Life, 1927-09-08 · page 22 of 36
Life — September 8, 1927 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents Life's weekly "Alibi Contest," a humor feature inviting readers to submit clever excuses. The contest awards $100 in weekly prizes for the best fictional explanations to embarrassing situations. **Alibi #34** depicts a newly married woman confronting her husband (a Second Lieutenant) about their reduced circumstances. She expected luxury ("a queen and wearing diamonds") but instead lives in a shabby one-room apartment. The soldier's alibi—submitted by a Private Murphy—humorously claims he forgot he was in the army because the mess served beefsteak instead of beans, momentarily confusing his military status. **Alibi #39** shows the winning entry, featuring a young woman's disillusionment after marriage. Her husband offers vague excuses for their poverty, suggesting it's "this way." The contest satirizes post-WWI marriage disappointments and the gap between romantic promises and reality. Readers submit witty alibis explaining social awkwardness or domestic failures, making personal embarrassment into entertainment. This reflects 1920s humor conventions emphasizing clever wordplay over contemporary sensibilities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life PRIZE WINNERS | ALIBI CONTEST Conditions of the Contest on page 30 $100.00 Weekly in Prizes A LIBIS are sometimes terribly You can help him to complete his useful, They can turn away — Alibi, or excuse. You can suggest wrath and avert catastrophe. They an answer which will be sufficiently have saved jobs and empires. And — clever and ingenious to save his fa every week now they cause a pleas in this embarrassing situation int jingle of coins in the pockets or press your Alibi in twenty-five handbags of Lire’s lucky readers words, or less, and you will be eli- The sweet young person pictured — gible for one of the following cash below is disillusioned. Since the — prizes: wedding bells ceased ringing she has been living in a style to which she First Prize, $50.00 iy unaccustomed. Five Second Prizes One room without bath is not her ALIBL NUMBER THIRTY-FOUR idea of domestic bliss—and as. sh of $10.00 each remembers all the big promises made ALIBI NUMBER FORTY will Second Lieutenant (just out of — that night on the front porch, she be published in Lire next week, West Point): Look WeERR, SOLDIER naturally inquires of her husband — with a new set of prizes offered. wy pion’? you satute Me? pen’? why all the riches and luxuries have Read the conditions on page 30 you KNOW AN orFicen WHEN you — failed to appear. carefully—and go to it! SEE ONE? Private Murphy (a veteran of the Irgonne): WELL, SIR, You sre, rt’s tins way... We had beefsteak in- ALIBI NUMBER THIRTY-NINE stead of beans at mess to-day, and Tentirely forgot I was in the army. This Alibi, which wins the first prize of $50.00, was submitted by BarnMann, 7, State Hotel, tnd Bled. and Milwaukee Ave, Detroit, Mich. Five second prizes of $10.00 each have been awarded to the following: Evarnre W. Carson, Buffalo, N. Y., for the Alibi: “I used to train with Jack Dempsey and he says to me, ‘Ne raise your right above the belt. Exizsnetin M. Norns, G Rapids, Mich., for the Ali Secretary of War's to bla error of omission is due to his error of commission.” Groner A. Posxen, Los Angeles, Cal., for the Alibi: “I knew you were in the camouflage corps, sir, and I didn't want to mortify you by recog. nizing you.” Viotet Sautu, East Las Vegas, NV. M., for the Alibi: “Following the precedent of the Commander-in . The Mrs.: ’MeEMMER WHAT YoU SAID BEFORE 1 MARRIED you? Chief, I do not choose to salute. 7 ys - DO YOU CALL THIS LIVING LIKE A QUEEN AND WEARING DIAMONDS? ¥., for the Alibi: “I've - poteh The Mr.: weit, wonky, vou srr, it’s THIS WAY... suspenders and they won't on Donorny War fewburgh, N. comicbooks.com