best earliest latest latest and best captions

I agree with everything the identified Captioneers have said, and some of the things the Anons have said, but it is a bit difficult to keep track of which Anon is who. Perhaps Anons should give themselves aliases, like Angry Anon, or Anon the Mildly Displeased.

The one thing I haven't seen mentioned is the actual closeness of the two captions, which for me isn't dramatically close. Yes, they both focus on the same basic idea, but gravity is hard to ignore. I've seen many much closer later captions on other pics escape persecution.

Anyway, enough said, except, like Mr. Dome, I'd love the process to be more spontaneous. I've said it many times before, but I'd much prefer it if nobody knew what photo was coming, and quick wits were more important than quick pasting.

James Lennox

"OMG if I drop this, the comments won't swallow me whole." Wow. I've just been reading through, is 30 comments (at present) on a caption a new world record?

Caption author, whoever you are, good on you for sticking to your guns. [anon] with your comment "Free speech is never cowardice. Silence is" so with that taken into account, with the Caption author having posted this caption aren't they asserting their right to free speech otherwise wouldn't the above would be a blank caption? Or would there be no caption at all? And if the caption author decided to take down their caption as a result of the comments above wouldn't that be them submitting to being silenced? And even if they did want to be silent aren't they entitled to assert their right to free silence because isn't silence the thing that fills the gaps in between the words when someone is using free speech?

Oh, and Harpo Marx was silent but he still had freedom of expression.

Glyn Evans

You might have missed the point, Glyn. All we're asking for is consideration of others, by reading the captions before you post your own. If there is one that is too similar, think of something else. Most of us do that. They were first, we respect that. It's such a simple concept, why would people argue about it?

Read all the captions for this pic, they're so diverse and creative. Some real laugh out loud originality. All this brouhaha has robbed so many of these great captions of the attention they deserve. Personally I think many of them are better than the one with the current top position. Perhaps some people here vote out of spite?

The discussion on whether or not someone can think up a great idea in a minute, isn't the topic here. Whatever time I'm posting, I read first to see if someone beat me to it with the same joke. Sometimes mine might be better, but it's the same joke, I dump it instead of posting it, because they were first. Of course many of us will have similar ideas on these photos, but if someone else is first, then we are forced to stretch our creativity and come up with something else original, as many here with this pic have.

If the members have no code of ethics or system of honor, what is the point?

And why even have the timestamp?

Let's just get rid of it, if it's meaningless.

I agree with Chris.

[Posted by Synonymous]

One thing which we must remember is that everybody's sense of humour differs. If the quality of a caption was something which could be regarded as objective rather than subjective, there would be no point in voting, because everybody would agree. Just because voters do not necessarily agree with one person's own point of view does not in any way mean that captions are "robbed of the attention they deserve", or that people are voting "out of spite", or "have no code of ethics or honour". One person may well think that their caption is really brilliant - after all, that is why they posted it - but others do not necessarily agree, and nobody should get cross just because their caption did not get the votes they had hoped for. It's only a game, it's all a bit of fun, and getting thoroughly stroppy about it is absolutely pointless.

Molly R

Hey [anon], my comment above was mainly in relation to the "Free Speech is never cowardice. Silence is" quote.

In regards to consideration I find that most people on this site are generally considerate. Sometimes people might not be in the mood or might be in a rush when they're posting so they might not have the time to read all the previous captions before they post.

And even if you do post something that is similar, there's no way of telling if someone's copied someone else because unless someone uses a common moniker like "Tina from Doncaster, Dave, Superglue etc" unless folk don't mind which in certain circumstances, I think it's all about how distinctive it is. And heck, I've used elements or stuff occasionally from other captions, hopefully with the original author doesn't mind too much (I'd expect them to speak up if they do) and whether my resulting caption is funny or not is a different story. I play around with things quite a bit, however as a rule of thumb I try to come up with my own stuff if possible. If someone comes up with the same thing as yourself, I always think that it's great because then you have to challenge yourself to find something new or original as them thinking the same as you shows that it may very well be a similar association with the visuals.

I mean, there was that copied caption from the other week that made fun of it's own time stamp (nod to 08:00:58), but if you can't be free to use whatever content or material you like, some humour is going to fall short. Or you'll simply have to look elsewhere. It's like making a recipe without all of the ingredients.

Sometimes there are captions that I think deserve more attention or are better than what's on top. However the voting system is important because it's important that people vote for what they believe is best and when you said about spiteful voting because so many people have voted unless they're in cahoots with one another which I'd say is highly unlikely then if it proves most popular it proves most popular. But remember that if there are great captions that you think are kicking about, they're still posted up and the most important thing is that you have recognised and appreciated that caption yourself, it doesn't matter what other people think. Sometimes stand ups can bomb when they're on stage and although they're very funny, if the audience hasn't been worked up properly they're not going to get those laughs.

And coming back to the Groucho, Chico, Zeppo and Harpo once more, there's a story that could be quite relevant. So Warner Brothers Studios tried to sue them accusing them of infringing copyright when they made "A Night in Casablanca" four years after the Bogart picture so Groucho countersued saying that as they were "Brothers" before the Warners, they were technically infringing on their copyright. Talk about not taking yourself too seriously!

Glyn Evans

Ok ...here's my tuppence..personally I play on my phone ..which to be blunt is a chore...I don't read other captions cos it's a pain in the arse trying to..The site is not mobile friendly...so should I stop because I don't fit in with someones agenda...No bollocks...who gives a shinola...its a bit of fun if and when you've got thd time...Anyone who thinks different ..do us a favour and give your head a wobble....keep on keeping on peoploids.x

stone face

Regarding the disgusted "returning Anon" (the alleged, mythical ~DAFATAA)...It's very-likely that entry was a A FAKE, designed to manipulate and shame those in this string, who - by the way - have mostly been very-thoughtful, and considerate.

How convenient - and strategic - that a disappointed captioneer from the past would flutter in like an angel to shake their righteous head at all of us.

Only Chris will know for sure (maybe).

Whoever you are: My heart goes out to you. My guess is, like I said, you are probably "one of us" who commented earlier in the string. If so, my heart goes out to you, because you are obviously very bright and creative and caught up in all of this.

But, If the mythical ~DAFATAA does exist, I hope you've stuck around to read this, that you consider leaving the solitaire behind, and join us once again - imperfect as we are, a-work-in-progress, and sometimes pretty-darn clever: We'd be glad to have you back.

As you probably noticed, DAFATAA, if you ARE for real, this current string an an anomaly, (probably spawned in part by the frustration of the pandemic, etc.). Not an excuse, just saying things are tense, and for many our "social circles" have shrunk (not to mention other stressors). As I look back over the string, I think we're working on this, and on the verge of pivoting to a better run!

Oh boo hoo... let's run & hide because people are trying to intelligently discuss stealing, borrowing, mimicking or coincidentally arriving at the same material. Are we such snowflakes that any discussion "offends" someone?

All this is about is the tiniest consideration, nothing more.

Whether people post "nod to 8:08:08" or whatever form of respect they come up with, otherwise the time stamp is worthless.

Hehe... this is now bleeding into other photo captions. Just want to say, I was the first anon who started this thread and at no point was I "furious," but at last count there seem to be at least 3 other anons in the thread.