The National Implier

The cartoon, The National Implier, is about a fictional tabloid of the same name.

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The cast of characters includes a publisher, an editor, a chief columnist, and a receptionist, who work for the

Tina is the publisher of the National Implier

tabloid. There is a photographer and his assistant who freelance, but work mainly for The National Implier. There are also an ensemble of characters who work at the local daily paper, a managing editor and a gossip columnist and perhaps more as the cartoon progresses. These characters can be previewed from the title page.

The National Implier is a rather sympathetic look at the daily workings of the tabloid. The publisher (Tina De la Basura) and her chief writer/columnist (Arthur "Schotzie" Chiepshotz) are the bad guys. Whatever it takes to sell papers to the public is their credo. To the editor (Duke Tomich), while he loathes much of what he edits, it is just a job. The photographer (Ernesto "Papa" Razzi) and his assistant (Zoom Lentz) consider themselves professionals and their profession of the highest merit. For the most part, the celebrities portrayed are treated with empathy, not that they are entirely innocent victims, which will be demonstrated.

With this cast, tabloid journalism can be examined. Recently, the tabloids have come under close scrutiny. Their ethics questioned. Who is to blame? Management? Paparazzi? Hollywood? When it comes right down to it, the public is. The public can never get enough gossip. Life of the rich and famous has always been fertile fodder. To what ends will tabloids travel to put out a product? During the course of the cartoon many of these subjects will be illustrated. All in all it’s just fun, non-malicious humor.

On another level, the inclusion of members of a "legitimate" newspaper comparisons can be drawn. What constitutes news? How subjective is news?

How manipulative are our news sources?

Naturally, since celebrities are present, the whole Hollywood scene will play a part. There will be producers, directors, screenwriters, egos, and the making of movies.

The National Implier may perhaps lend itself quite effectively to animation and television. It could broadly pertain to current or well-covered news issues. Since the celebrities that appear in the cartoon are dealt with sympathetically, it is possible that they could be enlisted to supply their own voices.

As the cartoon progresses, more intricate story lines will evolve. One will be how a screenplay based on a short story by Chekhov systematically devolves as it gets passed from producer to producer. There is another about an obsession with the actor, John Cusack. Another will possibly be about the personal ethics

of "outing" celebrities by someone still closeted. Each of the characters has a prominent situation that will be dealt with as the story progresses.

In creating such a cartoon as The National Implier, I hope my love for the movies, literature, music, and the arts in general is reflected. I also hope my many years of association with the newspaper industry lends me sufficient insight into the workings of the news media.