Life, 1923-12-06 · page 24 of 84
Life — December 6, 1923 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes both cheap musical comedy writing and the "dumb blonde" character type popular in early 20th-century entertainment. The main text presents a deliberately stupid comic dialogue between a doctor and "Dora," a stock "Dumb Dora" character (a common vaudeville archetype). The humor relies on Dora's inability to understand context—she keeps confusing who kicked her (a mule) with her father, and misunderstanding simple questions. The author, K.S. Crichton, presents this as an example of lazy, formulaic comedy writing that requires no skill or originality, just stringing together obvious misunderstandings until audiences laugh. The accompanying cartoon (bottom) shows animals at a holiday gathering, with the elephant and monkey discussing an ostrich under mistletoe—another simplistic gag based on animal behavior stereotypes. The piece mocks both the lowbrow entertainment industry and audiences who find such predictable material hilarious.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
* BRPE * Sure Fire HEN I see reports of musical comedies in Doctor: Were you ever badly injured? which the “scintillating humor kept the house Dora: Yes, sir. When I was a little girl I was kicked in a gale of laughter,” I yawn and turn to by a mule. Jack Dempsey’s financial page or the stock- Doctor (again at fluttering half-whisper) : And—ah- market sporting section. Frankly, it bores me. where were you kicked? = Any one up to and including a moron can write the book Dora: In Passaic. of a musical comedy. I can, and I never had a lesson in (The doctor sinks back disgusted and becomes a bit tart.) my life. I can take any subject—a doctor's office, for Doctor: Was the mule a member of your family? instance. The doctor’s office occurs to me, because I have Dora: Yes, sir. Father brought the vicious animal home just come from one. one night in a disgraceful condition. The doctor is behind his desk filling a chart. Before him Doctor: Who—your father? sits a Dumb Dora (nationality optional) who has come for Dora: No, the mule. treatment. We begin: Doctor: How long had he been that way? Doctor: Now—ah—where were you born? Dora: Who? My father? Dora: In Passaic. Doctor: And when did you leave there? Dora: As soon as I found out. (At this a man from Bayonne in the second gallery stumbles out with a handkerchief over his mouth.) Doctor: Were you ever vaccinated ? Doctor: No, the mule. (Dora is now confused and silent.) Doctor (still tart): Was your father always that way? Dora: No, sir, only since he got the mule. Doctor: What mule? Dora: Nes Dora: The mule that kicked me. Doctor (leaning ingratiatingly over the desk and speak- (Doctor falls violently over backwards in his chair.) ing in a half-whisper) : Ah—where? On the arm? This scene can continue as long as there are aisles to hold Dora: No, sir. In Passaic. the falling, shrieking patrons. You can see for yourself (The tiny risqué stuff. Very effective.) how simple it is. K. S. Crichton. Mr. Monkey: EXCITEMENT? WHY, THER THAT BEAUTIFUL MISS OSTRICH ST. NG DIRECTLY UNDER THE MISTLETOE, AND KY TIME ANY ONE TRIES TO KISS HER SHE BURIES HER HEAD IN THE SAND. comicbooks.com