Judge — July 2, 1904 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "Nervous Nat Impersonates a Prince at the Fair" This comic strip satirizes a common early-20th-century entertainment: impersonation acts at world's fairs. "Nervous Nat" (the protagonist) disguises himself as Prince Pu Lun, heir to the Chinese throne, to experience imperial treatment at the fair. The satire targets two things: (1) the exotic appeal of Asian royalty to American audiences, and (2) the performative nature of fairs themselves, where identity could be fabricated for amusement. Nat's nervous behavior—attempting the deception while fearful of exposure—drives the humor. The strip mocks both gullible fair-goers willing to treat any costumed figure as royalty, and the era's fascination with "Oriental" spectacle as entertainment.