Serena Williams cartoon: Mark Knight drama likened to ‘blackface’ controversy

Mark Knight, the cartoonist whose work sparked international outrage over its depiction of Serena Williams, has doubled down.

The cartoonist at the centre of international outrage over his depiction of Serena Williams’ US Open meltdown has defended his work saying he doesn’t feel he did “anything wrong”.

Mark Knight, a cartoonist at The Herald Sun, told Sky News this evening he was saddened by public criticism regarding his portrayal of the tennis champion’s US Open defeat on Sunday.

“I don’t have a feeling in my gut that I’ve done something wrong,” Knight told Sky News. “I drew it not intending to comment on gender and racial politics in America, so I don’t feel bad about it.”

“It was a cartoon about sport and bad behaviour on the tennis court.”

When asked whether his depiction of Williams was harking back to the racist stereotypes used in the infamous Jim Crow caricatures of the early 20th century, Knight vehemently disagreed.

“No, when you caricature somebody you take their facial features and you emphasise them,” Knight said. “Serena is an amazing athlete, an African American woman and a very powerfully built woman.

“She’s a lot of fun to draw and I didn’t draw her with malicious racial intent.”

Knight said cartoonists were increasingly worried about depicting minority groups for fear of provoking outrage.

He referred to cartoonists being fearful of “punching down,” a term used to explain instances where people make a joke at the expense of a minority or oppressed group.

“Because I’m a white male I guess I’m privileged to be and I cannot criticise any minority or group below my station let’s say,” Knight said. “That is called punching down because I’m coming at them from an unfair advantage.”

Serena drama ‘like blackface’

A cartoon by the Herald Sun’s Mark Knight depicting Serena Williams’s US Open meltdown has sparked outrage, amid claims it’s racist and sexist.

Knight was forced to defend his portrayal of Williams, which shows her jumping up and down on a tennis racquet, with a baby’s dummy nearby.

It followed the 23-time grand slam champion’s controversial, ill-tempered defeat in Sunday’s final.

The cartoon drew condemnation from Twitter users ranging from Harry Potter author JK Rowling, Australian NBA star Ben Simmons and Yassmin Abdel-Magied.

Knight was accused of rehashing racist stereotypes of the infamous Jim Crow caricatures of the early 20th century.

My toon in today’s @theheraldsun on #SerenaWilliams @usopen pic.twitter.com/didwtQg1R5

— Mark Knight (@Knightcartoons) September 10, 2018

The condemnation and criticism was swift, and widespread.

The Chicago Tribune wrote: “Knight’s cartoon conjures up a range of such caricatures that were branded on memorabilia and popularised on stage and screen of the era, including the minstrel-show character Topsy born out of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” as well as the title character in 1899’s “Little Black Sambo.”

Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop. https://t.co/YOxVMuTXEC

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 10, 2018

That Mark thinks depictions along these lines are all in good humour gives an indication of where much of the mainstream media in Australia is at when it comes to issues of race. https://t.co/jXmDXpcXGX

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) September 10, 2018

To disrespect Serena Williams, a 23 time Grand Slam Champion, in this light is truly disappointing. As an Australian, I am truly disappointed #morethananathlete

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) September 10, 2018

Holy crap. This Serena cartoon is racist AF & reminiscent Jack Johnson cartoons in 1910. Mark Knight should be fired. But any Herald Sun editors that would allow this, should fire themselves first. https://t.co/Usgd7pWH8b

— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) September 10, 2018

In 100 years' time, this cartoon will be viewed no differently than old images of Jim Crow, or the newspaper cartoons drawn of Jack Johnson. Mark Knight has just drawn his way into the history books. https://t.co/QWwduSkJbk

— Charles Thomson (@CEThomson) September 10, 2018

In his defence, Knight pointed to a cartoon he’d done recently featuring controversial Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios:

Well Julie here’s a cartoon I drew a few days before when Australian male tennis player Kyrgios at the US Open was behaving badly. Don’t bring gender into it when it’s all about behaviour. I’ll accept your apology in writing😁 pic.twitter.com/NLV0AjPGsY

— Mark Knight (@Knightcartoons) September 10, 2018

The cartoon did have many defenders, who criticised the behaviour of Williams during the US Open final:

