The current presidential campaign seems to be the stuff of dreams for comedians — the jokes must write themselves, right? But for acclaimed editorial cartoonist Kal Kallaugher, the craft of cartooning is less about stand-up and tickling funny bones and more akin to “tap dancing in mine fields.”
After walking attendees through the steps of drawing a Donald Trump caricature, cartoonist Kevin Kallaugher assesses the artistic abilities in the crowd.
As a cartoonist, “you are going to tick a lot of people off,” he said. “You are dealing with humor, and everyone has a hot button and people are going to react. About 85 percent of the time my contact from readers is negative.”
Kallaugher, whose work is featured in The Economist and The Baltimore Sun was the keynote speaker during the annual fundraising dinner for the Society of American Florists Political Action Committee (SAFPAC) during the organization’s annual Congressional Action Days last week. He entertained a crowd of about 80 people, sharing stories of how his cartoons have engaged, enraged and entertained readers and leaders around the globe. (He even taught the room how to draw the target of many cartoons lately: presidential hopeful Donald Trump.)
First-timer CAD attendees Kim Dwyer, Mountain High Flowers, Sedona, Arizona, and Jeanne Ha, Park Florist, Takoma Park, Maryland, enjoy a laugh with veteran grassroots lobbyist Dwight Larimer, AAF, PFCI, Design Master color tool, Inc., Boulder.
“My job is not to make you laugh but to make you think,” he explained.” I like to consider myself a columnist. I’m a journalist first. Then I settle on something I want to focus on. Then I’m a satirist — to add humor to what I’m commenting on.”
And, he said, humor always has a place in civil discourse. “You remember that there was not a lot of smiling to be had in the months that followed ,” he pointed out. “In fact, many of us wondered, ‘Will we ever laugh again?’ But we do have humor, we can laugh. Laughter is an important part of our healing. It’s what lets the nation out in the form of recovery.”
During the event, SAF’s longtime Senior Director of Government Relations, Lin Schmale, also was recognized for her service. Schmale retired earlier this year. In 2015, she received SAF’s John H. Walker Award. https://safnow.org/longtime-senior-director-of-safs-government-relations-to-retire/
Lorence Wenke, Wenke Greenhouses, Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Dr. Marvin Miller, AAF, Ball Horticultural Company, West Chicago, Illinois, have a few minutes to catch-up during the SAFPAC reception.
Patti and Glenn Sprich, Baisch & Skinner, Inc., St. Louis, and Mona Haberer, Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits, which also sponsored the lunch at the Capitol Hill Club, where SAF attendees could refuel between meetings.
First-time CAD attendee Kal Krueger, Vogt’s Flowers Inc., in Flint, Michigan, enjoys the SAFPAC reception with David and Megan Mitchell, AAF, Stacy Boulton and David Boulton, AAF, PFCI, Flowers by George, Arlington, Washington.
Longtime CAD attendee and SAFPAC contributor Karen Fountain, AAF, Flowers ‘n’ Ferns, Burke, Virginia, enjoys Kevin Kallaugher entertaining walk through a lifetime of cartooning.
SAFPAC supports the floral industry’s lobbying efforts and brings visibility to the industry by contributing to the campaigns of federal candidates. To learn more, contact Drew Gruenburg at 703-838-5229; dgruenburg@safnow.org.
