# New Yorker caption contest: I wuz robbed **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 25, 2005, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752 "2005-10-25T00:32:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/1 "2005-10-25T00:32:31Z")
[The New Yorker caption contest.](http://www.newyorker.com/captioncontest/) I didn’t make the cut, but I still think my entry for Contest #23 was better than any of the three finalists. My entry: “It’s just protective coloration. Real Mondrians are toxic to birds.” Anyone agree? ---
**Author:** ![tiltypig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@tiltypig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiltypig)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/2 "2005-10-25T00:39:04Z")
I like yours. I liked mine too. Mine was something along the lines of: I had great luck with that Christo guy, so I figured this was worth a shot. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/3 "2005-10-25T00:56:39Z")
Biff, regarding your proposed caption: that’s a joke, right? Wait, no, I really meant, it wasn’t a joke, right? Wait… oh, crap. I didn’t think your cation was funny, if it really was intended to be. There. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/4 "2005-10-25T01:19:47Z")
“You see, I believe in Intelligent Design.” ---
**Author:** ![Farmwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8dc957/32.png) [@Farmwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmwoman)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/5 "2005-10-25T01:22:40Z")
Yes…but is it _art?_ ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/6 "2005-10-25T01:22:41Z")
That’s a Ziggy! ---
**Author:** ![Iacob\_Matthew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Iacob\_Matthew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iacob_Matthew)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/7 "2005-10-25T01:26:08Z")
Well… Your response managed to get me to smirk when I read it. Not a full smile, mind you, but a positive response. The first (kids) was New Yorker humor, but still stupid enough that I groaned. The second (Soup Can) made me want to defenestrate whoever wrote that, and was significantly worse than the uncaptioned comic. The third one- (It’s not traditional…) is less New Yorker humor than yours but, IMO, funnier, and was able to get chuckle while I rolled my eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/8 "2005-10-25T01:57:00Z")
Is flatulence humor appropriate for the New Yorker? If so, I’m a lock for the #25 prize. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/9 "2005-10-25T02:09:20Z")
Sorry, I don’t see a joke in your caption. Yes, it’s a Mondrian. Yes, butterflies often employ protective mimicry. “Real Mondrians are toxic to birds?” Uh… that’s not really funny, it’s just a poor attempt to connect two rather obvious things. I’d pick the one about attracting more mature females – though there are no real knee-slappers anywhere in evidence. Sorry to be critical – especially since the best that _I’ve_ got is “It’s not unusual at all. I _am_ a lepid-Op-ter, after all.” (Even if Mondrian was properly classified as an “Op” artist, instead of frequently miscategorized as such, I wouldn’t feel “robbed” if that clunker was passed over.) ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/10 "2005-10-25T03:53:41Z")
I’m sorry to say I prefer the three finalists. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/11 "2005-10-25T04:19:55Z")
“But how will we raise the kids?” That’s a finalist? Egad, Steve’s son at [The Sneeze](http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/cat_jokes_from_the_booster_seat.php) could do better than that. Hey, that gives me an idea… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/12 "2005-10-25T04:23:11Z")
I liked the kids line best but I think yours was better than the other two. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/13 "2005-10-25T11:45:25Z")
I submitted one for #25. “We met at the the wet bar.” Not overly funny, but if you’ve been following the contest, you’’ get the nod. ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/14 "2005-10-25T11:59:26Z")
I don’t think any of the 3 finalists or yours is funny. The ‘more mature female’ one was _almost_ funny but ultimately I’m left completely unsatisfied. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/15 "2005-10-25T17:45:12Z")
Isn’t The New Yorker notorious for having the unfunniest cartoons on the planet? I think the Family Circus is considered a laugh riot compared to the humor-defying waste of ink on cartoons in The New Yorker. That said, I did like your caption - but the editors were probably afraid someone might chuckle and come out of their coma while reading the magazine. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/16 "2005-10-25T17:50:53Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Isn’t The New Yorker notorious for having the unfunniest cartoons on the planet? > I think the Family Circus is considered a laugh riot compared to the humor-defying waste of ink on cartoons in The New Yorker. At least The New Yorker doesn’t stoop to glurge. And no, they’re not always unfunny. They’re usually weird and vaguely absurd, but they can be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/17 "2005-10-25T17:55:03Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Isn’t The New Yorker notorious for having the unfunniest cartoons on the planet? > I think the Family Circus is considered a laugh riot compared to the humor-defying waste of ink on cartoons in The New Yorker. > > That said, I did like your caption - but the editors were probably afraid someone might chuckle and come out of their coma while reading the magazine. As a matter of fact, the New Yorker is well known for being highly selective and consistently containing the highest quality cartooning. They have several compilations, so presumably they sell well. Tell us, just what thrill-inducing, riotous periodicals are you reading that have you declaring the New Yorker to be coma-inducing and humor-defying. I’d be interested in reading one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/18 "2005-10-25T18:01:37Z")
I like yours best, **Biffy** , but what can I say; I enjoy Darwinistic humor. Soup can runs a close second. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/19 "2005-10-25T18:21:12Z")
I liked the soup can one best, but that’s not really saying a hell of a lot. Sorry, **Biff**. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752/20 "2005-10-25T18:57:05Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > As a matter of fact, the New Yorker is well known for being highly selective and consistently containing the highest quality cartooning. I am certainly not the first, nor the last person to note that their cartoons are usually dull.[Here](http://www.thebluehammer.com/dailyhammer/archive/2004/12/20.html) is one person who agrees with me. But what one person finds unfunny, the other finds hilarious - hence Pauly Shore films and Carrot Top. I still think 98.5% of all the cartoons in The New Yorker are about as funny as reading the Congressional Register, but different strokes… Didn’t mean to rain on anybody’s parade, and did find the OP’s caption good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-yorker-caption-contest-i-wuz-robbed/327752.md?page=2)