American Cartoonist recieving hate mail and death threats for controversial cartoon

Shi Huangdi · November 5, 2003, 16:41

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03308/236307.stm

Quote:

Wrathful Pittsburghers fail to see humor in comic

Syndicated cartoonist apologizes for suggesting Pittsburgh literally stinks

Tuesday, November 04, 2003

By Dan Fitzpatrick, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Darby Conley, creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip "Get Fuzzy," is learning what it means to use an outdated perception of Pittsburgh in 400 newspapers around the world.

It means hate mail, death threats and the scorn of Pittsburghers everywhere.

His "edgy" cat-and-dog cartoon -- which ran Thursday in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Italy, Denmark and Singapore -- lampooned Pittsburgh as a tourist destination known primarily for its smell, a reference to the noxious fumes that once belched from the area's many steel mills and manufacturing plants. After the strip appeared, between 300 and 400 people contacted Conley to remind him, sometimes not so gently, that many of the fumes disappeared years ago.

What began as an "inside joke," Conley conceded in e-mail, "has gone pretty horribly wrong." The 33-year-old artist said he unwittingly "touched a major nerve."

"I've never gotten death threats before, and I've done some pretty controversial cartoons."

In the four years since Conley's comic went national, the Boston-based artist does not remember a more visceral or vitriolic reaction to a single daily strip. Nor does he remember getting this many e-mails (he usually receives 50 to 80).

What makes the outpouring of pride and defensiveness even more remarkable is that Conley's comic does not even appear in Pittsburgh. The Post-Gazette is one of the few, big U.S. metropolitan papers not to carry "Get Fuzzy," which chronicles the life of bachelor Rob Wilco, a sarcastic feline named ''Bucky Katt" and a naively innocent dog named "Satchel Pooch."

The strip in question features Bucky Katt and Wilco trying to recover from the bad fortunes of Wilco's favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, by booking a trip out of town. They go to a travel agency.

Bucky Katt, being a cat, wants to know if the agency has "any packaged trips based primarily on smell."

The female travel agent hands the cat a piece of paper and delivers the offending punch line: "Have a look at this pamphlet from the tourism department of Pittsburgh."

Conley, who has visited Pittsburgh once, concedes he should have known better.

After all, he has a college friend living here who complains about the outdated perceptions of his adopted hometown. Plus, Conley was impressed with Pittsburgh during his trip here, believing it to be cleaner than Boston, which Conley claims is "coated in a layer of grime."

Nevertheless, Pittsburgh still became the punch line of his strip, in part because Conley wanted to tease his college friend. He also wanted to test "how many people from Pittsburgh would comment on it."

"I thought most people nowadays knew that Pittsburgh wasn't like that anymore," he said. "The bottom line is if there was any truth in it I don't think I would have done it."

He "didn't think people would take it that seriously."

As Conley is learning, though, the fight over Pittsburgh's image has become serious business indeed, with local economic development groups spending millions to reverse outdated perceptions about the area and land a positive appraisal in national magazines, newspapers and television.

"People here take this very seriously," said former KDKA-TV reporter Bill Flanagan, who led a recent effort to craft a new image for the Pittsburgh area. "There is a little bit of frustration about how hard it is to overcome these misperceptions."

When officials at the Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau heard about the "Get Fuzzy" cartoon last week, they sent Conley a friendly e-mail thanking him for "free publicity" but urging him to check out Pittsburgh firsthand, according to bureau spokeswoman Laura Ellis.

"We actually smell great," Ellis said.

No response yet from Conley.

But Conley does plan to address Pittsburgh's image again in an upcoming strip. "It will be a light-hearted apology," he said. "I don't want to do a huge mea culpa."

But he does want to "make it clear I had second thoughts about naming of Pittsburgh as [a place] that has a smell."

"I hope most people are not too mad at me and accept my apology. I didn't mean anything by it at all."

That Conley better watch his back. Hopefully, this will teach him next time not to mess with Da 'Burgh

Bugs ****ing Bunny · November 5, 2003, 16:47

What a bunch of tossers. The good folk of Bridgwater, Somerset are actually deeply proud of the fact that the Cellophane works makes their home town Britain's stinkiest town.

chequita guevara · November 5, 2003, 16:47

Anyways, everyone knows New Jersey smells like cheese. Gary, IN smells like rotten eggs.

Paul Hanson · November 5, 2003, 16:50

I think that between 300-400 people need to lighten up somewhat and find something productive to do with their time.

