Judge — July 29, 1922

# "The Follies Girl" by George Mitchell This page from Judge magazine features a poem celebrating the glamorous showgirls of the Ziegfeld Follies, a famous Broadway revue known for elaborate musical productions and beautiful performers. The poem, credited to George Mitchell and read by "Albertina Fitch—Follies 1922," uses romantic language to describe the appeal of these entertainers—their captivating eyes and "entrancing ways" that distract men even on hot summer days. The illustration shows a stylized flapper-era woman in fashionable attire with feathered accessories, embodying the sophisticated theatrical performer. This represents the glamorous "Follies Girl" archetype that was culturally prominent in 1920s entertainment and popular imagination.

# Analysis of "The Follies Have a New Baby" This satirical piece by Heywood Broun celebrates the Ziegfeld Follies theatrical revue. The illustration depicts glamorous showgirls in an art deco style, characteristic of 1920s entertainment publicity. The joke centers on vanity and the theatrical hierarchy: a young performer admires a pink satin dress with silver rosebuds, but an older actress (likely representing "Madame" Ziegfeld or an established star) already wears it. When the younger woman asks to see herself in the mirror, she discovers the established performer is blocking her view of the reflection—a visual metaphor for how established performers monopolize attention and opportunity. The article praises the Follies' artistic merit and production values under impresario Florenz Ziegfeld, suggesting even comedy numbers demonstrate sophistication. It references earlier Follies productions from 1907 onward, positioning 1932's edition as continuing that prestigious legacy.

# "Art the Handmaiden of Business" - Judge Magazine Satire The top cartoon mocks a charlatan "oculist" (eye doctor) running a beach con-game, charging customers for fake eye tests using worthless spectacles—a dig at fraudulent medical practitioners exploiting the public. The lower illustration, captioned "Mrs. Galitely" and "Mrs. Featherby," shows two society women gossiping, with dialogue about a man's "ball gown" looking like "the deuce" and comments about a "deuce" being "the lowest possible card." This appears to satirize high-society women's shallow gossip and their tendency to demean men through catty remarks. The article criticizes Florenz Ziegfeld's theatrical productions, arguing his emphasis on visual spectacle over substance has corrupted artistic merit—a commentary on commercialism overtaking genuine art in entertainment.

# Behind the Scenes at the Follies—1922 This page features a theatrical photograph titled "The Story of the Three Bares," depicting three women in various states of undress backstage at the Follies, a famous Broadway revue known for elaborate musical productions. The accompanying article discusses Flo Ziegfeld, the real impresario who ran the Follies, and his practice of hiring beautiful women as performers. The text humorously describes these dancers as "S.R.O." (Standing Room Only) attractions, playing on the theatrical term. The joke relies on 1920s audiences' fascination with Broadway entertainment and the scandalous appeal of the Follies' famous chorus girls. The satire gently mocks both Ziegfeld's star-making reputation and contemporary entertainment culture's focus on female beauty as spectacle.

# Analysis This page contains an illustration titled "The Landing of the Pilgrims" by William Bolin (top) and a short story called "Noblesse Oblige" by Gardner Rea (below). The cartoon appears to be a modernist reimagining of the Pilgrim landing, depicting a woman in classical robes standing atop an automobile filled with luggage and male passengers. The swirling decorative element suggests movement or arrival. This likely satirizes early 20th-century tourism or immigration—presenting the historical "Pilgrims" as contemporary travelers arriving by motorcar rather than ship, mocking either wealthy travelers' pretensions or contemporary attitudes toward newcomers. The juxtaposition of classical imagery with modern technology was a common satirical device in this era. The story text appears unrelated to the cartoon's apparent commentary.

# "The Man Without a Hobby" This political cartoon satirizes a figure portrayed as aimless and unproductive. The bearded man, depicted with exaggerated features in a caricatured style, is shown fishing with a child on his shoulders—yet appears listless and unfocused in his leisure activity. The title's wordplay suggests the cartoon criticizes someone lacking direction or purpose, a common satirical trope in *Judge* magazine. The fishing scene likely represents wasted time or idle pursuits rather than meaningful engagement. The child accompanying him may symbolize dependents or responsibilities being neglected. Without additional context about the specific historical moment or public figure this targeted, the exact political reference remains unclear, but the satire clearly mocks idleness and lack of ambition—values *Judge's* readership would have disapproved of.

