Saturday, April 30, 2011

Chester Brown: Libertarian

I just did not know:
As the Libertarian Party candidate for the Toronto riding of Trinity-Spadina in Monday’s vote, Chester Brown didn’t plan on having to promote a new book at the same time.

Brown, renowned in the comic book world for his 2006 graphic biography Louis Riel and other works, is preoccupied with the publication of Paying for It: A Comic-Strip Memoir About Being a John. Graphic in more ways than one, the unvarnished and unapologetic diary of the author’s experiences procuring sex isn’t the sort of baggage most candidates would care to haul around on the hustings.
What odd people these comics artists are.
Brown is an orthodox libertarian, both socially and economically. He not only believes that the authorities have no business in the bedrooms, rec rooms or any other rooms of the nation but also favours smaller government, reduced taxation and the elimination of the welfare state.

Given these views, some have questioned the consistency of his acceptance of public money to write Paying for It and Louis Riel.

“If I ever did get elected, I would oppose the Canada Council, so it certainly seems hypocritical,” he says. “But to me, there’s a difference between giving money and taking money. The government shouldn’t be giving out money, but I have no problem taking it if they are giving it out.”
The Riel book is really good, and of course no library is complete without Ed the Happy Clown. Shame about the bonehead politics, but his head is awfully bony.

Here's an interview about Paying for It.

UPDATE:

9 comments:

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Shame about the bonehead politics, but his head is awfully bony.

It's a common malady!

The Modesto Kid said...

Paying for it looks fantastic, thanks for letting me know about it. Am I remembering right that Ed the Happy Clown had a character whose asshole was a trans-dimensional portal, and the residents of the planet on the other side of the portal were using it for sewage disposal?

Substance McGravitas said...

BBBB's head is clearly less skull-like than Chester Brown's, and CB has not yet gone the full distance.

mikey said...

Wow. That's inspiring.

If I had any talent at all I'd do a Graphic Novel version of my life called "The Beatings Will Continue..." where I alternately whack people and and whacked with a wide variety of implements from pool cues to beer pitchers to lawn furniture.

Hours of fun for you AND your monkey!

Smut Clyde said...

Everyone's head looks skull-like after the insomnia has gone on for long enough.

M. Bouffant said...

One can only hope Mr. Browns's desire to reduce even lust to a financial transaction will someday result in a hideous disease (for him).

Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

I didn't know whether to feel sorry for the guy or dislike him. By the end of the article I kinda felt sorry for him. Seems like weird, dangerous emotional territory he was getting into there.

Everyone's head looks skull-like after the insomnia has gone on for long enough.

Uh oh.

Smut Clyde said...

Uh oh.

The embarrassing part is when you're in the non-sleep-deprived state, and you meet someone whom you think you might have met already during the insomnia, and you're not sure but the shape of their zygomatic bone looks familiar.

Some people react poorly to being told how different they look with flesh on their face. Or so I am told.

Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

I'm always happy when people notice my good cheekbones.