When I was visiting my CNN editor in New York City last week, he predicted that the Trump arrest story wouldn’t make it to the weekend. He was right. On Thursday, when I started roughing these out, Trump was barely mentioned. The story was Tennessee. I started drawing these that night and continued into the next morning. I sent them to CNN all at once and they made their pick from that. I drew 17 roughs before I even sent one to my editor.

At first, I was just trying to be funny, but I knew that wasn’t working for this story. There needed to be more outrage. Also, at the time I think the trans-beer cans story was something that only people who watched Fox News and hung out on Parler were aware of. One right-wing cartoonist drew two cartoons about it. Another drew four. FOUR!

I hadn’t put my mind into it that much at this point, and then I realized that I was drawing drag queen cans, not trans cans. So I ditched it. Lord, I do not want to give the confused and stupid right-wing backup in their belief that trans and drag are the same thing. I’m kinda scared to post it here but I like to show you guys everything I draw. But this clearly wasn’t right. I blame pressuring myself to draw a cartoon that night so I could spend all day Friday on CNN’s cartoon. That didn’t work out.

But I had to give up on this idea entirely because trans people are normal-looking people. That doesn’t work for humor. Also, readers who aren’t homophobic probably weren’t aware of the trans-beer can story yet.

I was on a roll with ideas…but they were all ideas I wasn’t sure of. I felt like I wasn’t hitting it yet and I needed to keep swinging.

I thought this was OK but the one thing it convinced me of was that I needed to draw the two expelled members. They’re two very unique good-looking guys and not drawing them would be a missed opportunity.

I did like this one but also knew that nobody would run it. I didn’t send it to CNN. But, it could also be lazy idea-wise. It’s so easy to fall back and draw klansmen, even when it’s justified. And then I still ended up drawing klansmen last week.

This is the one CNN chose, but after roughing it out, I thought it needed the crowd. It would be more powerful. Although, I really like my MLK here. Fun fact: A lot of cartoonists resort to tracing MLK.

This is the version I sent my editor. I wrote it around midnight and sent it the next afternoon. I had a feeling he might choose it. I didn’t start a brand-new drawing with this one. I used it as a template. They chose it. A lot of readers pointed out that Tennessee did expel MLK.

I think a lot of the ideas I write aren’t good enough for me, but are good for other cartoonists. ha.

This is the one I chose to do for my newspapers on Friday morning. It was a hit despite my still being unsure of it. I changed it up a bit. It also made Mike Peterson’s Comic Strip of the Day. A few days later, one of my colleagues did an “uppity” cartoon.

I can see another cartoonist doing this one too.

I drew this rough ten times and still didn’t use it.

This is another I could see another cartoonist doing. I thought it was OK.

During my visit at CNN, my editor brought up Easter and how we might need to focus on that for the newsletter. I was so caught up in the Trump stuff as I had just witnessed the protests at his arraignment, that I totally forgot Easter was coming up. I’m not religious. I honestly drew this just in case it was in my editor’s wheelhouse that week. I don’t really care for it but I could have lived with it.

I was totally planning on doing this cartoon until the butt idea came to me.

How could I not draw this one?

I might do a version of this cartoon. A lot has happened since I drew this.

I drew this on Easter Sunday although I had the idea days ahead. I actually got the idea without Easter being in the context and a day later I thought, “Oh, that can be good.” But then I felt it was more important to do cartoons on Tennessee and Clarence. That means none of my clients would have this before Easter. But, I think it works beyond the holiday anyway. How’d it turn out?

Which of these are your favorites?

Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.

Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: There are 19 copies of my book in stock, which go for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.

Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box

Watch me draw: