Aline Kominsky-Crumb’s Answers

Eric: I'm a liberal American. Should I move to France?

Aline Kominsky-Crumb: The quality of life is generally better here. People are less puritanical. But forget about getting things done quickly, and you'd better learn French.

Ben Hall: How have you both adapted to life in France? What were the ups and downs of your first years there?

AKC: Our biggest challenge was the integration of our daughter, Sophie, into small-town French life. The difference in methods of teaching and deep attitude disparities caused a lot of anxiety in the first year. After that she was OK. Robert has never become fluent in French, but he doesn't like to talk anyway!

Hugo Baron: Dear Aline, You and your husband have immortalised each another in your work. When you think of one another, do you ever think in comic art? And do you prefer your own take on yourself, or your husband's? Does he prefer his take on you, or your own? If you follow that logic, I'd be fascinated to know...

AKC: Sometimes we get into our "George Burns and Gracie Allen" routine with each other in our real life. We always get into our "roles" when we are sent to cover an event like the Cannes film festival. Our collaborations are generally more fun and less tortuous to do than our respective individual work.

William Jansen: It's hard to believe that two hands were making the seamless drawings we have enjoyed so much in recent New Yorker pieces by you and your husband. Two minds, yes. But of course I must believe everything I read. My question: have you found any new poetry which interests you? Hope to see more of your very interesting work in the New Yorker.

AKC: Many people think that Robert draws both of us and writes my part also. But in fact we have a pretty efficient system of working together - we pencil two pages completely, each doing our own part and then we each ink our part on each page and then exchange pages. Glad you like the results. Hope to do more soon.

Gary Weston-Webb: Would you have done very much differently, do you think, being able to look back? Have followed all I can for 30+ years from down under (with now a huge collection of comix I hesitate to share with my kids who are 12, 11, six and three) and it's pretty much understandable. I have to say, it's not an unreasonable set of choices/vocations that you have followed, so given the statements I have seen about self-loathing, would you really have done anything otherwise?

AKC: I would have stopped taking all drugs and drinking sooner if I had known how much better I could feel and how great it is to maintain lucidity!!

Lou: Hey Aline, My name's Louise, I'm from the south of England. I'm writing to ask just a simple question: when you met Robert, how did you actually perceive his method of basically recording life in the style of comic? Did you find it strange or fascinating? I'm doing a project at university, basing it on Robert and Harvey Pekar's comics, and would like as much inspiration as possible to make my own diary of my life. I'm only doing it for six weeks, but I'm looking for any inspiration that may help.

AKC: Actually I drew autobiographical comics before I met Robert. I had a big influence on his style of recording his life. We have influenced each other on many levels in our work. For inspiration: don't romanticise or glorify yourself. Be hard on yourself - it's useful to you and others.

S Scott: I noticed in the documentary that Robert Crumb denies having a foot fetish. From what I can tell, he's more of a general "leg/ass" man. Yet, the recent Guardian piece states otherwise. Does Crumb have a foot fetish?

AKC: Legs and ass are No 1. He does not like fat women. He likes muscular, powerful women, physically and psychically!! He has strong footwear preferences but I would not consider him a foot fetishist.

Jenni: Dear Aline, these are some of the questions I'd like to ask you:

1) I loved Dirty Laundry and can see that putting ones hang-ups onto paper is amazingly therapeutic but wondered if you ever feel embarrassed by having your lives and feelings exposed so completely in your work?

2) Which of Robert's artworks do you like most and why?

3) How do you deal with the self-hatred problem - any advice?

AKC: I try not to think about the fact that I've drawn myself on the toilet. Telling all is sort of a compulsion - I can't really help it so I have to live with it. As I get older I care a lot less what people think about me.

Stephen: Hello Aline, Apart from greatly appreciating Crumb's incredible drawing talents, I have recently gotten hold of the Hot Women compilation CD. Are you and Crumb going to publish more of your 78 collection?

AKC: We might do more CDs - it's a lot of work, though, and they don't sell very many - so we have to do it just for pleasure.

Nick: Dear Aline, I wanted to ask you to comment on an observation made during the Terry Zwigoff film, Crumb. In the film you are preparing to leave for France and remarked on a friend's son who was loafing around on a giant baseball glove playing video games, saying something along the lines of "you would never see that in France". I wanted to ask, firstly, if you feel the same disappointment with American culture now that you are removed from it and able to be more selective about how you choose to receive it? And, secondly, if you have found a more rewarding lifestyle in France?

(I should mention that I live in New York and France is looking really good these days, if for no other reason than the raw cheeses.)

AKC: In general the level of media saturation is lower in France and there are some aspects of traditional life left. But unfortunately the American mega-monster driven by Bush and Rove, etc, is metastasising globally. I still and always have found individual American artists and writers and film-makers intelligent and energetically trying to comment on the craziness, but I prefer not to spend all my time in the US.

Steve Darling: Hi Aline, Do you listen to the same kind of "old music" as Robert? I've got into loads of fantastic music through his recommendations. What's the most recent music he listens to?

AKC: Robert opened up a totally remarkable world of music from the 20s and 30s to me shortly after meeting him. We listen to records often after dinner, the way most folks watch TV. The most modern records in his collection are from the early 30s, in general. 1926-1933 is the prime period.

Robert Smith: Dear Aline, I have no idea if you remember me, but I lived next door to you for a while in Tucson. My memory of those years is spotty to say the least, but there are some definite images of parties at your apartment with the entire art department. My question is, how does being an expatriate affect both of your work? Does it sharpen your eyes or make you feel disconnected? I lived in Japan for two years and felt like I was in a bubble most of the time. Not necessarily a bad feeling, but I wonder if you all have a similar experience?

All the best, I have enjoyed seeing your work over the last few years,

AKC: France is not as drastically different from the US as Japan is. I look pretty Mediterranean and I speak French OK. But I'm not French, I don't think like a French person, but I find it easy to live among them. In the US I felt like an alien and I didn't know exactly why. Here, if I feel that way, I at least have a reason. PS: I vaguely remember you and was recently back in Tucson to visit Linda Vista!!

Sean Maher: Come on, would you have gone out with him if he wasn't famous - if he ended up more like Charles?

AKC: Can't be sure - but it's lasted 34 years!!

Roger: Question to Aline - How does it feel to live with a genius ?

AKC: Robert is the best dishwasher I've ever met and he's fun to talk to at the breakfast table. He always laughs at my jokes and is my best fan. And that's what it feels like to live with a genius to me.

The Guardian 25 March 2005