Life, 1928-08-02 · page 34 of 36
Life — August 2, 1928 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **subscription advertisement** for *Life* magazine, leveraging Will Rogers as a satirical political figure. **The Content:** The page features a Wetzel menswear ad (left) and a prominent subscription pitch (right) announcing that Will Rogers is *Life*'s "candidate for President on the Anti-Bunk ticket." Rogers, the famous humorist and social commentator, is positioned as symbolically "throwing his rope" over pieces of political "hokum"—using his lasso (his signature prop) to wrangle and expose political nonsense into daylight. **The Political Context:** This appears timed to a presidential election cycle (likely 1928, given the reference to "Hoover or Smith"). Rogers' candidacy is satirical—*Life* is using his credibility as a plain-spoken critic of political pretense to market the magazine as a source of sharp political commentary during campaign season. **The Satire:** The joke relies on Rogers' reputation as someone who deflated pomposity and called out political absurdity, positioning *Life* as the magazine for readers seeking intelligent critique rather than political spin.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mietzel | Evtablished 1876 2and 4 E Forty-Fourth Street NEW YORK APO took distingui | ' / | not distinctive, fashion-| = Jable yet not fashioned, smart | without affectation, are attri- || || butes of good taste—and fun-| ; || damentalsofWerzey artistry | ; / ® . . is throwing his Copyright by Wersl rope in LIFE As LIFE’S candidate for President on the Anti-Bunk ticket, Will Rogers is going strong! Every week he drops his rope over anothe piece of political hokum and drags it out into the daylight. The campaign is getting hotter every minute. All the candidates are warm ing up for the big show. Hoover or Smith, Wet or Dry, Regular Voter or Conscientious Objector, you will want to hear what Will Rogers has to say at the height of the cam- paign. The best place to see and hear every- thing is right here in the pages of LIFE. And trom the same front seat, you see and her the sprightly comments of Robert Benchley, Walter Winchell, Robert Sherwood, Fred Cooper, Elmer Daviy, Baird Leonard, John Held, Agnes Smith, Glu Williams and all the others. Reserve your seat new by filling out the ever ready coupon: =f TEAR HERE ]sonnnne SEND ME LIFE FOR ONE YEAR FIVE DOLLARS ENCLOSED (LATO sean eeneneee nents entntvngnncntennnnenesnsnecee Wuen Goon Fetrows Get TocetHer “ That he survives all the fondling, curiosity and experiments want your subscription back-dated to start with the first of Oo that he cheerfully bears at Lire’s Camp at Pottersville, N. J., the Wl "Bostin' Cassa. pute cts bavelessctesvosnsoosos only proves anew the theory that “calf love” is one of the | (‘S> frandest experiences in the world. LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York City TE DEVINNE- HALLENBECK COMPANY, INC, KEW YORK comicbooks.com