Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, July 1921 · page 21 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #22 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate jokes rather than political cartoons. "The Sinai Joke" mocks a pompous bishop giving a tedious speech at Westminster Abbey. He repeatedly poses a nonsensical theological question—the Lord never ascended Mount Sinai—waiting for audience response. An impatient Australian audience member finally breaks the tension by demanding the bishop answer his own pointless question, deflating the pretension. "Nice Burglar" plays on a double entendre: a woman caught undressing by a burglar is embarrassed about her state of undress rather than the robbery itself. The burglar's "considerateness" in covering her with his revolver creates darkly comedic irony. The final one-liner relies on crude wordplay about deafness and "getting her hearing" (apparently sexual innuendo). These exemplify *Whiz Bang's* lowbrow, irreverent humor targeting religious figures and social conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang 19 The Sinai Joke A bishop who had been widely advertised for a speech at Westminster Abbey, was greeted by a record-breaking audience. The famous Abbey was crowded to the doors. As the bishop stepped to the rostrum and opened the good book he said, “I will take for my text today, ‘And when the Lord ascended Mt. Sinai, What did he say?’ ” And, looking at those assembled in the bal-cony, he said again, in a louder voice, “ ‘And when the Lord ascended Mt. Sinai, What did he say?’ ” And once again, looking upward to the gallery, he shouted (as if waiting for an answer), “ ‘And when the Lord ascended Mt. Sinai, What did he say?’ ” A little Australian buddy, unable to contain him-self any longer, rose from his place in the rear and, standing on his seat, raised his hand: “I’ll bite, bishop, wot did ‘e say?” * * * Nice Burglar “Oh, Myrtle! Weren’t you frightened to death when that burglar broke into your room?” “Frightened is no name for it; I was dressing.” “Mercy, how embarrassing! Whatever did you do?” “Oh, he was very considerate, he covered me with his revolver.” * * * She may be deaf but she’ll get her hearing the morning.