Five fun facts about MAD magazine

MAD magazine has entertained readers, young and old for almost 70 years, but the recent news that that it would no longer be producing new content and be sold in printed form was a blow to many. Here are some interesting facts about the America humour magazine which you may not know.

1. The magazine was founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines and first published in 1952.

2. The magazine’s mascot Alfred E Neuman became so recognizable that a letter arrived at their offices which had no address written on it, just a drawing of Alfred on it.

3. MAD magazine produced a cover congratulating the winner of the 1960 US Presidential election long before the votes were counted. One cover said ‘We were with your all the way, Jack , as a nod to JFK’s victory, but the cover could be flipped to mark a potential Richard Nixon win.

4. The magazine did not feature advertising between 1957 and 2001. The publishers felt that their satire and lampooning of corporations would make it difficult for them to carry ads from the same sort of companies, so made the decision not to carry real ads. Instead, they published spoof ads before relenting in 2001 due to concerns about the loss of revenue.

5. Attempts at breaking out beyond the printed version of the magazine enjoyed mixed results. A 1974 animated series was canned even before broadcast and a 1980 movie starring Robert Downey Jnr called ‘MAD Presents Up The Academy’ proved such as stinker that MAD publishers insist their name be taken of it.

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Comedy writing is a serious business

British comedian Bob Monkhouse once used to tell a joke that went: “People used to laugh when I told them I wanted to be a comedian, well they’re not laughing now.”

That self-deprecating gag says a lot being a comedian. Although said in jest, it shows that having dreams of making a career as a comedian can often be derided and not taken seriously. After all, few people are naturally funny and many will find it harder still to turn their jokes into a whole career.

You may think that writing complex thrillers or twisty mystery books with complicated plots is the most difficult form of writing, but it is universally agreed that comedy is the hardest genre to write.

It’s about much more than slipping in a few funny lines here or there or shoe-horning in a joke whenever you feel like it.

Laughs must be earned and even the most skilled comedians who rely on quick-fire gags know that there has to be some level of preparation. Here are some key areas you need to consider to make a joke stick.

Context

Make sure the joke you are telling fits into the overall story or subject you are talking about. If it is something people are familiar with, this may be easier, such as what’s been in the news or things people encounter in their daily lives, but you always need to provide context.

Your audience

Comedians might test their jokes out on different audiences to see what goes down well with whom. Always consider the people in front of you or the people you will be reading your material.

Taste

There’s nothing wrong a joke that’s a bit bawdy or pushes the boundaries of taste, you just need to couch it in a way that can get a laugh. If a joke is in really bad taste, you won’t be long hearing about it.

Discover more humorous writing with the books from www.mediajist.com.