Life, 1929-06-28 · page 32 of 37
Life — June 28, 1929 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on American morality wrapped in cigarette advertising. The main cartoon mocks contemporary pearl-clutching over alleged moral decay. It references "Little Egypt," who performed a scandalous belly dance ("hootchy-kootchy") at an 1880s dinner party, which moralists claimed signaled America's social collapse. The joke: nearly 50 years later, society survived fine—undermining conservative hysteria about each generation's "corrupting" entertainments. The page also includes gossip items and a society diary mocking pretentious upper-class life, plus product advertisements for golf tees and cigarettes. The overall effect satirizes both moral panic and the advertising industry's exploitation of aspirational consumer culture. The "outrage" headline is ironic—Life is deflating exaggerated fears of decline while simultaneously selling luxury goods to the very anxious public it's mocking.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SIR, THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! According to the press of the day, the moral disintegration of the American people was sealed the night “Little Egypt” danced the hootchy-kootchy at Old Sherry’s—way back in the 80's.* “This, certainly, is the set-in of social decay,” said Peaches Chapman, who raided the dinner, but after almost a half-century the American people are still doing nicely. Even before that famous party, Melachrino Cigarettes added a note of distinction to every occasion, as they do today. Their pure Turkish tobacco—the choicest and most costly grown —makes them the finest quality cigarettes in America. *Ref. Sat. Eve. Post, Sept. 18, 1926. Do You Play Bridge? Then Clip Coupon Toe Union Tobacco Company SUL Fifth Ave. N.Y. sam Gentlemen: Picea send me your Mela Shrine Bridge offer of a) : CIGARETTES 18791929 — 90 YEARS A LEADER QUALITY STANDS THE TEST OF TIME die, (3) two packs of the famous edge Congrena Cards, free of any ‘aring my monogram, for which 1 enclose my w STRAW TIPS CORK TIPS PLAIN ENDS 10 for 1S¢ Large Size 3c M. 6-28-29 © tne union rowacco company A spectator at a recent: important Fist Actor (to latest wife): What golf match was described as having a a beautiful necklace! Who gave it to beard like a burnt: gorse-bush. For- you? tunately no question arose as to the Latest Wire (a cinema actress): procedure in playing a ball out of it. My next husband. Pretty, isn’t it? —Punch. —Tit-Bits. You can’t miss ’em on REDDY TEES Almost impossible to dub the ball when she’s setting up so pretty on a Reddy Tee. No mental hazard either, as a Reddy lets you tee up high or low—just right fora good, clean smack. All the low card players use Reddy Tees. They'll help your game, too, and add to your comfort and pleasure. Tee up with Reddy Tees. Your professional sells them. “REDDY TEE Buy from your “Pro” Mrs. Pep’s Diary (Continued from Page 14) such as Will Durant’s “The Mansions of Philosophy,” for Lord! I am so steeped in mystery fiction of late that I shrink from touching my silver toilet articles for fear of leaving finger-prints, and in the watches of last night when the hour for my dosage arrived, my dread cf passing darkened doors was so great that I required Samuel to ac- company me to the medicine-chest. June 6—Beseeching my husband this morning for an honest compliment, he did instance as proof of a beautiful character my willingness to serve him and our guests with my favorite pickles when I could eat none of them myself, so straightway to the pantry to see how many jars remained, and there were but seven, so now I must seck a more expedient medium where- by to demonstrate generosity. Off to gymnasium to play handball and do the over-heads, at some inconvenience to my other appointments for the day, which does never fail to mind me that Chauncey Depew attributed his lon- gevity on one score to the fact that he did never take any exercise, but if I am to play tennis creditably this sum- mer, I must put in a certain amount of preliminary leaping. To luncheon at the new Casino in the Park, finding Sidney Toler, a playactor, at the table reserved for me, nor would he relin- quish it, neither, even at earnest re- quests from the maitre d’hotel and sable looks from me and Betsy Thomas. This night to see the Players Club re- vival of “Becky Sharp,” and during the ballroom scene I did reflect on the Duchess of Richmond's probable relief at having such a party broken up even by so drastic an agency as a call to arms. Some lines which I once wrote did also keep floating through my mind: “Love Virtue, she alone is free,” Wrote Milton, with precision deadly, Yet Becky Sharp as company Was better than Amelia Sedley. No moral pointed thereby, of course, save the implication that almost any chicanery is tolerable if you are aware Eprror: Such rot! Who wrote this drivel? Secretary: You did, That's your editorial. comicbooks.com