Life — October 12, 1928 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine, October 12, 1928 - Cartoon Analysis This cartoon satirizes vaudeville entertainment contracts. The booking agent (right, in plaid suit) attempts to negotiate with "Joe," a performer portrayed as an acrobat/strongman doing a headstand while balancing another performer on his feet—a physically impossible, comedic display of strength. The agent's dialogue suggests Joe is demanding too much money: "I'd like to talk over that new contract, Joe; that is, unless you got too much on your mind." The joke plays on the double meaning of "too much on your mind"—literally, Joe has another person balanced on his head, implying his mental/financial demands are equally unwieldy and unreasonable. It mocks performers' salary negotiations during the vaudeville era.