Steve Bell Today

mikey4444 | 11:08 Thu 06th Jun 2013 | News

21 Answers

I know Steve Bell isn't universally popular here on AB, especially with the DM crowd but I think this is both funny and pertinent :::

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2013/jun/05/steve-bell-david-cameron-labour-cartoon

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AB Editor

Best Answer

11:12 Thu 06th Jun 2013

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AB Editor

mikey4444

Question Author

Thanks Ed !

-- answer removed --

AB Editor

I like the brutality of political cartoons generally, doesn't matter who they're gunning for.

anotheoldgit

:) = best answer??????????????

Obviously that seems to be the best answer you expect to get, to your 'non question', what a shame.

FredPuli43

Portraying Cameron as a face in a condom is one of Steve Bell's devices but I've never understood the reference or the message. What is the history and meaning of it ?

The cartoon itself is not exceptional for his work, is it?

-- answer removed --

ludwig

No thanks

ludwig

I don't find Bell particularly funny. It's a picture of Cameron with a condom on his head, which I suppose is enough for some to chortle at, but there's not much wit there really. Unless I'm missing something?

ichkeria

He really should be saying :
"Condom again"

mikey4444

Question Author

I'm not sure fred, despite enjoying his portrayal for many years.

I think it is something to do with Cameron having a rather rubbery, bland sort of face, without any immediately obvious characteristics that cartoonists normally find and exaggerate, like Maggie and Blair's mad look, Major's underpants worn on the outside, Boris's wurzel-like, uncontrollable thatch, etc.

In the first few days after the election of 2010, Bell was drawing Clegg as a kind-of waiter, or footman, to Cameron's more important figure, appearing behind him with the drinks tray. I seem to remember an early one of the two, where all you can see of Clegg is a pair of legs sticking out of Cameron's bottom !

Bell has drawn some wickedly funny cartoons of the Queen recently, which I am reluctant to link here, lest the Beefeaters appear at my front door, with instructions to throw me into the Tower. However, they are easily found on the Guardian website, as are every cartoon that Bell has ever done for the paper. His portrayal of Prince Phillip are priceless.

Bell would seem to be the true inheritor of Spitting Image and higher praise is difficult to imagine.

ludwig

See, I don't get that either IchK, but it's already funnier than Bells 'punchline'.

mikey4444

Question Author

Once again, people expect political cartoons to be funny, like Tom And Jerry I presume. They are normally meant to be ironic, and sometimes sarcastic.

Here is the Independents efforts today :::

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-daily-cartoon-8117874.html?origin=internalSearch

mikey4444

Question Author

I guess that whether you "get" Bell or find him funny, would depend on your politics. I have tried to find today's cartoon from the DM but have not been successful on their website, and I am most certainly not going down to the newsagents to buy the paper ! Bet it didn't take the piss out of Cameron though !

Just to prove to DM readers that the Guardian is not an entirely a Labour paper, here is a recent cartoon of Ed Balls :::

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2013/jun/04/steve-bell-cartoon-ed-balls-spending

ichkeria

"See, I don't get that either IchK, but it's already funnier than Bells 'punchline'. "

"Conned 'em"

Anyway, I think Steve Bell is more of a hit if you follow his cartoons regularly. I don't, to my shame, but in my defence I do have a cartoon on my desk of the detestable Eric Pickles looking like Lewis Carroll's corpulent Father William and saying:
"Of course I love poor communities. I just don't think I could eat a whole one"