Life, 1924-02-07 · page 9 of 40
Life — February 7, 1924 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous domestic sketch by Beatrice Herford about a family preparing Sunday dinner during a radio broadcast of a church service. The joke centers on the distraction and irreverence of modern technology interrupting traditional religious observance. The scene depicts family members (Ma, Pa, Abbey, Si, and Si Ja) attempting to listen to a radio sermon while cooking a pudding. The humor lies in their divided attention—they're more focused on the food and making wisecracks about the broadcast than genuinely worshiping. The angel illustration labeled "All dressed up and no place to go" reinforces the satire: religious piety is being displaced by secular domestic concerns and the novelty of radio entertainment. This reflects 1920s anxiety about how new media technology was eroding traditional family and religious practices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Radio Pudding By Beatrice Herford M2: Tune in. Sijunior. It's most time for the servie Bring up a chair, Si, and set close, the rest of us can hear anywheres. Ain't you most through, Abby? Assy: Yes, Ma, I'm a-comin’ just as soon as I git my puddin’ in the ov Ma: Well, hurry up, it's begun already, they're singin rr favorite hymn, don't forget to shet the ¢ sounds so beautiful Anny: There, I'm all through now. I guess that it's real plain, I love that hymn, last will be ge didn’t have no vanilla in it an’ it wa'n't no good a’ St: Wished you'n’ Abby'd keep quiet, I can't hear r broadcast their St: I hate like thunder to miss any of it—There seems » be kind of a pause now St, Je: mind missin’ t ybe they're passin’ the plate, I guess you dor at Anny: I guess that’s the soprano that sung last Sabbath St: What's she Ma: I you goin’ a’? inno. It's beginnin’ to smell real good, how long give. it, Abby Auny: Oh, I think likely I'll take it out jist before the sermon. Si, Jk: Wouldn't mind bein’ took out then myseli Fr Sorraxo: “O source of all our joys.” Assy: Do you want hard or soft on the puddin’, Ma? Ma: Oh, I ain't partic'ler, I'd like les Jo you like this choir? of the organ in it it keeps drownin’ the voices out Anay: I thought some of tryin’ a new kind Ma: That tenor’s ve Apry: It's someth foamy, with © is real sweet between a hard ai soit, kind of ‘own crusty top. The Modernist: om, Wor 1s ME! I'M A MISERABLE FAILURE! I SHOWED MY LATEST CANVAS, “THE LOVE-LIFE OF THE EGC PLANT,” TO CARTER THE CRITIC, AND HE kne hat it was! ART 1S NAUGHT To ME Now LIFE St, Jr: Well ’ Ma beat choir'd have laug! f they cou them up with the puddin Ma: Now keep still, Siju Auny (tehispering) : 1 thir kitchen, Ma, durin’ the it of it St, Je: Can I you, Sis Ma: Sijunior, you er 1 off that ake it chewin' I a great hat more ¢ th ung it's real insp Ma: I'm all right here, I St, Je Ma listen te Any now be St, Jk 1 Well ss they eat up to her i the b bought I'd see » this sermon. it'll go on forever. I hate nobody Si: V smell s« Ma Anny b Vhat ometh Yes. ves in that t rk or if an’ it won't hurt comicbooks.com