Cartoon Caption/Anti-Caption Anti-Caption Contest Continues!

Hooray for Lawrence Wood—yet again! The Chicagoan just won Caption Contest 192 (Jack Ziegler's talk show behind bars) with

"I'm just curious—what's your excuse?"

I believe that makes him the first three-time winner of the weekly competition!


The nominees in Caption Contest 194 (Leo Collum's slick businessman addressing man crawling through desert) are:

"First, we discuss my percentage of any water you find, real or imagined."
Jeff Joseph (Melville, NY)

"Just so we're straight, this is a billable mirage."
Brooks Heintzelman (Wilmington, NC)

"Impressive audition, but we're going with the camel."
Benjamin Levy (Palm Springs, FL)

My loser:

"I am Godot's executor. Sorry to have kept you waiting."

And the Anti-Caption Contest is, alas, going through a[n anti-]crisis....


Caption Contest 196 is here.

UPDATE Anti-Caption Contest 196 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

32 California

31 New York (27 from the Big Apple, where Lynn Tudor has won twice)

14 New Jersey

12 Virginia (six from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville, one from Newport News, one from Roanoke, one from Stanardsville)

10 Illinois (eight from Chicago, three captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)

9 Massachusetts

6 Connecticut (two from New Haven, four not)
6 North Carolina (two from Charlotte)
6 Pennsylvania
6 Texas (three from Houston, one from Austin)

5 Maryland (none named Mary)

4 Arizona (two from Tucson)
4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Ohio
4 Washington

3 Michigan
3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 Rhode Island

2 Alaska
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 Nevada (Las Vegas 1, Zephyr Cove 1)
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arkansas
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Louisiana (New Orleans)
1 Maine
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Wisconsin

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Parodic The Gothamer illustration realized by Deborah Grumet from concept by David Marc Fischer

Cartoon Caption/Anti-Caption Contest Continues!

The winner of Caption Contest 190 (Robert Leighton's head-in-the-sand ostrich statue on Wall Street) is

"I think the head's in the wrong place."
Steve Punch (Danville, CA)

So California regains the lead!


The nominees in Caption Contest 192 (Jack Ziegler's celebrity interview on set behind bars) are:

"Both the movie and I will be released this summer."
Lawrence Wood (Chicago, IL)

"This is fancy role-playing for a conjugal visit."
Benjamin New (Plantation, FL)

"It's my first time on 'Celebrity Parole Hearing.'"
Al Miro (Astoria, NY)

Yes, two-time winner Lawrence Wood is in the running again. And me? I'm still a total loser:

"Enough about my movie. Let's talk about ischemia, atherosclerotic narrowings, saphenous vein autografts, and the myocardium!"

Heck, I didn't even "get" the bars on the set!


The winner of Anti-Caption Contest 193 (Victoria Roberts's marionette people) is

"I have to go to the bathroom."
Rob

My losers:

"Actually, I'd prefer to be a finger puppet. Let me show you how that would work."

"Now that we've done away with Mother and Father, I realize how they manipulated us for all these years. Let us celebrate our freedom with another wild killing spree!"

Caption Contest 194 is here. Anti-Caption Contest 194 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

32 California

31 New York (27 from the Big Apple)

14 New Jersey

11 Virginia (five from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville, one from Newport News, one from Roanoke, one from Stanardsville)

9 Illinois (seven from Chicago, two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
9 Massachusetts

6 Connecticut (two from New Haven, four not)
6 North Carolina (two from Charlotte)
6 Pennsylvania
6 Texas (three from Houston, one from Austin)

5 Maryland (none named Mary)

4 Arizona (two from Tucson)
4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Ohio
4 Washington

3 Michigan
3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 Rhode Island

2 Alaska
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 Nevada (Las Vegas 1, Zephyr Cove 1)
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arkansas
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Louisiana (New Orleans)
1 Maine
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Wisconsin

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Parodic The Gothamer illustration realized by Deborah Grumet from concept by David Marc Fischer

Cartoon Caption/Anti-Caption Contest Continues!

