UPDATE: Mike Keefe responds Friday to winning the award.

Over at The Daily Cartoonist, Alan Gardner reports that Denver Post political cartoonist MIKE KEEFE has just won the Berryman Award.

So first let us say: Huzzahs, because Comic Riffs has long been an admirer of Keefe's, who has been plying his craft for more than three decades.

On Friday, Keefe shared with Comic Riffs his reaction to winning the award: "It's a rich environment for cartoonists today. [There's] plenty happening on the local, national and international scenes. I applaud the diminishing number of newspapers that value cartooning enough to keep a full-timer on staff."

Runners-up for the Berryman were Politico's Matt Wuerker (who was a Pulitzer finalist earlier this year) and our Post colleague Ann Telnaes, the Pulitzer winner who draws animations for washingtonpost.com.

Former Memphis Commercial Appeal cartoonist Bill Day received a "certificate of merit" for his cartoons on child abuse.

A hearty congratulations to all the honorees. In these tough times for newspaper cartoonists, such recognition is as necessary as ever.

THE RELATED READ:

THE PULITZER: Matt Wuerker responds to being named a 2009 finalist.

THE 'RIFFS INTERVIEW: As newsroom security watches him pack up his things, Bill Day discusses being pink-slipped by the Commercial Appeal.

To see MIKE KEEFE's most recent cartoon, click below.

'DILBERT' (UFS)Enlarge Image

In recent weeks, some 'Riffs readers have questioned why it was the Scott Adams comic strip "DILBERT." and not the homegrown "CUL DE SAC," that was chosen to remain housed in The Washington Post Magazine, where it lives on Sundays, in gloriously guaranteed color.

Well, one pithy reply to that query is: If you're the Post editors involved, do you prefer your humor more whimsical or withering, more acidic or innocent? By their choice, Post editors have spoken.

There is little debate, on one hand, that "Dilbert" was THE Zeitgeist strip of the cubicle-dwelling, mission-stating, downsizing '90s. ("The Far Side" and "Calvin and Hobbes" reached superstardom in the Reagan '80s, and "The Boondocks" caught only the tail end of the '90s.) And for many readers, Adams's comic continues to strike extremely resonant chords.

For that very reason, "Dilbert" found a home in the business sections of numerous newspapers -- including The Post until more recently (speaking of downsizing). Upturned tie and all, the daily "Dilbert" relocated his snark-station to The Post's main comics pages.

So amid the newly tight real estate, even such superstar strips as "Dilbert" have to play well, year after year, to justify their roster spots. So what do you think, 'Riffs readers: Is Dilbert still one of the funnier crushed-souls still drawing a paycheck?

If you're not a fan, feel free to Impugn-That-Toon. Otherwise it's time to Defend. That. Toon.

THE RELATED READ:

THE 'RIFFS INTERVIEW: "Dilbert" creator Scott Adams talks product-placement within the strip.

"LIBERTY MEADOWS" Enlarge Image

The reader has a provocative point.

Yesterday, 'Riffs commenter "scmonty1" had no problem with "Tank McNamara." The reader did, however, have a serious issue with Monday's "LIBERTY MEADOWS," the comic by Frank Cho (Maryland's own, natch) that runs in The Post's online comics lineup.

Specifically, "scmonty1" wrote that in taking certain visual, um, liberties, this "Liberty Meadows" is "absolutely over-the-line. C'mon, WaPost, this does not belong in the 'Comics.' Great art, cool story-line, great characters, but, in the Comics??....no way!!"

The funnypages are no stranger, of course, to putting the "strip" in comic strip: "Pibgorn," "9 Chickweed Lane" (both Brooke McEldowney productions, natch) and "Judge Parker" are well-known for their physical eye-candy. (Heck, even a recent "Zits" -- which parodied the "Love Is..." cartoons -- came in for a little "put-some-clothes-on" criticism.) Some comics fans even point back to such strips as "L'il Abner" when the topic of scantily clad characters rears it's googly-eyed head.

All that said, I pose today's "Liberty Meadows" question to you, 'Riffs reader: What's your take on this voyeuristic strip? Let the "Blinds" Taste Test begin.

"TANK McNAMARA" (UPS)Enlarge Image

When it comes to the Bronco-bustin' Washington Redskins, is the comic "TANK McNAMARA" guilty of unnecessary roughness this weekend?

Last week, we posted an item about "Tank McNamara's" skewering of the Redskins -- particularly team owner Dan Snyder. Cartoonist Jeff Millar, co-creator of the longtime strip with Bill Hinds, even explained why business was business in terms of this satire.

