Appalling

140 Comments

1. Make a great cover for one of those books on Bushisms.

   I suspect if Susan A. got over her own misplaced sense of “maturity” and her kowtowing to her silly American sacred cows, she would really rather enjoy such caricaturing.
2. She really needs to get a life. If you drew him as a piece of crap, that would have been more appropriate. How you could insult chimps by making them look like our last president is beyond me Derren! Chimps are smart and don’t mess up their land for generations to come. Chimps have very powerful brains and people like them. The chimp community is probably really ticked off right now. If they could type, they’d be writing in.

   Most of us here in the USA, republicans or democrats are ashamed of President Bush. He was by far the worst thing to happen to the USA EVER. Those that say he was wonderful are living in a fantasy world. Since they are hardcore republicans, they don’t want to admit their president was a failure. Next they’ll want to nominate some idiot from Alaska. WOW!
3. I feel so very strongly that I must endorse the outrage and upset felt by many at how you have so thoughtlessly debased the noble chimpanzee!!!!
4. Can’t see what the problem is.. I think it is the chimps that should be complaining.. great piece of artwork by the way.
5. Susan Abernethy: you utter imbecile! ever heard of our basic rights and freedoms? for example our freedom of opinions, whether orally, aurally, written or graphically represented? Its people like you who decide to voice your opinions without taking good care not to insult the opinions of others. Caricatures of “famous” people aren’t drawn to insult, but are a comical representation of their character. You should not get annoyed by the peoples opinions because they do not matter to you; facts matter.I always say, ” If you take my opinions as fact, you would be imposing me on yourself”. please take note. you can disregard this comment; you don’t have to accept it.
6. love the picure Derren, silly woman. @Davey D, very funny too
7. Such a complaint is actualy rather hilarious! I suggest that derren finds a picture of her on facebook and turns her into a horrible creature for our delight!
8. I also think this letter was from bush himself…but faked the name at the bottom bless him…all mistakes in the letter and ‘not suppporting’ the current leader backs up my idea!
9. you know, whatever else he was, old `George Bush could laugh at himself. plus he got a lot worse from his own people. i do not feel though, that i have to ‘respect’ or show respect to another country’s government. i have no respect for my own! plus what have they ever done for me? sort your head out girl. save respect for those who deserve it and stop taking things so personally.
10. Well, the painting is really unoriginal. George Bush as a chimpanzee? 90% of comedians / wannabe political sceptics have made that joke. It’s easy and overdone.

    When the letter writer says “present president”, people seem to be interpreting that as referring to Bush, but she referred to Bush as the Former President. When she says she wouldn’t treat the present president in such a way, she IS referring to Obama, and she is saying that whether or not she agrees with what Obama says, she wouldn’t attack him in that kind of way. People seem to simply be reading her letter in the way they want to read it, as opposed to how it is actually written.
11. HA HA …. Brilliant!! touched a nereve there Derren
12. That is funny!!!!
13. Clearly, she has got no clue what satire is. Oh hang on, she’s a Former Colonial…
14. Does anyone else think maybe she made a mistake and thinks this is a raciest issue and thought the drawing was meant to be of the real current president?
15. Past – present president = potayto – potahto………
16. Indeed it is appalling. Depicting that poor monkey as the lesser intelligent and genetically thrown back Bush ! I know you made a TV special entitled The Messiah but you really are just a very naughty boy ; )

    Just as well you didnt depict the current President as an ape imagine how much more hate mail you might of got from these disenlightened fools
17. Naughty naughty! HA!

    Seriously, anyone would think that America wasn’t the country where freedom of speech rules!

    Just appreciate art and expression for what it is. Besides if you can’t laugh at the serious things in life how can you appreciate thier gravity!

    Keep it up Derren x
18. I had one of these but a little harsher when I likened Bush Jr to Forest Gump. i thought i might have to move to a safe house for a while.
19. Priceless
20. Ooohh well, at least the idiot isn’t in power anymore.
    The current president knows what way up to hold a book at least!
21. gosh yes, how DARE you exercise the right of free speech? HOW DARE YOU?!??!

    Sheesh 😛
22. I too find this painting extremely offensive. If I was a chimpazee I would’t want my face to look like a President, Bush or otherwise!
23. Well! That is certainly someone without a sense of humour! I saw it and laughed out loud! Doesn’t mean its disrespectful, why are some people so damn serious………. a prime example of why the world is in such a shite state…………. lighten up and see things for what they are………. just a bit of humour!
    I love it Derren for its brilliance and artistic qualities, as I do all of your work. xxx
24. present President is pretty funny!!
25. Is this why Spitting Image never made it in America?!! Imagine if she’d seen the US version!!
26. I hope you are ashamed of yourself Derren…

    In no way did the Chimpanzees deserve to be mocked like this…..

    You are a very bad man. *gives derren evil eyes*
27. This woman must be oblivious to the countless portrayals of Bush as a chimp by many other artists.
28. Ooh, you are naughty – but I like it!!
29. lol 🙂
    now you can try and do your magic on susan and make her realize some things, can’t you? 🙂
30. Great job Derren. I like the way you used somebody’s criticism to get people’s attention. I LOVE your work… you are my favorite entertainer. I’m sure that you will soon get the recognition that you deserve. By the way, it would be great if you could share more of your thoughts – such as during your conversation with Richard Dawkins. You’re understanding of human communication is phenomenal. Never underestimate your influence my friend.
31. nah that ain’t G.W Bush that monkey seems way too intellegent!!!
32. maybe the complaint is from Bush himself. Sounds just like him. “present president” XD
33. And that letter is exactly the reason we are all in the amount of doo doo we’re currently in. Peoples’ (or should I say Slaves) blind obedience to rules and regulations that their wealthy masters have created to control them.

    Related monkey film
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZeiSKnhOBc
    The writer of the letter is oppressing Derren, when all he wants is a banana. Shame.
34. Yo, Derren.
35. So that one’s not your self portrait? 😉
36. She was from the American South, no doubt. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (full episodes online) but Southerners aren’t commonly bright. Race is a sensitive subject in America but everyone wants to be morally superior and not admit to their biases so they in part elected him for he was the obvious lesser of the evils. Also they wanted to make history and be the first and greatest country to do blah blah blah. Generally America is the perceived ‘best’ (obviously wrong but I’m assuming my sense of the world’s unspoken assumption via their behavior) because of a few considerably ‘maladjusted’ individuals who suffer from avarice and for its sizable landmass. Most of all though, due to severe over-sensitivity and its resulting political correctness.
37. to all u ppl complaining, i say to you, GET A LIFE. there are more important things going on in the world, ppl r dying, ppl are starving, etc, stop acting like a bunch of victor mildrews, wise up and leave derren alone u sados. ps derren great show in belfast. ur fantastic x
38. To be fair though, you did request this kind of letter in your book! It’s also good that the complainer recognises the former president’s features. So must be a grain of truth in it somewhere. 🙂

    Love the Judi Dench pic too.
39. you know what, i dont see the problem, all i see is a very good portrait of bush junior
40. Now that the wonderful(ha) legacy left to us by the Bush family, but blamed on others, has started to piss off even their supporters I weep when I chance upon someone who blindly follows them! Oh my, you painted a picture of Bush as a chimp, it should have been a horse’s ass! Maybe next time you can paint it as a Monkey(any monkey) throwing shit, then it would be even more accurate!