North Palm Beach Life
  • Home
    • People
    • Eats >
      • Belle's Bar and Grill
      • Elisabetta's
      • Oliv Pit Athenian Grille
      • Cupcakes >
        • Lady Bug Cupcakes
    • News >
      • 2019 North Palm Beach Fireworks Show
      • 2018 Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade
      • Brightline >
        • Brightline Dino Train
        • Polar Express 2019
        • Breezin' on Brickell
        • Brightline Day Trips: Frost Science Museum
        • A Trip on Brightline
        • Brightline Select Service
        • Brightline Tasting Train
        • Brightline Train Unveiling
        • Brightline Topping Out
        • The Polar Express Train Ride
        • Richard Branson at Brightline
      • David Drebin
      • Downton Abbey Exhibit
      • The Lubben Brothers
      • History >
        • 25th Anniversary
        • 50th Anniversary
      • North Palm Beach Country Club
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise News
    • Cruise Compete
    • Atlas World Navigator >
      • Atlas World Navigator Part Two
    • Azamara Quest
    • Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line >
      • Grand Celebration Cruise
      • Grand Classica Inaugural Cruise
    • Carnival Cruise Line Stories >
      • Carnival Cuba Cruises
      • Carnival Horizon >
        • Carnival Horizon Pig and Anchor
      • Carnival Liberty
      • Carnival Mardi Gras
      • Carnival Sunrise >
        • Carnival Sunrise Cruise to Bermuda
        • The Chef's Table on Carnival Sunrise
      • Carnival Studios >
        • Carnival Studios - Behind the Scenes Tour
      • Carnival Victory
      • Carnival Vista >
        • Carnival Vista Craft Beer
    • Celebrity Apex Cruise >
      • Celebrity Apex
    • Crystal Serenity Holiday Cruise - The Beginning >
      • Crystal Serenity - Grand Turk
      • Crystal Serenity - St. Maarten
      • Crystal Serenity - Antigua Donkey Sanctuary
      • Crystal Serenity - St. Lucia
      • Crystal Serenity - Barbados
      • Crystal Serenity - Virgin Gorda
      • Crystal Serenity - Wrap Up
    • Harmony of the Seas - Preview Cruise Review >
      • Harmony of the Seas - Wonderland
      • Harmony of the Seas - The Ultimate Abyss
      • Harmony of the Seas - The Fine Line
      • Harmony of the Seas - 1887
      • Harmony of the Seas - Bionic Bar
      • Harmony of the Seas - Pre-Cruise Coverage
    • Cunard's Jackie Chase >
      • History of Cunard
    • MSC Seaside >
      • MasterChef at Sea
    • Oceania Riviera
    • Queen Mary in Long Beach
    • River Cruising in Germany - The Ms. River Splendor >
      • River Cruise in Germany -- Mainz and Koblenz
      • River Cruising in Germany - The Romantic Rhine
      • River Cruise in Germany - Heidelberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Wurzburg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Bamberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Nuremberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Regensburg
    • Scarlet Lady - Virgin Voyages
    • SeaTrade Cruise Global 2019
    • Symphony of the Seas - Miami Inaugural Voyage >
      • Symphony of the Seas - Ultimate Family Suite
      • Symphony of the Seas - Showtime
      • Symphony of the Seas - Perfect Day at Coco Cay
      • Symphony of the Seas - Photo Gallery
    • Triton Submarines
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Cora
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
    • Travel Backtrack
  • Video
  • Travel
    • Snaps >
      • Snaps - Page 2
    • Fun >
      • Events >
        • La Bella Macchina 2017
      • AtmosFX Digital Decorations
      • Calypso Cruise
      • Pumpkin Patch 2017
      • Reindeer Games
      • River Paddle Event
    • Brian Wilson: Life in the UK >
      • Life in the UK - Bath, England
      • Life in the UK - Croquet
      • Life in the UK - Music in Russia
      • Life in the UK - Sri Lanka
      • Life in the UK - Sri Lanka - Sigiriya
      • Life in the UK - US Embassy
    • Cate Takes New York
    • Empire State Road Trip
    • Flagler Museum
    • The Florida Keys >
      • Key West
      • The Hemingway House and Museum
    • Joe Cartwright - Travel Writer >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
    • Island Destinations
    • Lake Okeechobee Picnic
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
    • U.S. Virgin Islands >
      • Coral World - U.S. Virgin Islands
      • St. Thomas Food Tour
      • St. Thomas Tour
    • Vizcaya
  • Contact
    • Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
    • Community Garden Grand Opening
    • Our Community Garden
    • LEGO Exhibit at Mounts Botanical Garden
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search

​​



No More 'Mad'? That's Madness!

