Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for October 29, 2014

If Zonker turns pro, he won’t be able to sun tan in the Olympics.

Query from the UK: Are these tanning competitions fictional or real? ThanksMike

I’ve never heard of a genuine competition. Doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist, though. It wouldn’t be very popular with today’s emphasis on health v tanning.

Later in the history of the series, GT has Zonk repent of his tanning ways, and acknowledge the dangers of skin cancer.

It was before people became so aware of cancer. Lots of smoking back then too.

I remember reading about a tanning competition held more-or-less in honor of the Doonesbury strips. What sticks with me is that they included a category for “Best Left-Arm Tan” hoping to attract truckers; but the whole thing fell flat.

Ah yes back when everyone knew what the 24 hr of Le Mans was. Um they did? LOL

I still wonder why there are tanning salons at all, and so many in So. Calif. (of all places)!

@Mike31gThey are a creation of Trudeau’s imagination.

I got all kinds of scalding burns while a child and teenager in FL. Also have a pale complexion. Am 79 now and no serious cancer yet, just a few keratoses. Some in my group who grew up in FL have had hunks taken out of their skin, and one had a benign growth atop his brain. (All of them males.) Some people seem to be more prone to this than others.