Life, 1920-09-02 · page 16 of 52
Life — September 2, 1920 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes **Prohibition**—the ban on alcohol sales (1920-1933). The caption reads: "You're a different man, Robert, since Prohibition" / "Is that so? I notice you're lookin' just about the same." The joke mocks the claim that Prohibition would transform society for the better. One man (likely named Robert) supposedly became "different" after the alcohol ban, but his friend observes he looks identical—suggesting Prohibition failed to deliver promised moral improvements. The scruffy appearance and setting indicate these are working-class men, hence "the Poor Man's Amendment." The cartoon expresses skepticism about whether Prohibition actually changed behavior or just created hypocrisy among ordinary people.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
396 Humor in Screen Life ROM a frequent attendance at the modern motion-picture comedies one gains a very exact idea of what is humor- ous. Wouldn't it be possible to use these ideas, which are so amusing on the screen, in livening up home life? From the comedies we learn that to throw a liquid or pasty substance at a person is a most humorous thing. Since this is true, the father of a family, on arriving home from the office, can at once create an atmosphere of jolly mirth by hurling a lemon pie at his wife or daugh- ter. Or, if the evening is particularly dull, let him seize a bucket of soapy water and pour it over his guest’s head, main- taining at the same time a serious ex- pression, This will cause an unbridled outburst of laughter from every member -LIFE.- of the family, and especially from the guest. An unusual source of entertainment can be found in spreading a coat of thick paint on the floor just before one of the family enters the room in a hurry. If for some reason he fails to lose his balance, he may be tripped, so that the force of the joke is not lost. Destruction of property never fails to amuse on the screen. Why should it not be equally ‘successful in the home? The tired business man may be aroused from his abstraction and worry by seeing his son smash a chair into the floor lamp, or, if there is no floor lamp or chair, let him grab hold of the chandelier and swing back and forth, kicking any person who comes within range of his feet. Instead of entertaining guests with the usual cards, dancing and home-brew, let THE POOR MAN'S AMEND}: the family use the more modern m which are so unquestionably suc the movies. A whole eve: loyed delight can be provid plates around the house or by shoving out a wall. In apartment houses this latter method is distractingly funny, since it pro- vides amusement for two families instead of one. If the guests are no satisfied with these diversions, ing the house and letting each person float around the room on a piece of furniture, using a broom for a paddle. IRST NEIGHBOR: I'm getting tired of Newcomer cutting his lawn at five in the morning, Seconn Netcnpor: What are you kicking about? He wakes me up at four- thirty to borrow my lawn mower “YOU'RE A DIFFERENT MAN, ROBERT, SINCE PROMIBITION.” “Is THAT so? I NOTICE YOU'RE LOOKIN’ J T ADOUT THE SAME.” comicbooks.comndy