Kevin Siers: You Write The Caption

The March 27 Cartoon Caption Winner!

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The winner:

“These height restrictions in Dilworth are getting ridiculous!”
-- submitted by Drew Elliot of Chapel Hill.

They say you should write what you know.  And, apparently, everyone knows real estate, not to mention Charlotte potholes, Hickory sinkholes and failed upscale department store excavations.  All of these made this week's cartoon caption challenge our most popular yet.  Drew Elliot's caption was a hole-in-one and gets our grand prize, this week's artwork with the winning caption on it.

The runners-up:

"How do we get Charlotte to buy it?  We tell them Atlanta wants it!"
-- submitted by Daniel Ernsberger of Charlotte.

"I see why restaurants are less expensive in Hickory."
-- submitted by Rick Gandy of Concord.

"The developer calls this 'open space'!"
-- submitted by Zachary Moretz of Concord.

"The housing bubble has burst!"
-- submitted by over a dozen contestants.

Thank you for all your entries.  Here's a sampling of some of the other better lines we received this week:

"But Honey, it's an authentic Dee-Dee Harris."

"This is a  good spot for that bridge you bought last week".

"It's pure genius.  Last year we sold all of the National Forest, and this year we sold all of the land."

"Those northerners take yard sales seriously."

"They're selling naming rights for potholes to pay for highway improvements."

"There has to be a tax incentive in here somewhere."

"Yeah, but it's so close to the Light Rail!"

"You'll be getting a WHOLE lot for your money."

"And they said the schools here are just as good!"

"The president's deficit isn't so bad -- I'm standing on the backs of our children!"

"Good news!  Our house really was a gold mine!"

"Finally!  A lot in Myers Park we can afford!"

"I knew we should have taken that first offer!"

"First the new coliseum..then the light rail...then the Nascar Hall Of Fame, and now this, yet ANOTHER black hole to throw tax money into!"

"We're just like Atlanta! We've got an underground now."

"Tragically, a clerical error ruined Hickory's chance for the NASCAR 'Hole' of Fame."

"Look on the bright side dear, now we don't have to have the house treated for termites."

If you'd like to add any of your own late captions, or if you'd like to discuss or comment on the judges' selections, feel free to click on the little blue "Comments" link just below this post. Please visit us again Monday for a new cartoon caption challenge.

Your New Challenge: March 27, 2006

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Welcome to the Charlotte Observer Cartoon Caption Contest, an opportunity to test your wit and win a prize. Each Monday, Observer editorial cartoonist Kevin Siers will post a cartoon that needs a caption and invite readers to write one.  To learn more about our contest and see our caption writing guidelines, please click here. 

To submit your caption on-line, just click here to e-mail us!  Please include your mailing address and daytime phone number. To mail your caption to the Observer, address it to You Write the Caption, Editorial Department, The Charlotte Observer, P.O. Box 30308, Charlotte, NC 28230-0308.  Submissions must reach us by noon Thursday, March 30.

We'll post the winner's name and caption and the runners-up here Friday afternoon and publish them in the Observer next Monday.  The winning writer gets the original cartoon art with the caption added. Good luck, and have fun!

The March 20 Caption Contest Winner!

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The winner:

"It's just that I don't want you to end up like those Enron boys."
-- submitted by Rob Christensen of Charlotte.

The gulf between generations has always been the grist for great literature, and, of course, that includes cartoons, right?  Right?  At any rate, Mr. Christensen, in our opinion, came up with the best line for this week's variation on that classic theme.  For his efforts, he'll be receiving the original Kevin Siers cartoon art with his caption written on it.

The runners-up:

"Trust me son, there's more to life than 'The Apprentice'!"
-- submitted by Dan Owens of Charlotte.

"What's wrong with having your birthday party at the NASCAR Hall of Fame?"
-- submitted by Zachary M. Moretz of Concord.

"If you keep this up, you will never get into reform school."
-- submitted by Brent Sheppard of Morganton, N.C.

"If CMS was good enough for me, it's good enough for you!"
-- submitted separately by William F. Withrow, Jr. of Harrisburg, N.C. and Zachary M. Moretz (again!) of Concord.

Thank you for all your entries.  Here's a sampling of some of the other better lines we received this week:

"My father was right. Each new generation of kids is worse than the one before."

"Son, I can't believe you overbilled me in your allowance for those times you visited me in jail!"

"No offense, dude, but I figured the IRS was run by a bunch of Honda ridin' girly men..."

"Now, dadgone it son, wanting to be president ain't all it's cracked up to be."

"No, son, I did not mean greedy little yuppies when I said I love Hogs!"

"We drop you off a block from school because we're embarrased to be seen with you."

"Who needs an Education - just play the lottery!"

“But if you become a Democrat the government will give you ever-thang you need.”

