Attempted Bloggery: Frank Cotham

Showing posts with label Frank Cotham. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Sidney Harris: Hungry Hungry Hippos

In the August 8 Illustration Art sale at Heritage Auctions, two original cartoons by Sidney Harris were sold. The first had been published in Playboy and was posted here yesterday; today's is from The New Yorker and features two hippopotamuses seated at a restaurant reading their menus. Hippos, by the way, are herbivores, which is probably a good thing.

"You folks ready to order?"
Sidney Harris
Original art
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 64

Verso

Sidney Harris
Heritage Auctions listing accessed July 13, 2024

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/mainstream-illustration/sidney-harris-american-b-1933-you-folks-ready-the-new-yorker-magazine-interior-march-27-199/a/8174-71228.s?ic16=ViewItem-Auction-Open-JumpLot-PreviousLot-050318

The presale estimate was $700 to $1,000, the same as the Playboy beer cartoon in the previous lot.

Sidney Harris
Heritage Auctions item description

Sold! Alas, my $2 bid was not successful.

But to my surprise, the Harris Playboy cartoon seen here in yesterday's post sold for considerably more than his New Yorker cartoon.

"You folks ready to order?"
Sidney Harris
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 64

"You folks ready to order?"
Sidney Harris
Original art
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 64

With cartoons by Sidney Harris and Frank Cotham

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1995-03-27/flipbook/064/

Note: Sure I'd like to check out your original Sidney Harris cartoon art. I thought you'd never ask.

While you're at it, why not send some images of Frank Cotham art as well.

"We got him onto an exercise bike, but I'm afraid it was too late."
Frank Cotham
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 65

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Monday, August 12, 2024

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #908

Who wouldn't like to put a new hat on the classic desert island cartoon? It's The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #908 from the issue of August 12, 2024. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"Real magicians conjure boats."

These captions got voted off the island:

"I'd be impressed if it weren't just a trick of the wind."
"Now this time when you reappear, you'll be a woman."
"Your act has really improved since the cruise ship."

August 19, 2024 Update: The Finalists

September 1, 2024 Update: I voted for the caption from Victoria.

September 7, 2024 Update: The Winner

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Monday, September 11, 2023

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #865

It's a beautiful night for dogs to stargaze—where they can—in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #865 from the issue of September 11, 2023. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"It exerts a strange pull on me."

These captions cast no light:

"And yet I feel strangely drawn to it."
"Some call it a black hole, but don't get sucked into that."
"Whatever it is, it sucks."

September 24, 2023 Update: The Finalists

September 30, 2023 Update: I voted for the caption from Brooklyn.

October 7, 2023 Update: The Winner

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Monday, April 11, 2022

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #798

This week, I was quite handy with my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #798 from the issue of April 11, 2022. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"I can give you a ride home."

These captions put me to sleep:

"Have you considered it may just be hibernating?"
"Don't dismember it. What if it's just hibernating?"

April 18, 2022 Update: The Finalists

May 6, 2022 Update: I voted for the caption from Richmond.

May 13, 2022 Update: The Winner

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Monday, June 21, 2021

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #760

I may have lost my appetite over The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #760 from the issue of June 21, 2021. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"Are you sure you want yesterday's special?"

July 3, 2021 Update: The Finalists

July 5, 2021 Update: I voted for the caption from Richmond.

July 24, 2021 Update: The Winner

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Monday, March 25, 2019

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #655

Don't bother to analyze my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #655 for March 25, 2019. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"Fortunately, our time is up."

This one showed no insight:

"You haven't finished your ballad."

April 1, 2019 Update: The Finalists

April 8, 2019 Update: I voted with San Diego.

April 15, 2019 Update: The Winner

Note: Last week cartoonist Mick Stevens gave us a debate about globalism. My caption was tongue-tied. Who made the best argument in Contest #654?

