The AM Forum

I spotted this news article this morning on a reunion of the creators of MAD magazine:

http://news.yahoo.com/magazines-1st-mad-men-rare-reunion-143102997.html

When my brother and I would purchase an issue of MAD magazine in the middle 1960's my parents would not be happy, HI.

 ;D

WHAT ! Me Worry?

The best part of Mad Magazine was Spy vs. Spy.  I suppose a kid caught with Spy vs. Spy in school today would be sent to anger therapy or maybe even expelled.

You got that right. Actually, if they had a non-required, non-sanctioned book in their hand they would really be nervous that (1) they could actually read, and, (2) they might learn something that somebody hadn't run through multiple committees and verified it's political correctness and spin.  The Company hotdogs I knew thought it was really funny.

Mad is still more or less daily reading around here when visiting the throne room.  I have a fairly complete collection going back to the very early 1960s all the way up to the 1990s, and a smattering of issues from the 1950s as well.

They live on 3 large shelves in the master bathroom (Sherrie would dearly love to remove them, and have, what she terms - a feminine powder room) but they pre-date her (like the BC-1004 in the kitchen) so for now, they stay!  There are few issues in each of the other bathrooms as well.

My favorite feature is "The Lighter Side Of . . ." by the late Dave Berg.  Here's one:

(http://www.classeradio.com/tvrepair.jpg)

There is such a magazine?


klc

Oh yes!  Mad was definitely one of the funniest mags I've ever read.  I don't there's anything like it now.  Here are a couple of random issues from the downstairs "reading" room.

(http://www.classeradio.com/madmag.jpg)

(http://www.classeradio.com/madmag1.jpg)

Here's a snippet.

(http://www.classeradio.com/madmag2.jpg)

So explain the Mind Ad part.

I'm not sure what you mean exactly.... Mind Ad?

The Cartoon Network has a Mad Magazine segment and it is very funny. They do a lot of spoofs on Geraldo Rivera and many faces in the news pasted to a cartoon figure. Very surprised that something like this is viewed by young children. Usually after 9PM things get very risque on the Cartoon Network.
Fred

Look closely at the covers. Always the same, tiny letters 'ind' after the 'M'.
 

It is hard to see that there is a large woman(?) with the arm sticking out of the M and like pointing to the IND
one of those mysteries.....like playing Beatles records backwards.

I found this, googling IND:
What does the "IND" in the MAD logo stand for?
    It's the acronym for the MAD motto: "Stupidity Is Timeless." Duh!

I found this also, from Wikipedia:

The Mad logo has remained largely unchanged since 1955, save for the decision to italicize the lettering beginning in 1997.[7] For many years, the mysterious letters "IND" appeared in small type within the logo, between the M and the A. Sometimes the Mad logo included cavorting centaurs within the lettering, one of whom would be pointing directly at the IND. Though some fans speculated about the secret meaning of the "M-IND" message, the truth was more prosaic: from 1957 on, the magazine was handled by Independent News Distribution.[8][9]

MAD was one of may favorites!! Remember the the issue with the record insert? It was a catchy tune played  on the "belch-i-tron". To this day my wife still thinks (knows) I am nuts when I utter phrases in "belchinese".

Shortly before I almost didn't graduate from HS in '67 I tapped into the school PA system from an unattended classroom and played the entire record over the school PA using my own amp and portable record changer. It happened to be during a presentation by the principal in the school auditorium. I didn't get caught but was a prime suspect.

Skip

I'm laughing here......I remember a similar record  "Nose Job"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCuiN2JnjpE

Funny stuff

Somewhere around here, I have an issue of Mad WITH THE RECORD STILL INSIDE THE MAGAZINE!  I should try to locate it, but I'd have to look through hundreds of copies.  I just don't remember the time frame for the issue.  I think there may have been more than one such record issued.

One google "MAD Record" hit:
http://wfmu.org/MACrec/mad.html

Yea think that MAD Mag is the reason that I'm still ssoooo goofey today.

As a kid always looked foreward to the latest issue.

AND,  guess that I'm the only one here who watched MAD TV on Fox.  For the first year or two,  they would have Spy vs Spy cartoons.   Porbably part of the license deal.  The good ol' days ...  Vic

I'll never forget the Folding Center page or "Centerfold."

In one issue they had the Spy vs Spy and you folded it. Of course, the SvsS characters had very pointed noises and when you did this one center fold, you got a very attractive female spy with a humongous set of pointy headlights.   ;D :) :D ;D

Phil - AC0OB

Steve:
I want a copy of the record. The next time I get my grandkids in the car I can play it for them.
Skip

Here is some music from MAD magazine.......playback from YouTube and record audio to a PC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asaN8GWPsRA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J-LvMxKvFY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyc812X1_I&feature=related

Another Mad artist:

One of the local hams in my area is the son of Fred Edwing.

The photo in that article reminds me of a ham get together with the young studs we talk with over the air.

(http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/r7jjSxXqh75J61ut2hAE2w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9ODQ2O2NyPTE7Y3c9MTE4NDtkeD0wO2R5PTA7Zmk9dWxjcm9wO2g9MTM2O3E9ODU7dz0xOTA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/5c498916708d4619fe0e6a706700c7c6.jpg)


I thought it was still being published.

It is, they just don't mail it out.

You probably could still get a subscription, but the magazine is NOTHING like its former self.  The art is not nearly as good, and the "plots" aren't anything like the magazine used to have.  It was rather sophisticated in its own way, and much of the commentary was really only understandable by adults.  I find it much funnier now than I did as a kid.

Just like about everything else (well, with a few exceptions).

I remember reading a story that during one of the annual MAD get togethers at lunch time, just as the food was being served Sergio Aragones excused himself and disappeared to the kitchen.  He put on a waiters outfit and filled a large bowl with Russian salad dressing.  While the other artists were gabbing he rapidly made his way around the table drowning their meals in ladles of dressing.  :)

Of course who can forget Fester Bester Tester...remember the paper backs and the scene at the dentist when the power went out while drilling a tooth...Yuck!!

Ha, I miss the old mag and yes Steve, I remember your large collection in the lou.