CHARLIE HALL DRAWS LAUGHTER
WITH HIS SECOND CARTOON BOOK

Local funnyman Charlie Hall, known to most of RI as the creator of the Ocean State Follies, has published his second cartoon book, HOT SKETCH 2: The Independent Funnyman. The collection contains cartoons from the past 2 years that have been published in most of the newspapers on the RI News Group and the Providence Journal.

This is the long-awaited sequel to Charlie Hall's first cartoon book HOT SKETCH. In HOT SKETCH 2, he continues his hilarious - and at times outrageous -look at life in his home state as well as laugh-out-loud takes on national issues. Issues that are spoofed include gambling, same-sex marriage, the Church, the smoking ban, teachers and contracts, Bush and Kerry, and the Red Sox and Pats, to name a few. Gov. Carcieri, Linc Chafee, Speaker Bill Murphy and Steve Laffey make many appearances throughout.

One of Charlie's drawings from his first HOT SKETCH book was selected for inclusion in "2005 Edition of the Best Editorial Cartoons," a collection featuring work from the top cartoonists in North America. That cartoon is the first one in HOT SKETCH 2.

Charlie is a RISD grad and has worked as a TV courtroom artist for over 20 years. He has performed as a stand-up comic since 1980 and has appeared on several national TV shows, including the Joan Rivers Show, and Star Search '93, where he was a semi-finalist. His comedy cabaret OCEAN STATE FOLLIES continues to appear at venues all around the state. (See the Show Schedule page for more info.) “The Follies is pretty much my cartoon book set to music. I use many ideas from one, in the other - and then back again. For instance, a cartoon on say the bird flu might become a song in the next Follies, or maybe a news item for our Karen Adams to report,” says Hall. “I keep waiting for some audience member to accuse me of stealing a Follies' line from a cartoon they might have seen the week before - not realizing I created both!”

Hall's well-known absurd sense of humor is even evident in the pricing on the back cover: $12.95/$15.95 Canada and Woonsocket. “It's a joke of course but I assume some well-meaning customer from Woonsocket will offer to pay $3 more.” HOT SKETCH 2 can be purchased at Borders in Providence and Cranston, and all Benny's. They can also be picked up at offices of the Valley Breeze for a special price of just $12 each or two for $20.

The book is also available at Picture This in Narragansett and Providence, the blue cow store, Imagine in Warren, and at all of the Follies' shows, of course. The list is growing and will be posted on this website.

Another note: The book was printed locally at i-copy, just off the URI campus in Kingston. Hall upgraded the paper stock and cover from his first book, and added another 30 pages so it's more substantial; however he did keep the size the same so it's perfect to fit on back of the toilet. “Many politicians may actually want to use it for toilet paper.” he quipped.