Yesterday, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author, Michael Hiltzik, dubbed the New Yorker’s cartoon caption contest “[p]ossibly the lamest contest in all creation” (in a Tweet directed at me):
However,
many of us ordinary folk love to submit captions to the New Yorker’s weekly
contest that appears on the last page of each issue. Why? Because it's fun. And as a fiction writer, I consider it a form of writing prompt for what amounts to be a very short story.
The contest has spawned a fair
number of articles including Pete Chianca’s rants such as “Proof
the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest is full of crap” and “More
proof the New Yorker caption contest is trying to screw me” (these are
worth reading).
Perhaps
the most famous winner of the contest is the late (and great) Roger Ebert whose
victory is recounted in this New Yorker piece
by Robert Mankoff.
And then there’s the remarkable streak of seven wins
by Chicago attorney, Larry Wood. Yes, Wood has won seven times.
As a short-story writer and poet, I’ve dreamed of being published by the New
Yorker (what writer hasn't?). Well, my dream has come true, sort of.
This
week, my caption is among the three finalists. You may view them here. For your convenience, here is my caption with the cartoon:
Therefore,
my words and byline have now appeared in the New Yorker. However, I want to win. I can taste it. Damn it, please let me win.
How do I do that? My fate is in your hands, dear La Bloga readers. Go online and vote,
it’s that simple. You need to create an account to do so, but it’s free.
Has
a Chicanx ever won this contest? I’m not certain. But if not, we might break another literary glass ceiling.
Mil gracias.
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