Posted on 03/13/2021 3:45:41 PM PST by 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.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Jaffee and Don Martin were my favorites.
And, of course, Spy VS Spy.
Al hardly looks a day over 99.
I also loved Spy VS Spy.
I have a complete PDF edition of Mad Magazine from their first copy in 1952 through 2005. I just wish that I had time to enjoy it! And I’m retired!
Years ago I read a story about Mad’s only subscriber in the Dominican Republic dropped his subscription. Al Jaffee and the other Useful Idiots flew down to the Island to convince him to resubscribe, which he did. 70s or 80s I believe.
“2001: A Space Idiocy” (because it was so close to reality), and “Mission: Improbable”, in which the soda pop dispenser choices included “secret message.”
My boomer parents can sing parody songs they learned from MAD. Seems to cheer them up quickly.
I grew up reading MAD magazine in the 60’s. My Mom said it would rot my brain. She was right!
I still credit that magazine for my somewhat subversive sense of humor. Eternal thanks!
Whete did you the Mad Magazine pdf file?
Inquiring minds need to know!
It was given to me by someone . . . I don’t know where he got it.
I bought my first mad magazines in a thrift shop a long time ago when i was probably 8 or 9. They were really old the price was like ‘ .10 cents cheap’
The going rate for new ones were .25 or .35 I wanted more so I cut out the subscribe coupon from the old thrift shop issue that said send one dollar for a year with a dollar bill and they honored it.
They made a cd collection then a dvd collection later with all the issues, but the resolution is horrible and really did a disservice to the brand.
I had a bunch of MADs in the early-mid 70s. Loaned them to my first girlfriend, “If you want to understand me, read these.” Broke up, didn’t get them back.
I used to do the same thing......drove 'em crazy.
Yes, they were always liberal.
But when they went for the funnybone, nobody could top those guys.
One of my favorite covers was that of two men and a woman, all standing and peeing at Men’s Room urinals. It was about women have equal rights.
Today it might show a Moslem extremist female terrorist standing there saying “Piss on you, infidels”.
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