Life, 1929-05-03 · page 32 of 44
Life — May 3, 1929 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine collects humorous one-liner jokes and cartoons typical of the 1920s-30s era. Key themes: **The jokes satirize:** - **Modern dangers**: A motorist in fog assumes hitting something human means he's still on the road (dark humor about traffic safety) - **Marriage and money**: A young husband's financial philosophy backfires when his father-in-law goes bankrupt, making them poor but "happy" - **Parenting absurdity**: A mother uses a cigarette lighter instead of matches to help her baby—mocking reckless parenting - **Commercialism**: Advertising has become so pervasive that even cows should sing jingles for condensed milk - **Gender economics**: A wife dresses well (from fashion magazines) while the husband dresses poorly (limited by his checkbook) **The cartoons** depict aviation mishaps and parachuting—suggesting contemporary fascination with early aviation's dangers. The overall tone mocks 1920s consumer culture, gender roles, new technologies, and modern absurdities through rapid-fire satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
30 Acrrateo Wire: I’m positive that was a huinan being we ran over. Motorist (in thick fog): Good! Then we're still on the road all right. —Pearson's. “What have you there?” “Some insect powder.” “Good heavens! You aren’t going to commit suicide?” —Ti-Bits. Younc Huspanp: I did not marry you for your moncy you know, rather in spite of. Money does not make happiness, in fact, the less money the more happiness! Younc Wire: Then, darling, we shall be wonderfully happy—Daddy went bankrupt yesterday. —Passing Show. “Um—m, so this is Venicel” “Oh, Fred, the baby has swallowed the matches. What shall I do?” “Here, use my cigarette lighter.” —Voo Doo. “Does Jimpson’s baby get off any original sayings?” “Oh, he did, but they were so dumb that Jimpson had to hire a ghost writer for him.” —American Legion Monthly. “T've just been rated 50% on sex ap peal.” “How's that?” Lapy Passencer: Pilot, I don’t know what you intend to do about it—but “Well, I have sex, but no appeal.” Melville and I are sitting in a draft. —C. C. N.Y. Mercury. What with’ the theme song craze, it is a matter of astonishment that the Contented Cow Troubadours are not broadcasting something like “You're the Rhododendron Brand Condensed Milk in My Coffee.” —New York World. “How is it your wife is dressed so well and you are so shabby?” “My wife dresses according to the fashion books and I according to my cheque book.” —Passing Show. Then, of course, there are some peo- ple who do not believe that a one-line joke is the shortest distance to the point. —Harvard Lampoon. NONI ONO OO Dutiru. Rum Runner: Wasn't it great that we had the parachutes! comicbooks.com so * | ee 2 Pe ee oe