Judge, 1928-06-23 · page 35 of 36
Judge — June 23, 1928 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **subscription advertisement** for Judge magazine, using humor to pitch the publication as a solution to a social problem. **The Setup:** The cartoon depicts a lazy weekend houseguest who refuses to participate in athletic activities (golf, diving) and instead sprawls indolently, seeking entertainment. The only reading materials available are outdated (an 1897 *Harper's*) and demanding (*Paradise Lost*). **The Satire:** The ad jokes that such sedentary guests are a "home safety" hazard—implying they represent a social nuisance. By subscribing to Judge, homeowners would have engaging magazines to occupy these reluctant athletes, making visits bearable. **Historical Context:** This reflects early 20th-century anxiety about leisure culture and gender roles. Visiting expectations included sports participation; guests who preferred reading were viewed as odd or burdensome. Judge positions itself as the solution—modern, amusing content for the uncomfortable introvert. The postscript ("You might as well make it a year") uses self-deprecating humor to encourage longer subscriptions through comedic assumption that readers will enjoy the magazine so much they'll upgrade anyway.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The sad case of the weck- end guest who did not want to be athletic and who, finding nothing to read in the house but a bound vol- ume of Harpers, 1897, and a copy of Paradise Lost, decided to “make himself feel perfectly comfort- able.” Is your home guarded have you anything with which to soothe your sed- entary visitors who prefer hammocks and magazines to niblicks and diving boards? Let JUDGE help you make your home safe for week-enders. For your con- venience we present a spe- cial Vacation Offer: four months for two dollars. JUDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 627 West Forty-third Street, New York City. Here are two dollars. Send me Jupce for four months to Name Address... P. S.—You might as well make it a year. Enclosed find five dollars.