Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Subscribe to "Mad" and read it as soon as it arrives. Also order "Mad Kids" for your children.
Learn the "Mad" format. Although "Mad" is known as a liberal forum, the magazine pokes fun at everyone and everything, including Democrats, Republicans, movies, sports, fairy tales, news event and nursery rhymes. Common features include "fold-ins" on the back cover, "Spy versus Spy," "Alfred's Poor Almanac," celebrity cause-of-death betting odds, the "Mad Academy Awards" and snappy answers to stupid questions.
Learn the history of "Mad". For example, the magazine was founded editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952, and new issues still publish monthly. The of the EC Comics line, "Mad" ran as a comic book for the first 23 issues until 1955, when it became a magazine.
Understand the origin and history of "Mad" magazine's most famous character, Alfred E. Neuman. This whimsical, gap-toothed zany was introduced in 1954, but he went widely unnoticed until becoming a regular fixture in issue. Neuman is known for his asking, "What, me worry?" He's based on a character used in many political campaigns, Nazi racial propaganda and dentist ads. Neuman's features often have been merged with those of George W. Bush, Hilary Clinton and Prince Charles.
Collect "Mad" products and venues. You'll find many recordings, such as the cast-album of the "The Mad Show," a 1966 off-Broadway production. Play the "Mad" magazine game, a parody on Monopoly in which the first player to go broke wins. Buy the CD-ROM collections called "Totally Mad" and "Absolutely Mad," which include special issues and recordings. There was also a short-lived TV show called "Mad TV."
Learn the legal history of the magazine. Court cases include the suit Irving Berlin and other songwriters brought against E.C. Publications, claiming copyright infringement many popular songs that were parodied in "Mad." The case eventually came to the Supreme Court. When the magazine won, the precedent established the rights of comedians to mimic the meter of popular songs. Someone sued the magazine over a copyright to the image of Alfred E. Neuman, but the publishers won by showing similar imaging pre-dating the claimant's use.
Study the key events in the magazine's past. Advertising first appeared in "Mad" in 2001. The magazine reluctantly added a UPC code in 1978 (something the publishers poked fun at for many issues). The "Mad" logo has remained virtually unchanged since 1955. The one exception came when "IND" appeared in small type between the "M" and "A," signifying the magazine was being handled by Independent News Distribution.
Pay attention to the details within the magazine. For example, many famous people, including President Richard Nixon, have been featured as writers. Several show-business stars have allowed their picture to appear in comical poses with a copy of the magazine they were parodied in. Mad cartoonists have drawn caricatures of themselves, and the table of contents regularly lists articles that don't appear in the issue.