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First Night Montpelier 2004
is proud to present performers
Janice Perry
in Hol_rS/lit.’ Talesfrom. Heaven &Hell;
Jason P. Lorber
in I-[owurd Dean, a Moose and
A Go)‘ Rabbi Walk Into A Bar...:
Suzi Wizowaty
reacting from her forthcoming novel, Jocko;
The San Gordon Band;
Gabriel Q’s giant parade butterflies

58 perlormances in all. Dance to Contra. Klezmer and
x-\t‘rican bands. 3 different funk bands plus Jenni
Johnson  the Junketeers at our 3-hour dance party.
Concerts in jazz. classical. world. roots and more.
Magic. storytellin"g. cotnedyT’tlieate1‘. ehildren’s
worksliops. 5K road race. international food court.
parade. tireworks. .. There’s something for everyone.
Buttons:

Belorc December 25: S7/individual . $30/group (up to 5)
After Dec. 25: S ltl/individtuil . S-ll)/grou

Button Locations in Barre. Berlin.
E. Montpelier. Montpelier‘.
Northtield. Plainlield . Rtmdolpli
Stowe. \\~';rit.slield . Wztterhttry

\'oluntccr 3 hours and get in free.
(‘all First Niglit Montpelier 229-9-10.

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FIRST NIGHT!

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BY SUSAN MCMILLAN

' ilaty Price is the cartoonist responsible for -
Rhymes’ With Orange. We’ll get to what that

means later. Price recently published Reigning

" Cats & Dogs.‘ _A Rhymes With Orange Tribute To

Those Who Shed, a collection of cartoons worth own-
ing.

‘ First, I must be honest. I love my dog and
cat, but I am not a freaky pet owner. I am not interest-
ed in filling my home with trinkets that resemble my
dog. I am not a fan of Garfield. I do like to laugh, and
this book of cartoons about critters made me laugh ‘
out loud.

. Born in 1970, Hilary Price is an accom-
plished cartoonist: at age 25, she was the youngest
woman ever to have a syndicated daily comic strip.
Last year, Rhymes With Orange was nominated for a
Reuben, the ‘Oscar’ of the cartoon world. Nearly as
amazing, Price was chosen by Jewish Woman Monthly
as one often Jewish women to watch in 5761 (that
was the year 2000). Although her work first appeared
in a political satire magazine, her big break was with
the San Francisco Chronicle. Today, the simple draw-
ings of this self-taught artist and Stanford English
major are seen in 100 newspapers daily.

Rhymes With Orange (RWO) is silly and
smartfln each cartoon, Price goes straight to the heart
of the most mundane moments of our lives. She sees
clearly into our kitchens, bedrooms, and daily rituals
and cleverly reminds us that life really is funny, if
only we’d stop and notice. Although compared with
Seinfeld for its commentary on contemporary life,
RWO is never mean-spirited or insincere. Instead, the
commonplace is crystallized, and the insight into the
overlooked moments of our lives is startlingly funny.
Who among us has not wondered if maybe the dog
was going deaf‘? Price depicts a veterinarian examin-
ing a dog’s ears. ‘So you’re saying inside he comes
when he’s called but outside, you can yell ’til you’re
blue and he won’t respond?’ Diagnosis? Another case
of park-induced deafness.

Her work masterfully reflects that funny

world of pets that many of us live in. Reigning Cats & ' ,
- and your pets on every page.

Dogs features great pet parodies: “My Years Under
House Arrest: The Memoirs of An Indoor Cat” and
“Poodles: The Inner Struggle.” If you’ve ever med-
icated a dog, you’ll laugh at the strip titled “The
Epiphany” (time for youramoxicillin and jarlsberg).
Imagine two dogs in front of a wine and cheese shop.
The dogs wonder ‘Cheese goes with wine?’ ‘I’ve only
had it with antibiotics.’

Anyone who has tried to train a cat will rec-
ognize the strip on the art of feline discipline. A cou-
ple is eating at the dinner table, and they each have a
cat perched on their head. The man says ‘You have to
be firm. You have to say you cannot sit on the dining
room table! Then you can be flexible elsewhere.’ And

 

 

you know how sometimes, at the change of season.
you’ll get ajacket out of the closet and find money in
the pocket? Price captures the dog owners reality.

when searching the pockets produces two liver snaps

and a plastic bag instead.

 Several of Price’s regular strips have been
censored, not because they were so racy but because
they might offend someone. One depicted two men
shopping for flowers. While reviewing their shopping
list, one guy mentioned pansies and the other said
‘what’s that got to ‘do with it?’ It turns out that syndi-
cate policy is to never refer to anyone as ‘pansy.’
References to Judaism and being gay sometimes make
the syndicators nervous. As a Jewish lesbian, Price
has lots of material to keep her editors on edge.

Favorites listed on her website are divided
into categories: Jewish, Gay, Cats, Therapy. In one
strip, she depicts “Cows at Ellis Island" where a cow
with a suitcase proclaims to the immigration official,
“No, it’s not Holberg. It’s Holstein.”

Asked if being gay has had an impact on

I her career. Price answered that there aren’t many

women in her field, and being a lesbian cartoonist is
just not a big deal. She came out herjunior year in
college, but for years, professionally, it went unspo-
ken. Like many of us, she used opposite pronouns to
conceal the identity of her partner.

Three years ago, after an interview, she was
fed up with hiding. She contacted the interviewer and
revealed that her partner was a woman. Then she
called her manager and officially came out. No one
really cared. Price certainly has no regrets and is
relieved. No more disguising pronouns. Reigning Cats
& Dogs is dedicated to her partner, Kerry.

Ok, so what does the name mean? That’s
easy: nothing does  rhyme with orange that is.
Price’s aunt once told her that no English word
rhymes with ‘orange.’ (Forgyou etymologists, Price
says that ‘door hinge’ is the closest rhyme to orange,
but is not close enough.) According to h'er website,
the title reflects “the singularity of the strip’s perspec-
tive.” She acknowledges that her work “appeals to a
small niche of witty, intelligent and incredibly good-
looking people.” If all this is of no interest. the book
may not be your bag either. Or. you may see yourself

Price and Kerry live in Florence,
Massachusetts with a dog, two cats and two fish.

Reigning Cats & Dogs is available at online and inde--

pendent bookstores and at the Humane Society of
Chittenden County’s new Best Friends Boutique.
Price’s website is rhymeswithorangecom. V

Assistant Editor Susan McMillan is a veterinarian
and lives with her companion animals and her human
partner in Charlotte.