Life, 1929-04-19 · page 46 of 52
Life — April 19, 1929 — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Life magazine subscription advertisement** from the 1920s-30s era, using absurdist humor to promote the publication. **The Setup:** "Joe Blow, Champion Flagpole Sitter of the World" is a test subject who must choose *Life* magazine from four competitors, all disguised with paper masks. He identifies it in under 30 seconds. **The Joke:** Flagpole sitting was an actual fad craze of this period—people competed to sit atop flagpoles for extended periods. The satire uses this ridiculous pursuit to suggest that even someone engaged in such a pointless activity can recognize *Life's* superior quality through its distinctive "snappy repartee, scintillating wit, crackling humor and modernism." **The Appeal:** The ad argues that *Life's* humor is so distinctive and abundant that it's instantly recognizable—and that readers need it as a "Confidential Guide" to navigate modern life, even if they lack the extreme distractions of flagpole sitting. **Purpose:** This playful, self-promoting advertisement positions *Life* as the era's leading humorous magazine through absurdist endorsement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Clip and Mail to Life, 598 Madison Avenue, N.Y.C. r-- | 10 Weeks for $1 In public test, Joe Blow, Cham- pion Flagpole Sitter of the World, Compares Four Leading Magazines Fiacrore sitters must, of necessity, be picky and choosey about their reading matter. Last Tuesday four magazines were sent up to Mr. Joe Blow, champion flagpole sitter of the world, via the hal- yards, The cover of each magazine was banded with a paper mask wide enough to conceal the title of the publication. Mr. Blow picked Life in less than 30 seconds flat. “You can't fool me’, said Mr. Blow, “the snappy repartee, scintillating wit, crackling humor and modernism of this magazine set it apart as the leading publication of its kind in the world. I have to be very careful when I read Life. Its wise cracks nearly knock me off my seat. Even thoughI have Broadway at my feet, I need Life's Confidential Guide to get about town.” Even though you follow less hazardous pursuits than flagpole sitting, you could make no better choice than Mr. Blow. The safest way to be sure of getting it each week is to clip the coupon below and send it to Life. It’s your ticket to the heights of humor. Mail today! FAvenue, New York City. 450 Fourth i H $ 4 & 2 . £ ent conceived by Chas. W. Curran of the Charles C. Green Adve: comicbooks.com