Washington Post editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes quit after a satirical cartoon, which poked fun at the paper’s owner Jeff Bezos and other media and tech giants bending the knee to President-elect Donald Trump, was killed.
The Pulitzer Prize winner shared her decision in a Substack post Friday.
“I have had editorial feedback and productive conversations—and some differences—about cartoons I have submitted for publication, but in all that time I’ve never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Until now,” she said.
Telnaes had worked at the Washington Post since 2008. She described the political cartoon that did not get published, saying it “criticizes the billionaire tech and media chief executives who have been doing their best to curry favor with incoming President-elect Trump.”
The Washington Post did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The cartoon included Facebook and Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Los Angeles Times publisher Patrick Soon-Shiong, the “Walt Disney Company/ABC News” depicted as Mickey Mouse and Washington Post owner Bezos. A rough draft of the scrapped cartoon can be seen below.
A rough draft of Ann Telnaes’ scrapped cartoon (Credit: Ann Telnaes/Substack)
Telnaes criticized Bezos for his handling of the Washington Post in the months leading up to Trump’s election and those to follow. The paper did not endorse a presidential candidate in 2024 for the first time in decades, leading to three editorial board member resignations and widespread canceled subscriptions.
“Owners of such press organizations are responsible for safeguarding that free press— and trying to get in the good graces of an autocrat-in-waiting will only result in undermining that free press,” the cartoonist said of her former boss.
“As an editorial cartoonist, my job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job. So I have decided to leave the Post,” she said. “I doubt my decision will cause much of a stir and that it will be dismissed because I’m just a cartoonist. But I will not stop holding truth to power through my cartooning, because as they say, ‘Democracy dies in darkness.’”
The post Washington Post Cartoonist Ann Telnaes Quits After Bezos-Owned Paper Kills Trump Satire Piece appeared first on TheWrap.
In a shocking turn of events, Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes has announced her resignation after the Bezos-owned paper decided to kill her latest Trump satire piece.
Telnaes, known for her bold and controversial political cartoons, was reportedly told by editors that the cartoon, which depicted President Trump as a clown juggling “racist,” “misogynist,” and “xenophobe” balls, was too inflammatory and could potentially harm the paper’s reputation.
In a statement, Telnaes expressed her disappointment in the decision, stating that she feels stifled and censored by the paper’s management. She went on to say that she can no longer work for a publication that doesn’t support artistic freedom and the right to criticize those in power.
This incident has sparked a debate about the role of satire in journalism and the limits of freedom of expression in today’s political climate. Many are calling for the Washington Post to reconsider their decision and allow Telnaes to continue her work without interference.
As for Telnaes, she has not announced her plans for the future but has hinted that she may pursue other avenues to continue her satirical commentary on current events. Only time will tell what the next chapter holds for this talented artist.
Tags:
- Ann Telnaes
- Washington Post
- Jeff Bezos
- Trump satire
- Political cartoonist
- Media controversy
- Editorial decision
- Freedom of speech
- Satire piece
- Censorship issue
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