Al Jaffee and MAD Magazine created modern American humor

It’s no exaggeration to say that Mad magazine helped create modern American humor. From Saturday Night Live to Chris Rock, Seinfeld to Dave Chappelle, and South Park, it’s hard to imagine today’s comedy existing were it not for Mad. The magazine offered an environment in the mid-20th century in which American entertainment, politics, and mass media were satirized. The cover always included somewhere the bemused, “What, Me Worry?” face of mascot Alfred E. Neuman. Inside was the work of brilliant writers and artists such as Jaffee, Mort Drucker, Sergio Aragones, Dave Berg, Antonio Prohias , Paul Coker Jr. , Jack Rickard , Don Edwing , Dick DeBartolo , and Lou Silverstone .

Jaffee was most famous for the “ridiculous fold-in,” the last page of the magazine that would depict a certain message yet become something different when you fold the page in on itself. Thus a butterfly with a short editorial below about “fabulous creatures being exploited” transforms into Elvis Presley — another fabulous creature who was exploited. Funny and clever, but also true and biting.

[RIP, Mr. Jaffee, and thanks for a big part of my childhood. I loved MAD, still do, and get exactly what Mark argues in his column today. One thing not mentioned is how gentle and affectionate MAD’s satire was — and yet still retained its teeth and effectiveness. Even the people being skewered loved it. — Ed]