Richard Thompson (cartoonist)
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Richard C. Thompson (b. 1957) is an illustrator and cartoonist best known for his syndicated comic strip Cul de Sac and the poem "Make the Pie Higher".
On July 16, 2009, Thompson announced that he has been diagnosed with Parkinsons, a problem he described as "a pain in the fundament" which has slowed him down but has not affected his drawing hand.[1] Stephen Pastis, creator of Pearls Before Swine, described Thompson as "probably the most talented all-around syndicated cartoonist working today" and praised the courage and optimism he has shown in revealing his illness.[2]
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[edit] Cul de Sac
Thompson did numerous humorous illustrations to accompany feature articles in The Washington Post. His comic strip Cul de Sac, which began as a Sunday feature in the Washington Post Magazine, was launched in more than 70 newspapers in the fall of 2007, distributed nationally as both a daily and Sunday by Universal Press Syndicate.
The first book of collected Cul de Sac strips was released on September 1, 2008 by Andrews McMeel Publishing. It includes the pre-syndication Washington Post strips in color, as well as a foreword provided by Bill Watterson. The book notes, "Since breaking his toe in a dance-related accident nearly 12 years ago, Mr. Thompson has been forced to draw with his hands."
[edit] Richard's Poor Almanac
His cartoon series Richard's Poor Almanac appears weekly (usually on Saturdays) in The Washington Post Style section. A compendium of his Richard's Poor Almanac cartoons was published by Emmis Books in 2005.
The Richard's Poor Almanac cartoon published the week of George W. Bush's first inauguration was a mock inaugural poem, "Make the Pie Higher," composed of some of Bush's more incoherent quotations, aka Bushisms. When "Make the Pie Higher" was leaked onto the Internet, it spread rapidly and was eventually dissected and analyzed on Snopes.com, which did a lengthy review of its origins. The poem has been set to music at least five times in various styles, including Irish and choral music.[3]
[edit] Illustrations
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Thompson's illustrations have appeared in U.S. News & World Report, The New Yorker, National Geographic and The Atlantic Monthly.
[edit] Awards
He has received the National Cartoonist Society Magazine and Book Illustration Award for 1995, plus their Newspaper Illustration Award for 1995. He won a Gold and a Silver Funny Bone Award in 1989 from the Society of Illustrators for humorous illustration. Thompson received the Milton F. "Sonny" Clogg Alumni of the Year award in 2004 from his alma mater, Montgomery College, from which he did not graduate.
Thompson is a long-time resident of Arlington, Virginia.
