Die Toon Die!

Monday December 8th, 2008 - Lake Villa, IL

Today was a long boring day that seemed like it would never end. I got up early to bring the Toyota in for an inspection and it ended up taking all day and it’s still not ready. I was referred to a place by the infamous ‘friend of a friend’ and I’m at the mercy of a stranger.

The place was jam packed with business though and I’ve heard he does great work but I guess speed is not included with that quality. I left the car sit for three hours and I thought that would be enough time to at least look at it but I came back and still had to wait for it.

And wait. And wait And wait some more. Finally at 4:30 they told me what they’d have to do to get it running smoothly and not only would it be way expensive but it would have to wait until tomorrow. This is turning into an even bigger nightmare but I have to take it.

I need a vehicle and am getting too old to be rolling dice with a total beater. This is part of the game with the auction and I guess it’s just my time to suck it up and get it done so I can move on and get something done. All of this minutia takes away from my creativity.

The highlight of the day was checking out a website started by my friend Jerry Thomas. I’ve known Jerry since we both wrote jokes for a newspaper columnist named Alex Thein who had a humor column in the Milwaukee Sentinel. That has to be twenty-five years ago and we’ve remained friends all that time. He’s moved from Milwaukee to L.A. to D.C.

Jerry has always been a very funny guy and has dabbled in standup and writing and is a huge fan of comedy in all forms. Whenever I am in a town he’s in we hang out and talk at length about comedy or our Milwaukee memories or our shared addiction to the Packers.

Yesterday was Jerry’s birthday and I called him to wish him a happy one and he said he started up a website called Die Toon Die! That’s a goofy title and it’s a goofy site too but I really think he’s on to something with it whether he stumbled upon it or not. I love it.

Like with the Uranus Factory Outlet idea it’s simple and stupid and it’s easy to explain to almost anyone. The premise is Jerry draws a one panel cartoon of some cartoon person dying in a different and unusual way. He says ‘There are 10,000 ways to die. Collect ‘em all!’ His cartooning style is quirky and unique and I think all of it fits together perfectly.

I could totally see this as a product on Uranus Factory Outlet because it would appeal to teenage boys but I think others would like it too. I did. I looked through his archives and I laughed out loud more than once. They’re all a quick read and it doesn’t take brain power.

He could make a daily strip out of it and by the time he finished all 10,000 he’d have an entire career to brag about. Stupider things have sold to the public and as soon as I saw it I really thought he had a winner. Maybe I’m wrong. You can be the judge. His website is www.dietoondie.com. Check it out and browse through his cartoons. There are only about fifty or so and it won’t take long. I think you’ll get at least a chuckle out of it. I sure did.