CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION CONTESTS CONTINUE!

These days California dominates The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest with 12 wins despite its recent dry spell. New York holds second place with 9 wins. But those two states haven't always dominated the competition. During one early stretch, the lead was held by another state: North Carolina.

Caption writers representing North Carolina won two out of the first four weekly contests. In fact, North Carolina shared or held the top position from Caption Contest #2 until Caption Contest #14, when Massachusetts racked up its third victory. At that point, the Tar Heel State settled into a prolonged winless slump. Until now.

Today North Carolina returns to the winner's circle in Caption Contest #65 (man voting with robots at business meeting) with this caption by Brent Sheppard of Morganton:

"Jenkins, if I want another yes-man I'll build one."

So North Carolina finally has its third victory, moving it within a win of New Jersey.


North Carolina's neighbor to the north has yet to win the Cartoon Caption Contest, but that might change with Caption Contest #67 (office scene with dog adding to pile of tiny papers), where Virginia is among the nominees:

"Don't laugh. He's made partner."
Jim Dickerson (Richmond, VA)

"He's a stray, but I'm thinking of keeping him."
Peter Fox (Oak View, CA)

"There's no good way to tell you this, Carson--your job has been dogsourced."
Trent Wisecup (Birmingham, MI)

My loser [approximate, to be corrected at a later date]:

"This is what happens when you downsize the IT department.'

In Anti-Caption Contest #67, the winner is Tim C with

"Yes, he's quite useful. Frankly, I haven't seen a dog bring in that much money since 'Superman Returns'."

My loser:

"Fido and I oppose the paperless office. For grossly different reasons."

Caption Contest #69 is here. Anti-Caption Contest #69 will probably turn up soon here, but I can't wait any longer for it to be posted.


In related news, congratulations to Emdashes on its move and new look--and kudos on discovering The New Yorker Cartoon Contest Game as well as The New Yorker Book of Cartoon Puzzles and Games.


THE STANDINGS
Here is the current New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest breakdown by state. You can find it all mapped out here.

12 California

9 New York (8 from the Big Apple)

6 Pennsylvania

5 Massachusetts

4 New Jersey

3 North Carolina

2 Georgia
2 Illinois
2 Minnesota
2 New Hampshire
2 Texas
2 Utah

1 Arizona
1 Connecticut
1 Iowa
1 Maryland
1 Mississippi
1 Missouri
1 New Mexico
1 Ohio
1 Oklahoma
1 Oregon
1 Rhode Island
1 Vermont
1 Washington
1 Washington, DC

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone