Life, 1926-07-29 · page 6 of 37
Life — July 29, 1926 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes Bernard Macfadden, a prominent 1920s physical culture promoter and magazine publisher. The title mockingly combines "Sesquicentennial Exposition" (Philadelphia's 1926 centennial celebration) with "sexposition"—suggesting Macfadden's exhibits exploited sexuality under the guise of health and fitness. The cartoon depicts various scantily-clad figures on a podium with absurd captions mocking different types of people (dumb women, etc.), likely criticizing Macfadden's tendency to display human "specimens" and promote controversial ideas about physical perfection and eugenics. The accompanying "History of Dumbness" timeline below appears to extend this satirical critique, using historical examples to mock public foolishness and gullibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ARAT JUMPED OUT OF MY STov! YESTERDAY HE WAS OUT OF MY mY aS a RANGE ACoupla other owe dumbbells Wis DEAD? SHE DOESNT EVEN KNOW HE'S SICK borAS SO DUMB SHE DOESNT KNOW GEORGE WASHINGTONS DEAD (7D THE BERNARR MACFPADDEN SEXIIBIT AT THE SEXQUICENTENNIAL SEXPOSITION. History of Dumbness ps builds the great pyramid h to provide an appropriate als of George H. Feczens, of 3700 B.C.“ background for the in Topeka, Kas. 1750 B.C.—Joseph becomes foster-father of phrase, “I was misquoted,” by founding political institutions at Memphis. 1300 B.C.—Olympie Games instituted to pave way tor editorials captioned, “American Sportsmanship.” 617 B.C.—Egyptians let Greeks bring them civiliza- tion, including “‘ross biff"” and “‘zoop.” B.C.—Alexander the Great dies and convention to nominate successor is called in heaven. Spectators groan as they hear “Twenty-four votes for Mussolini” on one hundred and sixty-third ballot. A.D. 180-451—Hoodless and sheetless Nordics parade through Europe. A.D. 1457—Glass first manufactured in England and first pint bottle is shattered on sidewalk while hundreds giggle. A.D, 1580—Sir Francis Drake circumnavigates the world and reports t he found a place to par A.D, 1585—English colonists, unable to sce the joke as usual, let Sir Walter Raleigh send them to Ameri- ca, A.D. 1776 — Americans declare themselves inde- pendent without consulting Anti-Sa- loon League. A.D. 1787—United States Constitution framed but space is left for more than seventcen amendments. A.D. 1926—Eunice Eileen Phipps, sixteen, of Pough- keepsie, N. Y., declares that what this country needs is less meat and more mayonnaise in tea-room sandwiches, Gerald Cosgrove. Lire Spends the National Surplus U S. SURPLUS on hand 1767,816.64 For summer camps for children For a singable national anthem. 767,000.00 For reserve ton of anthracite. 816.00 For Prohibition enforcement, e| 3 6+ 377 ,000,000.00 767,816.64 MERICAN traditions never die. Sesquicentennial attendance shot up after the Presbyterian Church put the exposition under the ban, the prevailing opinion being that if the ministers don’t like it there must be Something Pretty Snappy Somewhere. The Dumb Egg D. C. Gossip “HE Congress- men seem “Yes, to-day is honorarium day at the Anti - Saloon League.’ comicbooks.com —) jel —> |