Page 23 - ABILITY Magazine -Cedric Yarbrough Issue

consumption continued until he was 27 when what Callahan described as “an epiphany with a capital E” inspired him to quit drinking, join Alcoholics Anony- mous and earn a BA in English at Portland State Uni- versity. He also took up cartooning—something he’d enjoyed as a child—and began earning an income by selling his work, first to local publications in Oregon and later to such national magazines as National Lam- poon, Omni and Harper’s. In order to draw the car- toons, Callahan wedges a pencil between the stiff fin- gers of his right hand then guides it with his left. Con- trol actually comes from his shoulders.
Pelswick may be an inspirational show with universal appeal, but Callahan’s single-panel cartoons have often been described as “irreverent” and “offensive,” and he welcomes such characterizations. He is not afraid to lampoon any ethnic, social or religious group, and has a special knack for finding humor in situations involving those with disabilities. One friend of his told ABILITY, “Because of the background John comes from, he’s able to say things no one else is able to say. He has license to explore all sorts of taboos.” Among his many fans is TV newswoman Linda Ellerbee, who once observed in a column: “Hooray for the John Callahan’s of this world, who remind us that when you’re standing on the gallows (and all of us are), gal- lows humor makes good sense.”
The wickedly funny cartoonist is no stranger to the pages of ABILITY. His work has appeared in the maga- zine and he was the subject of a feature article nearly a decade ago. Editor-in-Chief Chet Cooper caught up with Callahan to reminisce and to learn more about his current activities.
Chet Cooper: It’s been a long time since we talked. Do you remember the cartoon you did that featured a cowboy with no arms standing in front of a saloon? He’s the good guy and he’s facing a bad guy like in a “High Noon” scene. Remember the caption?
John Callahan: Yeah, “Don’t be a fool, Billy.”
CC: That was some time ago. We did an article in
the same issue about a young man named John Foppe who was born without arms who worked for Zig Ziglar. He was one of the most dynamic young speakers that Ziglar ever had. John got the magazine and made a copy of that particular cartoon, and blew it up and put it on his wall. He just thought it was hilarious.
CC: You might have. Having had the opportunity to meet him and get to know him a little, I think that if he were the guy in the cartoon he might have won the gun fight. He would have drawn the gun with his foot.
JC: I’m glad to hear that he liked it. I remember the guy that played the guitar for the Pope just using his feet.
(laughs)
JC: That’s true, that’s true. (laughs)
CC: Right...Tony Melendez. John drives, he eats, he does everything with his feet.
CC: How did it come about that you started working with Nickelodeon?
JC: Yeah...I saw a documentary on him.
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