Post to N.Y.: Sorry, sort of (about the dead monkey cartoon)

The New York Post, a feisty voice of tabloid conservatism owned by ex-Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch, apologized, halfway, late tonight for a controversial monkey cartoon that it published Wednesday.

The cartoon, by longtime Post artist Sean Delonas, played off the shooting this week of a pet chimp in Connecticut named Travis that attacked a female friend of the female owner, who gave the monkey wine to drink. (Hey, it's Connecticut!) For a non-political update on that case -- it seems the 200-pound Travis got irritated at least once before -- scroll down for a new video report.

The cartoon showed two cops with a smoking gun who were, well, you can see for yourself right here on the left. The Ticket wrote about the cartoon argument, which some NYC activists said played off an aging racial stereotype of blacks as monkeys, claiming it depicted President Obama as a monkey, and an assassinated one at that.

Although neither his name nor image is anywhere in the drawing.

Others pointed out that Obama did not compose the stimulus bill -- that was allegedly written by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- so how could the president be the monkey?

But the outrage got some familiar faces back on cable TV, if only briefly.

Tonight, in a brief editorial headlined "That Cartoon," the Post repeated its denial of any racial intent and called the day's protesters "opportunists" taking advantage of long-standing grudges against the publication. "To them," the paper's latest editorial said, "no apology is due."

The paper said the cartoon was intended to "mock an ineptly written federal stimulus bill. Period." Adding: "To those who were offended by the image, we apologize."

"Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon," the paper said, "even as the opportunists seek to make it something else."

Ironically, protesters picketing the Post on Thursday carried large billboards depicting Murdoch wearing one of those lopsided Australian cowboy hats sitting in a kangaroo pouch with a koala bear eating a Vegemite sandwich. (Just kidding. There were protesters. But we made up the rest because we can't draw.)

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Credit: Sean Delonas / N.Y. Post

Comments

[Mark]

Political Cartoons have truly lost all meaning if an apology is now expected for the ones that offend people.

[Joanna Fulk]

Sometimes a cartoon is just ...not funny. Assuming Mr. Delonas and the editors didn't notice the racist overtones (since journalists are typically sooooo unaware of history and culture), I would apologize for not having a punchline.

How was the chimp supposed to represent the stimulus bill that was not shot down, but rather signed the previous day (hardly long enough to judge it's effectiveness.)

Want to make a tacky cartoon out of two headlines but with no racist overtones? How about a chimp named "GOP" attacking a woman named "stimulus bill" with her saying "Wait a minute. I'm just trying to help!"

Then again, that cartoon might remind them that the chimp attack was a horrible, graphic tragedy. Had the victim been a child, I doubt they would have "gone there."

[just me]

The cartoon was fun to me not one bit racist,nothing wrong with it......

[Tom Welsh]

For what it's worth, Travis was a chimpanzee - an ape, not a monkey. It is quite an important distinction, because, as Travis' lifestyle clearly showed, there is less difference than some might think between an educated ape and a human slob. No monkey has the brainpower to sit at table and drink from a cup, let alone use keys to open a door.

[M. Delphia Block]

Many brave people fought, sacrificed and died for our Democracy, including African Americans. When an immigrant to their country, Rupert Murdoch, displays such a virulent, hateful, abhorrent, pernicious lack of respect for our cherished Constitutional First Amendment freedoms, he should be deported. This insidious ingrates insults the dignity of 'journalism!' Racism and ignorance are synonymous and there is no shortage of ignorance nor racism at Fox News, The New York Post, etc. which are antithetical to principles, values and civility.

Obviously, American has been much too generous with our immigration policy. The 'vulgarization of America' has been imposed and perpetuated by Mr. Murdoch through his vapid media culture that is inimical to our cherished First Amendment freedoms.

Sean Delonas doesn't have the aptitude to discern between humor and humiliation. His insipid cartoon is offensive, tasteless and racist. Such disdain is an effrontery to civility!

If only Murdoch would become overwhelmed with a desire to return to his country and take all the feckless people who work for him with him, it would be a far, far better thing to do than he has ever done; it is a far, far better place for his vituperations! Bon Voyage!

Chagrined,

[Enough]

The Post should not have apologized. The black community has held the country hostage long enough with endless outrageous accusations and whining. They are not the only group that has suffered slavery or discrimination. In fact, women are still enslaved around the world including sex slavery in the U.S.

[larry]

I think if I send to NY Post a similar cartoon that shows 2 Nazis; one is quoted "They'll have to find someone else to build the next $60B pyramid.", they'll never print it.

[lucille humair]

It was a race to wait for the most ignorant of people to publicly print something of this nature. It is pitiful and a total lack of respect for an intelligent, wonderful man who just happens to be in the most important position in the United States. Imagine a possible war if another country had alluded to Barack Obamas color with such a disgusting lack of taste.

[pepelatimes]

Opportunist is the least offensive adjective describing Algutang the racist.

[JoeCaprio/Citylifeproductions]

CONTROVERY SELLS. DO YOU THINK THE POWERS THAT BE AT THE POST DIDENT REALIZE WHAT EFFECT THE CARTOON WOULD HAVE? THERE PUSHING THE ENVELOPE AND STIRRING THE POT.

[Mingo Silva]

People,people, monkeys have small hears. The man have big hears...Just joke!!! Love & Peace...

[Jim Russell]

A diluted, insincere, lukewarm, apology from a 2nd rate news paper, and unlike it's content, also an accurate discription of a few of it's owners negative attributes.

JRussell
Illinois

[Sharon K]

So, the Post was suggesting that the President be shot? But not that he is a monkey? Yeah, right. Disgusting.

