My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #951

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #951 from the issue of July 7 & 14, 2025, two demons in hell observe a despondent man on a sofa sleepily extending his arm holding a TV remote. The demon who is not holding a pitchfork speaks. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Akeem Roberts.

"It only plays 'Fire Country.'"

This caption just wasn't cool:

"Don't tell him I swiped the batteries."

July 26, 2025 Update:  The Finalists

August 1, 2025 Update:  I voted for the caption from New Britain.

August 10, 2025 Update:  The Winner

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My Copy of At Wit's End: Cartoonists of The New Yorker by Alen MacWeeney and Michael Maslin

On November 21 at the Rizzoli Bookstore on Broadway, At Wit's End: Cartoonists of The New Yorker received its official launch. The book includes Alen MacWeeney's striking photographs of more than fifty New Yorker cartoonists past and present with accompanying profiles by Michael Maslin and a select sampling of cartoons. This is the first book celebrating the centennial of cartoonists at The New Yorker. One hopes there will be more. 

Seen on the panel at the event, left to right, are moderator Charles Traub, MacWeeney, and Maslin. Justin Sheen's photograph from the book is up on the screen behind them.

The half title page of my copy is signed by the two principals, Maslin and MacWeeney.

Many New Yorker cartoonists included in the book were present at the event. Should I have asked those cartoonists to add their signatures to that half title page? Maybe, but the cartoonists I approached all gravitated toward signing their own pages on the first (of two) spreads without any coaching. Here then are their pages alphabetically as signed, sometimes with a drawing, starting with that of David Borchart:

Note:  As you see, at the event I got fourteen people in total to sign my copy of At Wit's End. Although other cartoonists were also present at Rizzoli, I missed out on obtaining the signatures of Ellie Black, Akeem Roberts, Justin Sheen, and Victor Varnado. I suppose I have no one to blame but myself. If anyone did obtain signed pages from these cartoonists at the launch event or elsewhere and wishes to share them here, I'd be happy to append photos or scans of the relevant pages to this post.

As of this writing, Rizzoli still has books signed by the authors available on its website here.

Cartoonist Michael Maslin posted an extensive account of the book launch event on his Ink Spill blog here.

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #842

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #842 from the issue of March 20, 2023 is ready for takeoff, but am I? My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Akeem Roberts.

"These new planes fly themselves. I'm just the mascot."

These captions weren't airworthy:

"Guess which brand of flight insurance I'm selling?"
"As for the flight plan, I'm just going to wing it."
"I can land just as well on water."
"I hope that luggage floats."

April 2, 2023 Update:  The Finalists

April 7, 2023 Update:  I winged it and voted for the caption from Springfield.

April 17, 2023 Update:  The Winner

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #823

Embrace the in-flight entertainment in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #823 from the issue of October 17, 2022. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Akeem Roberts.

 

"We may never reach JFK with all this misdirection."

October 24, 2022 Update:  The Finalists

October 31, 2022 Update:  I voted for the caption from San Rafael.

November 7, 2022:  The Winner

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #750

I spent a lot of time woolgathering for The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #750 dated April 5, 2021. My caption may be seen below. The drawing is by Akeem Roberts.

"Thanks, but I sleep just fine."

These captions were too sheepish:

"I'm not going to be the one to tell them we're lost."
"See? We don't need a step tracker."
"The glue worked, but how do we get them home?"
"It's easy once they've imprinted on us."
"Me too. I spend a lot of time gathering wool."

April 17, 2021 Update:  The Finalists

April 24, 2021 Update:  I voted for the caption from Goshen.

May 8, 2021 Update:  The Winner

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #728

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #728 for October 12, 2020. The drawing is by Akeem Roberts.

"You're just not cut out to swim with the sharks."

October 19, 2020 Update:  The Finalists

October 26, 2020 Update:  I voted with Appleton. I hope my vote arrives in time to be counted. 

November 2, 2020 Update:  The Winner

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