Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, October 1921 · page 46 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #25 — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous advice column from *Whiz Bang*, a satirical magazine known for ribald humor and clever wordplay. The page contains no visible cartoon illustrations—just text-based jokes disguised as reader letters. The humor relies on: 1. **Prohibition-era references**: A joke about a "bootlegger's daughter" reflects 1920s illegal alcohol culture. 2. **Punny pseudonyms**: Reader names like "U.N. Omeal" (You an Omial/unusual), "I.C. Fairlywell," and "A. Fisher" are jokes themselves. 3. **Absurdist answers**: Responses use pun-based logic (goofus feathers = peach fuzz; catching whiffempoofs involves tobacco and clubbing). 4. **The success advice**: Uses anthropomorphized objects offering motivational platitudes—likely mocking self-help culture popular in the 1920s. 5. **Mild sexual innuendo**: The bootlegger's daughter joke and "rough girls" reference hint at sexual behavior without explicit language. The column's appeal was clever wordplay and irreverent humor aimed at young adult readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
44 Captain Billy's Whiz Bang Dear Captain Billy—I am a young man only seventeen years old. My mother says I shouldn't play with any rough girls. What shall I do?—Percy. Do as your mother tells you, you little ras-cal. * * * Dear Captain Billy—I am a boy eighteen years old and am in love with a bootlegger's daughter. How can I tell her that I love her—Al. Hambra. Send me her address. * * * Dear Captain Billy—What are the secrets of success?—Harold Lloydette. “Push,” said the button; “Take Pains,” said the window; “Never be led,” said the pencil; “Be up to date,” said the calendar; “Always keep cool,” said the ice; “Never lose your head,” said the hammer; “Make light of everything,” said the fire; “Find a good thing and stick to it,” said the glue. * * * Dear Old Skip—What are goofus feathers?—U. N. Omeal. The fuzz on a peach. * * * Dear Admiral—What is the easiest way to catch a whiffempoof?—A. Fisher. Throw a plug of tobacco in the water and hit him on the head with a club when he comes up to spit. * * * Dear Captain Bill—Why is it that flies can't see in the winter time?—I. C. Fairlywell.