# "Told at the 19th Hole" — Judge Magazine This page collects humorous anecdotes told in the informal setting of a golf club's 19th hole (the bar). The content includes: **Main stories:** - A repeat offender (named with a racial stereotype) claims he's the "same drunk" when arrested again - An American soldier adds sarcastic graffiti to an officers-only notice - A London vicar's temperance sermon offering wine or water as biblical choices - Irish robbers struggling with a Scotsman - A Southern farmer unable to communicate with Montgomery Ward about repairs - A young bandit's robbery interrupted by his partner's incompetence **The cartoon** shows performers in the "Follies of 1922" (a Broadway revue) dressed as ponies attempting choreography. The humor relies on wordplay, dialect jokes (particularly Irish and African American speech patterns), and situational comedy. These represent typical 1920s popular magazine humor—accessible, often relying on ethnic stereotypes now considered offensive, and focused on everyday mishaps and misunderstandings.

# Judge Magazine Page Analysis This page contains two satirical cartoons from Judge magazine: **Top cartoon**: Reporters and a janitor are caught gambling in a newspaper office by the pious general manager. They quickly disguise their craps game as prayer, fooling him into thinking they're piously fundraising for the paper. The satire mocks hypocrisy—both the manager's sanctimonious opposition to gambling and the gamblers' quick-thinking deception. **Bottom cartoons**: Two brief golf caddy jokes playing on the terminology of women's fashion ("brassie," "skirt") applied to golf clubs and equipment. The humor relies on double meanings—caddy lists gear that sounds absurd when mixed with female undergarments and clothing terms. The page also includes an advertisement about window dressing displays. The overall tone reflects early-20th-century American satire targeting workplace hypocrisy, office culture, and contemporary leisure pursuits like golf.

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page contains two satirical pieces from *Judge* magazine: **"Two Weeks—With Pay"** is a humorous Q&A that mocks American vacation culture. It ridicules the gap between vacation marketing and reality: beautiful scenery exists only in promotional brochures from chambers of commerce, while actual vacations involve uncomfortable accommodations ("private baths" shared by twenty people), insects, and costs double their actual worth. The humor targets both the tourism industry's deceptive advertising and vacationers' gullible expectations. **"A Funny Phase of Vanity"** satirizes men who boast about dietary restrictions they can't eat (cucumbers, onions) to appear unique or distinguished. Kelly mocks their vanity—they imagine these limitations make them peculiarly interesting, when actually most people have no such restrictions. The piece ridicules how people seek distinction through trivial personal quirks rather than genuine accomplishments. Both articles critique American social pretension and the gap between self-image and reality—common *Judge* themes targeting middle-class vanity.

# The Follies 1922 This page showcases theatrical acts and performances from the Ziegfeld Follies of 1922. The top image depicts "Lace Land," featuring chorus girls in costumes made of luminous electric light bulbs—a novelty effect highlighting the spectacular stage technology of the era. Below are vignettes of featured performers: Jimmy Nervo and Teddy Knox performing a slow-motion burlesque; Gallagher and Shean (a popular comedy duo); and dancer Gilda Grey. The Will Rogers portrait likely refers to the famous entertainer and social commentator appearing in the production. The "burnt cork" reference to Gilda Grey indicates blackface performance—a deeply offensive but common theatrical practice in 1920s entertainment that modern audiences would find shocking and unacceptable.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This page from *Judge* magazine contains three short humorous stories with racist and ethnic stereotypes typical of 1922 American satire. The "First Prize" and "Second Prize" sections are brief comic anecdotes: one about a husband deliberately hitting a pole despite his wife's warning; another about a mentally ill man whose escaped postage stamp ruins his chance at early discharge. The longer piece, "Our Will in the 'Follies—1922,'" depicts racist scenarios: a New England woman encounters a barely-clothed Roman pageant performer; a story contrasts Black and Irish characters in patronizing dialect; and a narrative describes a boxing match where an Irish referee deliberately miscounts to favor an Irish fighter over a Black opponent, using racial slurs throughout. The satire targets immigrant and minority groups through caricature and dehumanizing language. These pieces reflect *Judge*'s editorial stance: mocking marginalized populations was considered acceptable humor for the magazine's presumed white, educated audience. The content reveals deeply embedded prejudices of the era that would be considered offensive and unacceptable today.

# "The Rescued" - Judge Magazine Cartoon This is a humorous illustration by Orson Lowell depicting a rescue scene at Peconic Bay (a real location on Long Island). The joke centers on a rescued person asking where they are so they can send a postcard to their mother describing "what it was I swallowed"—implying they nearly drowned and ingested water from this bay. The humor is straightforward physical comedy: the rescued person wants to document their near-death experience by identifying the specific body of water that almost killed them. It's a lighthearted take on a potentially serious maritime accident, typical of Judge's satirical approach to contemporary events. The detailed pen-work captures the dramatic rescue with multiple figures in and around boats.