Wednesday, January 31, 2018

My Boyhood Bedroom


These are photos I took with my new cheap, crummy polaroid camera of my boyhood bedroom in Great Neck, Long Island, (11 Gateway Drive), which I inhabited from 1966-72. I was between 11-13 when these photos were snapped in 1970-72.

At that time I was mainly obsessed with comic books, old comedy TV shows and movies, MAD magazine, TOPPS trading cards and especially old horror films, which I think is clearly reflected in the photos. Like many other kids, I was also fascinated by photos of Famous Monsters of Filmland editor's Forrest J. Ackerman's "Ackermansion", featuring his obsessive collection of rare horror and science fiction mementos displayed in photo features within the magazine for all to see and envy. Those photos were clearly an influence on my early bedroom decorating skills.

Postscript:
In late 1972, my family packed up and moved to Manhattan, my bedroom was disbanded, and I can only assume, returned to normality.

corner of bedroom (Danny O'Day sitting on chair)
door 

my drawing desk (guinea pig cage on the left)

"Big Frankie"
 door leading out to the hallway, a laundrey basket, and the real world

magazine and comic book collection

book shelf

comic books




Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Life Imitates Art


Life Imitates Art

I asked some of the subjects that I chose to include in my latest book of portraits "Drew Friedman's CHOSEN PEOPLE", (Fantagraphics Books), if they would be willing to pose for a photo holding up their portrait from the book.

These are the results:

Jimmy Kimmel, who contributed the front cover blurb

author Merrill Markoe, who penned the book's foreword

R. Crumb (photos by Andrew Cooke)...



Comics artist Chris Ware, whose portrait and blurb appears on the book's back cover

cartoonist Bobby London (photo by Karen Angelica)

comedian/podcaster Marc Maron

My younger brother, author/photographer Kipp Friedman

Librarian/Specialist at Columbia University Karen Green

screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski

Mel Brooks (photo by Scott Alexander)

comedy writer/producer/podcaster Frank Santopadre

Gilbert Gottfried (photo by Lily Gottfried)

Houston "Deli Man" Ziggy Gruber



Shemp Howard
(via Thomas Vasquez)

order the book here:

https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Friedmans-Chosen-People-Friedman/dp/1683960599/ref=zg_bsnr_3825101_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=V4RE0T4THGCKYHHKKDPA