Comics Artist R. Crumb on Illustrating the Bible

[duaneburnett]

Not surprised Crumb likes the The Bible for illustration it is full of good sex stories and juicy lurid violent stories.

[cipher10000]

Thats probably why prisons are full because people are using him for moral guidance

The bible is a work of truth nothing more.....

He said" If your going to use Genesis for moral guidance your going to be in trouble"

This man sounds like a kid.....

The bible is old but if people would have the guts to follow it

the world would be better

This man is a heretic and may god have mercy on him

[GuernicaByPicasso]

Whether you are Christian or not, R. Crumb's The Book of Genesis is an absolutely beautiful work.

[west6459]

Crumb is an old favourite of mine and one of the cartoonists who inspired me to work in comics. Keep On Drawing!

[pornsterwoot]

The interviewer was just horrible. Crumb should have gone "Klaus Kinski-style" on her.

[MrRobin14669]

The problem of the interviewer is that she's more interested in talking about the New Yorker and herself then interviewing Crumb. Crumb's reactions says it all: "Oh, jeez, incredible, there you go"

[hongosolid]

very serious trouble... lovely :D

[pyannaguy]

I've always had a mild affinity for Australia, probably based on airbrushed travelogue kind of imagery, but my practical side has figured it to be, in some ways, (attitude-wise) like America of the late 50s and early 60s (before any real consciousness raising). You know, kind of conformist and brainlessly, mildly cheerful for not many good reasons. Both our countries are in trouble, I think, but the whole world seems to be mired in a slump, so....? we muddle onward, Eh?

[uncreativeranter]

Dumb feminists of Australia have caused such a controversy over Crumb coming to Sydney that he is now not coming here. he regards Sydney as the most backward neanderthal culturally deprived place on earth whilst its supports cavemen like sports like Rugby & other meat head activities. dumb asses here who cant understand his intellect say he is morally corrupt & don't want him here & so Crumb fears his safety here. Who wants to live here in Sydney, if you have a mind that thinks outside the box?

[yomomtubes2]

There ya go!

[sangredelic]

Public speaking and interviewing are learned skills. I think the way she says umm and is kind of interrupting him is natural for someone who is not experienced in public speaking and/or interviewing. It's a fear of letting the conversation lag in front of a lot of people. Notice at 1:07 how she picks up the conversation again.  She comes across as obnoxious at first but she gives him big ups.

[ViruzNoob14]

Love the drawing of the people, realistic to middle-east ;)

[xxbobjobsxx]

How perfectly goddamned delightful it all is, to be sure...

[ahabsgoodleg]

amen!



[HughRedfox]

Shut the fuck up lady and let him speak!

[Serpico261]

@HughRedfox shut the fuck up

[papercut272]

im ashamed of how little views these things have while justin biber has 1bilion views

[TheBlueRose2008]

This book is fascinating!! I've just finished reading it.

R. Crumb, the underground comic genius//musician//all round amazing illustrator of my generation.I have collected his work for over 30 years.

xxoo

[juustohoyla]

This is a bit weird but Crumb kinda sounds like Thurston Moore

[rgaleny]

read zen and the art of motorcycle maintainence.

[pretorious700]

I hate French accents

[cha5]

Thank you YouTube for the "Skip this ad now" button.

[sharkey360]

I completely agree with Robert Crumb.

[PoetryAddict8]

He draws God to look like such a dick

I like it

[thebonedaddio]

@PoetryAddict8 Does it take one to know one? That is true poetry...

[PoetryAddict8]

@thebonedaddio

Take a what to know what? A dick? Yeah probably. We all have a bit (or a lot) of dick in us I suppose

[rgaleny]

@PoetryAddict8 Read Deuteronomy, he is a dick there.

[PoetryAddict8]

@rgaleny

Whatever, art is art, whether the person is a dick or not. It's irrelevant

[rgaleny]

@PoetryAddict8 Not Crumb, I really dig him. It's Moses in Deuteronomy that really scares me. Who swallows that shit whole, anyway? Thanks for the post.

[huyked]

The book is neat. I recommend it.

[mieczyslam]

It is interesting what Robert says, but the interviewer - oh God, with her "uhmmmms" just makes her a pain to watch.

[PoetryAddict8]

Where the HELL can you get this version of the "bible?" I want to read it!

[csnowutube]

@PoetryAddict8 Amazon.com has it for about $17. U.S.

