Al Jaffee turns 100, and Mad magazine salutes its legendary artist with a birthday tribute

Washington Post ^ | 3/13/21 | Michael Cavna

[Borges]

Al Jaffee, one of Mad magazine’s longtime “Usual Gang of Idiots,” is enjoying a rather unusual week. Several days ago, the cartooning legend got vaccinated for the coronavirus. On March 13, he plans to celebrate turning 100 years old.

“Hitting the century mark in age, it’s a nice number” for the brain to consider, Jaffee said with a warm laugh Thursday from his New York home — even if some body parts don’t “seem to appreciate it.”

To mark the occasion, the humor publication is announcing that its “Mad Predicts the Future” edition, on sale next month, will salute its eldest statesman. The issue’s center-spread article, titled, “Amazing All-Seeing Al Jaffee’s MAD E.S.P.,” will note how the artist’s ever-inventive mind foresaw such ideas as the multi-bladed razor and the “autocorrect” function — once described and drawn in the artist’s wry style.

Jaffee, who made his Mad debut 65 years ago, is best-known for the magazine’s iconic back-page Fold-In — he has created more than 450 of them — and the running feature “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.”

[a fool in paradise]

>> Several days ago, the cartooning legend got vaccinated for the coronavirus.

There are people approaching that age WITH cancer who don’t get treatment because the “cure” could do them more harm.

Speaking of which Joe Biden promised to cure cancer. How is that going? How much of the 1.9 TRILLION goes to curing cancer? Any of it? Not one dime? Who is his cancer czar? Does he even have a name? What progress has he made? Does he have any interesting approaching to curing cancer that they are looking at?

[mylife]

Nice pen and ink Al

[ponygirl]

Several days ago, the cartooning legend got vaccinated for the coronavirus. On March 13, he plans to celebrate turning 100 years old.

Dead in a week.

[Nateman]

I thought Mad Magazine went out of business? Is this something like those special editions of Life Magazine you occasionally see at the check out counter?

[Pilgrim's Progress]

See what can happen when you don’t tell others what you know about Hillary Clinton?

[dainbramaged]

I used to take the covers off Mad magazines and turn them into book covers for my junior high school books. Mid 1960s.

[Clemenza]

The main thing I liked about Mad magazine when I was a youth was that it was the raciest thing a child could buy in terms of humor. My two faves:

1) A parody of letters written by “concerned women” complaining about vulgar content in ads. One had a woman complaining about Midas muffler commercials discussing “lube jobs” and “tailpipes.”

2) A parody of politicians reviewing famous movies. My fave was Mario Cuomo reviewing “The Godfather,” and going on a rant about its defaming of a “successful Italian American family.”

[1956tbyrd]

Happy Birthday, Al Jaffee. I grew up with your cartoons.

[HighSierra5]

The last time I read a Mad magazine was at least 30 years ago and they seemed liberal to me so I never read it again.

[KarlInOhio]

I was not aware he was still alive and that old. I just referred to him when someone posted this "New York Tough" poster:

and I said it looked like one of Jaffe's fold-ins and asked if it showed a Cuomo graveyard when folded.

[FreedomPoster]

I remember that post! You were ahead of the curve for sure.

I bought the magazine every month when I was in grade school, 50ish years ago.

[dsrtsage]

Loved mad when I was a mid. My dad always brought one home when he traveled. I had almost all of the issues between 100 and 250 until my mom tossed them along with my original star wars bubble gum card sets when I went to college

[bramps]

Happy birthday to a guy who gave me plenty of laughs. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Keep me posted with any news on Dave Berg or Don Martin.

[sharpee]

My favorite movie parody was of the Dirty Dozen. Who can forget Jim Brown with his 32 showing through his uniform. In the end when Jim is shot and one of the soldiers in the truck says “those dirty Krauts they killed Jim. Lee Marvin responds those weren’t Krauts they were Cleveland Brown’s fans.

[Trillian]

Oh, man.

[stylecouncilor]

Ping

[a fool in paradise]

Bill Gaines was anti-Communist and profited from his publication without any advertisers.

[a fool in paradise]

Sergio Aragones is about the only other one left from 1960

[Auntie Dem]

Loved mad when I was a mid. My dad always brought one home when he traveled. I had almost all of the issues between 100 and 250 until my mom tossed them along with my original star wars bubble gum card sets when I went to college

Same here. I had an armoire FULL of Batman & Superman Comics, and Mad Magazines that got thrown out when I left home for two years. I would have made a fortune selling those at today's prices. But I guess poverty has its own kind of virtue.