Seth Meyers stages live New Yorker cartoons, while David Remnick over-explains
The New Yorker's often-abstruse cartoons are treated like the literary set's Sunday Comics page. The one-frame cartoons are frequently funny, but so famously hard to understand that Seinfeld got an entire episode out of a particularly cryptic one. That's the background for Seth Meyers' second installment of theatrical re-enactments of New Yorker cartoons, featuring his Late Night Players and some real, not-particularly-hard-to-get cartoons.
These living comic strips are entertaining enough, but the highbrow icing on the cake is New Yorker editor David Remnick explaining what the cartoons mean. In great detail. There's a nice little tribute to frequent cartoon contributor Charles Barsotti, who died last month, near the end. Consider this the after-dinner mint to your late night nosh. --Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
'It may not be surprising that creative work is used without permission'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 simple items to help make your airplane seat more comfortable
The Week Recommends Gel cushions and inflatable travel pillows make a world of difference
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Some news outlets are now censoring Charlie Hebdo's Muhammad cartoons
Speed Read
By Meghan DeMaria Last updated
-
Charlie Hebdo editor: Cartoons only 'shock those who will want to be shocked'
feature
By Jon Terbush Last updated
-
White House questioned Charlie Hebdo's 'judgment' in 2012 over inflammatory cartoons
Speed Read
By Jon Terbush Last updated
-
Amazon warns viewers that Tom and Jerry cartoons are racist
Speed Read
By Teresa Mull Last updated
-
Chinese boy can't hear his cartoons, cuts high-rise worker's safety rope
Speed Read
By Sarah Eberspacher Last updated
-
Casey Kasem was a voice actor in way more cartoons than you realized
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Last updated
-
Watch Seth Meyers' Late Night Players act out New Yorker cartoons
Speed Read YouTube/NBC
By Peter Weber Last updated