What, Me Worry...
 Jan 1st, 2002
Advantages:
Hilarious, with plenty of "real" content - parody sketches, fake advertisements, special features, and that beloved Fold - In .
Disadvantages:
The paper is of a poor quality, but most people are honestly not bothered by that .
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Value for money
Quality of journalism
Quality of features
Quantity of advertising
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  Sarah_B
About me:
August 1, 2004 - not here anymore, y'all. Sorry 'bout that. No, not really.
Member since:16.11.2001
Reviews:122
Members who trust:51
Review rated by 28 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
This review received a counterstatement by a party concerned
Read Comment
Alfred P. Neumann is the freckle-faced cartoon that is most closely associated with Mad Magazine. He often graces the cover of this monthly publication, and can be seen on tee shirts and posters all over the country.
For the uninitiated among us, Mad is a magazine packed full of parody sketches. The artists and writers make fun of everything from major films and their stars to radio personalities and current events. Nothing is sacred once the satirical hands of the Mad Magazine staff are on it! Every month readers will find that the new issue is packed with comedic takes on current events and celebrities. Most are done in black and white to save money, of course. The paper is of a quality that is slightly better than the daily newspaper, but don’t let the cheap appearance of this publication dupe you! Mad is just
as brilliant and hilarious today as it was in the 60s, when it was at its prime.
You will also find ridiculous letters from fans and the editors, pullout posters of all kinds (drug humor being the most prevalent), and a fold-in using the back cover of the mag. When unfolded, the picture looks somewhat normal, and will have a riddle printed at the top. Once you folded it so that the arrows meet with one another, you are met with an unexpected answer to the riddle printed on the page. Trust me, you’ll have to do it yourself to see why it’s so damned funny.
Mad Magazine does not feature “real” advertisements – instead, they parody major corporations and their ridiculous campaigns. Some of the fake advertisements you will read (most in full color, located inside one of the covers or near the end of the publication) will leave you rolling on the floor, trust me! It’s really one of those things you would have to read and see in order to understand, as it is a bit beyond explanation (for me, anyway). Do yourself a favor and browse through a copy at the local newsstand – it doesn’t cost to look, right?
My favorite regular feature is “Spy vs. Spy” – the Black Spy and the White Spy spend at least two pages trying to trick each other with carefully planned traps and schemes. The results are always amusing (Wile E. Coyote kind of amusing, I mean), though they are generally predictable.
Obviously the humor is going to be of a “gutter” level – which only serves to make this magazine even more popular among younger generations and older adults who never quite grew up. This publication is not for the easily offended, nor is it suitable for the prim and proper among us. Everyone else ought to get a kick out of it, though. You will find many parodies of popular game shows, television sitcoms, movies, and celebrities – everything will, at some point, fall victim to the twisted writers and artists that lay at the heart of this wildly popular “alternative humor” mag.
Generally Mad Magazine is associated with the likes of stoners, peaceniks, and hippies because it is so darned appealing to people who laugh at drug humor, sarcastic parodies, and the like. However, you will find many perfectly upstanding and moral citizens of the world perusing this publication every month, so try not to act too shocked when you see it happening on the subway.
http://www.madmagazine.com will provide all of the information you need to know about the publication, including subscription information. You will also get the chance to enter the current contest – the last time I checked, you were to finish the sentence “Christmas is…” by submitting a humorous (yet realistic) observation. It is perfect for the jaded and satirical streak in all of us.
The most popular spin-off of the magazine is a comedy sketch program called “MadTV.” While the skits and actors hardly follow the original sarcastic line of comedy provided by the magazine, the Saturday Night Live-ish program certainly has its own merits. It can be found on the FOX television network on Saturday nights, half an hour before SNL begins on NBC.
Be sure to tune in, but don’t expect it to be anything like the magazine.
All in all, this is a wildly entertaining magazine, one that is more than worth subscribing to – at less than twenty dollars per year, it’s quite a bargain! If you are deranged, horny, twisted, mentally warped, or simply strange, by all means check out this magazine! It will set you back less than three dollars (in this part of the world, anyway), so even if you find that it’s not your cup of tea you won’t feel ripped off or cheated out of your hard-earned money.
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04.09.2003 05:58
This opinion seems (partly) blike it was based on Mad of the 1970s or 1980s. It is interesting but not terribly relevant. I don't agree with Sarah about the emphasis on drug humor. If that were the case, I wouldn't read it! Mad is a good magazine but not great as it once was.
06.01.2002 02:31
Wow, I haven't read a Mad Magazine since I was a kid. I'd forgotten all about how funny it is. I will have to go look this one up again. Thanks for the reminder and a great op. Peace, Shadowtwin
03.01.2002 22:17
Excellent review - is this mag only available in the States? I've not heard of it. Mike