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  The new issue of MAD Magazine includes a giveaway contest for More Old Jewish Comedians, the latest book from MAD regular Drew Friedman. When demographics clash!

A new Friday brings a new installment of Steven Weissman's "Chocolate Cheeks"! In this week's strip: cake and new perspective. (Remember, you must be registered and logged in to read.)

One of our favorite lit rags, Minneapolis' RAIN TAXI, has a cool new t-shirt available designed by Joe Sacco. Very nice. 

Osaka Popstar frontman John Cafiero was in attendance at the Friar's Club bookwarming for Drew Friedman and More Old Jewish Comedians, and has a MySpace blog post up about it with a slew of photos. 

  Did you know that HOTWIRE 2 contributor Tobias Tak was once one of the highest regarded tap dancers in Europe? From his TapDance.com bio: "Dutch-born, London-based TOBIAS TAK is one of the most gifted tap soloists, following extensive training with some of the greatest names in 20th-century American jazz tap history (Pepsi Bethel etc). He has worked with Wayne Sleep, Gregory Hines, The Nicholas Brothers, Paco Pena, Jools Holland, Humphrey Lyttleton, JazzXchange, Zoots & Spangles, Bullies Ballerinas, Bryan Ferry, Angela Rippon etc etc." He's also a wholly unique and talented cartoonist. Here's a page from his HOTWIRE 2 story:      

The latest artist to speak out in our ongoing series of Mome interview web reprints is Tim Hensley, in a discussion with Gary Groth conducted in September 2006 and originally printed in Mome Vol. 6; read it in its entirety right here. Previously: Paul Hornschemeier, Gabrielle Bell, Kurt Wolfgang, Jonathan Bennett and Andrice Arp. Next up: Anders Nilsen.

Seattle residents can look forward to some public art by Ellen Forney. Sez Ellen:  I'll be doing the public art for the Sound Transit tunnel from the west entrance by SCCC under Broadway, to the station. Yay! I'm not sure what art I'm going to do yet (Big Fuckin' Hands or naked ladies might not pass through the committee processes) but I'll come up with something with my signature feel-good flair. (Here is a "sample of my public work," courtesy of Photoshop.) (Via Slog.)

Mome artist Robert Goodin talks about the cartooning life to Illustration.org.

There's now a Flickr pool of art that was submitted to the Open Call page for BEASTS! Book Two (due out later this year). So far about 75 people have added their piece to the page. Above is Daniel Goffin's creature. While you're at Flickr… I also just posted sneak peek scans of the printed Dash Shaw book covers (white and black on Kraft always looks good). On my page here. Then check out how awesome Steven Weissman's work looks when done with Zip-a-tone!

This week we have a bonus preview for our registered users: a downloadable 19-page excerpt containing the entire first two chapters of Most Outrageous: The Trials and Trespasses of Dwaine Tinsley and Chester the Molester by Bob Levin. Sign up and/or sign in to view. As an extra free bonus for everyone, we've put the book's Introduction, written by Levin, on our website for the genral public. Enjoy!