Faces are Hard!

You have to love Stephen Colbert‘s comment about the paint stylings of former president George W. Bush:

“That is a bold, artistic vision that says “faces are hard.'”

That reminds me of a Saturday Night Live skit from many years ago, right after the Unibomber was captured after this police sketch of him circulated around for what seemed like years:

Of course no one in their right mind thought this would be of any help to those trying to identify and apprehend the Unibomber. That sketch could be of anybody.

In the skit the setting was a news magazine program interviewing the police sketch artist, played by Norm MacDonald, who drew the unibomber sketch.  The interviewer asked Norm why he drew dark sunglasses on the subject.

“Eyes are hard to draw,” Norm replies. “So I always draw dark glasses on people so I don’t have to draw the eyes.”

“So, why the hood over the head?” the interviewer askes.

“Hair is hard,” Norm says. “So I always add a hat or something to cover it up, so I don’t have to draw the hair.”

This goes on for a bit, until Norm shows his portfolio of other criminals he’s sketched… they all look exactly like the Unibomber sketch with subtle changes. I was rolling around on my couch.

I’ve known a few live caricaturists with the same problems! 😮