Skip to content

Famous People And Idiots– How Many Can You Name?

March 26, 2013

I’ve been working on some projects, and have fallen behind in my blog posts, so I shall dip once more into the archives… (insert dramatic piano chord here).

I’ve always loved caricatures, and I’ve done a lot of them– some for assignments, others simply to promote my work. Here’s an assortment, I hope you’ll recognize some of them. Answers at end of post.

Note: There are puns and jokes in some of the caricatures. I’ll list these at the end as well.

caricatures of blues guitarist B.B. King playing his guitar Lucille and Roman Catholic Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen surrounded by children with chalkboard with JMJ and little angel from his TV show Life Is Worth Living

actress Calista Flockhart famous for starring in TV series Ally McBeal and actor Sylvester Stallone as boxer character Rocky in his most famous movie

rock group Green Day with front man and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and Hu Jintao former General Secretary of the Communist Party of China with little owl wearing red star army hat

actress Jennifer Aniston famous for playing Rachel Green on TV sitcom Friends, and abstract artist Pablo Picasso being kicked by former American president George W. Bush dressed as Uncle Sam

caricature of Who guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend playing Union Jack guitar and soaring through space, Albert Einstein playing violin in background, other members of rock group Who visible in background with Boris The Spider

End of caricatures, scroll down for answers.blank vertical space, 40 pixels highblank vertical space, 40 pixels highblank vertical space, 40 pixels highblank vertical space, 40 pixels highblank vertical space, 40 pixels high

Answers:

1. Blues guitarist B.B. King, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (“Life Is Worth Living”)

2. Actress Calista Flockhart (“Ally McBeal”), actor Sylvester Stallone (“Rocky”)

3. Rock group Green Day, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Hu Jintao

4. Actress Jennifer Aniston (“Friends”), artist Pablo Picasso, former U.S. President George W. Bush

5. Who guitarist Pete Townshendblank vertical space, 16 pixels high

Puns & Jokes:

1. B.B. King is playing two bees and a crown, “spelling” out his name.

2. There’s a little angel on Bishop Sheen’s chalkboard. He would write on it during his television show, sometimes completely filling it up. He would then walk away from it, and continue speaking. When he returned to it, the board would be clean– and he’d thank his “little angel” for helping him out.

3. Everybody knows owls say “Who?” This particular owl is saying “Hu.” A single red star is a symbol for communism.

4. Picasso is receiving a swift kick while holding his anti-war painting, Guernica.

5. Albert Einstein (playing violin in background) is most closely identified with his famous formula for energy, E = mc2. I changed the second part to c4 miles, as a pun
on The Who’s hit record, I Can See For Miles.

The other three original members of The Who can be seen in the three planets. There’s
a spider hanging off the orange planet. Bassist John Entwistle’s face appears in the orange planet. Entwistle wrote the group’s most famous song that was not written by Townshend: the novelty number, Boris The Spider… whew!blank vertical space, 24 pixels high

What do you think? Did anyone get them all? Did anyone notice the spider? Did you break out in a sweat when you heard there was going to be a test?? Hope you’ll leave
a comment.
blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

If you enjoyed this post, I invite you to get updates. Just click the Get Updates button in the sidebar below the Portfolio Thumbnails, or click + Follow in the blog menu bar.blank vertical space, 24 pixels high

Other Posts You Might Enjoy:

Meet The Beatles Parody: Vote For Me, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

Leaves Of Grass, A Fistful Of Dollars, And Do You Feel Lucky, Punk??

Honest To Gosh Singing Caricatures

footer for all future blog posts showing picture of blog author Mark Armstrong, along with short bio and contact information

blank vertical space, 16 pixels highblank vertical space, 40 pixels high

24 Comments leave one →
  1. March 26, 2013 10:17 PM

    Love the illustrations, Mark. Do I get credit for getting some of the puns right – OK! maybe only two – the “C 4 miles” and “Rocky.”

    I adored Bishop Fulton Sheen, but I didn’t remember any details from his TV show. I do recall reading his book, “Life is Worth Living.” It made a profound impression on me at the time.

    Like

    • March 27, 2013 10:50 AM

      Ah, Judy– if anyone got the puns, I knew it would be you!!

      Nice to meet another Bishop Sheen fan. I knew he’d be obscure for a lot of readers, but I was also sure he’d be of historical interest. Hard to believe there was a time in this country when a Catholic bishop was a top-rated TV star. A lot of non-Catholics watched his program, too.

      Perhaps I should have remarked on the “JMJ” which Bishop Sheen always wrote at the top of his chalkboard. It stands for “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” the Holy Family, and its use is a long-standing convention in Catholic school classrooms. And I included “God Love You!” because that’s what Sheen would always say to close his program.

      Thanks, Judy! : )

      Like

  2. March 27, 2013 12:41 AM

    I did break out in a sweat. 😛 LOL
    I thought Jennifer Anniston was Celine Dion, LOL

    Like

    • March 27, 2013 10:31 AM

      Ha! Yes, tests are always a sweaty experience… : P

      Celine Dion… hmm! Quite understandable, all these celebrities look alike after awhile! Thanks, Inge!! : )

      Like

  3. March 27, 2013 2:40 AM

    Nope, I didn’t get them all, but I recognized the Green Day one the most.

