Did the New Yorker Rip Off a Mexican?

By Gustavo Arellano Thu., Jan. 22 2009 at 3:18 PM

Categories: Illegals, Illegals, Illegals!

Pin It

I did a double take today upon looking at the latest issue of the New Yorker, the one on the right on the left. It looks suspiciously like the image on the left on the left drawn last year in February by Lalo Alcaraz, iconic Chicano cartoonist and author of the syndicated comic La Cucaracha. Now, I know that everyone rips everyone off, but can anyone point to an image of Obama-as-Washington dated before Lalo's much-better version (the New Yorker image, btw, was drawn by Drew Friedman, one of my all-time favorite comic drawers)? And can anyone say what exactly is the comparison or joke?

*Note to readers: Lalo doesn't live in Orange County, but he once did a great op/ed cartoon back in 1994 ridiculing that year's county bankruptcy, so he's an honorary naranjero por vida.

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Write Comment

Email to Friend

Print Article

Related Content

they just deconstructed and recontextualize it....
People like to say things like somebody deconstructed the image and recontextualized it....hahahahahahahhahahaha...
If it's an "unoriginal idea," David and MAC, can either of you cite an earlier example?
Thanks David. All you "fanboys" need to get off the "chicano" artist high horse and do some digging before you praise creativity and scream bloody murder. To quote my Jewish grandmother... oy vey! Signed, ~Still waiting for my Obama prize in the mail.
It's an unoriginal idea, so no. It's a coincidence.
This is definitely a rip off!! The New Yorker has really disappointed me!
I agree with Jesus. Lalo is no Latino artist. Have you seen some of his work? The word "artist" is obviously being used liberally in this regard. As far as "Latino"; one look at Lalo and his nopal and you know that he's a Chicano through and through.
Lalo is a great artist, but I have to say 'no', not even close. Also, I like how the person who emailed The New Yorker and referred to Lalo as "Latino artist..." as if his ethnicity has anything to do with anything.
LaloFan hits it right on the head. But does the New Yorker's Remnick have the huevos to do the right thing? Viva Lalo!
Lalo's cartoon rocks, there is no comparison. At the very least, the New Yorker should run something in their next edition acknowledging the striking similarities, explain their creative process, and give some credit to Lalo!
If you'll recall, this exact same issue happened 8 years ago when George Bush became president. Tom Tomorrow of the "This Modern World" comic strip created a caricature of Bush as Alfred E. Neuman (from Mad Magazine fame). Months later The Nation magazine featured a similar drawing on their cover. I believe the OC Weekly covered this extensively at the time. I don't believe anything ever came of it. It's not the most original idea in the world and not out of the realm that two cartoonists would think of the same gag independently. I think the same philosophy applies here. The New Yorker is just about the finest magazine there is, and their fact checking on stories is legendary. I highly doubt anything intentional happened here.
I actually thought Lalo hit the big time when I saw the New Yorker cover. I thought this must be the first time a Chicano cartoonist has graced the cover of the New Yorker. Then I didn't see Lalo's familiar signature and I thought "oh man Lalo REALLY hit the big time". I'm not an attorney but I can smell this payday from a couple hundred miles away. Lalo you're about to get a lot of new friends and primos.
We have asked New Yorker editor David Remnick for an explanation: Mr. Remnick, have you compared the January 26, 2009, cover of the New Yorker showing Barack Obama wearing a wig like the Founding Fathers wore � with the image by Latino artist Lalo Alcaraz of Barack Obama wearing a wig like the Founding Fathers wore? It seems you owe an explanation to your readers � and to Lalo. Lalo�s Obama image was a popular image during the 2008 presidential campaign. The Latino Inaugural Celebration Executive Committee presented Lalo�s political cartoon artwork during the Presidential Inauguration. Lalo�s cartoons were used by many activists and organizers in California and nationwide during the 2009 campaign to rally the Latino vote and recruit new voters into the political process. I understand that Lalo�s image appeared as an editorial cartoon in February/March 2008 in possibly the L.A. Weekly, and on the internet, including the popular editorial cartoon site cagle.com on MSNBC. The image also appeared in a color Sunday cartoon in his daily nationally syndicated La Cucaracha comic strip, as seen locally in the Los Angeles Times, and in over 65 newspapers nationwide. It also appeared in a YouTube video, and on hundreds of posters and magnets sold at political events in Southern California. See the letter from The City Project. http://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/archives/1229
Yes, Lalo was definitely ripped off. Que desgracia.
Eso en mi pais lo llamamos plagio. According to Wikipedia: Plagiarism is the use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. NOTE: The more I looked at the NY version, the more it resembles a very tanned Arnold Scharzeneger verdad?