A Salute To MAD MAGAZINE

For many of us kids, MAD MAGAZINE helped keep us sane, while driving parents and teachers nuts! Did we care? What - Me worry?

Let’s start at the beginning:

Born out of frustration of government and parents groups censoring comic books, able to mock hypocrisy in adults and society because it was called Mad MAGAZINE and not comic book, for many of us in the cleaned up world of the 1950’s and 1960’s MAD arrived each month as a mockery of authority and adulthood. It was the only form of rebellion we had as kids.

Our hero was a kid missing a tooth smiling at us, letting us know he knew we were taking apart adulthood together and he wasn’t afraid of the consequences. His name was Alfred E. Neuman and his slogan, “What- me worry?” drove the teachers who confiscated the magazine nuts and seemed to threaten parents.

There were all kinds of surprises in the magazine itself. Sometimes you got a record included:

One of the artists, Don Martin, seemed to cross the line and we loved his art for it

There were marginals like these that seemed to be a hidden bonus:

Some countries would get a bonus we never saw stateside

Before the internet there was a youth subculture. Somehow, we knew when The Beatles were coming or when their new record would be released. We knew when TV was going to cover Mad:

Or when there was going to be a TV special:

Over the years MAD would even inspire a TV show:

Here’s a cool compilation of clips found on YouTube about MAD

Even 60 MINUTES covered MAD:

Playboy introduced the fold out, Mad subverted it to the fold in:

It seemed like no subject was taboo:

And you just knew to hide some issues or parents would throw them out:

There were parodies of hit movies and TV shows:

It wasn’t just parents, teachers and moralists who hated mad. The FBI got in the act, too!

A Collection of Celebrities 'Angry' At Being Made Fun of in Mad Magazine

Make sure you click this link for celeb reactions to MAD

There was even a MAD play!

Sing along:

Tall and slender, like an Apollo He goes walking by, and I have to follow him The boy from Tacarembo La Tumbe Del Fuego Santa Malipas Zatatecas La Junta Del Sol Y Cruz When we meet, I feel I'm on fire And I'm breathless every time I enquire 'How are things in Tacarembo La Tumbe Del Fuego Santa Malipas Zatatecas La Junta Del Sol Y Cruz?' Why, when I speak, does he vanish? Ooh Why is he acting so clannish? Ooh I wish, I understood Spanish When I tell him, I think he's the end He giggles a lot with his friend Tall and slender, moves like a dancer But I never seem to get any answer From the boy from Tacarembo La Tumbe Del Fuego Santa Malipas Zatatecas La Junta Del Sol Y Cruz I got the blueth Why are his trousers vermilion? His trousers vermilion Why does he claim he's Castilian? He said, he's Castilian Why do his friends call him Lillian? And I hear at the end of the week He's leaving to start a boutique Though I smile, I'm only pretending 'Cause I know today's the last I'll be spending With the boy from Tacarembo La Tumbe Del Fuego Santa Malipas Zatatecas La Junta Del Sol Y Cruz Tomorrow he sails, he's moving to Wales To live in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobullllandysiliogogogoch

Quentin Tarantino Designed The Final Cover of MAD Magazine

Behind the paywall: The Mad Show play original cast recording

Make sure you subscribe as we explore the 60’s and the impact we still feel today.