"While I like the truck ads, Coach K, have you ever thought about plugging choppers?"

"No, you can not have a Honda!"

"After all our work on image, you said WHAT to you teacher?"

"You wanna work for one of them big banks in Charlotte, huh?  Son, don't you care about your public image?"

If you'd like to add any of your own late captions, or if you'd like to discuss or comment on the judges' selections, feel free to click on the little blue "Comments" link just below this post. Please visit us again Monday for a new cartoon caption challenge.

Your New Challenge: March 20, 2006

Click image to enlarge.

Welcome to the Charlotte Observer Cartoon Caption Contest, an opportunity to test your wit and win a prize. Each Monday, Observer editorial cartoonist Kevin Siers will post a cartoon that needs a caption and invite readers to write one.  To learn more about our contest and see our caption writing guidelines, please click here. 

To submit your caption on-line, just click here to e-mail us!  Please include your mailing address and daytime phone number. To mail your caption to the Observer, address it to You Write the Caption, Editorial Department, The Charlotte Observer, P.O. Box 30308, Charlotte, NC 28230-0308.  Submissions must reach us by noon Thursday, March 23.

We'll post the winner's name and caption and the runners-up here Friday afternoon and publish them in the Observer next Monday.  The winning writer gets the original cartoon art with the caption added. Good luck, and have fun!

The March 13 Caption Contest Winner!

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The winner:

"Don't mix your Prozac with your Viagra, dear!"
-- submitted by Tom Hodge of Denver, N.C.

Holy Doppelganger, Batman!  Many contestants this week seemed struck by our caped crusader's resemblance to a Larry Gauvreau caricature, making variations of "Another school board meeting tonight, dear?" our most popular caption.  But Mr. Hodge's caption made us the happiest.  He'll be winning our grand prize, the original Kevin Siers cartoon art, with his caption written on it.

The runners-up:

"Once again, you've managed to take 'March Madness' to a whole new level!"
-- submitted by Steve LaDue of Fort Mill.

"Well Captain Pothole, you can fix Wilkinson after dinner."
-- submitted by Brandon Swann of Fort Meade, Maryland.

"Taking the responses to your Forum letter a little personal aren't you?"
-- submitted by Herb Wright of Concord.

"No dear, President Bush already has enough advisors."
-- submitted by Gordon V. Semken of Monroe.

Thank you for all your entries.  We received well over 200 this week and most of them made us smile. This is only a sampling of the many worthy lines that came in:

"Pat, isn't it time you let someone else run for mayor?"

"You only brokered the purchase of Knight-Ridder, it hasn't been approved yet!"

"Doing your best 'Coach Joe' impersonation may be the only  way you'll get on the agenda at the next school board meeting, Larry!"

"It's not like you leaped a tall building in a single bound - it was just the crossword!"

"So, I take it you have an issue with Kevin's cartoon today."

"Now Henry, they said it's not possible to bring Calvin & Hobbs back."

"Oh come now, dear. Surely the taxes weren't that complicated."

"I bet the terrorists are quaking in their boots!"

"Honey, maybe that medical marijuana just isn't working out for you ..."

"Well, if it isn't the ol' Caped Educator! Have you been reading the "Rhino Times" again?"

Congratulations, John!  I see you finally got one of your little comments in "The Buzz".

"This reminds me of our wedding night."

“The Observer always brings the best out of you, dear.”

“Even in retirement, Alan Greenspan continues his fight against rising inflation”

"Able to read through spin, one biased newspaper at a time."

"Another article about Jim Black?"

"Darling, the president doesn't need a superhero, he needs divine intervention!"

"It looks like you're pretty serious about supporting the Light Rail, huh?"

"Oh Erskine... off to meet up with the other potheads on campus again?"

If you'd like to add any of your own late captions, or if you'd like to discuss or comment on the judges' selections, feel free to click on the little blue "Comments" link just below this post. Please visit us again Monday for a new cartoon caption challenge.

Your New Challenge: March 13, 2006

Click image to enlarge.

Welcome to the Charlotte Observer Cartoon Caption Contest, an opportunity to test your wit and win a prize. Each Monday, Observer editorial cartoonist Kevin Siers will post a cartoon that needs a caption and invite readers to write one.  To learn more about our contest and see our caption writing guidelines, please click here. 

To submit your caption on-line, just click here to e-mail us!  Please include your mailing address and daytime phone number. To mail your caption to the Observer, address it to You Write the Caption, Editorial Department, The Charlotte Observer, P.O. Box 30308, Charlotte, NC 28230-0308.  Submissions must reach us by noon Thursday, March 16.

We'll post the winner's name and caption and the runners-up here Friday afternoon and publish them in the Observer next Monday.  The winning writer gets the original cartoon art with the caption added. Good luck, and have fun!