Jac de Molay · November 5, 2003, 16:53

Reminds me of how a lot of papers wanted to discontinue Aaron McGruder's "Boondocks" for lampooning the Bush Administration.

Hopefully, the paper will have balls enough to continue running it.

Buck Birdseed · November 5, 2003, 16:55

The town of Obbola near where I live smells of cabbages. Because of the sulphite plant.

Whaleboy · November 5, 2003, 16:59

Northampton smells of semen...

Shogun Gunner · November 5, 2003, 17:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul Hanson
I think that between 300-400 people need to lighten up somewhat and find something productive to do with their time.

Like post on the Off-Topic forum

Paul Hanson · November 5, 2003, 17:07

Would you rather I was mailing death threats to cartoonists?

Brundlefly · November 5, 2003, 17:09

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara

Anyways, everyone knows New Jersey smells like cheese. Gary, IN smells like rotten eggs.

And FL smells like old people...

Bugs ****ing Bunny · November 5, 2003, 17:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Buck Birdseed
The town of Obbola near where I live smells of cabbages. Because of the sulphite plant.

I'll send you £5 in the post if you change your handle to "The Gobbler from Obbola".

The Templar · November 5, 2003, 17:41

The public library up the street smells like piss ...

Dr Strangelove · November 5, 2003, 18:47

Our local newspaper just canned Doonesbury, replacing it with Get Fuzzy. Personally I find Get Fuzzy to be a little on the obtuse side.

Spiffor · November 5, 2003, 18:48

I have no problem with Pittsburghers being nerved from that, and I have no problem with them pointing out the fumes belong to the past (even with insults).

But to threaten the author, and even to threaten him to death over this issue, is the sign of too many Pittsburghers being losers. I'm surprised you're on their side, Shi.

Imran Siddiqui · November 5, 2003, 19:28

Quote:

Anyways, everyone knows New Jersey smells like cheese.

Yum... no wonder I keep going back

.

Pittsburghers are a bunch of morons, btw

KrazyHorse · November 5, 2003, 19:31

Pittsburgh looked like **** when I drove through it, and I live in Baltimore...

Kuciwalker · November 5, 2003, 19:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul Hanson
I think that between 300-400 people need to lighten up somewhat and find something productive to do with their time.

Sort of like the people who mail Dave Barry to point out the errors in his column

TCO · November 5, 2003, 22:14

I had a gf from Pittsburg...

Theben · November 5, 2003, 22:25

How did she smell?

Theben · November 5, 2003, 22:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
That Conley better watch his back. Hopefully, this will teach him next time not to mess with Da 'Burgh

I thought it was called Da Pitts...

Space05us · November 5, 2003, 22:30

Alexander's Horse · November 5, 2003, 22:32

I believe Shi Huangdi comes from Pittsburgh

Shi Huangdi · November 5, 2003, 22:41

As expected, the vitriol on this forum from people of lesser places is here and present. This green-eyed jealousy of Pittsburgh is such a typical response by people envious of the glory of Pittsburgh.

Theben · November 5, 2003, 22:42

Would that be because that's what it sez next to his avatar?

Theben · November 5, 2003, 22:42

damn cross-posting pittsburgh stinker

Alexander's Horse · November 5, 2003, 22:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Theben
Would that be because that's what it sez next to his avatar?

That would assume I actually read the drivel people put next to their avatar

Guynemer · November 5, 2003, 23:52

Pittsburgh is Detroit without the glitz.

Tuberski · November 5, 2003, 23:56

Coming from Utah and living 8 miles from the Great Salt Lake, Pittsburgh can't be as bad as Utah with a westerly wind.

Hell, an NBA player once refused to sign with the Utah Jazz after he was traded to them.

He said Utah stinks. People were mad, but he was right.

ACK!

Nubclear · November 5, 2003, 23:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Tuberski
Coming from Utah and living 8 miles from the Great Salt Lake, Pittsburgh can't be as bad as Utah with a westerly wind.

Hell, an NBA player once refused to sign with the Utah Jazz after he was traded to them.

He said Utah stinks. People were mad, but he was right.

ACK!

He was right on sooo many levels....

The Templar · November 6, 2003, 00:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
As expected, the vitriol on this forum from people of lesser places is here and present. This green-eyed jealousy of Pittsburgh is such a typical response by people envious of the glory of Pittsburgh.

I'd rather go to that library up the street than go to Pittsburg!