Day: March 1, 2008

PETition Home Stretch

We’re getting close to March 12! That’s the last day for UK citizens and residents to e-sign Irene Seaton’s PETition for Prime Minister Brown to recommend Petula Clark be awarded the title of Dame.

Petula Clark on the BBCPetula Clark today

Today the post (to use the UK vernacular) brought quite a surprise. A large envelope from The International Petula Clark Society in England. Thank you, Terry Young and Bonnie Miller! The contents include a lavish program book from Pet’s appearance at Theatre Royal on November 26, 2006 with the BBC Concert Orchestra. November ’06 was also when the BBC broadcast Petula Clark: Blue Lady. You can watch it at this link.

My wondering eyes also beheld an autographed 8×10 glossy photo. These days, images developed on photographic paper are becoming increasingly rare, and this scan just doesn’t do justice to the image quality of this lovely, suitable-for-framing portrait.

Autographed Petula Clark Portrait

Here’s a Petula Clark song from 1967 that you may not have heard in a while. I remember it from listening to WABC in NYC.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/FEB/CatInTheWindow.mp3]

Radio station am740 in Canada featured Petula on its Applause show shortly before her birthday. Here it is.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/FEB/PetulaApplause.mp3]

Still Stuck In The ‘Peanuts’ Butter

In another month or so, Monte Schulz’s essay in The Comics Journal should be making its appearance. In the meantime, there’s a rather tense exchange over at Cartoon Brew between Monte and someone who had some input in Schulz and Peanuts. Start reading down from this link. You may want to scroll up first, for a fun online reunion Monte has with an old friend, before reading the more uncomfortable parts.

I’d like to emphasize that all of this is about a syndicated cartoonist. No matter which side of this discussion about the biography you’re on, it’s amazing that the creator of a comic strip merits such attention. In generations past, such a thing would not have happened, with Walt Disney being the only exception. As a medium, cartooning and comics have come a long way.