Judge, 1927-08-27 · page 31 of 36
Judge — August 27, 1927 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This piece satirizes the pretensions and contradictions of amateur female athletes, specifically targeting Helen Wills (the famous tennis champion, though not named). The narrator—a society cartoonist—observes that Wills maintains "amateur" status despite the wealth and lifestyle (furs, limousines, world travel) typically associated with professionals. The satire highlights the hypocrisy: she claims amateurism while living luxuriously, yet refuses lucrative professional opportunities. The piece mocks her vanity—obsessing over appearance in mirrors despite her "poker face" persona—and her use of perfume, undermining the serious athlete image. The cartoonist's struggle to "flatter" her while maintaining artistic integrity satirizes women's demand for flattery disguised as professional portraiture. The accompanying jokes about "embarrassing moments" (bank overdrafts, marital discord) reinforce the period's dismissive view of women's concerns as trivial and vain.
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Netting a Champion (Continued from page 14) Her eyes are keen, watchful. The face is firm, a sphinx. It’s as stoic as I am curious about all those loves that Helen has denied she has had. I wonder why she is an amateur instead of a professional. I feel a keen sympathy for self- sacrificir amateurs. They man- pe together only enough around the world. Anc that merely in first-class sty ge to se to travel sporting trifling costly furs and limousines. Amateuring is cer- | | tainly an unprofitable profession. | Too bad one can’t be an amateur caricaturist—and live. * * * Miss ‘I N but your drawing | It is time for the sitting. | Wills said over the phone, be glad to pose must flatter me “L' do my best,” I answer meekly. Here's a tough order. It's a predicament, in fact. I must hold my job and yet be chivalrous to milady. “Now remember, I want you to | flatter me,” she says again as she | poses. | They call her “poker face,” but she smiles. This sleuth discovers expression number one. She sees my drawing. Her eyes open in surprise—expression number two. She laughs at it—expression num- ber three! to the Forest Hills Tennis Club | An autograph. I am to walk with her. “Just a moment,” she “Let me sce how my skirt hangs in the back.” Oh! She steps in front of a full-length mirror... adjusts her hair . checks her looks... all frailties of a frail! says. over Together we walk slowly in the ; summer breeze... . But wait— what! Sniff! Sniff!! I smell seductive perfume. I don't use it. Then she uses it. Hooray! Bravo!! Perfume!! most traditional ment! and allure- Superlative female She’s a woman after all. Tennis is merely her “racket”! EMBARRASSING have overdrawn your ch be nonchalant .. . light « © 1927, P. Lorillard Co., Eat. 1760 Du MOMENTS When the banker informs ye MURAD CIGARETTE MURAD For those who feel entitled to life’s better things a that you account... “D'you know violet rays?” anything about vo, tell me — what's she done?” re Brrs One man’s meat is another man’s poison, and your telephone is anothe man’s wrong number, —Everypopy’s Week.y A Fashionable Complaint Bertie! I'm from matri- Gertie — Poor afraid he monial dyspepsia. -Whatever’s that? suffers Gertie — Oh, you know—his wife doesn’t agree with him. —Sypney Butietin GROCER PARK AVE. NYC comicbooks.com