As I now have in my possession three paperback compilations of MAD Magazine
articles (_MAD About The Fifties_, _MAD About The Sixties_, and _MAD About
The Seventies_), I would like to hear about any recollections, good or bad,
about MAD Magazine in its' glory days.

BTW, MAD was originally marketed as a 10 cent comic book, but changed format
in 1955-56 to the style we all know and love(?).  It was at the time of the
format change that we got to know Alfred E. Newman ("What..Me Worry?").

15 responses total.

my favorite recollection of MAD is Black and White Spy strips. I love how they
end up killing each other in every issue and then they just get right back
up and kill each other again. They're a riot!!

You're talking about "Spy vs. Spy," dbassman, correct?

BTW, did you know that Sid Caesar, Stan Freberg, and the late Ernie Kovacs
were contributors to MAD in its early years?

Spy vs. Spy rocks.  A bit short, though... just slight entertainment

I love the Spy vs. Spy strips. The stuff that Bruce Jaffee did was cool too.

yeah that's what they are called, i couldn't rememnber for some reason. I must
say though that I've always thought that the Lighter side jokes were pretty
lame in my opinion.

They can be good sometimes.  The Don Martin department usually has some good
stuff.

Recently, the Associated Press printed an article on the new outlook of MAD.
The authors seem to suggest the magazine has acquired a raunchier take on
satire-- which has been perceived as tasteless by some and fresh by others.
The mag staff has already alienated one editor, who left (I forget his name).

Of course, there is the new MAD TV show the Fox network airs.  It's based on
the magazine, but other than that, it seems to be the new "In Living Color."
Your comments would be appreciated on the above..

MAD is for kids. They should traget kids. Fox seems to target beer loving
college men. Frankly both the magazine and the TV show insult my inteligence.
Even with Saturday Night Live doing bad, MAD TV will never be as good as them.

SNL is improving.  They hayve a lot of good stuff, when they're hitting it.
I've seen some absolutely hilarious skits this season.  And I've seen a lot
of duds.  it varies.

I think _Mad_ has always tried to upend standards.  It seems to still be doing
that, despite changes.  As somone who read _Mad_ in the 70s, and recently
started reading it, again, I find it just as enjoyable.  I'm enjoying the
change of look and new features, too.  Behind it all, there still remains the
familiar mix of intelligence, bawdiness, and cynicism.  Despite any perceived
shift in obnoxiousness, I would have to point out that it still pokes at
things that deserve it (witness the fold-in about sexual harassment in the
military in a recent issue).  The problem with making fun of nearly
everything, especially those things that we are uncomfortable with, is that
it's bound to offend someone.  And that bothers people.  Lenny Bruce took a
fall for that theory in the 60s.

gooba hoobs mad all coombs

Yeah, it's the same ol' MAD.  But the TV show *SUCKS*

i've never seen a whole episode of MadTV,
but isn't one basically the same as all?

yeah, basically, except whatever the guest hosts bring.
Ice T was pretty good-- loved the "Yo momma" jokes he did for a parody of the
_10,000 Pyramid_ game show.

Whatever happened to Cracked, the competitor of MAD if I remember
correctly?

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