The March 6 Cartoon Caption Winner!

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Sure, racing was built here and racing belongs here, but why does Irving Mitflump?  This week, our readers came up with scores of ingenious reasons, making this one of the most popular caption challenges we've had to date. 

The winner:

"He’s the guy who figured out how many corporate logos will fit on a stock car!"

-- submitted by John Boylan of Hickory.

Mr. Boylan wins a place in our caption hall of fame, but instead of a place on a pedestal, he'll receive the original Kevin Siers cartoon art with his caption written on it.

The runners-up:

“He’s the only man who understands the point system AND the penalty system!”

-- submitted by Ron Wood of Charlotte.

"He was the first white collar worker to publicly admit to being a NASCAR fan."

-- submitted by Greg Jones of Charlotte.

"Him? I believe he invented the beer can pull tab."

-- submitted by Loyd Dillon of Charlotte.

“Irving led the most important NASCAR Hall of Fame category – most overnight stays at Charlotte hotels!”

-- submitted by Phil Busher of Charlotte.

Thank you for all your entries.  Here's a selection of other good lines we received this week:

"Oh, yeah... He's the barber who invented the Mullet."

"Mr. Mitflump was one of the early racin' engineers.....he thought-up 'turn left'!"

"The Legend, the King, the Revenuer."

"He negotiated Jeff Gordon's divorce settlement."

"Irving Mitflump:  I-77 Bump-draft Champion!"

"He was Governor Easley's stunt driving double."

"Irving calculated how to build the NASCAR Hall of Fame here without raising our taxes!"

"He's better known as the Father of the Restrictor Plate."

"That's the France family's tax man."

"He invented NASCAR table linen.......handy-wipes"

"He was Dale Earnhardt's banker."

"He's the one that came up with the idea of getting  cities to compete to pay for the NASCAR hall of fame."

"He's the guy who invented the race car decal."

"Irving holds the patent on the Playmate cooler."

"He's one of only three who rented a Charlotte hotel room after the NASCAR tax."

If you'd like to add any of your own late captions, or if you'd like to discuss or comment on the judges' selections, feel free to click on the little blue "Comments" link just below this post. Please visit us again Monday for a new cartoon caption challenge.

Your New Challenge: March 6, 2006

Click image to enlarge.

Welcome to the Charlotte Observer Cartoon Caption Contest, an opportunity to test your wit and win a prize. Each Monday, Observer editorial cartoonist Kevin Siers will post a cartoon that needs a caption and invite readers to write one.  To learn more about our contest and see our caption writing guidelines, please click here. 

To submit your caption on-line, just click here to e-mail us!  Please include your mailing address and daytime phone number.  To mail your caption to the Observer, address it to You Write the Caption, Editorial Department, The Charlotte Observer, P.O. Box 30308, Charlotte, NC 28230-0308.  Submissions must reach us by noon Thursday, March 9.

We'll post the winner's name and caption and the runners-up here Friday afternoon and publish them in the Observer next Monday.  The winning writer gets the original cartoon art with the caption added.  Good luck, and have fun!

The Feb. 27 Cartoon Caption Winner!

Click image to enlarge.

If there's something rotten in the state of North Carolina, our caption contest writers have plenty of ideas of what it might be.

The winner:

"I liked it better in the old days when we just had pork barrel."

-- submitted by Lee Baber of Charlotte.

We've dusted off our grand prize and will be sending it off to Mr. Baber -- the original Kevin Siers cartoon art with his caption on it.

The runners-up:

"And today's winning lottery numbers are . . . !"

-- submitted by both Kay Starnes and Charles P. Murphy of Charlotte.

"He's still looking for law in all the wrong places."

-- submitted by John Wester of Charlotte.

"Garbage in, garbage out."

-- submitted by both Deborah Moose of Charlotte and Geraldine Propst of Newton.

"He's looking for Jim Black."

-- submitted by about a third of our contestants.

Thank you for all your entries. Here's a selection of some of the other better lines we received:

"Now here’s something we hope you’ll really like!"

"He's looking for his legacy."

"He's filing away Speaker Black's legal bill."

"He's looking for aluminum cans to sell so we can fund Jim's legal defense."

"He's just looking for his " I'm the education governor" campaign speech."

"I told him we needed to get a feel for what the Republicans think of our lottery plans."

"Looks like the Governor has his hand in Legislative affairs again."

"He's promoting 'politics as usual' as an alternative fuel."

"You sure this is the best way to pick a company to manage our lottery?"

"He's trying to get 'Fear Factor' to film in NC - but letting him drive another race car was way too scary for the producers."

If you'd like to add any of your own late captions, or if you'd like to discuss or comment on the judges' selections, feel free to click on the little blue "Comments" link just below this post. Please visit us again Monday for a new cartoon challenge.