This week we have a cartoon by Charlie Hankin. A realtor is showing a cave to a couple who are presumably in the market for a new home, there’s a “for sale” sign in front of the cave, the realtor is addressing the couple (and therefore delivering the line that will serve as your caption),…
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Cartoons for Doctors: Presenting with Humor
Caption Contest Commentary
“Ape on a Tablet” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
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“Cave Real Estate” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
Anatomy of a Cartoon: Immigration
Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics examine cartoons about immigration. Phil: Immigration is the issue of the day, so let’s jump on that bandwagon. Rex: As long as it’s not a cartoon caravan. Phil: Well, our fine cartoonists have…
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“Square Wheels” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
Here we have another drawing by Benjamin Schwartz. It shows a caveman proudly displaying his latest invention, a square-wheeled tricycle, to his neighbor. The tricycle needs round wheels. The invention of such wheels is credited, at least in cartoons, to cavemen. Initially, therefore, I came up with eight variations on a joke about a caveman…
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“Baby Interrogation” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
The contest that ended last week featured a drawing by Benjamin Schwartz. Through a two-way mirror we see a baby in a police interrogation room—he’s sitting in a highchair—while outside this room a male cop says something to his female partner. In movies, cops who are frustrated in their efforts to get a suspect to…
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Introducing: Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
Like many of you, I have lost The New Yorker’s Cartoon Caption Contest hundreds of times. But I’ve won it more than anyone else, so Bob Mankoff thought I might have something useful to say about the contest he recently started running on this website. Each week I will write about the most recently concluded…
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Introducing: Anatomy of a Cartoon
For the past three years, self-appointed cartoon cognoscenti Phil Witte and Rex Hesner have been critiquing New Yorker cartoons each week on their blog CartoonCompanion.com. There, they review each cartoon, discussing its merits, studying its detail and artistry, and ultimately assigning each a 1- to 6-star rating. Self-appointed no longer, we invited Rex and Phil…
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