On Friday, "Tank" took perhaps its harshest shot yet at the whole team, saying any time on the field is "garbage time" for the burgundy-and-gold. So the question 'Riffs posts to you is: Do you like the gag, or is this a case of satiric clipping, an unfair shot? You make the call.

Kerry, McCain & Pelosi (among others), as you may never see them -- thanks to Apple. (Courtesy of Tom Richmond )

UPDATE: MAD artist Tom Richmond tells Comic Riffs this weekend that Apple has just notified him that -- amid all the attention to his story -- the decision has been reversed and his iPhone app "Bobble Rep" has now been approved and is available via iTunes.

Flatulence has proved to be a killer app. So have virtual brewskis and beer pong. You want a lightsaber or a Zippo lighter? Dude, there's an app for that.

But light political amusement for your iPhone? Apple, it seems, is unable to think that different.

MAD magazine artist Tom Richmond tells Comic Riffs that Apple has shot down his application concept. His apparent sin, he says: Drawing caricatures of our vaunted men and women serving on the Hill.

The would-be iPhone app, called "Bobble Rep: 111th Congress Edition," was to be informational -- a literal database of congressional representatives. Richmond said the user could find "names and contact information ... either via Zip code or by using the iPhone's GPS location services."

Richmond says the app was developed by entrepreneur/filmmaker Ray Griggs, for whom the caricaturist previously created art for Griggs's film "Super Capers." Richmond's assignment: Draw caricatures of each politician that could be placed on different bodies to create a virtual "bobblehead." Richmond says he drew 540 caricatures.

Apple wouldn't bite, though, the artist says. Richmond posts what he says is a copy of the "official rejection letter" and the "reason." The posted response from the "iPhone Developer Program" reads, in part:

We've reviewed Bobble Rep - 111th Congress Edition and determined that we cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section 3.3.14 from the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement which states:

"Applications may be rejected if they contain content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, sounds, etc.) that in Apple's reasonable judgement may be found objectionable, for example, materials that may be considered obscene, pornographic, or defamatory."

The Nancy Pelosi caricature: Does only Steve Jobs find this offensive? (Courtesy of Tom Richmond )

Since Richmond posted his fairly incredulous "rant" on his blog, the rejection began to make some news within the tech community, including a response from MacWorld and a salvo from CNN's Brainstorm Tech.

At press time, Apple had not returned several calls from The Post seeking comment.

Comic Riffs caught up with Richmond -- the world-class caricaturist was en route to a cartooning conference in Australia -- to get his direct take on the whole incident. His thoughts:

MICHAEL CAVNA: When were you first approached about this job, and how long, off and on, did you spend on it?

TOM RICHMOND: Ray Griggs first asked me about my interest in late July at Comic-Con in San Diego. However I didn't get going on it until mid-September. ... Procrastination is one of my more developed skills.

MC: Was this your first official app assignment you've taken?

TR: Actually this is not my first iPhone app. Ray and I collaborated on a digital comic book that was a prequel to his movie "Super Capers." Funny, that was full of my caricatures of the actors from the film yet was approved and is in the App Store right now.

MC: Did you at all anticipate it might be rejected?

TR: I never dreamed it would be rejected. Never mind that the caricaturing of politicians has been an American institution since before Thomas Nast, but my caricatures are flattering by most standards. To say they "ridicule public persons" is a stretch.

MC: So what's the next step -- will you resubmit the work with alterations? And have you had contact with Apple since the app was rejected?

TR: I'm not sure what we'll do. I'm certainly not going to redo the art. ... It's about as nonthreatening as caricatures go and still look like the subjects. Ray and his team are weighing their options. I am sure other platforms like Android, Palm etc would welcome the app. There has been communication from Apple, but nothing new yet.

Such area political lights as Warner, Webb and Holmes Norton are caricatured by MAD magazine artist Tom Richmond. (Courtesy of Tom Richmond )

MC: As long as we're on topic: Who's the most fun to caricature in Congress, and why?

TR: Most all were enjoyable to draw, but the single face that sticks out in my mind as the most fun was California representative Henry Waxman. Not that many members of Congress [are] elected for their good looks, but Rep. Waxman has features we in the caricature business have a term for. ... It's called a "field day". I also enjoyed drawing the senators and reps from my home state of Minnesota.

[But for this app], I did straight caricatures with no editorial commentary at all, just worked with features and expression. Obviously, [some folks] had things I could have played with, but I consciously stayed away from that.

So what do you think, 'Riffs readers? Would you want this "Bobblehead" app for your cellphone?