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In Search of the Elusive Bill Watterson

Len, an avid Calvin and Hobbes fan, heads off to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, in search of any information, however insignificant, to connect him to the elusive cartoonist Bill Watterson. Much to his delight, he ends up in Watterson’s parents’ home, talking to Watterson’s delightful mother. Check out the podcast over at Jawbone Radio.

Thanks to Brian for giving me the heads up on this cool link!

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com/ Len

    OMG! I love Drawn. I am so honored to be linked on this site. I never thought it would be my podcast that got me here. :)

    Thanks for this honor.

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com Len

    OMG! I love Drawn. I am so honored to be linked on this site. I never thought it would be my podcast that got me here. :)

    Thanks for this honor.

  • http://stormsillustration.com/ Patricia

    Hey, no probs! It’s really a great interview. Watterson’s mom sounds like a really nice lady.

  • http://stormsillustration.com Patricia

    Hey, no probs! It’s really a great interview. Watterson’s mom sounds like a really nice lady.

  • SP

    Cool as this is, it’s sort of sucks to see people trying to track down Watterson after he’s taken such care to keep his privacy intact. I’ve lived in Chagrin Falls for ten years and I still have no idea where he lives (and there was a big hullabaloo over him signing books for our local store that made him stop.)

  • SP

    Cool as this is, it’s sort of sucks to see people trying to track down Watterson after he’s taken such care to keep his privacy intact. I’ve lived in Chagrin Falls for ten years and I still have no idea where he lives (and there was a big hullabaloo over him signing books for our local store that made him stop.)

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com/ Len

    Well, to be clear, I didn’t go expressly to hunt him down. I happened to be in Chagrin for a client meeting and brought my digital recorder along. It was only supposed to be a short segment for our show, and I only thought I would get locals talking about him and saying they don’t know much about him. I took a chance and walked to the town hall. It was the woman who worked at the front desk who called her on the phone.

    When I talked to his mother, I made it clear to her I didn’t want her to do anything she felt uncomfortable with. I didn’t want to pressure her to do an interview. She told me that I was the only one who had actually asked to talk to her. I guess most people just show up at the front door unannounced, so I think she appreciated that.

    But she agreed to talk to me and invited me into her home (I even offered to do the interview from the front yard and not enter her house). She was extremely accomodating and I feel incredibly honored to be given the opportunity, as both a fan and an illustrator.

    Thanks again for linking me up, Patricia. If you get a chance, check out my monster art at my blog. :)

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com Len

    Well, to be clear, I didn’t go expressly to hunt him down. I happened to be in Chagrin for a client meeting and brought my digital recorder along. It was only supposed to be a short segment for our show, and I only thought I would get locals talking about him and saying they don’t know much about him. I took a chance and walked to the town hall. It was the woman who worked at the front desk who called her on the phone.

    When I talked to his mother, I made it clear to her I didn’t want her to do anything she felt uncomfortable with. I didn’t want to pressure her to do an interview. She told me that I was the only one who had actually asked to talk to her. I guess most people just show up at the front door unannounced, so I think she appreciated that.

    But she agreed to talk to me and invited me into her home (I even offered to do the interview from the front yard and not enter her house). She was extremely accomodating and I feel incredibly honored to be given the opportunity, as both a fan and an illustrator.

    Thanks again for linking me up, Patricia. If you get a chance, check out my monster art at my blog. :)

  • http://www.vitaminrad.com/blog/ MeanNate

    It’s fascinating that some of the most brilliant minds are so introverted and socially defective.

    Why not give in and give a couple interviews, and get it out of the way – satiate the public’s voracious appetite – and then disappear.

    Wasn’t Gary Larson missing for a while too?

  • http://www.vitaminrad.com/blog/ MeanNate

    It’s fascinating that some of the most brilliant minds are so introverted and socially defective.

    Why not give in and give a couple interviews, and get it out of the way – satiate the public’s voracious appetite – and then disappear.

    Wasn’t Gary Larson missing for a while too?

  • http://www.agent44.com/ Jake

    Hey cool! I was in Chagrin in sept and took a few pictures. you can see them on my website too: agent44.com

    and there’s this article in case any of you missed it:

  • http://www.agent44.com Jake

    Hey cool! I was in Chagrin in sept and took a few pictures. you can see them on my website too: agent44.com

    and there’s this article in case any of you missed it:

  • http://www.upso.org/ upso

    i had no idea he lived in ohio. this will be added to the list of reasons i like it here.

  • http://www.upso.org upso

    i had no idea he lived in ohio. this will be added to the list of reasons i like it here.

  • SP

    Len, I don’t see any problem with what you did and I’m sorry if it sounded like I did. :)
    It’s more of a blanket statement to people who come around looking for him every once in a while. On the other hand, if you managed to navigate the warzone that is downtown Chagrin Falls right now, I congratulate you.

  • SP

    Len, I don’t see any problem with what you did and I’m sorry if it sounded like I did. :)
    It’s more of a blanket statement to people who come around looking for him every once in a while. On the other hand, if you managed to navigate the warzone that is downtown Chagrin Falls right now, I congratulate you.

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com/ Len

    Thanks. None taken. :) I just wanted to make sure that people didn’t think I did anything untoward Bill Watterson or his family. I have a great deal of respect for him and I wanted to respect his wishes while doing a tribute to him.

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com Len

    Thanks. None taken. :) I just wanted to make sure that people didn’t think I did anything untoward Bill Watterson or his family. I have a great deal of respect for him and I wanted to respect his wishes while doing a tribute to him.

  • http://www.holisticforgeworks.com/ Tacoma Artist

    This was not unlike listening to compressed-audio diarrhea. Next you should interview Gary Larson’s grandma… or berkeley breathed’s aunt… I am embarassed that I listened to as much of your interview as I did. You stole 10 seconds of my life I will never get back. ever.

  • http://www.holisticforgeworks.com Tacoma Artist

    This was not unlike listening to compressed-audio diarrhea. Next you should interview Gary Larson’s grandma… or berkeley breathed’s aunt… I am embarassed that I listened to as much of your interview as I did. You stole 10 seconds of my life I will never get back. ever.

  • coolman575

    hey yall bill waterson is cool man i started a comics from him i am trying to isllstare my characters the kid ain’t the best still working but what should i have as his friend COOLMAN

  • http://yahoo coolman575

    hey yall bill waterson is cool man i started a comics from him i am trying to isllstare my characters the kid ain’t the best still working but what should i have as his friend COOLMAN

  • coolman575

    I will check back later o waterson if you can give me any tips or come to my school my school would be willing to support

  • http://yahoo coolman575

    I will check back later o waterson if you can give me any tips or come to my school my school would be willing to support

  • coolman

    Hey i got this great new comic it is about a kid named Jake and his buddy named that is a stuffed dog( i really like dogs so i thought that would be cool to have a dog be my character) sry didn’t mean to copy off of bill watterson. but email me if u got any ideas

  • coolman
  • http://soccer_is_cool575yahoo.com coolman

    Hey i got this great new comic it is about a kid named Jake and his buddy named that is a stuffed dog( i really like dogs so i thought that would be cool to have a dog be my character) sry didn’t mean to copy off of bill watterson. but email me if u got any ideas

  • http://soccer_is_cool575yahoo.com coolman
  • Stefano

    i need to contact bill watterson.
    I want to give they a design for their wedding
    si sposeranno in april
    anyone can help me?
    bye
    Stefano

  • Stefano

    i need to contact bill watterson.
    I want to give they a design for their wedding
    si sposeranno in april
    anyone can help me?
    bye
    Stefano

  • Stefano

    i need to contact bill watterson.
    I want to give they a design for their wedding
    they will be married in april
    anyone can help me?
    bye
    Stefano

  • Stefano

    i need to contact bill watterson.
    I want to give they a design for their wedding
    they will be married in april
    anyone can help me?
    bye
    Stefano

  • michel

    so what’s up with this mr. waterson..i’ve known his comics for some time now but this is the first time i hear about him being so shy/antisocial or not wanting to be bothered..

    i guess it’s just one of those prices we have to pay for the wonders in illustration and comics..

    any heads up maybe..?

    :)

  • michel

    so what’s up with this mr. waterson..i’ve known his comics for some time now but this is the first time i hear about him being so shy/antisocial or not wanting to be bothered..

    i guess it’s just one of those prices we have to pay for the wonders in illustration and comics..

    any heads up maybe..?

    :)

  • rking1

    I was led to this site when I googled “how to contact Bill Watterson.” I enjoyed the interview with his mom. Thanks for posting this! In his Tenth Anniversary Edition, Bill Watterson said that it would be great if a female wrote a comic strip with Susie Derkins as the protagonist. I’ve mulled over this idea for a few years, and last winter I played around with it in writing. I do not draw comic strips, but I am a writer. I know that I cannot contact Bill Watterson directly, but I wonder- was Bill Watterson serious when he commented that he wanted someone to write a strip about Susie? If so, would he want to read the potential strip? If anyone can give me any insight into these questions, please let me know.

  • rking1

    I was led to this site when I googled “how to contact Bill Watterson.” I enjoyed the interview with his mom. Thanks for posting this! In his Tenth Anniversary Edition, Bill Watterson said that it would be great if a female wrote a comic strip with Susie Derkins as the protagonist. I’ve mulled over this idea for a few years, and last winter I played around with it in writing. I do not draw comic strips, but I am a writer. I know that I cannot contact Bill Watterson directly, but I wonder- was Bill Watterson serious when he commented that he wanted someone to write a strip about Susie? If so, would he want to read the potential strip? If anyone can give me any insight into these questions, please let me know.

  • Tanushree

    I am not sure, if anybody would get this message.. but I was wanting to have some contact address of Bill Watterson, to send something I wrote about his famous creations. I understand and appreciate his privacy ..so if this comment gets to the right person would be really thankful. thanks

  • Tanushree

    I am not sure, if anybody would get this message.. but I was wanting to have some contact address of Bill Watterson, to send something I wrote about his famous creations. I understand and appreciate his privacy ..so if this comment gets to the right person would be really thankful. thanks

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  • boshya

    I’m another avid Calvin and Hobbes fan along with, it seems, half the world, all of whom are trying to contact him for some personal reason or another. I introduced my girlfriend who has depersonalisation to Calvin and Hobbes, and anyone who has any knowledge of DP will understand that it’s not a nice place to be. I can’t begin to explain how positive Calvin and Hobbes has been for her. It doesn’t seem right that I can’t contact him via letter or email to explain what his cartoons have done. It’s a real shame…

  • boshya

    I’m another avid Calvin and Hobbes fan along with, it seems, half the world, all of whom are trying to contact him for some personal reason or another. I introduced my girlfriend who has depersonalisation to Calvin and Hobbes, and anyone who has any knowledge of DP will understand that it’s not a nice place to be. I can’t begin to explain how positive Calvin and Hobbes has been for her. It doesn’t seem right that I can’t contact him via letter or email to explain what his cartoons have done. It’s a real shame…

  • http://yahoo.com/ Kyle Bailie

    hey, yeah… i'm kind of let down, i wanted to ask him if he wanted to make a movie… like about calvin growing up, and finding hobbes in his house and then his imagination reviving… but i don't think it's happening…

  • aajf

    Was Watterson depressed?His comics have said some things that have made me feel it for him.Wish I could talk to him.