    Like

  4. March 27, 2013 3:45 AM

    I love the fact that Jennifer Anistons nose, actually looks like that! ha.I like the Rocky one too!! : )

    Like

    • March 27, 2013 10:28 AM

      Ha, ha! Where would a caricaturist be without noses?? Maybe Jennifer should wear a band-aid over it, like Rocky… : )

      Thanks, Annie!!

      Like

  5. SingingTuna permalink
    March 27, 2013 4:02 PM

    Wooohooo!! This is so cool! It’s a cavalcade of caricatures!!!!!! They’re wonderful!!!!
    I love the layers of details, how you make the celebrities’ lives dance around them in FUNNY tidbits. I saw Bishop Sheen only a few times, wasn’t aware of his Eraser Angel. What you drew is adorable!!!
    Your B.B.King is CLASSIC!!!! Love that!
    And Jennifer Aniston looks more like Jennifer Anniston than Jennifer Aniston does, which is my personal definition of “caricature.” WOW!!!!
    They’re all so great, Mark. Special, in that extra-special way reserved for people who draw brilliantly.
    I am in awe.
    🙂

    Like

    • April 4, 2013 1:17 PM

      I’m sorry to be late responding here, but I have a very good excuse: every time I read this wonderful comment, I’d become so giddy with happiness and joy that I’d pass out and lie insensible for days. (When I’m fully conscious, I often sit insensible for days– there’s a fine distinction there.)

      Thank you, my dear Robin, for all your kind words. I love “cavalcade of caricatures”– it’s my new mantra. Cavalcade is one of those great words that you just don’t hear enough– thank you for giving it an airing!! It’s funny: the best caricatures do indeed “look more like the person than themselves.” I could never explain that in a million years, but I know exactly what you mean, so that was high praise indeed.

      Thanks for a truly awe-some comment!! : )

      Like

      • SingingTuna permalink
        April 5, 2013 2:08 PM

        ::waves::
        Please! Never worry about replying “late” to me. I just replied to a comment someone left me 3 years ago on RB. Appalling.

        LOL! Calvacade! I’ve loved the sound of that word ever since I first heard it.
        🙂

        Like

        • April 11, 2013 9:49 AM

          Someday when you’re world famous, your exhibits will be known as Cavalcades Of Color!!

          Either that, or Tuna Tsunamis!! : )

          Like

  6. March 27, 2013 7:25 PM

    Ah, the Einstein one – that’s great. Dark matter and the mysteries of the musical universe come to mind. Quite awesome imagination Mark. Liked the way it was stylized too. And yes, I do get nervous when I hear about quizzes and tests. No matter what context, right!

    Aniston was my favorite. I like her, and her hair. Maybe it’s because we share a birthday.

    Like

    • April 2, 2013 8:01 AM

      Poor Einstein! He never guessed that one day he’d be the opening act for The Who. Let’s face it, they were always an intellectual band… : P

      I guess Jennifer Aniston was quite famous for her hair during her TV fame. Like Telly Savalas. She probably brags to her friends that she shares a birthday with you. : )

      Like

  7. March 29, 2013 12:47 PM

    I loved Sylvester Stallone.

    Off-topic Have you thought of doing caricactures of professions trying to bust their own steretypes…?

    Like

    • April 2, 2013 8:08 AM

      Thanks, Jean! Good ol’ Sylvester– he was always a little punchy, even in non-Rocky movies… : P

      Do you mean drawings that push professional stereotypes to an extreme? Like doctors with hammers and saws, and lawyers stealing money out of ambulances?? It’s a funny idea, but I think Mad Magazine has probably plumbed that kind of material pretty thoroughly– at least in most of the issues I’ve read!

      Good cycling weather is almost here again– hurrah! Thanks for stopping by! : )

      Like

  8. March 30, 2013 11:27 AM

    Loved these. I got far more than I expected. Loved the Einstein/The Who one the best. Yes, I saw the spider and know the song.My favorite is between that one and BB King.

    Like

    • April 2, 2013 12:08 PM

      Thank you very much, Red, sincerely appreciated. Einstein and The Who– what an act! Too bad no one ever got to see them together in concert. I can’t quite picture Einstein smashing his violin at the end of a show, but who knows what might have happened if he’d hung around with Keith Moon… : )

      Welcome, and thanks again for your kind comment!

      Like

  9. March 31, 2013 1:30 PM

    You have blown my mind Mr. Armstrong!
    Fantastic work old boy

    Like

    • April 2, 2013 12:15 PM

      My dear fellow! Such praise from a luminary– no, wait, make that a superluminary like yourself is heady stuff indeed! Why, I haven’t felt this light-headed since I drank a big glass of cherry Kool-aid a little too fast. Yes, I have my reckless moments… : P

      Thank you, Mr. Murray, sir!! : )

      Like

  10. April 1, 2013 10:23 PM

    Brilliant!

    Like

    • April 4, 2013 12:57 PM

      In the annals of one-word comments, you have just scored a major bull’s-eye, and I’m ordering your solid gold trophy today!!

      Thanks, TT!! : )

      Like

  11. April 16, 2013 8:55 AM

    Love them! Unfortunately ashamed to say that as someone who does not pay very much attention to famous people, I didn’t get them right besides Green Day. But that’s mainly due to me being a fan of theirs in my teens : p

    Like

    • April 18, 2013 9:08 PM

      Ah! But you did get one, and that qualifies you for our door prize: a bag of peanuts!! We haven’t had the drawing yet. I did remember to buy the peanuts, but I ate them before I got home… : (

      Like

Leave a reply to Mark Armstrong Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.