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Frank Cotham

Psychiatrists

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest

The Moment Magazine Cartoon Caption Contest

The Cartoon Collections Caption Contest

All These Cartoon Caption Contests and More

Attempted Bloggery's Hum-Along, Strum-Along Index

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Monday, December 11, 2017

My Entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #596

As ye sow, so shall ye reap my entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #596 for December 11, 2017. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"I prefer mine dark."

The caption not taken:

"Yes, I will take one for the, er, road."

December 25, 2017 Update: The Finalists

January 1, 2018 Update: I forgot to vote, but I would've gone for the third caption, it being closest to my own.

Note: Last week cartoonist Drew Dernavich's snowman went on a shopping spree. My caption got a frosty reception. Let's wrap up Contest #595.

See what cartoonist Frank Cotham already has reaped on this blog here.

Attempted Bloggery supports net neutrality.

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Monday, August 21, 2017

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #580

Lie back and enjoy my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #580 for August 21, 2017. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"He distinctly gave me forty winks, not forty lashes!"

These caption entries didn't merit the king's pleasure:

"I, for one, see no need for regime change."
"What's so bad about having an absentee ruler?"

August 28, 2017 Update: The Finalists

September 4, 2017 Update: I voted for the second caption.

September 11, 2017 Update: Winning Caption

Note: Last week cartoonist Carolita Johnson gave a cat the royal treatment. My caption went to the dogs. See why Contest #579 is the cat's meow.

Review my previous work on Frank Cotham and sleep on it.

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Friday, December 2, 2016

My Entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #547

Here is my entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #547 for November 28, 2016. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"I'm a sucker for parades."

What was I thinking? I had a few other ideas...

"She's half a beat off." [after Peter Arno]
"I feel as if we're part of something."
"I'd follow her anywhere."
"This is so much better than chasing that oasis!"
"I don't think she knows where she's going either."

I just wasn't meant to write this week's caption—or even to steal it. It's a good thing New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff was able to do much better in finding twelve semifinalists as informed by the crowdsourced rankings:

https://www.research.net/r/547MC

December 5, 2016 Update: The Finalists

December 12, 2016 Update: I voted for the first caption. I like the second one and I thought the third was brilliant, just not as funny as the first.

December 25, 2016 Update: Winning Caption

Note: Last week cartoonist Michael Maslin took us to a desert island with a Busby Berkeley production number. Catch Contest #546.

Frank Cotham is never out of step.

Did you know I have a keyword link for cartoons about people crawling through the desert? I didn't.

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Thursday, October 6, 2016

My Entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #539

Here is my entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #539 for October 3, 2016. The drawing is by Frank Cotham. Unfortunately, my entry is very similar to the winning caption for Contest #528, but it was the best I could come up with.

"He skipped orientation."

October 10, 2016 Update: The Finalists

October 13, 2016 Update: The Rankings
This week's crowdsourced rankings appear here. Finally there is a numerical listing as well as an alphabetical listing! For those keeping score, the first caption ranked eighty-eighth, the second caption ranked fourth, and the third ranked one-hundred tenth.

Take a look at the top forty-two:

Compare those with what's at the bottom of the barrel:

To my surprise, my caption is among the top 4%.

October 17, 2016 Update: I voted for the third caption.

October 24, 2016 Update: Winning Caption

Note: Last week, cartoonist Harry Bliss shrunk a human down to mouse size and gave him a needle and thread to fend off an angry cat. My caption was understandably muddled, if not downright awful. See how they sewed up Contest #538.

To date, Frank Cotham's work on this blog has been pretty much limited to his Caption Contests. Anyone who'd like to send along original examples of his work just might be able to change that.

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Tuesday, December 29, 2015

My Best New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest Entries of 2015

After almost three years of trying my hand at composing captions, it's pretty clear that I don't yet have what it takes to succeed in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest. Since none of my captions got it quite right, I have taken the liberty of choosing a sampling of this year's entries that are representative of my best not good enough efforts. Forgive me for not always having the mots justes at my command, but then I don't speak French. While this year I have gotten nowhere, at least I can pledge to do no worse next year.

Contest #458 by Paul Noth