[PoetryAddict8]

@csnowutube

Found it by chance in a comic book store downtown. Reading it now!

[pretorious700]

the old testament is a horror story basically

[eahazell]

brilliant

[MrSafetymeeting]

I would love to see a copy of the illustrated bible.

[MondoBeno]

I've studied the Bible for 20 years, and I think R. Crumb has made the greatest edition of Genesis ever.

He makes all the characters look very UNHOLY.

[lastonetake]

spellcheck God....so Abraham says to God, "You really want me to sacrifice my son? Ok here goes." And God says, "Woa, woa there Abe. I just wanted you to take a little off the tip there. Sorry about the confusion. Must have been a typo. Can't trust a burning bush for nothing these days."

[darshan2good]

proof read the word of god , lol

[TheodorBjork]

He seems so much more well adjusted late in his life

[ioriorioriorio]

funny, I had the same thought as r. crumb: whats up wit da post- its??? Wow...unbelievable!!! Looked like a crumb illustration, very detailed...post- its in a geometry no less!! very kool!!.....like when he says: show it so they can see it!!!!

[Boudosaved]

Man if this lady would just shut up and let Crumb speak, this might have been an interesting clip instead of 2:38 of wasted time.

[flon5flon]

@Boudosaved You are right: the girl has quite an ego. In the perspective of Crumb and his view of women a nice illustration.

[flagwaver1969]

The Bible cannot be understood by those who refuse to understand. They can mock it all they want. It is their failure to understand that makes the joke on them.

[claymars]

sloaches

[HamburgerMartyr]

@claymars sloaches funhouse, right?

[nonfoods1]

Hats off to mr crumb. But there's no family weirder than mine.

[InuitAldebaran]

Who again was it that proof reads the word of God?

Is there an apprentice for that?

Can one apply?

[themredweirdoshow]

Just how the heck did ol' Mooly and her buddy Speegelman magically gravitate from that piece of '80s junk RAW to the well-respected The New Yorker? I guess if one hangs around NY long enough...

What next - Howard Chaykin and Rich Buckler's kid running Time magazine?!

[scout6686]

@larrypetree riggghtt says who you? lol

[PacifistSkullCrusher]

When he says jeeez, it means it's really fucked up.

[BoardGameWarriors]

Crumb rules, but that interviewer was absolutely horrible.

[cupwithhandles]

The guy is a human cultural treasure.

[memo8774]

So R. got only that one funny in? We've been done a disservice, where's the whole interview?

[SimulacronX]

Wow I must get this

[jungrobot]

Crumb is a true original and a complicated genius. And Francoise Mouly has to be a bit of a saint...after all she has to live with Art Speigelman.

[koestenbraumstar]

horrible what passes for entertainment nowadays.

[callitacomeb10106]

@koestenbraumstar you mean horrible what passed for entertainment in the 1970's? DEAR JERKFACE

[koestenbraumstar]

@callitacomeb10106 no...no I meant nowadays....

[callitacomeb10106]

@koestenbraumstar oh yeah, modern shit sucks. nvm you must are be cool guy

[koestenbraumstar]

@callitacomeb10106 your grasp of our english language is impeccable.

[callitacomeb10106]

@koestenbraumstar sorry I am graduate california public school for walk the boat places yes no?

[koestenbraumstar]

@callitacomeb10106 ahh California, got it.

[callitacomeb10106]

@koestenbraumstar hella

[MurderCrowAwdio]

crumbs new beard is epic! REALLY looking forward to laying my paws on this!

[Xirbtt]

@larrypetree Yes the authority of a holy scripture that says if you show a cow stripped patterns it will bear stripped calf.

What in the world? And that's not even the morally reprehensible mind blowing horror that is the rest of the bible.

[OxTheWriter]

I bought Crumb's "Genesis" not long ago and I remain incredibly fascinated with how good it is. I wonder how many religious people will see it and consider it blasphemous, despite the fact that Crumb didn't, as far as I can tell, fudge anything.

[hotrodius]

@OxTheWriter Yeah, it's a must for fans

[Yellow586]

I must say, Crumb looks much better with age

[Aaberg123]

@larrypetree

" the depth of stupidity when someone challenges the authority of holy scripture."

It is profound and breathtaking stupidity and wilful gullibility to not challenge it. Amazing how you do not understand this.

