# A Genuine Caption Contest (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 19, 2020, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731 "2020-07-19T04:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 389
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7767 "2023-04-21T12:45:20Z")
And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have a photograph of the original Autobot Transformer, rolled out in 1958 by the Ford Motor Company. Hopes were initially high that this venture would pull in a younger cohort of automobile buyers, and Ford turned to some of it’s junior executives to formulate a marketing campaign. This group of _Mustangs_, as they called themselves, came up with the name _Atomic Optimus Prime_ for their new Autobotic creation. However, when that proposal passed through a higher level committee comprised of more seasoned executives, it was thought that a simpler and less _ethnic_-sounding name for the sentient self-configuring modular robotic lifeform would appeal to a wider range of the auto buying public. So they amended the name to _Edsel_. The rest is history. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7768 "2023-04-21T12:54:19Z")
_If you want to touch it, you need to push the button labeled, “pop out.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7769 "2023-04-21T13:14:59Z")
Klaatu barada ME, Throbby! ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7770 "2023-04-21T15:08:46Z")
Early prototype of the HAL 9000 series. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7771 "2023-04-21T15:19:55Z")
Pepper Potts on the rebound. ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7772 "2023-04-21T15:21:35Z")
First stage appearance of Buckethead. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7773 "2023-04-22T16:00:58Z")
My only complaint with this response was that it was way too long for a “caption”- > [@Oly](#): > > And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have a photograph of the original Autobot Transformer,… -but the idea of the Ford Edsel transforming into a 1950s robot was simply too good to pass up. Oly Oly Oxen Free! ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7774 "2023-04-22T16:43:05Z")
I’ll take it! Next: [![](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/woman-wearing-a-flu-mask-during-the-flu-epidemic-which-news-photo-1592511079.jpg) ](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/woman-wearing-a-flu-mask-during-the-flu-epidemic-which-news-photo-1592511079.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2023, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7775 "2023-04-22T16:45:54Z")
Donna’s boss finally had to forbid her to bring her C-PAP machine to work. ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2023, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7776 "2023-04-22T16:50:13Z")
Tests were conducted to determine which regional dialect was “most nasally.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7777 "2023-04-23T01:03:06Z")
Victorian nitrous huffing ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7778 "2023-04-23T12:21:42Z")
As you can see, the Prismatic Oxygen Distribution Machine ™ caused our model to lose 6 dress sizes while she was reading her diary. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7779 "2023-04-23T15:35:53Z")
Scent Number 6: Youth’s Spring Fantasy ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7780 "2023-04-23T15:40:53Z")
Early vacuum cleaner instructions were confusing. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7781 "2023-04-23T18:49:35Z")
Professor Richards finally perfected the Snotty 2000 mucus collecting machine … but nobody could figure out why. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7782 "2023-04-23T19:06:51Z")
The winner! > [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Early vacuum cleaner instructions were confusing. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7783 "2023-04-23T21:02:21Z")
[Image](https://images.app.goo.gl/TDfgyXepRUvkMQUe6) Hopefully this works! ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7784 "2023-04-23T23:59:33Z")
Listen, kid: if you don’t smile, they’re gonna fire me. So please, I’m begging you, smile. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7785 "2023-04-24T00:11:46Z")
A fine example of black and white photography. ---
**Author:** ![Quondam\_Mechanic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quondam_mechanic/32/3404_2.png) [@Quondam\_Mechanic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quondam_Mechanic)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731/7786 "2023-04-24T01:31:03Z")
Eats, shoots and leaves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731.md?page=388) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-genuine-caption-contest-part-1/915731.md?page=390)