Listicles

20 Great Coutroom Sketches

As the world descends into greater poverty, companies go bankrupt, people scam billions under charitable pretenses and the art market freezes, we’ll be seeing much more of one kind of visual art: courtroom sketches.

Hence Comedy.com’s latest list: 20 Greatest Celebrity Courtroom Sketches. Say, even just last week we saw sketches of embattled Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich (at right), and they look pretty good. We’d buy one of those for the living room, so long as it’s reasonably priced of course.

If we had an unlimited art budget though, we’d go on a courtroom sketch spending spree and decorate the entire Listicles office (which, because of our limited rent budget, doesn’t exist). Window-shopping never hurt though (indeed, this year it’s the only kind of shopping we can afford), so here are Listicles’ ten favorites from Comedy.com’s collection:

Britney Spears and K-Fed

This elegant ink and watercolor sketch has some geat colors and lines, but don’t Britney Spears and her lawyer look more like Heather Graham and Paul McCartney? Also, that judge looks more judge-y than most cartoon judges.

John Gotti

Though he appeared in court unemrable times, this particular sketch inspired the entire art direction department on the Godfather movies. Notice the organization of glances, the classic Italian cut suits, the four wiseguys in the foreground, the fat brute next to him egging him on, and even the disgusted son behind him suddenly contemplating taking over the family mob empire.

R. Kelly

All three men, divided by the law but united in their manliness, look outside of the frame to the infamous video being played for the court.

Martha Stewart

Breaking the fourth wall of courtroom sketching, Stewart glances over her shoulder at the artist. Worried she’s losing control of her case and her life, she wants so badly to tell her audience about these lovely red leather upholstered arm chairs she found in an antique shop on the Cape.

Michael Jackson

Though Michael appears twice on Comedy.com’s listicle, this sketch commemorates (as far as we can tell) Michael’s brief career as a courtroom judge. Reclining comfortably behind his podium in traditional judge garb, Michael looks out confidently over the proceedings, listening intently while unconsciously tapping his toes to “Smooth Criminal.”

Naomi Campbell

Like a moment out of a time-travel movie, supermodel Naomi Campbell (dressed as a member of Prince’s band The Revolution) confronts a courtroom full of bewigged judges from the past.

O.J. Simpson

A beautiful sketch of frenzied lines and deep purples, Comedy.com’s Mike Bridenstine thinks O.J. is making a stabbing motion in this expressive sketch. Really though, given his blank, sarcastic stare and hand position, I’m pretty sure he’s looking at the judge, making a derogatory hand gesture and calling him a “something”-off.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston

Though this separation was expected to be a pitted (pun!) coutroom battle, when Brad went on a shaving strike Jen realized he had some serious problems and stopped showing up. Instead, Jen hired Sarah Jessica Parker, made her dye her hair and sit in on the proceedings for her.

Michael Vick

Did they decide neon orange would be too charitable and dip into the “Historical Prison Uniforms” display to get Vick some striped jammies?

Woody Allen and Mia Farrow

What kind of crazy courtroom did this divorce get processed in? Both lawyers are talking at the same time, and Woody and Mia were both absent and have been Photoshop-ed in subsequently using stills from their movies.

Strangely Absent: Paris Hilton

In this great sketch, Paris seems to have just escaped her oversized straight jacket by using her retractable claws (like X-Men’s Lady Deathstryke).

(via BuzzFeed)

Leave a Reply

You can use these XHTML tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <strong>