A recent episode of This American Life really struck a chord with me. I’ll just copy the relevant bit:

A couple of years ago some friends were travelling through Europe, walking through these old buildings. And these people do not know anything special about architecture, but, you know how it is when you’re a tourist. So they’re walking through these buildings and they’re looking at these doorways and pillars and they decide that this one building has a very Moorish influence. They’re pointing out details, saying ‘the Moors this’ and ‘the Moors that’. And finally one of them turns to the other and says, “You know, we sound like we’re in a magazine. A magazine called ‘Modern Jackass‘.”

The person who originated the concept, Nancy Updike, disarmingly compares it to Post-It Notes – we didn’t know we needed them, but once they were introduced we used them all the time. Modern Jackass is exactly the same. I am a contributing editor to Modern Jackass, as are many of my peers; I blame it mainly on the Sunday papers, from which we half-digest bite-sized nuggets of unreliable information. I love the concept so much that last night I designed a cover for a mock edition. Maybe someday we’ll see Modern Jackass on our newsagent shelves? Until that happy day arrives, we’ll just have to make do with all the other ‘by jackasses, for jackasses’ magazines out there.

There are many other Modern Jackasses across the web, who have shared their thoughts on and moments of Modern Jackassery in these blogs:

• The Anchored Nomad
• Murfins & Burglars
• Wandermama
• f-words
• Nick Hornby

You can get a printable PDF of the cover if you click the image above. And if anyone has any suggestions for cover stories for Issue 2, please send them to me at Modern Jackass Towers (hello {at} jeanobrien.com).

Date created: April 2007

Web Address: www.oxfamireland.org/clearurmusic

About the Project: Here’s our ClearURMusic Month poster – big thanks to Sleeveface.com for their help with this project. I’m currently very keen on posters that feature a big striking photo and just a simple black footer, there’ll probably be a few more produced in this style.

Date created: March 2008

Web Address: www.oxfamireland.org/sleeveface

About the Project: For a brief few shining weeks in March, I was the official Sleeveface™ photographer of Oxfam Ireland, and yea verily, I was quite good at it. Some of these pictures are photos that I took to illustrate the concept of Sleeveface™ for our ClearURMusic Month competition, and some are photos that I took at a booth we set up at a DJ Shadow gig in the Amabassador. All the records pictured are from Oxfam shops, which are the best ever source of eclectic vinyl, believe me. Big thanks to Sleeveface.com for their help with the project.

These images are used in a not-for-profit capacity, but if any copyright holders are unhappy with them appearing here, please email me and I’ll remove them immediately: hello [at] jeanobrien.com.

Date created: November 2005

About the Project: A dress-up game featuring the great J Headen Esq; Boss Of You. Click the image to launch and play the game.

Date created: March 2007

About the Project: Poster for Stevestock, the world’s premier Steve-themed Music Festival for Steve Fans and Aficionados of Steve.

Date created: March 2005

About the Project: An invite for me Julie’s 30th birthday. This was emailed around and printed out. It’s based on the original poster for ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’, a film that is very close to our hearts. I should add that Julie is absolutely my muse when it comes to creating frivolous and ridiculous artwork, and she has created many beauties for me over the years.