Judge, 1922-02-25 · page 23 of 36
Judge — February 25, 1922 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page promotes Ed Wynn's theatrical production *The Perfect Fool*, featuring Wynn (the famous vaudeville comedian, identifiable by his distinctive glasses and hat in the illustration) entertaining Arthur Little, who appears to be a character or collaborator. The content showcases Wynn's comedy style through a series of rapid-fire joke exchanges with a "side kick" character (True Rice). These are classic vaudeville humor: pun-heavy one-liners and absurdist non-sequiturs about being a hack-driver, funerals, lawn-mowers, barber mishaps, stage jobs, and hair loss. The satire lies in the *concept* of "the perfect fool"—Wynn plays a character who delivers jokes that rely on childish logic and willful misunderstandings, turning mundane complaints into ridiculous punchlines. This mocking of earnest requests through absurdist responses was Wynn's trademark comedic approach. The illustration emphasizes his theatrical costume and animated gestures, advertising his vaudeville performance style to Judge's readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ENTERTAINS ARTHUR LITLE AND HIS PENCIL THE PERFECT FOOL (6 HERE are you going. you funny little hack- driver?” asked Ed. Wynn of his side kick in “The Per- fect Fool.” “I’m no_hack-driver,” ex- claimed True Rice. “I've been to a funeral.” “A funeral? Then some- body died,” says Wynn. “Well, if he didn't,” says Rice, “we played a dirty rotten trick on him.” “Who ran the lawn-mower over your face?” “It wasn't a lawn-mower. Wy barber is a mason, and he shaves me by degrees.” “That's «nough out of you. You had better run along home. fe NEWron “I haven't got a home.” “Well, then, I'll dig you one.” “Won't you give me a job on the stage, Mr. Wynn?” “What can you do?” says Wynn “Oh, I can dance, just like this.” “Well, you haven't done anything so far a man couldn't do if he slipped on a banana peel.” “Oh! That makes every bone in my body ache.” “Well, you should be glad you are not a her- ring.” “Can you tell me, Mr. Wynn, how I can avoid falling hair; it has been causing me a great deal of inconvenience lately.’ “Sure I can,” says Wynn. “Why don’t you step nimbly to one side.”