1961 - Born in Wollongong, NSW, Australia, 50 miles or so, south of Sydney
1970 - Decided at the age of 9 to be a cartoonist. Practiced on his teachers, sitting at the
back of the classroom throughout his school years, handing out unflaterring cartoons to classmates.
Disruption to classes led to him getting busted a lot. Cartoons were confiscated and
Zanetti was made to stand outside in the corridor.
1976 - September. On his 15th birthday, he met his 'hero', Larry Pickering at Pickering's office at 'The Australian'
newspaper, Holt Street, Surry Hills. A few short years later Zanetti would have his own office at Holt Street. The following year he met with a young Alan Moir at 'The Bulletin' offices in Park Street.
1977 - At 15, while still at school, he became Australia's youngest paid cartoonist on a major
city metropolitan newspaper, contributing to the Sydney afternoon daily 'Sun' newspaper.
Editor, Ron Ford, offered 15 year-old Zanetti a full-time editorial cartoonist position provided Zanetti
completed his Higer School Certificate. Ford asked Zanetti to send regular editorial
cartoons to him over the next two years for publication. For the next two years he studied and drew cartoons.
1978 - He was asked to edit the school magazine, SPECTRA in hope that his mind would be distracted from
unflattering portraits of teachers at the back of the classroom. He filled 'Spectra' with unflattering cartoons of
teachers for wider circulation. Was not asked to edit SPECTRA again.
1979 - On the last day of school, the teachers asked Zanetti to sign the same 'compromising cartoons',
which they had confiscated over the years - in case they 'might be worth something
one day'. Zanetti had an early taste of authority and hypocracy combined
with greed, which was to later become a regular theme of his cartoons.
1980 - Left school and moved to Sydney to work in the Fairfax offices (publishers of 'The Sun').
After a few months at Fairfax, at 18, he was offered the full time position of cartoonist with The Daily Telegraph,
Sydney's largest circulating daily newspaper, and its sister paper, The Sunday Telegraph -
Australia's largest selling newspaper. Cartoonist Larry Pickering left The Australian to retire,
grow tomatoes and race horces. The Daily Telegraph cartoonist, Bill Mitchell, moved from The Tele
to The Australian. Paul met with Larry Pickering, then-News Ltd Chief Executive, Ken Cowley
and then 'Daily Telegraph' editor, Ken Begg to nut out a deal, making Paul at 18, the youngest regular
full-time cartoonist on a major metropolitan newspaper.
Started to get serious about being funny!
1982 - First book of cartoons were published, launched by then regular cartoon subject,
Neville Wran, Premier of NSW.
1983 - Second book of compiled cartoons launched by Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.
1984 - Third book of cartoons launched by 'Minister For Paddington Bears', Mick Young.
1984 - At 23, Zanetti became the youngest cartoonist awarded a 'Walkley Award'
(Newspaper industry recognition) for Best Editorial Cartoon.
The 'Walkley' statue was presented by regular cartoon target, Prime Minister,
Bob Hawke, who was actually portrayed as 'God' in the Walkley cartoon. Upon receipt of
the statue from Hawke, Paul instinctively
knelt in front of the PM, who proceeded to 'bless' him. However, Zanetti later returned the award in protest
against the closed-shop union criteria, as condition of entry, making other cartoonists and many other
journalists ineligible to enter. Since the 'Walkley', Zanetti has lost confidence in any integrity that awards may once have had.
He is not a believer in awards in general, and does not actively practice pursuing them.
So-called 'awards' are seldom transparent or truly independent, often used to peddle agendas,
not open to all (mostly to paid members of a sponsor organisation making them limited in
representatiion), used as barrows to push 'politically correct' ideals, and / or promote and
market the sometimes-dubious products of corporate sponsors
(eg. cigarette companies). And often, 'awards' are used as 'rewards' to club or
association administrators.
1984 - Zanetti was asked to become regular guest cartoonist on the national TV program,
The Mike Walsh Show, precurser to the Midday Show, where he continued on with appearances
with Ray Martin, Derryn Hinch and Kerri-Anne Kennerly.
1986 - Fourth book of cartoons launched by then-opposition leader, and current Prime Minister, John Howard.
1987 - Zanetti's cartoons picked up for world syndication through the New York Times
'Cartoonists & Writers' Syndicate'.
1992 - Moved to the United States to study Syndication. While in the US for 6 months,
Zanetti was offered a position as editorial cartoonist with two major-city newspapers,
Without his cast of favourite characters, and the nature of politics in the US,
Zanetti felt that he had been spoiled in Australia by the cast of characters he had to work with,
and chose to return to Sydney, to syndicate his cartoons
throughout Australia.
1992 - October. Married Michelle embarking on the 'best years of his life'.
1993 - Zanetti pioneered syndication of editorial cartoons in Australia, making him Australia's most widely
syndicated editorial cartoonist.
1994 - Established AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER FEATURES (ANF Pty Ltd),
syndicating columns throughout Australia by Ray Martin ('What Does Ray Say'),
John Laws ('Lawsy'), Rene Rivkin ('Taking Stock' - later to become the popular
'RIVKIN REPORT'), Paul 'Fatty' Vautin ('Life With Fatty'), Angry Anderson
('Getting Angry') and John-Michael Howson ('Hollywood Hotline')
1995 - With wife Michelle, founded Wild Weddings, as means of utilising his growing collection of
genuine classic Cadillacs, for weddings and special occasions.
1995 - Michelle and Paul formed a new company called
Australian Dream Weddings (click), in Sydney, the Gold Coast, Cairns, Port Douglas and Perth,
arranging weddings for couples from all over the world wishing to marry in Australia. Australian Dream Weddings,
has agents throughout the USA, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan.
2000 - September. Paul and Michelle sold Wild Weddings to another hire-car operator,
reducing the number of Cadillacs down to Paul's favourite few.
2000 - November. Daughter Cristina comes into the world. Nothing like a first-born to re-evaluate your life.
Time to think about kids and a sea-change.
2001 - Paul and Michelle bought 10 acres on the Gold Coast hinterland and set about designing their
'mid-20th Century' style Frank Lloyd Wright / Richard Neutra inspired home; a lengthy project to
accommodate their restored cars and 20-year collection of restored classic period furniture of the 1950s and '60s.
2002 - November. A son, Dylan, joined the circus.
2004 - January. Moved from Sydney to the Queensland Gold Coast. Paul signed a contract with locally-based
Australian Provincial Newspapers (APN), to supply to papers through northern NSW, and throughout
Queensland, the fastest growing region in Australia, with some of the fastest growing circulation newspapers, run by
visionary editors and managers.
Email Paul :
paul@zanetti.net.au
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