Friday, September 28, 2007

The Yeast Makes Enemies

It's not unusual for the New Yorker cartoonists to make fun of their own sponsors, but here's my personal favourite:


If you're too lethargic and constipated to click on the picture for a larger view, he's saying "Yeast eater!" This an unquestionable reference to the advertisements for Fleischmann's Yeast, a ridiculous 1920's cure-all that I've been posting about occasionally.

You might be amazed to learn that Fleischmann's Yeast is still being sold, though no longer as a curative...people just bake bread with it nowadays.

You might also be interested to hear that Peter Arno -- originator of the "Whoops Sisters," who flounced through The New Yorker from 1925 to 1927 -- was also married to Lois Long, and somehow I think they both deserved each other.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is the reason for this consistent, long-drawn and unflagging love for 1920s New Yorker? I just don't get it. :-)

Adam Thornton said...

Two years ago, Vanilla bought me the entire New Yorker DVD collection. Since I'm sort of obsessive, my goal is to read EVERY ISSUE of The New Yorker up to 2004.

So I started at the beginning (February 1925) and every morning I read a bit more. I'm up to April 1928 now, which means I should be finished by 2047.

Honestly, though, I just love getting a grip on things. Reading The New Yorker is teaching me fascinating things about the 1920s. We lose so much "history" every day that it thrills me to uncover Peter Arno, Fleischmann's Yeast, Snappy Cheese...

Anonymous said...

reason? um, it's the 1920s New Yorker!!

Adam Thornton said...

Marilyn, next time I feel to need to justify an odd obsession, I'll give you a call!

suspect device said...

Note also that the publisher/money man behind the New Yorker was Raoul Fleischmann of the yeasty family. R&F publishing was (editor/founder Harold) Ross & Fleischmann, and the editorial/business sides of the magazine always had an adversarial relationship.