The winner of Caption Contest 189 (Drew Dernavich's punctured acupuncturist) is

"Gesundheit."
Bob Vogel (Portland, ME)

This first win for Maine keeps New York from taking the first-place position and prevents Simon Fraser from tallying up a second win.


The nominees in Caption Contest 191 (Farley Katz's cat with other critters plunging off cliff) are:

"Just to confirm—I get seventy-two lemmings, right?"
Chris Norborg (Chicago, IL)

"Table for eleven? Right this way."
Simon Narode (Portland, OR)

"I'm just curious—what's your excuse?"
Pinghan Chua (Alexandria, VA)

My loser:

"I don't recommend doing this more than about seven or eight times."

Dan Radosh picked the winner of Anti-Caption Contest 192 (Jack Ziegler's talk show scene) before I made my submission, so of course it was a damn lucky week for all of the contestants. The winner?

"I'm sorry. I ran out of 'funny stories from the set' days ago, and yet, I remain trapped in this talk-show set/dungeon, as you stare at me with that creepy intensity, and I hope you'll understand that I'm beginning to wonder whether I'll ever see my family agai-- oh, we have to go to commercial? No, that's fine. I'll finish the story when we get back."
Tim C.

Caption Contest 193 is here. Anti-Caption Contest 193 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

31 California

31 New York (27 from the Big Apple)

14 New Jersey

11 Virginia (five from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville, one from Newport News, one from Roanoke, one from Stanardsville)

9 Illinois (seven from Chicago, two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
9 Massachusetts

6 Connecticut (two from New Haven, four not)
6 North Carolina (two from Charlotte)
6 Pennsylvania
6 Texas (three from Houston, one from Austin)

5 Maryland (none named Mary)

4 Arizona (two from Tucson)
4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Ohio
4 Washington

3 Michigan
3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 Rhode Island

2 Alaska
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 Nevada (Las Vegas 1, Zephyr Cove 1)
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arkansas
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Louisiana (New Orleans)
1 Maine
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Wisconsin

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Parodic The Gothamer illustration realized by Deborah Grumet from concept by David Marc Fischer

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

Let's hear it for me! The winner of Anti-Caption Contest 150 (Lee Lorenz's woman confronting man who has a gun to his head) is

"Don't forget to slaughter the children."
Gary Goldsmith

but I managed to score an Honorary Mention with

"M. Night Shyamalan presents The Happening: The New Yorker Cartoon"

Which just goes to show that you can get Dan Radosh's attention even if you're the very last person to post a caption before he announces the winners.


On the other hand, my losing streak at The New Yorker continues with Caption Contest 147 (Jack Ziegler's whale in court), which was won by the excellent though italics-deprived

"Objection, Your Honor! Alleged killer whale."
Will Simon (Brooklyn, NY)

Now New York is within five points of leader state California!


In Caption Contest 149 (Mick Stevens's man with jetpack at door of woman in curlers), the first cut consists of

"Can I borrow your Cessna?"
Michael Embley (Austin, TX)

"Are you sure you're ovulating now?"
Natalie O'Connell (City Island, NY)

"Apparently, American now charges extra for landings."
Steve Hoglund (Auburn, WA)

My loser:

"Emergency blow-dryer man, at your service!"

Caption Contest 151 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 151 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

27 California

22 New York (19 from the Big Apple)

12 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania
6 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville)

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
5 Texas (three from Houston)

4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Maryland (none named Mary)
4 North Carolina

3 Arizona (two from Tucson)
3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 Ohio

2 Alaska
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Michigan
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arkansas
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington
1 Wisconsin

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

California conquers in cartoons again, in controversial Caption Contest 145 (Harry Bliss's belatedly acknowledged takeoff on Jack Kirby "monster at the window" comic book cover art):

"O.K. I'm at the window. To the right? Your right or my right?"
Patrick House (Palo Alto, CA)

So House wins with an apartment joke that isn't too far from the caption that I submitted. Yay, me?