[Mistermax30]

Annoying woman hogs the lion's share of the interview...

[keithmoslak]

@larrypetree It is always the depth of stupidity to take the archaic text of a bronze age death cult as authority in modern times.

[sarevor]

"take Crumb's word for it" whoa... Why do we run away from authority only to end up with authority?

[flagascaro]

Crumb's Genesis will likely be seen in retrospect as less of a "masterpiece" and more of the sedentary Crumb of Aline Kominsky. I recall Crumb the Surrealist of the 70s: Felch comix, Arcade, and the covers he did for Screw. Aline's influence will be remembered as a chilling effect on an artist more comparable to Kokoschka than Bruegel (to whom he was compared by MoMA).

[sekhmetraptah]

miss zap comix and mr natural

[cha5]

@sekhmetraptah R Crumb's God in Genesis looks a little (very very little) like Mr Natural ;)

[gingipoo59]

Crumb is awesome, I thank God he did this. And, bring back Fritz the cat.

[MrTommYYZ]

I hope there was more info in this interview. Seems like they could have got someone better to interview Him. Whats with saying "Um" every 5 seconds? What a waste of an interview, its Crumb for chirst sake!!!!

[rentatrip1]

as opposed to Fritz the cat ??? give me a break Crumb ... you are a posh dilatant celebrity -

social - elitist - of course the Bible is primitive for you -

you have already exposed your moral vacancy with Fritz the Cat - But you will kneel beofre the creator one day

[ericberner]

@rentatrip1 Holy cow! Awesome retort!

thumbs upsies!

[Xirbtt]

@rentatrip1 Crumb admits his faults and perversions.

God does not, he just says it be my will so it's good kay'?

This "creator" is jealous and proud of it, an amoral childish fantasy wished up by some desert tribes years ago.

[fastronaut]

Okay, geez this is more mind poison. The plural form of a noun NEVER requires an apostrophe. The word should be spelled "Publishers." Just "publishers." I don't know why people foul this up so often. Isn't it covered in third grade? (And please don't hound me with comments about being picky. The form used is wrong.)

[waltergalt]

Yeah, and when the lady says she'll "take Crumb's word" for what's in the Bible--Yikes.

[jzerony]

This woman was babbling too much and didn't let Crumb talk.... cause every-ziiing she izzzz sayiiiing is so eeeeeeen-por-teeeent!! Ahh wee weeeee!!!!! (annoying French bitch)

[PERKINSPRODUCTIONS1]

I will illustrate bible with passion, and that is one difference.

[Zackary1005]

@PERKINSPRODUCTIONS1 And your drawings will remain in your closet. Another difference.

[egyptianminor]

Robert Crumb is arguably the best American cartoonist alive today

[kamphychair]

@egyptianminor or ever

[egyptianminor]

@kamphychair or ever, no doubt...

[geogodley]

really bob of all things to draw.. just cant get into it yet

[geogodley]

@geogodley check out my BOBBY CRUMB INSPIRED "CONTEMPORARY ART SEX CARTOONS PG-13" !!!!HAHAHAHHA

[imjustpassinthru]

It's little gems like this that make YouTube an extraordinarily rich and fertile ground for research and discovery. This is incredible! I want one of Crumb's Bible stories. Where can I find it? Are they still in print?

[KorparnasTid]

@imjustpassinthru

yeah it only came out last year. I've been seeing it at bookstores all over the place

[Zackary1005]

@imjustpassinthru Yes. You can either buy them on his site or on amazon... Any big online bookstore, really :P

[imjustpassinthru]

@Zackary1005 Thanks for reminding me of this. I would really like to see those Bible stories. Looks very interesting and I'm sure he has a unique way of telling those old tales.

[imjustpassinthru]

I hope he did a story on Moses, Mr. "Thou Shall Not kill," ordering an attack on the Medianites, and then, after all the man Midianites were killing, ordering his soldiers to kill, among all the captured women and children, all the little boys, all women who had slept with a man, "and as for the little girls, keep those alive for yourselves." Moses was a brutal tyrant who banned religious freedom and committed genocide against his own people.

[imjustpassinthru]

On one day alone, Moses killed three thousand Israelites in the Golden Calf Massacre. But who cares about any of that, just so we all get to heaven.

[janfow365]

The New Yorker had the proofread the Bible. Classic.

[okani2000]

um....

