I have a hunch, or "Sanctuary!"

 

I didn't realize that when I asked ChatGPT to use my image to recreate Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, it would have to do very little touch up. This is how I look on an average morning when I roll out of bed. It did a pretty good job of giving the hint of a hunchback in a very politically correct fashion because Victor Hugo described Quasimodo as having:

• A massive hump on his back

• Facial asymmetry

• A twisted posture

• Deafness

• Limb irregularities

The deafness was probably due to his job as bell ringer at Notre Dame. But the distinctive hump was something he was born with. And ChatGPT suggested that if Quasimode walked into an emergency room today his chart would probably read "Severe congenital kyphoscoliosis with secondary craniofacial and auditory deformities. But Victor Hugo's novel wouldn't have been very marketable if the title was The Man with Severe Congental Kyhoscoliosis of Notre Dame. 

ChatGPT does go on to say that Quasimodo wasn't a monster but  was physically different in a world that confused difference with evil. There is an irony in that considering what is going on in America today.  Trump and his goons are trying to round up anyone who is different from them. It's to the point that those of us on the liberal side should be scurrying in churches and crying out, "Sanctuary!"

But I suppose that doesn't mean anything to most of you. You would have to be familiar with Victor Hugo's book or one of the early movies done with either Lon Chaney Sr. or Charles Laughton (okay and the Disney cartoon version).  

And this isn't the first time I've played around with the concept of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I created this version a couple of years ago for a t-shirt but it was pulled down from Teepublic because the University of Notre Dame claimed an Intellectual Property violation. 

And since I have never liked censorship, I created another version that didn't violate their Intellectual Property rights (like Notre Dame is know for intellect and academics and not just football anyway). 

No one complained about this version.  But Teepublic of course cancelled my account soon after anyway and I haven't tried selling this one in my Printify store because there isn't a big market for Hunchback puns. Not that there is apparently a big market for any of my designs but I keep them punning. 

Maybe someday, one of these will ring a bell for someone.