With over 850 punchlines sent in, check out the WINNER and finalists in Walt Handelsman’s latest Cartoon Caption Contest!!

Heat Index

Wow! We received 861 entries in this week’s Cartoon Caption Contest! From meltdowns to inflation references, these were funny and clever. Nice job everyone!

As always, when we have duplicate entries, and we always do, we pick the earliest sent in.

Here are your winner and finalists.

WINNER:

Arthur Weller, Slidell: (Punchline lettered into word balloon)

FINALISTS

Devendra Algu, Gretna: “Do you remember how nice 90 degrees felt.”

Richard Hirsch, Livonia: “And next week it’s supposed to be as high as the price of gas!”

Linda Jaeger, Metairie: “THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT THAN THIS!!”

Charlie Twickler, New Orleans: “Honey, do you think we should consider ‘mall walking’?”

Kerry Manint, New Orleans: “I can’t see with all the sweat in my eyes. Is the Powerball up to 107 million?”

Lisa Winningkoff, Metairie: “You see this, Frank? We need to go inside before something bad happens.”

Betty Peltier, Houma: “Talk about a hot flash!!!”

Karen Poirrier, Lutcher: “I’M ON THE CUSP OF A MELTDOWN!!!”

Jim Williamson, Mandeville: “In Louisiana, we call that a cool front!!”

Jimmie Papia, Metairie: “That’s the climate heat index. The political heat index is closer to 150 degrees.”

Bonnie Losee, Lafayette: “You proved it. We really are mostly made up of water.”

Rich Vlosky, Baton Rouge: “I told you to stay hydrated!”

Lydia Bezou-Hojnacki, New Orleans: “Are you sure? Water boils at 212 degrees!”

Kirsti Rodney, Denham Springs: “Welcome to Louisiana. Heat index 107. Electric bill after cooling $701.”

Casey Munson, Metairie: “107? That’s funny, it doesn’t feel more than 105.”

Hattie Knapp (Age 11), Baton Rouge: “Honey, can you believe it?”

Carolyn B. Hudson, Columbia, SC: “It’s going up faster than gas prices!”

Joseph House, Central: “Oh look, a cool front is finally here!”

Mary Vetter, Donaldsonville: “This is what’s known as ‘wet’ heat.”

David Delgado, New Orleans: “I’m sweating! How about you?”

Duke Rivet, Baton Rouge: “This is what I call a SMELTER-ing day! Wouldn’t you agree, Honey?”

John Shreves, New Orleans: “The Ice Man Does Not Cometh.”

Gloria Dorsey, Baton Rouge: “We’re set on BROIL!”

Gustavo Rivera, Gretna: “I remember when my groceries were that low.”

Mike Dauterive, Covington: “95 with a heat index of 107? Honey it’s so hot you could melt. Honey? Honey?!”

Adrian Genre, Port Allen:“Look, inflation has made its way to the heat index!”

Gasper Chifici, Geismar: “It’s a good thing that’s not the REAL temperature – we’d melt if it was!”

Harper Vicidomina-Mills (Age 7), Metairie: “That sign is wrong! It feels like 1007 degrees!!!!”

Sonia Cross, Baton Rouge: “I told you to wear sunscreen!!!”

Joel Colman, New Orleans:“Everything is going up. My homeowner’s insurance, my flood insurance, and now this!”

Bob Ussery, New Orleans: “Time for a frozen daiquiri, Honey. Honey?”

Frank Arrigo, Baton Rouge: “Wow! It’s almost as hot as your grandmother’s house in the wintertime.”

Mary H. Thompson, Greensboro, GA: “Wait – is this a thermometer or a clock?”

Richard J. Baldwin, Sr., Lafayette: “The New Climate Diet!!”

Marsha Fenerty, Metairie: “That’s how much I paid to fill up the minivan!!!”

Well played, everyone!

Best – Walt