Last week, we considered a postcard showing a well-dressed young lady showing that she’d thought of you by holding up a finger with a string around it. Being of a basically guttertrending mind, I questioned the choice of finger for this, but had to admit the US Postal Service, historically very conservative about whatContinue reading “Naughtiness”
Tag Archives: humor
Calling Up the Past
One of the saddest bits of joke archaeology is running across fossils: jokes which were once alive and kicking, quivering with excitement at the laugh that would be forthcoming when the audience heard it for the eighty-third time. Sometimes they do not realize they have been told for the last time, and wait inContinue reading “Calling Up the Past”
watch Your Phraseology
There are numerous roadblocks to my intended series: “Is This Still Funny?” wherein I would look over the work of the stand-up comics of my boy days and figure out whether their work stands up. One is that a certain amount of comedy carries an expiration date. Jokes about Warren G. Harding, for example,Continue reading “watch Your Phraseology”
Neglected Sitcoms
Last week, we touched on some of the problems for me in assessing comedy of the middle of the twentieth century, as I have occasionally threatened to do in a series called “Is That Even Still Funny?” One problem was that there was so MUCH of it. Except when the news was on, andContinue reading “Neglected Sitcoms”
Comedy Archaeology Quiz
Every now and then, when I feel like living dangerously, I consider writing a series called “Is That Still Funny?”, in which I would examine the comedy that made me laugh when I was growing up. I have it all figured out: how I will guard myself against laughing simply from nostalgia, how weContinue reading “Comedy Archaeology Quiz”
Coulda Oughta
It seems like just the other day that I was going through my inventory of postcards showing old cars so that I could illustrate a column filled with fine old jokes. Come to think of it, that WAS just the other day. You can go back and read the last blog any old timeContinue reading “Coulda Oughta”
Advenures in Archaeology (Joke Division)
The problem with archaeology is that the world wants answers, not just simple answers, but answers which are simple and absolutely fascinating. For every person who is interested in controversies about pharaonic Egyptian paint composition, there are a thousand who want to know how many ancient Egyptian temple maidens were blonde. This is aContinue reading “Advenures in Archaeology (Joke Division)”
Delayed at the Office
Last week in this space, we considered a couple of the cartoon side effects of marriage: fighting about money and carrying groceries. In checking my inventory of fascinating but somehow not yet sold postcards, I find another popular cliché about the married man, especially, the married man of business: the suspicion that his workContinue reading “Delayed at the Office”
Footnotes Afoot
Dealing with postcards of other days and ways can bring me to the occasional “Huh?” moment. While this can be entertaining to onlookers, it DOES leave me with the problem of providing footnotes to my wares. Take this entertaining cartoon, in which our hero, from out of town, asks a policeman, “So, Mr. Watchman,Continue reading “Footnotes Afoot”
FUZZ ORDAINED: Twos and Twos
Unfirom was not quite able to shudder. As he strode across the park, the thought of the phronik trying to handle their job one at a time, though, brought him fairly close. An attempt to influence lovers by less than the full crew would bring on a rush of lopsided emotion. He reassured himselfContinue reading “FUZZ ORDAINED: Twos and Twos”
Blogsy Babbles 