Reposted by David Foster
This is the master key to deciphering contemporary debates about free speech. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/se...
David Foster
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Grandfather, pedestrian … but that’s enough about me ….
![A cropped screenshot of an article section titled "Gary Larson cartoon incident" from a Tumblr page. The text describes a controversy involving a Far Side cartoon and Jane Goodall.
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Gary Larson cartoon incident
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In 1987 Gary Larson published a Far Side cartoon of two chimpanzees grooming, in which one discovers a blonde hair and says, "Conducting a little more 'research' with that Jane Goodall tramp?"[127] The Jane Goodall Institute called the cartoon an "atrocity" in a letter drafted by its lawyers to Larson and his syndicate. Goodall, who was in Africa at the time, later found the cartoon amusing.[128]
She went on to name it her favourite depiction of herself in pop culture.[129] Larson offered profits from sales of a shirt featuring the cartoon to the Jane Goodall Institute.[130]
Goodall wrote the preface to The Far Side Gallery 5, detailing her version of the controversy.[131] She praised Larson's creative ideas, which often compare and contrast the behaviour of humans and animals.
In 1988 Larson visited Goodall's research facility in Tanzania.[128] While there, he was attacked by a chimpanzee named Frodo.[127][132]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qdtwslusias4dnfmqydvudsq/bafkreiab4xelozcgki2mm2n3wwq5vdhbvve7v76enl6wbonavz6gjc2p7u)
