SKETCHY CHARACTERS DEPT.
Today's "Usual Gang of Idiots Spotlight" is on artist Tom Bunk! Below is his illustration for "Other Admissions Made by Lance Armstrong," written by Jeff Kruse.
To read the full piece, pick up MAD #521, on sale now at newsstands AND on your iPad! But don't stop there: subscribe to MAD today! Get the print edition here and the iPad version here!
JUICETICE IS BLIND DEPT.
O.J. Simpson is currently arguing before a judge that he should be freed from jail because his lawyer botched his 2008 trial for armed robbery and kidnapping. (Poor guy — he can’t get away with anything!) His new lawyers will present 19 reasons why the Juice should be let loose — and we managed to get our hands on a few!
MISTAKING JAMES DEPT.
Washington Wizards reserve center Jason Collins made history this week when he announced that he was gay — becoming the first active, openly-gay NBA player. We completely support Collins’ brave choice to go public — but, c’mon, he’s a fifth-stringer for the Washington Wizards. It’s a cover story for Sports Illustrated, for crying out loud! If they really wanted to move some issues, they should have gone for some bigger star power.
OF RICE AND MEN DEPT.
Earlier today, Rutgers University fired Mike Rice, its rage-aholic, homophobic and bullying basketball coach, shortly after a video aired on ESPN showing him to be a rage-aholic, homophobic and bullying basketball coach. Coach Rice used gay slurs, shoved his players and heaved basketballs at them during practice. The NCAA responded with surprising swiftness, already adding new signals for referees to call any future similar infractions.
WINNER IS COMING DEPT.
The Miami Heat have won 26 games in a row! (Not to be confused with the Charlotte Bobcats — who had 26 people in the stands at their last game.) Right now, the Heat are on pace to beat the Lakers’ 33-game winning streak to have the longest winning streak in NBA history! And even though we’d love to root for a scrappy underdog like LeBron, we have a terrible feeling that it’s not going to happen.
CLASSIC MAD DEPT.
Incredibly, this Fold-In, created by Al Jaffee in 1997, accurately predicts the ultimate winner in this year’s NCAA Tournament!
From MAD #355, March, 1997
Writer and Artist: Al Jaffee
BLASTER OF CEREMONIES DEPT.
LeBron James recently sent out a “save the date” for his upcoming wedding. Weirdly, this coincides with another happy occasion — Hugo Chavez’s funeral! So even though the events are worlds apart, we couldn’t help but notice…
GOOD SWILL AMBASSADOR DEPT.
Who do you think the first American to meet with North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un would be? The Secretary of State? Our U.N. Ambassador? How about ex-basketball wacko and noted hair color and piercing enthusiast Dennis Rodman? After watching basketball and eating sushi together, Rodman said he thought Un was a "great guy,” even though the teeny despot is a known human rights violator. (Rodman may not have noticed that, since he is used to dealing with NBA team owners!) An incoherent interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos by Rodman cinched the notion that he and Un are cut from the same cloth — a mentally-challenged, clownbird crazy cloth.
On Sunday, Michael Jordan is turning 50! What do you get the aging man who has everything? Some fine arch support and sumptuously-cushioned insoles, that’s what!