[SteevDragon67]

crumb did a illustrated version of the bible? holy shit! I'd love to see that!

[Cacti88]

@heyliam

ur comparison is dumb, crumb has never claimed to be a champion for morality. he is a satirist. You don't look to him for morality and values no more than Chris Rock or Howard Stern. They are just entertainment.

[Superhumanattack]

He should do the rest of the bible. Because thats the only way I'm going to read it.

[XAVIERCUERVO]

hes a genius hes gonna sell lots of books ,once they put it out in spanish woww with somany christians in the south , even i will buy a copy in spanish for my mom i have mine already. and this is the only way i was going to read part of the bible beautifully ilustrated i hope he ilustrates something from homer's the iliad ,

fcurse i can Only h0pe. thanx mr Crumb i take my hat off for you if you want you can draw my sister she gotta big ass .

[rageohol]

can i meet your sister?...;)

[HeyLiem]

In this video, Crumb says if you get your morality from Genesis "...I think you're gonna be in trouble."

Having read tons of Crumb's published work, I think if you're gonna get your morality from an R. Crumb book then you're gonna be in a lot of trouble -- and end up in Hell.

In this video, Crumb is wrong when he says every word of Genesis is in his version. In fact, Crumb leaves out many passages from Genesis. I challenge anyone to compare their Bible text to Crumb's incomplete version.

[chrisdevis68]

@heyliem

So which passages exactly does he leave out? Do you have an example?

[gigisdad]

What's so wrong with hell? If you go there, you'll meet santa, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy :)

[waltergalt]

@gigisdad Hey, that's really original; I hear MENSA is opening a new chapter in your area.

[gigisdad]

@Walter Ahh I see. I'm stupid so suggesting I join MENSA is your attempt at sarcastic humor. Well my comment must have offended you to prompt you to retort and with such a tone.

I take it you're just another half-baked religious freak?

[waltergalt]

@gigisdad Nope, just another honest seeker, friend. And I thank whatever powers that be that led me to this brilliant youtube debate forum, where all my questions have been answered. There truly is no God. hugeboobsfan told me so! Amen!

[gigisdad]

@waltergalt Ahh excellent to hear! That is correct - there is no god so in the future you don't have to capitalize the g. My god is cheese. Praise be to cheese! Why cheese you ask? Well because it's all-powerful and more importantly, unlike god, it's real and it's existence is evident.

[waltergalt]

@gigisdad Yes, I know. It's also a random naturally occurring phenomenon in a closed system of cause and effect, cheese is. Your position is infallible. I would venture a guess that the "singularity" was itself was some kind of cheese product. Only the fool says in his heart, "there is no cheese".

[Cacti88]

as stated in the book by crumb : He tried to reproduce every word of the orginal text, derived from several sources, including King James version, along with the "five books of Moses" a recent translation by Robert Alter.

The bible is a collection of tales, so a true orginal single book does not exist and never did.

[cha5]

I saw Crumb and Art Spiegleman (Maus) at a show in Austin Tx at the Harry Ransom Center recently discussing their work and their influences together,

Francoise Mouly moderated it.

I've met Spiegleman a couple of times before, but this was the first time I've ever seen Crumb in the flesh,

plus it even had local comic artist Sam Hurt the creator of Eyebeam at a seperate panel prior to the Crumb/Spiegleman one.

It really was a great evening.

[bogglerful]

What Irony!

Robert Crumb, a very nice person and a genius too, does an illustrated book of the Biblical 'Genesis', and, inevitably, some will be converted to Christianity as a result,; yet, R. Crumb, himself, unsaved, will burn in Hell.

The *plus side* of that is I might have a chance to say Hello to him there.

[AVTPro]

Nothing worst than an artist who lacks enough imagination and open minded/heartedness to see the TRUTH of God. Yet will dedicated his God given talent to disbelief and sarcasm.

Funny he said Jesus Christ 3 times at least. Jokes on him.

[venniey]

Great, another bigot. Thinks there is only one way to live life. God is not as limited as you think.

[SourceCode2006]

Fuck you and Jesus!

[hugeboobsfan]

Huge boobs!

[Aaberg123]

What truth? That the god of the Bible is made up, just like Zeus, Thor, Vishnu and the rest? The only thing that makes God any different from the other characters, is that you believe he actually exists, while I see no evidence to suggest that this is true.

Remember, 9/11 was a faith based initiative.

