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As an entertainer I am always fraught with worry about whether or not my work is any good, despite any successes I've enjoyed along the way. Being a writer is not much different in that regard. Success as an entertainer can be judged upon a few things. Money and fame certainly help locate ones place in the scheme of things. However I tend to look towards a different set of criteria to determine if or when Ive made it. Being satirized in Mad magazine is a good start. Getting on Letterman would be fine as well. I'd even settle for finding Andy Martello memorabilia on ebay to be a suitable feather in my cap. But what about notoriety as a writer?

Ive given this much thought and I've decided that among the ways I'll know if my work is any good, if not acceptable for eventual greatness, is if somebody already prominent in the media or show business makes a public reference to something of mine that they have read. If I am quoted, listed as an expert, or simply talked about on a talk radio program then surely I must be on the right path. Of course having a best-selling book or an award winning column seems likely to be proof of accomplishment. However, I have one brass ring that I must reach before I am considered a success as a writer. I MUST receive praise or acknowledgement from Berkeley Breathed.

Mr. Breathed is the comedic genius that has created some of my favorite cartoon strips, Bloom County, Outland, and the newly introduced Sunday strip, Opus. He has also written several dark and funny childrens books. More than that, he is immensely cooler and hipper than I can hope to be. At least I imagine hes one very cool guy. Who knows if Ill ever find out for sure? Regardless, I want Berkeley Breathed to like me. If nobody else ever finds me or my work worth a damn thats fine. But Berkeley Breatheds seal of approvalIve come a long way baby!

Why Breathed? Why not Stephen King, Larry King, or even Don King for that matter? Why not seek the love and admiration of noteworthy people in this field, spoken word artists, or even famous comedians? At the absolute least I should be courting guys like Dave Barry or Richard Roeper if not a few high profile news broadcasters ( I do think a signed photo of Ted Koppel would be very cool to have ). Why should the man who penned the phrase, pear pimples for hairy fishnuts be the target of this media flirtation? Ill explain.

Since Opus came out of retirement and returned to my newspaper, I started rereading some of my Breathed books. While rediscovering the hilarity and poignant satire that Id grown to love over the years I noticed how much fun it was for Berkeley when he received some sort of notice from the subjects of his strip, other cartoonists, and the like. In his book, One Last Little Peek, 1980-1995, Breathed cites times he received poems from Caspar Weinberger, thank you letters from Gregory Peck, accolades from Ronald Reagan, and spoof cartoons from Bill Watterson. He talks of these little gestures sometimes with reverence, other times with disbelief, always with whimsy. I can see where a small token of appreciation can make your day a bit brighter. But it is not really these types of keepsakes I am after. I want a signed sketch of Opus the Penguin, dammit!