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Bob Eckstein\u2019s cartoon is set at a cocktail party, where a large, anthropomorphic red and white pill is holding a glass of wine and chatting with three other guests.<\/p>\nBob Eckstein\u2019s cartoon is set at a cocktail party, where a large, anthropomorphic red and white pill is holding a glass of wine and chatting with three other guests.<\/p>\n
Because many medications interact poorly with alcohol, I first had the pill explaining why he could have a cocktail: \u201cYou can\u2019t drink if you\u2019re on<\/em> medication, but it\u2019s fine if you are<\/em> medication.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I then focused on the fact that medications have both a convoluted generic name (e.g., dextroamphetamine sulfate) and a much simpler brand name (e.g., Adderall); \u201cBob, Joan, and Ted? What, are those your brand names?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I then played on the double meaning of generic:<\/p>\n I then alluded to the pill\u2019s size:<\/p>\n Finally, a sexist pun: \u201cShe got everything in the divorce so, yeah, I\u2019m bitter.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Now let\u2019s see how you did.<\/p>\n There were, as expected, many entries that alluded to the prohibition against washing down medications with alcohol. These were the best:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n That last caption would work better if the comma were a period, just as this entry would, I think, be better if the ellipses were a question mark and the exclamation point were a period: \u201cDon\u2019t believe me\u2026ask your pharmacist!\u201d<\/strong> This entry highlights the importance of proper punctuation, properly placed: \u201cYou should take me. Seriously.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Many entries focused on the size of the pill:<\/p>\n These next two entries are similar but focus not so much on size as on dosage:<\/p>\n This next entry notes that prescription drugs are cheaper in Canada, where the national colors are red and white (just like the talking pill) and the people are perceived to be extremely polite: \u201cWe Canadians are twice as nice at half the price.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Like I did, a few of you noted how convoluted the generic names f0r drugs can be:<\/p>\n I like this joke\u2014\u201cTake my wife\u2026daily!\u201d<\/strong>\u2014but it would work better in a different setting, like a comedy club.<\/p>\n This entry notes that people take drugs for many different reasons: \u00a0\u201cWhat do you take me for?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Some are fighting drowsiness: \u201cRemember, we used to stay up late and study?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Others are trying to lose weight: \u201cI\u2019m way better than diet and exercise.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n And many just want to get high:<\/p>\n Of course, some people don\u2019t like to admit how much they rely on medications: \u201cDon\u2019t act like you don\u2019t know me. There\u2019s thirty of us back at your place.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n This next set of captions all focus on a medication\u2019s side effects:<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a good joke about the pandemic\u2019s economic effects: \u201cI got your stimulus package right here!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I made a \u201cbitter pill\u201d joke, but it wasn\u2019t nearly as strong as these three entries:<\/p>\n These next three captions presume that the talking pill is Hydroxychloroquine:<\/p>\n I love that last caption, but the \u201cp\u201d in president should be capitalized.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s this week\u2019s best sex joke: \u201cI quietly help millions, but that macho little blue pill gets all the attention.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Here are the best scatological jokes:<\/p>\n\n
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