[Bobbiethejean]

AWKWARD! These two seem to have trouble conversing, particularly her. I'm still going to watch the full lecture anyway. :D

[cha5]

"UMMMM" LOL

I lost count of how many times I heard that during the whole interview, but being as english isn't her native language and she was probably a little uncomfortable in this setting I can overlook it.

Regardless this is an outstanding video and thanks for the link.

[5i1enc3d]

It was like, umm, 12, umm, times, umm.

[5i1enc3d]

Well, umm, only during, umm, this, umm, segment of the, umm, video.

Umm.

[rednecktrucker1969]

Atheist comic draws the bible...roflmfao!!!! fill of win FORATV!!!!

[CognosSquare]

After Ray Comforts version of the Origin of the species by Darwin this is a swift kick in the nut-sack right back.

[oldhacks]

robert crumb changed my life

[runswithscissorsalot]

the full interview was spoiled by the interviewer, Francoise Mouly, because she wouldn't stop saying "umm". very disappointing. I had to stop watching after 15 minutes.

[khanflesh]

She isn't accustomed to public speaking, but she was, along with her husband Art Spiegelman, a co-founder/co-editor for the groundbreaking underground comics anthology, RAW, which brought countless, genius comics artists and illustrators to the public's attention. She isn't very eloquent here, but her resume is outrageously compelling and personally, I'm thrilled to see Crumb and Mouly, two old friends, talk about this exciting new project. That being said, she does say "Um" A LOT.

[HiAdrian]

Is it a language barrier or is that woman very obnoxious?

[dplanefilms]

I believe she is French, Crumb now lives with his family in the south of France. So, yes, it is a language barrier.

[runswithscissorsalot]

totally....ummmmm..... I.....ummmm......agree!

[bboucharde]

I don't know about any ideological or religious issues here, but one thing holds true: Robert Crumb is a genius of his genre, and this has been true for 40 years. What a creative mind!

[cristop5]

I didn't know Robert Crumb was still around. This need to be done for the Qu'ran too.

[Holymoley2010]

@cristop5 Only if you want to be beheaded. So be satisfied with Chick's "The Prophet".

[notfarfromhome]

@cristop5 Absofuckinglutely. Hopefully they won't threaten R. Crumb!

[1RadicalOne]

These illustrations had better not be shown to children, knowing what's in those evil stories.

[TheAncientMind]

Evil?

[1RadicalOne]

Yes. For example, take the (in)famous account of Sodom and Gomorrah. [Sidebar: also telling is the usage of the words for which "Sodom" has become the root.]

Anyways, as the story goes, God, being the genocidal maniac that he is, decides to kill everyone but one family in two cities. Who to save? The man who offers his daughters to be raped by a crowd of crazed men. Hardly a good source of morality.

[CognosSquare]

Dont forget that after Lot escaped from Sodom he first has sex with his two daughters, which then gives birth to two sons, Moab and Benammi.

[1RadicalOne]

Yes. I merely ran out of comment space before I could go on.

[flagwaver1969]

@1RadicalOne

That isn't what happened you illiterate dipshit.

[1RadicalOne]

Try a real comment, not simply a denial and a ridiculous - and self-refuting - insult.

But your username - and your other comment you left today - suggest you are little more than the typical "aagh evil liberal atheist commie n****lovers are taking over the country" sort of person.

[flagwaver1969]

@1RadicalOne

Presumptuous stupidity and fanaticism will get you nowhere. Try working on it.

[1RadicalOne]

You accuse ME of being fanatical.

Do you see the irony?

...No, probably not.

[gasttheplast]

creebee!!!

[Aaberg123]

Let's see if parents want to show their children what's REALLY in the Bible.

[upabittoolate]

Of course not.

[hugeboobsfan]

Those people of whom you speak generally have not read the SACRED SCREED themselves.

[Aaberg123]

My father is a university educated priest, and he never showed me any of this... so yeah. He's a good guy, religion just got to him.

[FinalHeresy]

show children the truth when speaking about religion? what are you nuts? then they might learn to think for themselves for a change.

[Aaberg123]

Yeah, I know. It's a preposterous and outrageous position to tell children the whole truth, and enable them to make an informed decision.

I now see the error of my ways. Thank you FinalHeresy :)

[Holymoley2010]

@Aaberg123 Sex? There IS sex in the Bible.