Here's what I'm doing . . .
Here's what I'm doing: Bob Mankoff
Marketplace presents "Here's What I'm Doing," a series asking people from all walks of life how they're coping with the financial crisis. In this edition, New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff.
Bob Mankoff, New Yorker cartoon editor (drawn.ca)
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TEXT OF STORY
Tess Vigeland:And now the second installment of our series "Here's What I'm Doing." Here's a guy who is taking action with his pad and pencil.
Bob Mankoff: I'm Bob Mankoff. I'm the cartoon editor at the New Yorker magazine and I've also been a cartoonist for the magazine since 1977 and I think that probably comprises three or four previous financial crisis's.
What I'm doing today is looking for the funny side of finance and finding it. I always feel upbeat when times are downbeat because that's one of the functions of humor -- to cope and to not only see the lighter side, but to see another perspective on everything. I did a cartoon two weeks ago when we ran all financial cartoons where it's a woman saying to sort of a fat cab guy, "A banker, eh? Can you make a living at that?"
Another cartoon that I think summarizes actually most people's feelings is a guy in a boardroom saying, "And while there's no reason yet to panic, I think it only prudent that we make preparations to panic." So I think, even though I'll be poorer, this is all rich fodder for a humorist.
One of the things I've been asked is who can you trust? I actually think you can trust the humorists. One of the functions of humor is as a sort of rough-and-ready B.S. detector.
Vigeland: Bob Mankoff is the cartoon editor at the New Yorker.
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