Teresa Burns Parkhurst’s drawing is challenging. It appears to take place at an art exhibit where a small crowd is watching a woman who’s on a bucking car seat that’s spinning around wildly. The woman’s lost one shoe and her hands are in the air. There’s a seat belt, but it’s unbuckled. It’s not clear who’s talking, but I assume it’s the spectator who has her hand raised as if she’s asking a question. (Ed. note: This didn’t appear to be an art exhibit to us, but patrons in a bar around what looks like a version of a mechanical bull. Not that it makes it easier.)
I give up. I cannot think of one caption for this cartoon, and I would love to know what Burns’ original idea was. Or maybe this is the rare example of a drawing that was originally submitted without a caption.
In any event, let’s see how you did.
Here’s the best political joke: “It’s concept art entitled, Administration.”
And here’s the best Jewish joke: “WE HAVE A MINYAN!!!!!!!!” That entry, which is especially clever because there are exactly ten people in the drawing, would be a lot better without the “all caps” and exclamation points.
I like the way this next caption sounds like a comment one might actually hear at a museum: “And here is a fine example of the artist’s Mechanical Period.”
There is a website devoted to captions that simply explain what is happening in the drawing without commenting on the scene, and this entry fits neatly into that category: “Your shoe fell off.”
This next entry is a fine example of a caption that highlights the obliviousness of the character who’s speaking: “I have a question about the seat color.”
And this caption not only makes sense, but captures the feeling many of us may have experienced while trying to come up with a caption: “I have a question?”
There’s always room in the contest for scatological humor: “I’ll do it if the fabric’s stain resistant.” And for those who like to work blue: “Good thing you weren’t wearing a skirt.”
This, however, is the entry that actually made me laugh, and is therefore my choice for the best entry of the week: “Raise your hand if you heard her say, ‘stop.’”
I have never highlighted so few entries—just nine—but that’s nine more than I could come up with. Congratulations to all of you who met the challenge of captioning what I think may be the most difficult drawing ever used for this or The New Yorker’s caption contest.