Page 25 - ABILITY Magazine -Cedric Yarbrough Issue

JC: I’d been working on this Pelswick idea for a couple years, ever since some kids asked me a lot of questions about my experience of being in a wheelchair. I just decided to invent a character that would take away the mystery for kids about a person being in a wheelchair. Nickelodeon was interested in doing it and I’m really happy about the way they handle their shows...keeping kids first and (main- taining) high quality.
CC: Professionally?
JC: (laughs) No. I was a ship repairman in California...
a ship builders assistant.
CC: What brought you to that transition where you decided to take that humorous side you have and try to make it into a career?
JC: It was in college, I was about 28 and I was drawing cartoons for the class. I was an English major. A lot of the kids, and my professor, really responded to my work.
CC: And was the style you use today always that way?
JC: Pretty much, yeah.
CC: Was this pre-accident or post?
JC: Post.
CC: Did you approach them?
JC: They approached me.
CC: How are the ratings so far?
JC: It’s doing very well.
CC: How about your other projects— cartoon syndication, books?
JC: Seventy-five to a hundred newspapers in syndica- tion, seven collections of cartoons, one children’s book and my autobiography.
CC: Gary Larson of “The Far Side” made the statement that he thought of you as “the darker side” of himself. What did you think of that statement?
JC: I thought it was kind of flattering. I enjoyed getting the attention from Gary Larson. I think he’s the great master.
CC: I spoke to Robin Williams a couple of years ago, and he mentioned that he was going to be in a movie about your life. Is that still in the works?
JC: What he did was buy the option of the movie of my book Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot! So it’s still in the works, and hopefully it will happen soon.
CC: Do you still live in Portland, Oregon?
JC: Yes. I was born and raised here. I was living in Buena Park, California, at the time of my acci- dent. I found it very difficult after my injury to drive. (In) the California life style I would spend my entire life in traffic.
CC: How long has it been since the accident that caused your injury?
JC: 27 years.
CC: And what did you do prior to the accident?
JC: Ummm... drink?
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