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"I told you he was normal!"

Drawing
2005 (made), 14/06/2005 (printed and published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard on 14 June 2005, and is artist Marf's take on the current news story. As she describes it: 'The pop singer Michael Jackson's trial has been the biggest showbiz trial since that of O.J. Simpson. After months of daily reports on the news and tedious court dramatisations, the trial ended dramatically last night with the jury exonerating Jackson of all charges. The cartoon was drawn in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and so includes that morning's front-page headlines.'

'Marf' drew daily topical cartoons for the Evening Standard between March 2002 and August 2005, moving to the Londoner's Diary page in August 2003. The drawings cover key political and social issues of the period, providing a vivid and often hilarious response to the main news of the day. The Evening Standard is London's only evening newspaper, publishing up to five editions a day. In Marf's own words: 'The cartoonist needs to keep up with the rapid pace of event.'


Object details

Categories
Object type
Title"I told you he was normal!" (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink on paper
Brief description
Cartoon, "I told you he was normal!", by 'Marf' (Martha Richler), published in The Evening Standard, 14 June 2005; London.
Physical description
Black and white line drawn cartoon showing a man and woman at a newsstand. The woman is wearing a head-scarf patterned with circles, a winter coat buttoned down the front with a button-hole. She carries a handbag and wears black shoes. She is talking to the newspaper retailer who is inside the stall, leaning on it, and wears a mac and cloth-cap. Plastered on the newsstand are repeating headlines about Michael Jackson's not guilty verdict. An old-fashioned streetlamp and the hint of a city building can be seen in the background.

Some lines have been blocked out with liquid paper, and faint underdrawing can be seen.
Dimensions
  • Height: 29.6cm
  • Width: 21cm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • Tuesday June 14th (Written in pen top)
  • MARF (Artist signature written in pen bottom right of image, vertically)
  • "I told you he was normal!" (Written in pen across bottom; title to piece)
  • [within circle] 2 / 2005 (Written in black biro very top right on the film protective covering)
  • June '05 / The Michael Jackson / trial overtakes all other / showbiz stories in the / Spring of 2005. Everybody / is stunned by the result - / Jackson is cleared. (Written in pencil on the back)
  • HE / BEAT / IT (Headline text on newsstand, part of image)
  • CLEARED (Headline text on newsstand, part of image)
  • JACKSON / WALKS / FREE (Headline text on newsstand, part of image)
  • NOT / GUILTY (Headline text on newsstand, part of image)
  • [1-line] (Written in pen bottom left, on same level as title)
  • [scan / 1-line = / 40 X 60 / mm] (Written in pen bottom right, starting on same level as title)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Object history
Donated by the artist.
Production
Attribution note: for publication in newspaper
Reason For Production: Commission
Subjects depicted
Summary
This cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard on 14 June 2005, and is artist Marf's take on the current news story. As she describes it: 'The pop singer Michael Jackson's trial has been the biggest showbiz trial since that of O.J. Simpson. After months of daily reports on the news and tedious court dramatisations, the trial ended dramatically last night with the jury exonerating Jackson of all charges. The cartoon was drawn in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and so includes that morning's front-page headlines.'

'Marf' drew daily topical cartoons for the Evening Standard between March 2002 and August 2005, moving to the Londoner's Diary page in August 2003. The drawings cover key political and social issues of the period, providing a vivid and often hilarious response to the main news of the day. The Evening Standard is London's only evening newspaper, publishing up to five editions a day. In Marf's own words: 'The cartoonist needs to keep up with the rapid pace of event.'
Collection
Accession number
E.350-2007

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Record createdApril 26, 2007
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