it IS funny, the guy is completely absorbed in his "big deal" while the woman is absorbed in a life she totally controls. hits all the stereotypes pretty well eh?

The "humor" concerns the differences between men and women as to what is important. That this could be considered a sexist attitude was not a common perspective at that time and most readers, male and female, probably found the comic humorous.

Charlie was about to make a million dollar business deal, when his wife called, citing an emergency. Fearing the worst, Charlie rushes home, never finishing the deal. Turns out the "emergency" was that his wife thought the cat was sick... but then they realize that it's fine.

It's more depressing than funny, I think!

Wait a minute... If she was able to call him at work on the phone, why couldn't she call the doctor herself on the phone?

Old comic strips are weird. They're almost never funny.

I don't get it.....

Dagwood Bumstead still runs into the postman today...just the way Charlie did.

Wow, that's depressing.