh...Was this a mistake...

I scheduled this thing a while back, before I knew that it was the same time as 826 Valencia's annual Comedy Night Fundraising event. So I missed out on seeing Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, and Al Madrigal. And probably hanging with them after the show. And, if that's not bad enough, I got a message that Dave Chapelle was gonna go by the Cartoon Art Museum on the day I flew to Seattle..the message was asking if I wanted to meet him.

*Sigh*

Low attendence/Low sales. My "evil" twin sister's devil dog bit me and broke skin. There were some high points: My main man Steve Notley was in the house drinkin' milk and takin' names. David Walker..Jim Mahfood...Miriam Libicki... Webmaster Robby G. and wife Laura took us out to dinner on saturday night for some tasty morsels. And special thanks to the Portland guys who dropped off some potential newspapers. I didn't get to meet you, but it is most appreciated.

Seattle's still a great town, but I won't be attending this Con again.

Hope the Evergreen gig in Olympia turns things the other way. And then I'm back to S.F. fer a lot more schtuff. Hope to see you soon...

Ciao!!
posted by keith at 9:42 PM

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