MAD Magazine is closing. Like millions of others, MAD Magazine showed me what humor is for and thus gave me my life’s direction. I used my allowance of $1.50 to buy each issue, which in 1987 cost $1.35 [(cheap!) it said next to the price].
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In 1987 my parents took me, age 10 and my 5 year old sister to New York City from Massachusetts for our first visit. We saw Cats, went to the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. We also visited 485 MADison Avenue where MAD was headquartered.
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I think we arrived after hours as the door to the offices (which, as it was 1987, we were able to just take the elevator up to, no problem) were locked and nobody answered. A well dressed man in the hall explained they were closed and said to come back earlier the next day.
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“Do you work there?” my mom asked. “I do some work for them, yes,” he said. “My name’s Al Jaffee.” I flipped my young lid as Al Jaffee was one of the greatest MAD artists of all time, perhaps most famous for the “Fold-Ins” on the magazine’s inside back cover.
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We spoke for a while, he was gracious and kind and wore a beret. He also asked my 5 yr old sister to marry him and she said no. We took a picture and it is framed, still, at my mom’s house. We returned to the offices the next day & were warmly greeted by editor Nick Meglin.
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He showed us around the offices and introduced us to staff and showed us memorabilia and quizzed me about my favorite MAD artists and issues. I asked him why Don Martin left MAD for Cracked & he said it was because MAD keeps the artists’ art & Don didn’t like that.
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(NB: I am telling you a 32 yr old memory here so I reserve the right to be wrong about other people’s business deals made in the 1980s. Don’t use this thread in court) But like any reader I lamented Martin’s departure.
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No, your memory is good. That's why Martin left. He gave some good interviews about it, about how much the art meant to him and how he wanted to hold on to it.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
Good to know. I’ll continue taking legal advice from my 10 yr old self.
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