Life — February 16, 1922 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Deathless Three" This page discusses three historical figures—Saint Peter, Solomon, and George Washington—whose associated jokes have endured for centuries. The text argues these men became cultural fixtures partly through apocryphal humor rather than historical accuracy. The cartoon illustrates a "Solomon joke"—a domestic scene where one man tells another he attended a party at "the Smithsons'" where the second man was "cold sober," prompting the reply "Damn it all—that's a dirty slander." The joke's structure relies on Solomon's legendary thousand wives; the implication is that the man gossips so persistently that even being sober—the opposite of the usual excuse for indiscretion—becomes scandalous. It's observational humor about social reputation and marital discord, demonstrating how these traditional jokes persist through relatable domestic situations.