The nominees for Caption Contest 147 (Jack Ziegler's attorney representing killer whale) include a strong contender from Brooklyn:

"Objection, Your Honor! Alleged killer whale."
Will Simon (Brooklyn, NY)

"My client maintains that the penguin had a gun!"
Dan Von Kohorn (Chestnut Hill, MA)

"I demand a change of venue to a maritime court!"
S. Michael Ricciardi (Watchung, NJ)

My loser:

"Your Honor, I object! Is this the fin of a loan shark?"

That wasn't any worse than the nominees, was it?

You don't have to answer that.

Maybe I should've submitted one of my rejects:

"Killer, sure. Loan shark, never!"

Whatever.


Catching up on Anti-Captions: The winner of Anti-Caption Contest 147 (Jack Ziegler's attorney representing killer whale) is

"Fuck, it's the dream again. I'm on trial, surrounded by tiny non-whale mammals, and I don't even know what I'm being tried for. Wake up, don't worry, you'll wake up, wake up."
Snazzy Spazz

WWI? player Deborah merited an Honorary Mention with

"Your honor, my client requests a jury of his peers! And some water. Immediately."

My loser:

"Tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle
tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle
tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle!!!!!!"

And in Anti-Caption Contest 148 (Drew Dernavich's religious leaders and Satan in a line-up), the winner is

"The black one."
Clambone

My loser (perhaps reflecting my unawareness that the religious figures were in a line-up, not a portrait):

"Of course, they are as nothing compared with our Supreme Lord and Master, Drew Dernavich."

If you think that's off-base (perhaps not such a bad thing for an anti-caption, wait 'til you see my caption submission).


Caption Contest 149 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 149 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

27 California

21 New York (18 from the Big Apple)

12 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania
6 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville)

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
5 Texas (three from Houston)

4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Maryland (none named Mary)
4 North Carolina

3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 Ohio

2 Alaska
2 Arizona
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Michigan
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arkansas
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington
1 Wisconsin

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

There's a little more than usual to cover this week. And, it turns out, a little less.

First of all, the winner of Contest 144 (Mick Stevens's fisherman haunted by fish) is

"I'm haunted by the faces of my victims."
Tom Buckner (Asheville, NC)

So that's a real near-miss for me. Tom Buckner, we must have had similar childhoods!


In Caption Contest 146 (Leo Cullum's interview with smiley-faced stick figure), the nominees are

"I'm sorry, this is Tic-Tac-Toe—applications for Hangman are down the hall."
Gavrilo Gnatovich (Tucson, AZ)

"Besides being a stick, what is your greatest weakness?"
Roxie June (Window Rock, AZ)

"It was a rough divorce, but she didn't get the Happy Face."
David Duty (Austin, TX)

My loser:

"You look familiar. Did we meet in the Seventies?"

The big Caption Contest news this week had to do Contest 145. Harry Bliss's "monster outside apartment window" turned out to have been copied from a Jack Kirby cover to Tales to Astonish (as Neil Gaiman and many others have noted). So now the credit for the cartoon is "Drawing by Harry Bliss, after Jack Kirby." The drawing did look familiar to me—I think I've even read the story—but I didn't figure out the source on my own.


As for Anti-Caption Contest 147 (Jack Ziegler's courtroom with lawyer gesticulating next to killer shark), Dan Radosh had not posted the winner by the time I decided to go ahead with this post, so it'll just have to wait.


Caption Contest 148 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 148 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

26 California

21 New York (18 from the Big Apple)

12 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania
6 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville)

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
5 Texas (three from Houston)

4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Maryland (none named Mary)
4 North Carolina

3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 Ohio

2 Alaska
2 Arizona
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Michigan
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arkansas
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington
1 Wisconsin

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

In a first for, uh, The Natural State, the winner of Caption Contest 142 (Jack Ziegler's taxi crashing a posh club) is

"When you don't want one, they're everywhere."
Christopher Kemp (Rogers, AR)

Congratulations, Christopher—you've put Arkansas on the map!


