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Crumb explains why he canceled trip to Australia
Robert Crumb was the headlining artist at the Australian Graphic arts festival in Sydney, but cancelled after a newspaper ran a headline that read, “Cult genius or filthy weirdo” and quoted anti-child abuse campaigner Hetty Johnsto who raised questions about the appropriateness of Crumb’s attendance.
While I was agonising over whether to go to Australia or not, I tried to imagine how I would react if confronted with a group of angry anti-Crumb protesters, or an angry individual.
I have no defence. I can’t explain why I drew all those crazy pictures. I had to do it. Maybe I should have my pencils and pens taken away from me. I don’t know. I really have no answer to their argument that I’m a sick, deranged person.
What should I say? No, I’m not? No idea. But I decided I was willing to face the possibility of an unpleasant confrontation, possible insults, even physical assault. I’m rather fatalistic that way. But I couldn’t do that to Aline. I had to put her feelings in front of those of the organisers of the festival and Australian fans of my work.
Community Comments
August/15/2011
@ 6:26 pm
Very disappointing, as a result of some very poor journalism from the Sunday Telegraph. The fans are livid.
August/15/2011
@ 7:14 pm
Please note that most Australian newspaper content, if not all, was excited to see Crumb coming and promoted it accordingly. It was one singularly slack-jawed attempt at journalism that unfortunately Mr Crumb saw and which, as a consequence, changed his mind.
His legion of fans here are aghast, as Jason has noted above. It’s sad that a country as great as Australia appears, internationally, to still be mired in the bad old days of fear and repression.
This kind of journalism is tantamount to a shock jock spouting vitriole for the sake of gaining web hits or shilling their fishwrap. It’s a disgrace.
August/15/2011
@ 9:15 pm
It’s a rotten crying shame. It was such a thrill to see that R.Crumb was finally coming to Australia and a huge disappointment to discover that he wasn’t. Whoever engineered the newspaper’s nasty little story deserves a robust downswing in good karma.
I’m sorry that R.Crumb had to be subjected to this nonsense. It reflects badly on Australia, which is actually quite a nice place.
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