CARTOON CAPTION/ANTI-CAPTION COVERAGE CONTINUES!

First things first: In honor of this week's New Yorker cover, I replaced the usual illustration with a rare and oddly lit Reconstruction-era portrait of Eustace K. Tilley (right). It's only fitting, don't you agree?


The Cartoon Caption Contest had some trouble revving up today, but now I can tell you that the winner of Caption Contest 149 (Mick Stevens's guy with jet pack) is

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

In Caption Contest 151 (Tom Cheney's desk scene with giant pencils and sharpener), the nominees are

"Let's continue this discussion over a hot barrel of coffee."
Adam Caraher (New York, NY)

"But I have to warn you, carpal tunnel here is a bitch."
Sam Cobean (Falmouth, ME)

"'How many accountants does it take to sharpen a pencil?' you ask? In this case five."
Matt Aucoin (Woodstock, VT)

Note the somewhat complex punctuation of the third candidate. And note that my loser was

"Sharpened properly, these pencils are mightier than pens."

There are no Anti-Caption winners this week, but Dan Radosh did score a Q&A with current contest gatekeeper Farley Katz.


Caption Contest 153 is here, while Anti-Caption Contest 153 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

7 Virginia (three from NOVA, two from Richmond, one from Charlottesville, one from Roanoke)

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 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
2 Washington

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

Map Introduction

Thanks to Andriy Bidochko for Map Builder.

Portrait of Eustace K. Tilley 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