Steve Bell

[mikey4444]

Wonderful Steve Bell cartoon in the Guardian today :::

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2013/apr/08/davidcameron-georgeosborne

[Gromit]

I have always found Steve Bell an acquired taste and I do not find this at all amusing.

It is not that I don't have a sense of humour, in the dim and distant past, Private Eye regularly printed my own cartoons.

[DangerUXD]

Sorry If I'm being thick here but can someone explain the cartoon to me, I don't quite get it! Thanks.

[youngmafbog]

Don't get it either.

Looks like just Tory bashing for the sake of it.

[mikey4444]

Where do I start ?

Political cartoons are nearly always parodies and, unlike Disney, don't have to be funny. Steve Bell is just the same as most other political cartoonists in that he usually wickedly funny, even a bit cruel at times.

He portrays Cameron as enclosed in a large condom, with the teat protruding out of the top of his head. Osbourne is normally shown as appearing in bondage gear, with a small bum sticking out of his nose.

His portrayal of Blair is even crueller, as can be seen below.

In this today's cartoon Bell is giving the impression of crocodile tears, coming from the Front Bench, while concentrating on the unwise attempts by Osbourne to link the Philpotts being on welfare, with the murder
( sorry, manslaughter) of the six children. Osbournes comments have been widely decried by lots of people, including the members of the Liberal party that they are in coalition with. Even Heseltine was somewhat unenthusiastic about the remarks.

Before anybody starts to winge and complain about the Guardian not being the Daily Mail, Bell has been just as ruthless on members of previous Labour administrations, and indeed the current opposition Front Bench.

As you can see from the next few examples :::

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2013/mar/27/steve-bell-david-miliband-resignation

and

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/mar/15/steve-bell-iraq-war-video

[rojash]

"can someone explain the cartoon to me"

The Philpots were a couple of freaks who cried crocodile tears and tried to blame others for their crimes.

The DM in a freakish article tried to pin the blame for their crimes on the Welfare state (even though Philpot's first crimes happened when he was in the army - and nobody though to blame the army)

Dave and George are a couple of freaks who cry crocodile tears, while trying blame the state of the economy, not on the bankers who caused it, or on the Salads Chef who has prolonged it with his disastrous policies, but on the poor.

[mikey4444]

Thanks rojash...salads chef ? this is a new one on me...its like a cryptic clue in the Guardian crossword !

Please enlighten me !

[anotheoldgit]

rojash

/// The DM in a freakish article tried to pin the blame for their crimes on the Welfare state (even though Philpot's first crimes happened when he was in the army - and nobody though to blame the army) ///

You are completely wrong the DM in a perfectly reasonable article used the lifestyle of Phillpot, to highlight what is wrong with the benefit system, in no way did they used the illegal deaths of the six children to get their point over.

Phillpot was nationally know for his 'life on benefits' well before he resorted to manslaughter.

It is also silly to bring his period in the Army or his previous criminal history into the discussion, what's they got to do with benefits or the welfare state?

[DangerUXD]

generally a "joke" isn't a joke if it needs to be explained.

[rojash]

"generally a "joke" isn't a joke if it needs to be explained."

Generally, a political cartoon isn't a joke but a satire.

[emmie]

i confess i can't see what's funny about the cartoon, Nor can i see what's funny about the odious Philpotts, or that George Osborne should have made comments on the day of their sentencing, that was political stupidity. That could have been made a day or two later, in Parliament, where it belonged.

[ludwig]

It's not very good. I didn't get it either until I read rojash's explanation.

[ludwig]

// Generally, a political cartoon isn't a joke but a satire. //

Yes, but it fails in that respect as well if people can't see what point is being made.

[mikey4444]

So many people have just not understood the point of political satire. It isn't supposed to be bloody funny ! For funny ready the Beano.

[Gromit]

Mikey444

If it is not going to be funny, it should be thought provoking, clever, easy to understand, and maybe a little bit tad funny. This wasn't.

It was Laboured, pointless and far too cyptic.

God knows what he will do with the death of Thatcher. But it probabl won't be funny.!!