Life, 1925-01-22 · page 22 of 36
Life — January 22, 1925 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Life magazine contains satirical commentary on early 20th-century American society: **Brass Medal Award**: David Belasco, a famous theatrical producer recently honored by the French government, is mocked for staging two disreputable plays—satire on how official recognition doesn't guarantee artistic merit. **"How It Happened"**: A sharp contrast between two men with opposite life circumstances (Mr. Smith born poor, Mr. Johnson born rich) that paradoxically produces opposite character results—the struggling man becomes sympathetic while the privileged man becomes cynical. This inverts typical expectations and satirizes both class privilege and self-pity narratives. **"Those Inspirational Poets"**: A witty mockery of inspirational verse, particularly Jimmy Joy's uplifting poetry, which ironically makes the reader *more* depressed rather than cheerful—suggesting such inspirational literature is hollow and ineffective. **Other brief items** satirize human nature (the "Love's Geometry" piece), scientific observation, and Houdini's escape artistry, the latter referencing his famous feats while joking he can't escape the NYC subway system.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE - BRASS MEDAL THIS WEEK'S WINNER DAVID Citation: Mr. BELASCO Belasco, the French Government, has solemnized the event hy producing two of the most unsavory plays of the season. recently decorated by How It Happened R. SMITH was Born in poverty, Weak since childhood, Forced to help his parents, Denied all pleasures, Married to a scold, Harried by debt, Drafted, Crippled in action, Forced to change work, And defrauded of his sav- ings, so he became thetic and kind. sympa- Mr, Johnson was Born rich, Always strong and healthy, Aided by his parents, Allowed every pleasure, Married to an angel, Untroubled financially, Commissioned, Allowed to see Paris, Glad to change work, And was short-changed ten dollars, so he became a cynic Wayne G. Haisley. Those Inspirational Poets HENEVER I'm feeling badly and more than average blue, When business has come to a standstill and my pet big deal falls through, When the car won't go and the cook does, and existence becomes a smear, I pick up Jimmy Joy's Poems, and read from that tome of cheer: “Whenever you're feeling badly and more than average bluc, When business has come to a standstill and your pet big deal falls through, When the car won't go and the cook does, and existence seems not worth while, Just pick up your courage, brother, and smile, by jiminy! smile!” And when I have read that poem and a dozen similar more I'm feeling so much bluer and rottener than before That I reach for my right hip pocket and (glup! glup! glup! glup! glup!) In less than a minute Jim's poems have started to cheer me up! Baron Ireland. Love’s Geometry CIENTISTS say love is biologic; it isn't. It’s geo- metric. It makes the world go round, criminals go straight and sober, business men go off on a tangent; it makes maidens angle and arms describe an are (with a waist as the center of the radius), and gives us the three sides of the triangle. Research i. HAT a curious organism!” exclaimed the young student, gazing through a microscope at the amecba “What a very odd specimen!” exclaimed the inhabitant of Mars, gazing through a telescope at the young student. OUDINI has so far succeeded in getting safely out of everything except the New York subway. THE STOWAWAYS comicbooks.com