Criticism of Mark Knight's Serena Williams cartoon shows the world has gone too PC & misunderstands the role of news media cartoons and satire. Poor behaviour in any sport needs to be called out. #media #cartoons #markknight @Knightcartoons @theheraldsun https://t.co/KQFuvIJp0Q pic.twitter.com/sRo3AQ1cJW

— Michael Miller (@mm_newscorpaus) September 10, 2018

Such controversy over a apt cartoon by @knightcartoons on #SerenaWilliams, Bit of cutting and pasting shows the same colour pallet used for Osaka's skin as in Williams. And yes she has a blonde dyed pony tail. And yes Serena had a Tantrum pic.twitter.com/eSOTu2wLO8

— Rens (@RensM) September 10, 2018

Yeah the cartoon makes me uncomfortable as he has exaggerated her African American features but that’s what cartoonist do. Exaggerate distinguishing features. Is this one racist too? https://t.co/comozm6A6h

— Rob Monk (@monkrob) September 10, 2018

Cartoon backlash ‘like rolling thunder’

Knight defended his approach to the cartoon during an interview with Melbourne’s 3AW today.

“People said I’m a racist because I drew Serena as an African American woman. She’s great to draw. I drew her as a powerful figure which she is, she’s strongly built,” he said.

“They say I’m racist because I drew Naomi Osaka in the background with blonde hair — she has dyed her hair blonde.

“I drew this cartoon on Monday night, I saw the world’s greatest tennis player spit the dummy.

“It’s a cartoon about poor behaviour … three or four days I’d drawn a cartoon about Nick Kyrgios’ poor behaviour … It had nothing to do with race.

“There is nothing inaccurate in the cartoon. But I’m sorry it’s been taken by social media and distorted so much.”

Serena Williams argues with the chair umpire during the US Open final. Picture: AP

Knight said he’d been inundated since tweeting the cartoon late last night.

“Off it went and nothing more thought of it ... my phone has just melted and the world’s gone crazy. I never thought I’d be trolled by JK Rowling.

“I didn’t look at all that stuff, I just turned my phone off … it’s like a rolling thunder, until it turns into a tornado of false accusations and stuff that aren’t there.

“What they are seeing now is sheer make-believe, they are seeing things that aren’t there.

“My wife and children are copping threats and insults on their Instagram accounts. I’ve tried to reply to these people but they just won’t listen … I’m not racist, the week before I did a cartoon on the death of Aretha … some days you’re a hero, some days you’re a pariah.”

I drew this cartoon to the sound of Aretha Franklin wafting around the office all day yesterday. My toon in today’s @theheraldsun #ArethaFranklin pic.twitter.com/5TyRMmQVPJ

— Mark Knight (@Knightcartoons) August 18, 2018

“I think these days … you can’t criticise minority groups these days for poor behaviour, you just can’t go there,” he said, “but I’m a cartoonist and I comment on all topics because the Herald Sun is a broad church.

“I can’t say to myself, in all honesty, that some areas are off limits ... we talk about free speech these days but on social media, it seems it means nothing.”

Herald Sun editor Damon Johnston told news.com.au: “A champion tennis player had a mega tantrum on the world stage, and Mark’s cartoon depicted that,” he said. “It had nothing to do with gender or race.”

Williams comforts Naomi Osaka at the net after their match. Picture: AFP

Cartoon likened to ‘blackface segment’

A US political editor and professor of politics and journalism at Morgan State University today likened the cartoon to a controversial blackface segment aired on Australian TV in 2009.

Dr Jason Johnson told Neil Mitchell on 3AW that the image reinforced historically negative stereotypes about African-American women.

He raised the Red Faces segment on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, in which a group of men appeared in blackface when sending up The Jackson Five.

“One of the things that a lot of Americans are familiar with, is when Harry Connick Jr was on some television show in Australia. The men who were doing that, obviously they didn’t think it was anything offensive - they thought it was honouring Michael Jackson,” Dr Johnson said.

“But that’s not how that’s perceived in America. So even if someone doesn’t necessarily have malicious intent, it doesn’t mean that the impact isn’t problematic.”