MAD Fold-In creator and Retching Jackal artist Al Jaffee celebrates a milestone today (having already celebrated gall stones and kidney stones)! In MAD tradition, we decided to mark the occasion in a way befitting the man — with complete and utter disrespect! Happy Birthday, Al!
Remember last week when we told you Jenna Wolfe and “Weekend TODAY" had stopped by to do a segment about MAD’s 60th Anniversary? Well, we weren’t just whistling Dixie, friends! That segment is airing this very Sunday! Is there any better way to celebrate New Year’s Eve-Eve than watching this amazing program? No...no, there is not! Check local listing for airtimes!
"Weekend Today"'s Jenna Wolfe poses with
MAD Editor John Ficarra and Art Director Sam Viviano
We don’t get a lot of visitors at MAD (some say it’s because of the smell, while others attribute it to the packs of raccoons that fearlessly roam our halls). So we were pleased as punch to have Jenna Wolfe (pictured below, between editor John Ficarra and art director Sam Viviano) and the crew of “Weekend TODAY” stop by for a piece they’re doing about MAD’s 60th anniversary. (And an impromptu segment about how to treat multiple raccoon bites!) The episode will air Sunday, December 30 on NBC — but since we’re sure the anticipation will drive you bonkers, here’s a pic to tide you over!
On Monday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel asked Twilight’s mumbly dreamboat Robert Pattinson about his appearance on the cover of MAD #518 — and they even posed with a copy! You can watch the clip here (at the 2:30 mark) — Pattinson actually compliments cover artist Mark Fredrickson’s caricature, saying it looks like “a better version of me.” Sweet of you to say, Bobby — but, in truth, we would’ve been hard-pressed to come up with a WORSE version of you! Thanks, Jimmy — your complimentary “Celebrity Snap” subscription is in the mail!
If you didn't spend this past weekend relentlessly scouring the internet for MAD coverage, good for you — it sounds like you got some fresh air and lived a healthy and productive life! But you also missed out on lots of great stories about MAD's 60th Anniversary and our brand new book, Totally MAD!
• CBS Sunday Morning aired Mo Rocca's segment taking a look inside the MAD offices, featuring interviews with MAD Editor John Ficarra, Vanity Fair Editor Graydon Carter, and "Weird Al" Yankovic! You can watch the entire piece online here.
• Parade ran a slideshow of MAD covers from over the years. Check them out here and be sure to vote for your favorite at the end!
• The New York Times ran an article about the history of MAD advertising parodies.
• The Pittsburgh Tribune Review showcased a gallery of MAD covers and interior art and interviewed The Onion founder Scott Dikkers about MAD's influence on him.
• NJ.com reviewed Totally MAD and shared an excerpt from Stephen Colbert and Eric Drysdale's introduction.
Enjoy, and don't forget to order you copy of Totally MAD today!
Last week, we shared photos of Mo Rocca and the crew of CBS Sunday Morning visiting the MAD offices for a segment about MAD’s 60th Anniversary. Well, the chickens have come home to roost, friends — because that segment airs this very Sunday, October 28th! Check local listings for airtimes and plan your weekend accordingly!
Yesterday, Mo Rocca and the crew from CBS Sunday Morning swung by the MAD offices to shoot a piece about MAD's 60th Anniversary (with an inadvertent side story about the show’s slide in journalistic integrity). The segment is going to air on Sunday (duh!) October 28th — so be sure to tune in. And in the meantime, here’s some oh-so-enticing shots of the Usual Gang of Idiots hanging out during the day of filming!
Mo Rocca generously pretends to enjoy our latest issue.
(MAD #518, on sale everywhere next week!)
Writer-artist Patrick Merrell and artist Tom Richmond
moments before their epic 45-minute arm wrestling match.
Art Director Sam Viviano can't believe he convinced artist James Warhola
to illustrate a new piece for our MAD 20 Dumbest of 2012!
The CBS camera crew peeks in on Assistant Art Director Ryan Flanders while he
checks Facebook. That's Spy vs Spy writer-artist Peter Kuper peeking out.
A rare sight: Peter Kuper working in the MAD offices rather than at his home studio.
(Of course, ANY sighting of Peter working is a rare one.)
A much more common sight in the MAD offices: writers and editors standing around doing nothing.
That's writer Matt Lassen, Associate Editor Jacob Lambert and Associate Editor Dave Croatto.
Having vanquished Patrick Merrell, Tom Richmond sizes up writer-artist Al Jaffee.
Jaffee crushed him.
Artist Tom Bunk gives a friendly squeeze to MAD's Maddest writer Dick DeBartolo.
If you combined the facial hair on these two, you'd have one very impressive goatee.
Peter Kuper's still at it. Hey, you show up at the MAD office
without your art finished, we're chaining you to the desk.
Even after a long day spent with the Usual Gang of Idiots, Mo Rocca is still smiling!
Back row: Jacob Lambert, Matt Lassen, Tom Richmond, Dick DeBartolo,
Editor John Ficarra, Al Jaffee, Ryan Flanders, Sam Viviano,
Production Artist Doug Thomson, Dave Croatto, Senior Editor Charlie Kadau
Seated behind Mo: Tom Bunk, Peter Kuper, Senior Editor Joe Raiola,
Writer Desmond Devlin and James Warhola
New York Comic Con was this past weekend and the Usual Gang of Idiots was there! We have some photos to share with those who couldn't make it.
During the "Mad About MAD" panel, Al Jaffee explained the origins of "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions" as Peter Kuper and Drew Friedman listened attentively.
Peter discussed the artistic evolution of Spy vs Spy since he became its writer and artist, including the fun he's had adapting Spy adventures for the iPad.
Drew revealed his favorite feature to illustrate in his long MAD career, "The MAD Guide to Man Boobs". (He's currently working on Volume 3!)
Spy vs Spy cosplayers fought each other, to the delight of the crowd...
...until they teamed up against Peter in Artist's Alley! (Photo: Alejandra Lamardo)
Thanks, NYCC! See you next year.
New York Comic Con starts tonight and MAD will there! Here are the MAD-centric "highlights":
• Stop by the DC Entertainment booth to see the MADropolitan Museum of Art, a mini-gallery chock full of classic MAD super-hero parodies!
• While at the DC booth, you can have your photo taken to appear on a MAD Magazine cover with Alfred E. Neuman! And if you're looking for a cheap Halloween costume, we'll be giving away Alfred masks! (Hurry, there's a limited number of masks.)
• This weekend is your chance to show us you have what it takes to draw for MAD, as we'll be part of the DC Talent Search! In order for us to see your work, you MUST attend a Talent Search panel on either Friday or Saturday morning. To find out more, click here for Friday and here for Saturday.
• Of course, the big event is the "Mad About MAD" panel on Saturday at 12:15pm, where you'll hear MAD artists Drew Friedman, Al Jaffee and Peter Kuper talk about the ins and outs of making our dumb magazine with MAD Editor John Ficarra and Art Director Sam Viviano. One lucky panel attendee will be taking home our brand new 60th anniversary book Totally MAD! (On sale October 30.) Other prizes will be awarded for the best questions, including copies of our new issue featuring Twilight, which won't be on sale until after the Con! For more info on the panel, click here.
• Last but certainly not least: Drew, Peter, John and Sam will be signing autographs BEFORE the panel, from 11am to 12pm on Saturday, at the DC Entertainment booth!
We'll see you in New York City! Try the bagels!
