Jerry W. Holbert (November 9, 1958 – August 2, 2022) was an American cartoonist best known for his political cartoons. Holbert had a syndicated editorial comic strip. He received the National Cartoonist Society Editorial Cartoon Award for the year 2000.

Holbert was born in Long Branch, New Jersey on November 9, 1958,[1] and grew up in Middletown Township, New Jersey.[2]

Holbert worked for the Boston Herald newspaper, where he published editorial cartoons. In October 2014, Holbert came under criticism for what many people viewed as a racist depiction of United States President Barack Obama which used the watermelon stereotype: Holbert pictured a White House intruder using the president's bathtub while recommending to Obama the use of watermelon-flavored toothpaste.[3][4][5] After negative public reaction, Holbert and the Boston Herald apologized. The nationally syndicated version of the cartoon changed the toothpaste flavor prior to the cartoon's release, but the Herald version was not changed .[6]

Holbert died in Derry, New Hampshire on August 2, 2022, at the age of 63.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Jerry W. Holbert". Current Obituary. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  2. ^ Jerry Holbert Editorial Cartoons, United Feature Syndicate. Accessed August 2, 2007. "Born in Middletown, N.J., in 1958, Holbert aspired to cartooning as a young child".
  3. ^ "Boston Herald: Sorry If We Offended With Obama-Watermelon Cartoon". TPM. October 1, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  4. ^ "YES, THIS RAN IN TODAY'S BOSTON HERALD". Jim Romensko. October 1, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  5. ^ Boss, Owen (October 1, 2014). "Herald cartoonist apologizes for Obama cartoon". Boston Herald. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  6. ^ Cascone, Sarah (October 1, 2014). "Herald cartoonist apologizes for Obama cartoon". ArtNet. Retrieved October 2, 2014.

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