In Caption Contest 144 (Mick Stevens's fisherman on an analyst's couch surrounded by levitating fish), all the nominees are from the Carolinas.

"I'm haunted by the faces of my victims."
Tom Buckner (Asheville, NC)

"Just once, I'd like it to be fish and chips."
Jean Turlington (Clinton, NC)

"You think this is bad? I used to be a proctologist."
David Krieger (Taylors, SC)

My loser:

"I feel haunted by my past."

Awfully close to Buckner's entry—but not on the same level as Krieger's.


In Anti-Caption Contest 145 (Harry Bliss's man on phone while monster lurks outside window), the winner is

"Me like picture of jewish man! Me put it up on wall!"
Jimby

My loser:

"Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Oh, fuck—this is so annoying!"

Caption Contest 146 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 146 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

26 California

21 New York (18 from the Big Apple)

12 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania
6 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville)

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
5 Texas (three from Houston)

4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Maryland (none named Mary)

3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 North Carolina
3 Ohio

2 Alaska
2 Arizona
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Michigan
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arkansas
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

Hey, New York's still in the game! The winner of Caption Contest 139 (Leo Cullum's lions over a doctor's remains) is

"I still have room for a second opinion."
Julie Schuman (New York, NY)

So New York is just four points behind California.


In Caption Contest 141 (Drew Dernavich's bat-winged angel), the nominees are

"It just looked so uncool to wear a seat belt in the Batmobile."
Steve Rogers (Los Angeles, CA)

"I only got halfway through my deathbed conversion."
Mark Blankenship (Brooklyn, NY)

"I'm allergic to down."
Zach Wilson (St. Paul, MN)

Looks like the Batman joke was made by Captain America! As for my loser:

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think the Riddler did it."

In Anti-Caption Contest 142 (Jack Ziegler's taxi in stairwell of posh club, still mislabeled as Anti-Caption Contest 143), the winner is

"Well, I think that speaks for itself and we can...AGH!! MEN IN CHAIRS!!!"
seth

My loser:

"Perhaps the driver is Dan Radosh, who might have confused 142nd Street and 143rd Street as well as Anti-Caption Contest 142 and Anti-Caption Contest 143. Or maybe not."

Caption Contest 143 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 143 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

25 California

21 New York (18 from the Big Apple)

12 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania
6 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville)

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
5 Texas (three from Houston)

4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Maryland (none named Mary)

3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 North Carolina
3 Ohio

2 Alaska
2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Michigan
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Arizona
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

California resumes its winning ways in Caption Contest 134 (Jack Ziegler's couple in bed wearing protective suits):

"Next time can we just get flu shots like everyone else?"
Matthew May (Westlake Village, CA)

In Caption Contest 136 (Drew Dernavich's businessman with vulture), the candidates are

"Janice, hold all my calls. Indefinitely."
Peter Bruno (Rutland, VT)

"Could you order me a B.L.T. on whole wheat with a side of carrion?"
Wayne Martorelli (Lawrenceville, NJ)

"Let me guess—the lab results aren't good."
Jacob Kono (Jersey City, NJ)

My loser, which is very close to Wayne Martorelli's entry:

"I'll have a regular coffee, a danish, and a bloody carcass."

Dang!


In Anti-Caption Contest 137 (Gahan Wilson's man doing semaphore on couch), the winner is

"If your old bitch dead mother could see us now! Me with not one, but TWO flat screen TeeVees and you dancing around like an idiot on that couch of hers. Not to mention using her prized place mats for fun. I hope she's roasting in Hell."
SK

My losers:

"Oh, I get it now! You're parking your 'S' on the couch again.

"I'm sorry I took so long figuring that out. I was having trouble interpreting your left arm position, you see--it's like you have an accent in semaphore!

"Anyway, that was a fun diversion. So thank you!"

