Polly Lou Adams Guests On The Latest Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast

Polly Lou Adams (upper left in the photo), who began contributing to The New Yorker in June of 2025, joins two of four CCCP co-hosts, Paul Nesja (upper right) and Nicole Chrolavicius. It’s Episode #249 for those keeping track. Listen here. 

Visit Polly Lou Adams website here. ___________________________________________________________________

A New Yorker State Of Mind Digs Into The Issue Of April 25, 1936

A New Yorker State of Mind: Reading Every Issue of The New Yorker Magazine continues its good work. 

Read it here. 

Cover by Rea Irvin: Born, San Francisco, 1881; died in the Virgin Islands,1972. Irvin was the cover artist for the New Yorker’s first issue, February 21, 1925. He was the magazine’s first art and only art supervisor (some refer to him as its first art editor) holding the position from 1925 until 1939 when James Geraghty assumed the title of art editor. Irvin then became art director and remained in that position until William Shawn officially succeeded Harold Ross in early 1952. Irvin’s last original work for the magazine was the magazine’s cover of July 12, 1958. The February 21, 1925 Eustace Tilley cover had been reproduced every year on the magazine’s anniversary until 1994, when R. Crumb’s Tilley-inspired cover appeared. Tilley has since reappeared, with other artists substituting from time-to-time. Number of New Yorker covers (not including the repeat appearances of the first cover every anniversary up to 1991): 179. Number of cartoons contributed: 261. 

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Article Of Interest…Guy Richards Smit

From The Creative Independent, April 30, 2026, Mr. Smit’s  conversation with Brandon Stosay. 

Guy Richards Smit began contributing to The New Yorker in 2022.

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Live Interview Of Interest: Liza Donnelly On Radio Free Rhinecliff

Liza Donnelly, long-time New Yorker contributor, and filmmaker (Women Laughing) will be live today at 5 on Radio Free Rhinecliff. Listen here.  

Photo: Eric Korenman

Fave Photo Of The Week

The above group photo was taken the other day in Washington, D.C., at DC/Dox, where Women Laughing was screened. The film, directed by Kathleen Hughes (third from left) and Liza Donnelly second from left), has been popping up at numerous festivals this year.

New Yorker cartoonists, Sara Lautman (second from right), and Emily Sanders Hopkins (first on the right) participated in a panel discussion following the screening.

Also pictured: Women Laughing producers Judith Mizrachy (first on the left), and Nathalie Seaver (fourth from left).

Photo by (New Yorker cartoonist) Marshall Hopkins

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And In Other Donnelly News…

Check out the latest in the series, Talk & Draw With Heather Cox Richardson and Liza Donnelly here (the subject this time ’round is Watergate).

Liza Donnelly Talks About Women Laughing Doc Screening In Inwood

Here’s another opportunity to see Women Laughing, Kathleen Hughes’ & Liza Donnelly’s short documentary film on The New Yorker‘s Women cartoonists. The film will be shown at the Inwood Film Fest this coming Saturday (full schedule here).

You can listen to Ms. Donnelly speaking about the film on the Inwood podcast, “Inwood Art Works On Air” here.  And/or…you can see her on the very same podcast here on Youtube.

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A New Yorker State Of Mind: Reading Every Issue of The New Yorker Magazine digs deep into the issue of May 16, 1936. E.B. White’s somewhat famous piece on Ford’s Model T, a Thurber reference explained, ads, and so much more!

Read it here

Cover by Leonard Dove. His Spill A-Z entry below:

Leonard Dove (self portrait, 1941; photo: 1947) Born 1906, Great Yarmouth, England. Died, Gramercy Hotel, New York City, January, 1972. New Yorker work: Dec. 17, 1927 – Jan. 18, 1964. 57 New Yorker covers; 717 New Yorker cartoons. 

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Rich Feldmann Summertime Exhibit Of Interest

Mr. Feldmann began contributing to The New Yorker in 2012.

Upcoming Women Laughing Screenings 

Women Laughing, Liza Donnelly and Kathleen Hughes documentary film about New Yorker women cartoonists past and present, will be screened at a number of venues beginning this Spring and into the Fall. You can see the schedule here.

Please note that three screenings are happening within the next few days:

Portland Museum of Art
May 9, 2026 Portland, ME

The Moviehouse
May 9, 2026 Millerton, NY
Followed by conversation with Liza Donnelly, Kathleen Hughes, Amy Hwang. 

The Church
May 15, 2026 Sag Harbor, NY
Followed by conversation with Liza Donnelly, Kathleen Hughes and Emma Allen.

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Update: Thurber Prize For American Humor In Writing Awarded

Congrats to Shalom Auslander for being awarded the 2026 Thurber Prize for American Humor in Writing … and congrats once again to Emily Flake the (previously announced) 2026 Thurber Prize winner for American Humor In Cartoon Art.

                                                  Happy Birthday, Liza Donnelly!

The Spill sends birthday greetings to long-time New Yorker contributor, Liza Donnelly, seen above attempting to take it easy for a few minutes in Maine a few years ago.

Born in Washington, D.C., then high-tailing it asap to New York City, she has been contributing to The New Yorker since 1979. Among the many hats she wears, the most recent is filmmaker. Her documentary on The New Yorker‘s women cartoonists, Woman Laughing, co-directed with Kathleen Hughes, is making the rounds, festival-wise this year.

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— Drawing above: Donnelly’s first drawing bought by The New Yorker). Although sold in 1979, the magazine didn’t run it until November 22, 1982.

–Photo above: taken by this cartoonist