Steve Benson Lecture “Editorial cartoonists are the Preparation-H on the hot-seat of the government."

Photo by Zeynab Day.

Pulitzer prize winning editorial cartoonist Steve Benson lectured at Eastern Kentucky University on October, 16, 2013.

His older brother is president of the University. He introduced Mr. Benson by saying, “He sticks to his convictions and he sticks by his word and stands by his work."

The presentation was the culmination of a gallery show of his original editorial cartoon art held from September 30th to October 17th, 2013.

Some highlighted quotes by Steve Benson as reported by The Eastern Progress newspaper writer Zeynab Day:

“Editorial cartoonists are the Preparation-H on the hot-seat of the government. Our job is to provoke and to catalyze.” 

“It’s the job of the editorial cartoonist to be a check mate if you will, or at least a check on the ridiculousness, pomposity and insanity that we see in public government today. Our job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”

And, of course, there are 40 years of angry newspaper subscribers. From the article:

"His favorite came from a subscriber who phoned in to tell Benson that after seeing his editorial cartoon she wanted to 'cancel her prescription.' 

"He mentioned another angry reader that sent and email saying 'looking at your work it’s hard to believe you beat out 100 million sperm.'"