Mad Magazine Quiz

1. What’s common to How the West was Won, The King and I, All About Eve and the MAD Magazine?
Alfred Newman, after whom the MAD mascot was named, composed the music for these movies. I guess you are aware that before Alfred E. Newman, the character was called Melvin Coznowski and Mel Hanney.

2. He used the Morse code to sign his popular strip in the MAD magazine. Who?
Antonio Prohias for his Spy vs. Spy. He signs with dots and dashes to convey ‘by Prohias’.

3. Only once has MAD spoofed the TIME magazine. Tell me when. And what were they spoofing?
In 1982, Time Magazine announced the PC as the Man of the Year. MAD spoofed this and put a Pacman character “Irving Pac’ on its cover as the star of the year.

4. This one’s for the INSANELY MAD fans. What was odd about the MAD magazine cover that featured ET alongside Alfred E. Newman?
This is the only issue in which Alfred E. Newman appears with his teeth intact. By the way, ET’s touch magically fills the gaps...

5. In 1965, MAD created a Sport for Amateurs across the world. What did the Usual Gang of Idiots call it?
They called it the 43-Man Squamish.

6. Which movie did MAD spoof as Errant Bra-on Bitch?
Erin Brokovich, of course!

7. He did album covers for Miles Davis before the world recognized him as “MAD’s Maddest Cartoonist”. Who is this wacko?
Don Martin.

6. For 27 issues, MAD carried a tagline. Can you press recall memory and spit it out?
Humour in a jugular vein.

9.In 1980, the MAD folks produced an eminently forgettable comedy. Just gimme the name of the flick.
Up the Academy.

10. MAD and PLAYBOY have only one man in common. Namethe legend.
Harvey Kurtzman. He founded the MAD Magazine. And after quitting it, worked for Hugh Hefner at Playboy. He created a popular series there called Little Annie Fannie.

11. Which music artist has been featured the most number of times on the cover of the MAD magazine? Hint – Get ready for a nasty surprise.
Believe it or not - Eminem! He was featured four times. Michael Jackson and Madonna have been featured twice. Elvis was the first.

12. From April 2001, MAD started carrying ads. But that didn’t deter these intrepid souls from parodying brands. As if to prove a point they fucked the trip of ADIDAS. What according to MAD is ADIDAS? (Not, All Day I Dream About Sex)
Apparel Developed in Deplorable Asian Sweatshops.

13. An ad released for Atmore’s Mince Meat Plum Pudding in the Illustrated London News in 1895 saved the MAD magazine in 1965. How?
In 1965, Helen Pratt Stuff slapped a case against MAD magazine. The charge was the character Alfred E. Newman was created by her husband in 1914 and MAD had just lifted it. MAD was about to lose the case...MAD did a lot of research. And found that in 1895 Atmore’s Mince Meat Plum Pudding had released an ad using a similar looking character. This clinched the case for them. The court ruled that while MAD may not have created the character but they could use it as the character had been in public domain since 1895.

14. “You could do worse and you always have.” When does MAD use this slogan?
Alfred E. Newman uses this slogan whenever he runs for presidency.

15. If Capt. Kirk was Capt. Quirk, and Luke Skywalker was Lube Skystalker who was MAD’s version of Sherlock Holmes?
Shermlock Shomes. He made his debut in ‘The hound of the basketballs’!

16. In 1954, Dr. Fredrick Wertham wrote a book called Seduction of the Innocent. How did this change the face of MAD?
Basically Wertham came up with this hypothesis that comic books featuring spooky horror stories caused juvenile delinquency. Strangely, the senate bought his theory. They clamped down on all comics that featured anything that may corrupt kids, through something called the Comics Code Authority. MAD was born in these turbulent times as a comic book. The moment they sensed trouble they quickly converted themselves into a magazine. Stopped horror spoofs. And evolved into its present avtaar.

17. MAD had a delicious way of presenting its price. When it costed 25 cents they called it ‘cheap’, at 40 cents they said ‘ouch’, what did they say when the price was 30 cents?
Highway robbery!

18. How many spies have been featured in Spy vs. Spy?
Three. Black, white and grey. The grey spy is a lady.

19. Known for subtler humour, this illustrator cum writer often featured himself in his “Lighter Side of ________” strips under the pseudonym Richard Kaputnik. He died in 2002. Currently, MAD is running a nationwide cartoonist contest to choose his replacement. Who is this Madman?
Dave Berg

20. He came up with two brilliant features - Fold-ins and Snappy Answers for Stupid Questions in the MAD magazine. Who?
Al Jafee