I used to love bullies in grade and high school, they would push and push and push, and I would retreat gracefully; but alas I am a fencer and I know if I retreat off the mat I lose the match, so about 1 foot from being pushed too far I would stop thrust [look it up] the bully, usually with four straight fingers to the windpipe. 1 a year from 4th grade to senior year, you would think word would get around and they’d stop wouldn’t you?
Mean Gene has shown up a few times in Frazz history, but only once with a last name: Mean Gene Weingarten. I hadn’t met Gene at that point; I was merely a huge fan of his Washington Post column. He was, and remains, in my opinion, the funniest man in print. But I just about named Mean Gene after an old friend from my days at the Flint Journal, Gene Mierzejewski, or something like that. I couldn’t remember how to spell his name then, either, and while I was trying to figure out where to look it up, my wife suggested I go with Weingarten. It was terrific suggestion. I’ve made a point throughout my marriage to follow those at least once a year, and this one was a good one to follow.
I was floored when I got an e-mail from Weingarten (who is, in fact, anything but mean), along the lines of, “You cartoonists are all the same; drop some guy’s name into your strip so you can extort a few bucks out of him for the original. How much do you want?” The high-water mark of my relatively new strip was now set WAY above flood stage, and it still doesn’t get equaled all that often (and a number of the times it has been equaled, Weingarten factored in). I’m relieved to know I provided at least one high-water mark for him: In addition to the original art from that first Mean Gene strip, he also has the only existing boudoir picture of Mrs. Olsen.
My move to Detroit messed me up a bit and threw me off my game in a number of ways, including socially; I left a lot of people wondering what happened to me, why I failed to keep in touch so abruptly and completely. And I honestly don’t know myself. But that was almost nine years ago. I’m doing much better. I should drop Gene a line. Or I should have put his last name in this strip. I mean, damn, there’s even room up there.
jvn over 5 years ago
Comeuppance is delightful.
cervelo over 5 years ago
Unfortunately, life being what it is, Mean Gene will find him at recess.
johnschutt over 5 years ago
Yelling today will get you fired.
R.R.Bedford over 5 years ago
I used to love bullies in grade and high school, they would push and push and push, and I would retreat gracefully; but alas I am a fencer and I know if I retreat off the mat I lose the match, so about 1 foot from being pushed too far I would stop thrust [look it up] the bully, usually with four straight fingers to the windpipe. 1 a year from 4th grade to senior year, you would think word would get around and they’d stop wouldn’t you?
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 5 years ago
Frazz16 hrs ·
Mean Gene has shown up a few times in Frazz history, but only once with a last name: Mean Gene Weingarten. I hadn’t met Gene at that point; I was merely a huge fan of his Washington Post column. He was, and remains, in my opinion, the funniest man in print. But I just about named Mean Gene after an old friend from my days at the Flint Journal, Gene Mierzejewski, or something like that. I couldn’t remember how to spell his name then, either, and while I was trying to figure out where to look it up, my wife suggested I go with Weingarten. It was terrific suggestion. I’ve made a point throughout my marriage to follow those at least once a year, and this one was a good one to follow.
I was floored when I got an e-mail from Weingarten (who is, in fact, anything but mean), along the lines of, “You cartoonists are all the same; drop some guy’s name into your strip so you can extort a few bucks out of him for the original. How much do you want?” The high-water mark of my relatively new strip was now set WAY above flood stage, and it still doesn’t get equaled all that often (and a number of the times it has been equaled, Weingarten factored in). I’m relieved to know I provided at least one high-water mark for him: In addition to the original art from that first Mean Gene strip, he also has the only existing boudoir picture of Mrs. Olsen.
My move to Detroit messed me up a bit and threw me off my game in a number of ways, including socially; I left a lot of people wondering what happened to me, why I failed to keep in touch so abruptly and completely. And I honestly don’t know myself. But that was almost nine years ago. I’m doing much better. I should drop Gene a line. Or I should have put his last name in this strip. I mean, damn, there’s even room up there.