Judge, 1896-12-19 · page 10 of 46
Judge — December 19, 1896 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mockingly reviews 1896's popular comedy tropes. The poem catalogs what joke writers recycled that year: the bicycle craze (the "wheel" is everywhere), ethnic stereotypes (Black, Irish, and Jewish characters trotted out for easy laughs), mother-in-law jokes, and theatrical fashions. The references to McKinley, Bryan, and Li Hung Chang indicate the 1896 presidential election and contemporary international politics were also fodder for comedy. The closing couplet about "bank-notes" and "votes" appears to satirize how money influenced politics. The surrounding illustration depicts these recurring comedic tropes in a kaleidoscopic whirl—bicycles, performers, ethnic caricatures—suggesting how predictable and formulaic popular humor had become. The cartoon essentially mocks the humor industry's creative bankruptcy, hoping 1897 might bring something fresher.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Christmas Judge. THE JOKE-MAN’S KOMIKAL KALEIDOSCOPE. N looking back at ‘96, With Memory up to all its tricks, The scenes in Time's kaleidoscope Are almost like a dream of dope ! Wheels in our head, in everything — For everywhere the wheel is ki Our lady friend ; the summer girl, Upon her bike is in the whirl. Even the hot wave rides on one, And plays the scorcher just for fun. The negro, Irishman and Jew Are trotted out when gags are few ; And, “ Just tell them that me you saw,” Plaintively sings the mother-in-law. Crisp Autumn comes—the play's the rage, And “ Jupce’s Favorites” take the stage. McKinley, Bryan, Li Hung Chang, Allin the push roll by, stap-bang ! And at this time, somehow, bank-noter Appropriately rhyme with votes. Enough! Let's look ahead to Heaven, And turn our rays on ‘97. comicbooks.com