John Matta is a veteran TV writer perhaps best known for his work on The Martin Short Show, Steve Harvey’s Big Time, Kid President: Declaration of Awesome and many others. For over 5 years he has posted a one-panel cartoon to his website (mattanapkin.com). What makes them unique is the fact that each surreal creation is a hand-drawn on a paper napkin. Matta Napkin has taken the internet by storm. Add the occasional celebrity guest napkin artists like My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s Nia Vardalos, Fast & Furious 8’s Kurt Russell, Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet it’s a delicious recipe for minimalistic humor at it’s most sublime. The compilation Matta Napkin book is currently available for sale on Amazon.
When asked by Martin Short, “Why?” John said, “My wife Rose Abdoo (famed actress from Parenthood, Gilmore Girls, and That’s So Raven) was going through cancer treatment and it was a way to make her laugh every day. The napkins both delighted and exhausted her. Finally, Rose told me to please show them to other people. So I created the Matta Napkin site.”
Amanda Greer, at trendhunter.com noted, “These comical and quirky approaches to pop culture and everyday life prove that art can have a humorous side. Hopefully, John Matta will continue to create his napkin cartoons, tackling everyone from literary figures to fictional serial killers.”