Caricatures Then and Now

Once upon a time (or a Russian) caricature artists, trained classically, offered fluid pen and ink lines. Here's an example: Julie (and company) immortalized before the opening of "Once There was a Russian," co-starring Walter Matthau and Albert Salmi.

The old-fashioned "flattering" heterosexual brand of caricature is now so old-fashioned it doesn't even exist.

The idea is to mix things up, bend the gender, and go for outrage. And then, as RuPaul would phrase it, "sashay away," leaving nothing but admiring gasps.

One of Julie's idols in the world of caricature is "RISKO," who resists the old drawing styles and scares up something unique instead. BOO!

You didn't know Julie had pale blue icy eyes? A squidgy nose that resembles Sam "Gunga Din" Jaffe? That her mouth looks like she was eating a pint of strawberries too fast? Well, that's the NEW look, a "new wave" in caricature, and still has the viewer knowing it's Julie Newmar.

Doesn't it? How about a different view? Below: the same artist, but a different take.

A conventional view of women is that they have breasts. That's a bit 20th Century isn't it?

The fact is, if a woman can be a super hero, maybe she can have the same chest development as a male? That would be squared pectorals, and a flat behind. Strange? Maybe even scary? Well, that's the way modern, edgy caricature works. BOO!

Both of the above are capturing Julie in "super hero" mode, because fans love it. Most any Facebook post Julie makes, no matter the topic, will have a chunk of "You were the BEST CATWOMAN" comments. Their cuteness needs to be rewarded with Catwoman cat-ricatures.

However, there's another side to the actress. The garden side. But again, there's no reason to be traditional about it, and shoot for any kind of glamour approach, as the Daily News artist did in promoting "Once There Was a Russian."

With full use of color, and spurning traditional notions of heterosexual beauty, here's Julie in a shapeless dress. This caricature has her in traditional old lady gray hair, raisin-drooped eyes, lips in a doleful camel-like pout, and a moose-jaw chin. Yet people would instantly say "That's Julie Newmar, isn't it?"

Three works about, all from one caricaturist.

Anyone buying the old fluid style of caricature? The Margo Feiden Gallery (which sold the NY Times theater caricatures) is probably gone by now. Who pay thousands for a framed lithograph? There never was a gallery for the Daily News caricatures, like the item you see up top.

Of course with magazines and newspapers disappearing, and cartoon art seeming to only sell to "The New Yorker," the Internet has become a place for anyone and everyone to offer challenging caricatures. The Internet is open to unconventional views of what beautiful women look like, or what the human body should or shouldn't resemble.

Some aren't so sure about all of this. There are some that don't like graffiti. Some question why RuPaul and his fellows appear in "woman face" when there's no longer "yellow face" or "blackface" anymore. Still, art is very much in the eye of the beholder. In fact, now that there's Photoshop, people can download and alter the art to suit their own perspective. Yes, that's another challenge, but the art world is always enthusiastic about being stood on its ear. Just ask Van Gogh.

Fortunately, "Social Media" at this level doesn't matter

Here's a friendly "Social Media" post that alerts fans that if they meet Julie, or perhaps some other celebrity, it's ok to put your hand on her. Why? Because she's so desperate and insane and horny she'll respond by kissing your neck.

"Social Media" is also where people think that somebody being polite might lead to fame. A book contract, perhaps? If you can name-drop a star and give a public thanks, surely every book company in America will have a rep breathlessly asking for a copy of the manuscript.

NOT...to worry.

In the industry (ie, the business) we know what "SOCIAL MEDIA" means, in BOLD LETTERS.

It doesn't mean Facebook.

It means TWITTER, and it means A DAILY VIEWERSHIP OF A MILLION OR MORE.

What high-powered managers and agents want is for their client to always have THOUSANDS of "likes" for any comment, and a guarantee that every comment will be be viewed by MILLIONS of people.

If that doesn't happen, "it's not happening."

It's a testament to what are uncharitably called "the D-listers" that they aren't ruled by numbers, and aren't worried by the Mark David Chapmans of the world. OR worried by "what people think" when they either waste their time posting to a teeny, teeny, tiny audience, or seem to have unlimited time in responding and commenting to people who a) are not in the industry and so therefore b) do not matter.

What's the point then? The little bond between the sad and lonely fan and the star who, in a Disney dream come true, actually shines down and seems to even give a special little sparkly hello.

The high powered agent or manager might knock off a bizarre photo and comment that makes his client seem too accessible, a bit desperate, or borderline nuts, but in the little world of Facebook, everyone knows that "she kissed me on the neck" or "she liked my story" doesn't mean passion or Hemingway.