Frazz by Jef Mallett follows the adventures of an unexpected role model: an elementary-school janitor who's also a Renaissance man. While he's sweeping the hall, he's whistling Beethoven. Or Lyle Lovett. He paints the woodwork in the classrooms; he paints a Da Vinci on the cafeteria wall. He's a trusted authority figure who is every kid's buddy. He took the janitor's job while he was a struggling songwriter, and when he finally sold a hit song, he decided to stay on at school. Frazz appears in 200 newspapers worldwide, including the Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune and Detroit News. "A few years back, I wrote and illustrated a children's book," says Mallett. "When I was traveling around reading it at school assemblies, I noticed that often, the most respected, best-liked grown-up in the building was the janitor. And I thought, 'Hmm, there's a comic strip in that.'" Often praised for its intelligent wit, gentle spirit and effortless diversity, Frazz won a Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council in 2003 and 2005 for excellence in communicating values and ethics.
© Jef Mallett - All Rights Reserved.
Frank & Ernest by Thaves
Fred Basset by Alex Graham
Comments (45) (Please sign in to comment)
CamiSu
said, 7 months ago
Wow! I got one on the first try/day!
Arianne said, 7 months ago
The French Conniption! LOL!
Without any further clues, my first rough guess is Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charlie: In Search of America.”
And now I’m craving some Simon and Garfunkel…
♪♪ Michigan seems like a dream to me now
It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw
I’ve gone to look for America…
freeholder1 said, 7 months ago
Or the French Connection. Gene Hackman chasing a French drug dealer across NYC. Hey, he was peddling as much doggie doo as the poodle…
Richard S. Russell said, 7 months ago
Thank you, Arianne! I was just wondering what to fire up on iTunes. “Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest HIts” it is. "Mrs. Robinson up first, with “The Boxer” due up soon. Oh boy!
Nabuquduriuzhur said, 7 months ago
In the clearing stands a Boxer and his master by his side.
And a Retriever by his trade.
And he carries the ducks and geese
Of every hunt he’s been on…
Pacopuddy said, 7 months ago
What’s a ‘conniption’?
Alexikakos said, 7 months ago
As Caulfield’s costume is supposed to represent “great literature themes,” I’d say he’s portraying Faust on his way home with the devil as a black poodle.
ellisaana
said, 7 months ago
@Alexikakos
That is what I thought of, too.
Always thought Mephistopheles would be a great name for a black poodle.
SusanSunshine
said, 7 months ago
No, I think Arianne called it right away.
“Travels with Charley.”
Steinbeck’s adventures, seeing America by camper truck, accompanied by his standard poodle.
Steinbeck would appeal to Caulfield… and that “costume” would be a direct representation, not an obscure metaphor.
Alexikakos said, 7 months ago
@Pacopuddy
From “The New Oxford Dictionary of English”
.
conniption noun (N. American informal)
.
a fit of rage or hysterics.
.
—origin mid 19th cent.: probably an invented word.
.
Pacopuddy, as Frazz is using it, it probably refers to the car/subway chase in the movie itself.
TheSkulker
said, 7 months ago
@Pacopuddy
What’s a ‘conniption’?
Don’t be so lazy. I know you can use for your keyboard:
http://www.google.com/search?q=define:conniption
Varnes said, 7 months ago
I agree, probably Travels With Charlie…A great book..And yeah, it would be huge in Caufield’s world…..Anybody who hasn’t read his funny books, Tortilla Flat, Canary Row and Sweet Tuesday are missing out on three of the great joys of life…
celecca
said, 7 months ago
“Travels with Charlie” – I agree.
neatslob said, 7 months ago
“Travels with Charly” was the first thing I thought of. Only literature I remember that had a poodle in it.
Strod said, 7 months ago
And furthermore, didn’t Caufield already do Faust a couple of years ago?
.
If I’m right about that, then I think it would be unlike him to repeat a book.