DeepFried

It seems like our nation is collectively sweeping the entire experience of Iraq/Afghanistan under the rug. The opinion seems to be "wasn't worth it, and now let's stop talking about it." How do the vets feel about their countrymen?

Matt,

This is Jason, your cartoonist acquaintance from your days at the Buffalo Beast. What do you make of the media's willingness to go along with government newspeak--"enhanced interrogation" instead of torture, "targeted killings" instead of assasination. Even NPR does this. Is it just journalistic convention to toe the line this way?

The original inspiration for "Clarissa" was a movie called "Something About Amelia", a movie from the 80's in which Ted Danson plays a man who incests his daughter. Unlike anything you would see today, the movie ends with the notion that therapy could heal the family (not 20 years later, mind you, but only a short time after the incident). I was left thinking "Boy, Thanksgiving that year is going to be awkward!" Thus was born "Clarissa Ruins Thanksgiving".

You'll have to be more specific than that, I'm afraid. The simple answer is "because it got your attention", but there is more to it than that.

I've had a few psychiatric professionals contact me about what they think is the usefulness of Clarissa. I've also had a person contact me saying I should be arrested for these cartoons. Takes all kinds!