[All Mi T]

i wish we took as much action against HIV, children not being able to read and black incarceration rates as we do or did this cartoon

http://rawdawgb.blogspot.com/2009/02/monkey-see-monkey-do.html

[Okpulot Taha]

All this ruckus reminds me of Islamic rioting, looting, burning and killing because a handful of artists dared to create cartoons of Mohammad.

Black America is wisely not engaging in rioting, looting, burning and killing because of a cartoon.

However, history reflects this current displayed restraint by Black America has not always been true.

My hope is history will not repeat itself.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation

[Julia]

I think they should freeze frame Obama's face every time he pronounces the words 'who', 'won', 'owl' , 'wobbly', 'whoosh' ... etc. and publish the pictures with the word CHIMPY beneath them.

Reason: Just to show how atonishingly clever people are who can do such montages. I mean, it's a shame to let all that sharp wit out there go to waste now that Bush is gone.

[Merf-1]

This is a travesty. If it was Dick Cheny or George Bush the FBI and CIA would have swooped down on this writer/Cartoonist like an Eagle on a field mouse. This is a blatent disregard for our Presisdent Obama which should be dealt with firmly and swiftly. I have even heard of a national boycott of the NY Post. Murdoch should be ashamed of himself for allowing this to happen. I know that I will never have anything to do with anything related to or assiciated with Rupert Murdoch.

[George Merlis]

Rupert Murdoch should have his U.S. citizenship revoked. He is a hate-mongering racist and this country should respect his freedom to express his hatful views, but should not accord him citizenship. This cartoon is more than racist; it is cover for any would-be assassin of our President. Mr. Murdoch and his minions are giving justification for the heinous crime of murder. Nothing can be done about Rush Limbaugh and other on-air bigots, but Murdoch could have his citizenship lifted. He is not worthy of being an American.

[t]

obama didnt write the bill first of all. It was written by a group of dems. ALSO, people are saying that since obama is associated with the bill they are calling him a monkey. So does that mean that every time someone makes a statement about something being so easy that a monkey could do it they are calling that person a monkey and making a reference to them being black? NO! stop making things racist. It was supposed to be aimed at a horrible stimulus package, that was written so badly that a monkey could have done it.

[jj]

The toon is screwed up..combining the chimp that was killed last week with the stimulus is nonsense..
Obama did not write the stimulus package anyways..it was the same ole bunch who have been in the WH for a decade who wrote it..so much for change.
It's all just a publicity stunt..starved for attention, media?

[Kat]

Not in the least bit funny. People aren't stupid. If you're going to apologize, just apologize. Look into your heart of hearts, and tell the truth. I personally think that you ought to be ashamed.

[Devil's Advocate]

This story, the backlash, and press it has received is very confusing to me. First the dead monkey is in reference to the monkey that was shot by police because it attacked a person. Got that? Monkey attacks person and is shot. The monkey is NOT Obama.

Next. The caption on the cartoon reads, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill." Meaning the author is implying THIS monkey wrote the latest stimulus bill, and is a put down towards the stimulus bill, and writers of the stimulus bill. Once again the monkey is NOT Obama.

The problem I believe is that some people think Obama wrote the stimulus bill, and are angry because they think the cartoon is depicting Obama. The stimulus bill was created by Obama's economic team.. NOT Obama! So this begs the question, is it the artist's fault the "some" people don't understand how things work and wrongfully assume Obama crunched numbers on a calculator for months and he alone came up with this stimulus bill? NO!

[JAMES BLANKSON]

An apology that assumes that the un-offended should be ignored refuses to recognize the fact that many non-practicing bigots did not eschew their bigotry through ideological "eureka" moments but due to the force of public opinion change; even practicing bigots insulate their activities from public spotlight. If public opinion shapers revert to apathetic penmanship as the excuse of an apology from the post then let us prepare for many more avoidable social wars.

[Frank Stein]

I was born in the fifties. I saw postcards with lynched black men when they were in circulation. I saw the white's only fountains, counters and bus seats. I saw white face in Hollywood and caricatures on TV. There is no debate, the cartoon is racist. I felt it in my soul the moment I laid eyes on it.

The apology was poor, you don't make amends with buts attached. So let's make a real boycott.

The New York Post is Rupert Murdoch. Stop buying or watching anything from News Corp. That is Fox in case you didn't know. That is DirectTV.
It is also: FOX – (TV & Movies (20 Century Fox), The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Marketwatch, Far Eastern Economic Review, Dow Jones Newswires, Factiva, Dow Jones Indexes, Dow Jones Financial Information Services, MySpace, Photobucket, & National Geographic Channel.

Cancel your subscriptions and your DirectTV. Write the advertisers and tell them you will no longer be buying their products because they support racism. And if Murdoch tries to enforce a DirectTV contract then let it go to court. I am sure there will be lawyers lined up to make the class action case about Murdoch racism.

Buy nothing you see on Fox or in News Corp outlets, watch nothing on Fox, complain to advertisers and generally be a pain in the butt until Murdoch himself steps forward and apologizes in public for corporate racism.

[pogomcl]

It's offensive overall. First it exploits the trauma and injury of a hapless woman with a pet chimp and the victims of the attack and secondly it seems to make racial slurs. Exploiting the trauma of the chimp attack is completely tasteless. The woman who owned the chimp cared for it as her own child which she lost and it had to be something terrible when it attacked and mauled a friend. A mauling is not laughable-- and the NYPost should be forced to pay damages to the woman and the victim. It's a horrific situation. I thought good journalism and the ethics of journalism prohibited the exploitation of trauma for media interest. That shouldn't just apply to the endless reruns of plans smacking into the Twin Towers but to every other traumatic situation. They are forced to apologize regarding Obama and cabinet, but not to the victims of the tragic mauling. That's wrong. Murdoch should have to pay part of the medical expenses--since apparently his paper sought to benefit from the injury of others.