In 1957 I would stop by the drug store on Gravelly Lake Drive (now closed, near the Original House of Donuts) on my way home from Park Lodge Elementary. I would look at the issues in the magazine rack and if I had enough money I would buy the latest copy of MAD Magazine. The humor was juvenile, dumb, and irreverent. I loved it.
I was sad to see the news that MAD was ceasing the publication as I had known it and would rely on past glories and old articles and images. MAD Magazine was an American humor magazine. As an adolescent I appreciated the humor. It was founded in 1952. Wikipedia reports that “On July 3, 2019, it was widely reported that MAD would no longer be sold on newsstands by the end of the year; additionally, outside of end-of-year review issues, future issues would no longer feature new content, with the magazine instead relying on classic content from its nearly 67-year history.”
Cracked Magazine came along in 1958. It was a low-brow version of MAD Magazine, which I appreciated. The magazine folded in 2007. In addition to MAD and Cracked, I also liked Sick Magazine which was first published in 1960 and ceased operations at the end of the sixties.
At Hudtloff and Mann I admired the cartoons of my friend, Tony Schmidt. They were styled on some of the art work found in MAD. Later Tony and I were art students at the University of Puget Sound. He created the wedding rings for Peg and me. I think I paid him $10 for the silver rings.
As a sophomore at Clover Park in 1961-62 I would take the bus to school, but walk home to Ponders Corner. I would first stop at Clover Park Pharmacy and search for MAD, Cracked, and Sick, and other magazines or paperbacks that caught my attention. At Clover Park I would share jokes, and stories, much like I do now. I took “study hall” only once, but used it to read my favorite authors Ayn Rand and H. Allen Smith. On the whole, Smith was much funnier than Ayn Rand. Today I find her writing just plain absurd.
I still enjoy simple humor. I can’t read new issues of MAD, Cracked, and Sick, and I never saved the old copies, but sometimes for a laugh I’ll look back at my sophomore yearbook from Clover Park. Most of my friends were as simple as I was.
Thanks Ben for the Go Back. Many of us of a certain age remember “What, me worry?”? After countless moves I ended up with only one issue of MAD Magazine in my library, my Mother threw the rest out along with my baseball card collection and comic book treasures. Mothers are like that – no time for future posterity. Spy vs. Spy will always be current!
While I’d love to take credit for this post, Don Doman is the author. I’ve updated the post.
Will,
Thanks for reading and sharing.
You just never know what to save. Trash changes to treasure and treasure turns to trash. Most of us remain behind on the timing. But, at least we have our memories . . .uh, now where were we? Humor changes, but a good laugh still makes you feel better. I mentioned Sick and Cracked, but I neglected to mention the magazine that came out a little later: National Lampoon. The National Lampoon 1964 High School Yearbook Parody from 1973 remains a favorite . . . perhaps because I graduated from Clover Park in 1964. But other than that . . . uh, now where were we?
Thanks again for reading and writing.
Don
Don Doman,
You and I have much in common which may explain a lot regarding why we both love writing.
I have never forgotten the day I was home all day from school sick with the flu in about 1952. It would have been boring had it not discovered a copy of MAD Magazine on our big round coffee table. My dad brought what might may have been the very first issue of MAD.
I believe I have featured our pal, Alfred E. Neuman, in one or two of my Westside Story columns over the years.
I devoured MAD Magazine from cover to cover laughing all day long until my sides hurt. I read many more issues. My entire collection of MAD is gone now and a know not where or why.
I wonder if Will Ernst’s mom gave my MAD Magazine collection the heave ho.
What, me worry?
Joseph Boyle
Don Doman,
While looking over your class photo a thought came to mind. Was D.B. Cooper a member of your class?
If he was, you know some famouns people besides Alfred E. Neuman.
Joseph Boyle
Joseph,
You know . . . you jump out of one airplane and people never let your forget it. I’ve always had a hard time of holding onto my money.
I thought I detected a bit of MADness in you. I’m glad I touched a nerve.
Don
Thanks for the memories, Mr. Doman, a fellow alum of CPHS. I too remember reading MAD Magazine just a bit later than your experiences, but I recall the foldable pages they had on the back cover. Always had some message and funny pic. Loved the Spy vs. Spy comic. Fun times. Good story.
JC,
Thanks for the kind words.
It seems obvious to me that laughter and intelligence go together. There were two times where people looked at me like I was strange . . . okay, probably more than twice, but one was as I mentioned in study hall at CP. I was reading the book Waikiki Beachnik by H. Allen Smith and came upon the chapter where he is trying to recite or sing the lyrics to My Little Grass Shack. People were just looking at me as I gasped for air and wiped away the tears. I never took study halls again, but in college I would use a headset and listen to Victor Borge records in the school library. One time a stranger came over as I was leaving and asked what I had been listening to. A couple of days later we walked past each other on campus and he gave me a thumbs up.
Thanks for reading and commenting. Keep laughing.
Don