Judge, 1923-05-12 · page 9 of 36
Judge — May 12, 1923 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This Judge magazine page (circa 1924) contains several satirical pieces mocking American culture and institutions: **"Broadway's Boob-bumping Bunglars"** (top left): A theater critic ridicules the Shubert brothers' production of a play. The satire attacks both pretentious theater-going (the narrator dresses in a tuxedo to appear cultured) and poor Broadway productions—featuring aging actress Elsie Doggit playing ingénues and hammy actor Gus Pfeiffer. The joke: despite anticipating "real American Drama," the show delivers nothing but mediocrity. **"Jackie"** (center): Satirizes wealth obsession during the Jazz Age. An eight-year-old's conversation with his father revolves entirely around dollar amounts ($1,000,000, $200,000,000), reducing all experience—zoo animals, meals—to monetary value. The humor mocks both nouveau riche excess and children corrupted by materialism. **Other brief pieces** mock professorial pretension, motorists using traveler's checks, and golf etiquette—typical middle-class foibles. The cartoons use exaggerated illustrations to emphasize absurdity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Broadway's Boob-bumping Bunglars (George Jean Nathan 11) by Howard Aronson, U. of Texas HEN the Messrs Shubert proclaimed that they would produce Max Katzen- “Gefillte und Verplatzed” and dis- ed me a box seat with their uniformed amoor, I thought that at last we were real exhibit of American Drama. i “Old Heidelberg” as I ar- my tuxedo, I hummed a strains from ch di ber seus tine,” prepared a_ small Roger, 1908, took it down, hailed me a taxi for I was decided to appear at such an offering in the proper state—presented my ticket, was escorted through the aisles of the recently re-decorated theater to a box! Ah, at last the millennium! The orchestra tuned up, the lights were lowered, the cur- tain was elevated. And what did I see? Nothing, gentlemen, nothing. There was Elsie Doggit trying to play an ingenue role, and everyone knows she is past fifty. And that fine disciple of Garrick, known to the mob as Gus Pfeiffer was up to all of his old posturings, stridings, stampings. And the music! Visions of glamorous ener Madl” shattered by some loco in the chorus “Just before the Bottle, Mother.” The end of the first act found me in the foyer on the way to read Winslow on “The Growth of Teeth Among the Fowl of the Malay Archipelago My ag reports that the rest of the show was just as bad. Drawn by J. Frost, Carnexie Tech. Hunch by James K. Mattes, Carnegie Tech. ‘24, Shaking the African bones. Motorist (in transaction with a mer ) Jackie I haven't that much with me in cash, but . . * I can give you a Travelers’ check for the by H. Wilson Lloyd, Rutgers °24 amount. el : saioli Farmer—Well seein’ ez I don't travel NEWS item tells us that ight-voa “old none I don’t think I could use it. ‘ , We ana W. Heiskell, Washington and Lee imagine Jackie's home life” “— Salata Papa,” Jackie, “I wanna see the We believe wild animals. Take me to the $Z00,000,000.” that Diogenes “Ah, n0,000,000,” says papa would have “Ah, yes, papa,” says Jackie. “I haven't blown out his been there in $0,000,000 long!” lamp could he So they go to the have met the “00,000,000!” says Jackie. “Look at the man who, on_ big ‘baboo,000, oon! Isn't he fero0,000,000- the eve of the house party, s, Jackie,” says papa. returned the “ ? But we must go home quart of gin $00,000,00n.” that he had And after feeding some green borrows $100 bills to the elephant, Jackie A.C. Carr, 3 apa go home by the light Jr.,Cornell’ ,000,00N. : ro In another few years he will Law Prof probably be known as “Jackie The best pub- €00,000,00gan,” with the accent lic speakers on the “Jackie. ‘ bar re F é MOST testy disposition, Guess: you're Has Professor Howard Jones, right. I'know He prates of symbolism, an attorney _..And he speaks in acid tones. that got into His remarks are quite vitrolic, the ‘supreme Though he has a caustic “hem Drawn by Luoyp HARTLEY, court by con. You really mustn’t blame him, Psi Alpha Lambda. seentlin using For he's just a prof in Chem! “Oh, dear! Those men this zpacch: S. R. Ward, L of California. are looking right at me, “Ten Days.” _ 7 i i : Sidney K. Mrs. Golfe and this horrible wind poitiood Car. What do is mussing my hair.” jegie Tech.’23. that stick you use Satara when you are try- Hari—There’s a handsome Frenchman, jing to get out of m’ boy? rough spots and Kari—Yea b That guy would be good- hollo looking in any language. Mr. Golfer — Chas. J. Lewis, U. of Wisconsin. Nothing that the Rees editors of this “Still going around with that bootlegger’s magazine would daughter F nouent a had! given'her up: care te rine. Drawn by D. Beck, Northwestern z W. G. Smith, Amherst ’23 burgh, Colgate’25. “The Saturday Evening Post.” comicbooks.com