Judge, 1927-05-14 · page 35 of 36
Judge — May 14, 1927 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous advertisement satirizing a contemporary social nuisance: people who ask endless trivia questions and riddles at social gatherings. The "pest" is an annoying guest who arrives with a book of questions, asking queries like "Who shot the last Dodo bird?" and refusing to stop, potentially "poisoning" the household with tedium. The joke mocks this behavior as an epidemic ("spreading! Thousands dying in China!") and proposes a tongue-in-cheek "cure": subscribing to *Judge* magazine itself. The remedy works by handing the question-asker the magazine—they become so absorbed reading that you can remove their question book without resistance. The cartoon depicts a formal family scene disrupted by the guest's interrogation. The satire targets early 20th-century parlor games and the social awkwardness of obsessive trivia enthusiasts, while using mock-serious language ("fatally poisoned," "court-room") to exaggerate the annoyance factor. It's essentially advertising *Judge* as relief from tedious social pests.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
’ HIS insidious evil may invade your little love nest. Even your wife or your best friend may get it. Don’t be a hammer mur- derer. Use our method and see how you like it. If it doesn’t bring re- sults we'll send you a hammer—we absolutely guarantee the hammer. The new pest usually appears with a wild gleam in his eye and a book in his hand, reading from left to right. “Who shot the last Dodo bird -—— “What unknown President of which country never ate rhubarb | pie for breakfe walk it, to the nearest reading light. Then quietly hand the afflicted one the latest copy of JUDGE—in a few “Now answer me this one’’— minutes you will be able to remove the book of questions from the sub- ject without a struggle. | And before you can slip out the side door or ring for the police your | loved ones may be fatally poisoned by one of these insidious amateur district attorneys. And, because we have received such a demand for this pest-destroy- ing antidote we are able to give it to | The disease is spreading! Thou- you at a ridiculously low price. It | sands are dying in China! ' may seem impossible, but you can Any night you may find your home now guarantee yourself peace and turned into a court-room! quiet for the price of a single cover | charge. Just hurl this coupon into | aT 4 P 5 . WHAT TO DO? the mail with any change you may Here is the remedy: As soon as have with you and insure your home the pest enters the room run, do not against the questionnaire menace. JUDGE 627 West 43d St., New York JUDGE: I am enclosing money for your remedy. I refuse to answer any questions. ! year, 5 21 weeks. . oe 2 10. weeks: ccsjrsewis 1 Relief fund for MOT SS slots: cierciaierarssersrecdia easter aie anesraree Sith ~seriaciswiariaiesieeaices secon meats comicbooks.com