Caption Contest 137 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 137 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

24 California

20 New York (17 from the Big Apple)

11 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania
6 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville)

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)

4 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
4 Maryland (none named Mary)
4 Texas (two from Houston)

3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 North Carolina
3 Ohio

2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Michigan
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Alaska
1 Arizona
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

California's surge continues with its unprecedented third win in a row—all from SoCal! This one is in Caption Contest 132 (Michael Crawford's swordsman at suburban breakfast):

"We're all out of the blood of your enemies. You'll have to settle for marmalade."
Jason Beck (Los Angeles, CA)

California could accumulate another win in Caption Contest 134 (Jack Ziegler's couple in bed wearing protective suits), but it will first have to take on a Goulder from Boulder. The nominees are

"Don't sexual fantasies usually involve sex at some point?"
Alex Goulder (Boulder, CO)

"Next time can we just get flu shots like everyone else?"
Matthew May (Westlake Village, CA)

"Not tonight, dear. I have acute radiation poisoning."
Stephen Schwartz (Wilmette, IL)

My loser:

"I'd be more impressed if you learned to use a butter knife."

In Anti-Caption Contest 135 (P. C. Vey's guests with giant bomb), the winner is

"Allahu akbar to you, allahu akbar to you, allahu akbar dear Maaaaaar-tin, allahu akbar to yoooooou!"
Francis

My Fab loser:

"Greetings from Pepperland!"

Caption Contest 136 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 136 is here.


THE STANDINGS

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

23 California

20 New York (17 from the Big Apple)

11 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania
6 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville)

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)

4 Maryland (none named Mary)
4 Texas (two from Houston)

3 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 North Carolina
3 Ohio

2 District of Columbia
2 Florida
2 Michigan
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Alaska
1 Arizona
1 Delaware
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone

CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

At long last, New York has climbed back into a tie for first place with California! The winner of Caption Contest 124 (Mike Twohy's men crawling in desert) is

"I don't know about you, but I'd be willing to pitch in for a new contact lens."
Peter Moller (Syracuse, NY)

The last time New York was in first was way back in Caption Contest 3 (Jack Ziegler's Emergency Hotline).

Things aren't looking great for the rest of the states, as there's a ten point margin between the front-runners and second-place New Jersey.


Still, the contest continues, with the following nominees in Caption Contest 126 (David Sipress's talking head in a pseudo-Mondrian).

"Excuse me—which way is Marcel Duchamp's urinal?"
Robert Rosenthal (Boston, MA)

"Pardon me, can you draw clothes?"
Tom Tyler (Alexandria, VA)

"Please, a sandwich, a piece of fruit, anything."
Albert Raman (Philadelphia, PA)

My loser:

"Where's Harry Potter? There's trouble at Hogwarts!"

Maybe it should've been

"The name of this painting is Talking Head."

Sigh.


As for Anti-Caption Contest 127 (Drew Dernavich's fishing hole shaped like a human), the announcement of the winner might have wait 'til next year.


Caption Contest 128 is here. Anti-Caption Contest 128 will likely turn up here at some point.


THE STANDINGS

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

20 California
20 New York (17 from the Big Apple)

10 New Jersey

6 Massachusetts
6 Pennsylvania

5 Connecticut (two from New Haven, three not)
5 Illinois (four from Chicago—two captions by Lawrence Wood, two drawings by Leo Cullum)
5 Virginia (two from Richmond)

4 Maryland (none named Mary)

3 Georgia (includes two-time winner Carl Gables)
3 Minnesota (Minneapolis 2, St. Paul 1)
3 North Carolina
3 Ohio
3 Texas

2 District of Columbia
2 Mississippi
2 Missouri
2 New Hampshire
2 Oregon (both named Eric, both from Portland)
2 Rhode Island
2 Utah
2 Vermont

1 Alabama
1 Alaska
1 Arizona
1 Delaware
1 Florida
1 Iowa
1 Kentucky
1 Michigan
1 Nevada
1 New Mexico
1 Oklahoma
1 Washington

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Image by David Marc Fischer using Samsung cameraphone