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Show . .. V "M-' - . . ' . Kim, photo by NanChalat J.P. Max J.P. Max pokes fun at Park City If the Park Record was granted three wishes one of them would be for a local cartoonist with an eye for absurdity and the artistic talent to take a few light-hearted jabs at otherwise serious subjects. At least that used to be true. Last week someone must have rubbed the magic lamp, for who should appear but J.P. Max, a self-proclaimed "cartoonaholic." And under his arm was a whole notebook full of - sketches drawn for the most part at a barside stool at Ryan's on Main Street. "I just like to see people laugh," he told us. And we did. The drawings featured a number of familiar Park City characters including a grizzled old miner named Sherman, a pair of precocious Park City pooches, ' construction workers, athletes and Ryan's regulars. There was also a comic tribute to the Olympic torch and a whole series of Main Street trench spoofs. We signed him up. Although J.P. Max has only lived in town since last May, he is no newcomer to Park City. His first visit was in 1970, "as a tourist type, you know," he said. After that he rambled on to Texas, but returned to help set up local radio station KPCW in 1981. Then he headed on to Port Orchard, Washington where he suffered through a long wet winter. "It was no fun at all so I decided to head for some snow," Max said. Max was born in Albequerque, New Mexico so he is familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of snow. But he has never been skiing. "But this winter I'm going to do it. I may die but I'll do it," he promised. Other than his radio shows on KPCW (Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) ' J. P. Max claims that cartooning is his whole life. "I had no art training but I started when I was real little and now I have to do it every day." Beginning this week J.P. (as in Just Plain) Max will be a regular feature on our editorial pages. As to the subject matter, he said, "I cover just about everything. And the funny thing is I don't have to make them up. They are actual happenings." |