7/22/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's no secret times are tough for traditional publishers, whether you're talking newspapers, books or magazines. Still this headline from Rolling Stone hit me like a bolt out of the blue:

                         ‘Mad Magazine’ Is Effectively Shutting Down
                             Classic humor publication will cease printing new content this fall


Holy Alfred E. Neuman, Batman -- say it ain't so.

Like many other Baby Boomers, and admirers from other generations, Mad Magazine was a staple when I grew up. Whether it was the latest satire on a TV show or movie, or another episode of "Spy vs. Spy," I couldn't wait for the next issue.

It even inspired my own half-baked attempts at writing humor, including a cartoon I created for which I was particularly proud. So proud, I cajoled my parents for a stamp and envelope so I could submit to the Mad editors for their consideration.

While drawing is not my thing, I thought they would go for the obviously clever premise. At that time, Japanese monster movies -- like "Godzilla" and "Rodan" -- were all the rage. So I came up with this six-panel cartoon depicting a giant egg in a cave. As the natives look on, the egg begins to crack. In each panel, the crack gets bigger, until finally, in the last panel, it bursts open and this giant yolk flows out instead of a menacing beast.

Funny, right?

Well, some weeks later a letter arrived bearing the "Mad" logo. I could hardly contain my excitement!

Opening it with trembling hands, the very first sentence said simply, "You've been rejected."

Like all great and would-be great and might-never-be great writers, I finally came to terms that rejection letters are part of the process. 

But it didn't stop me from continuing to buy the magazine. In fact, I kept that letter as inspiration for many, many years, until it got lost in one of our moves.

Mad got its start in 1952, and reached its peak circulation of two million in 1974. While I bemoan its fate, I have to admit my own guilt: I haven't bought a copy in many years. And that's how magazines go out of business.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    About

    Yes, I know it's spelled like "Jerry." No, I don't know why it's pronounced "Gary."
     My parents
    don't know, either. Next question.

    Archives

    February 2022
    January 2022
    July 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

NORTH PALM BEACH LIFE

Contact us: northpalmlife@gmail.com

Picture
© COPYRIGHT  2022  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
    • People
    • Eats >
      • Belle's Bar and Grill
      • Elisabetta's
      • Oliv Pit Athenian Grille
      • Cupcakes >
        • Lady Bug Cupcakes
    • News >
      • 2019 North Palm Beach Fireworks Show
      • 2018 Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade
      • Brightline >
        • Brightline Dino Train
        • Polar Express 2019
        • Breezin' on Brickell
        • Brightline Day Trips: Frost Science Museum
        • A Trip on Brightline
        • Brightline Select Service
        • Brightline Tasting Train
        • Brightline Train Unveiling
        • Brightline Topping Out
        • The Polar Express Train Ride
        • Richard Branson at Brightline
      • David Drebin
      • Downton Abbey Exhibit
      • The Lubben Brothers
      • History >
        • 25th Anniversary
        • 50th Anniversary
      • North Palm Beach Country Club
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise News
    • Cruise Compete
    • Atlas World Navigator >
      • Atlas World Navigator Part Two
    • Azamara Quest
    • Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line >
      • Grand Celebration Cruise
      • Grand Classica Inaugural Cruise
    • Carnival Cruise Line Stories >
      • Carnival Cuba Cruises
      • Carnival Horizon >
        • Carnival Horizon Pig and Anchor
      • Carnival Liberty
      • Carnival Mardi Gras
      • Carnival Sunrise >
        • Carnival Sunrise Cruise to Bermuda
        • The Chef's Table on Carnival Sunrise
      • Carnival Studios >
        • Carnival Studios - Behind the Scenes Tour
      • Carnival Victory
      • Carnival Vista >
        • Carnival Vista Craft Beer
    • Celebrity Apex Cruise >
      • Celebrity Apex
    • Crystal Serenity Holiday Cruise - The Beginning >
      • Crystal Serenity - Grand Turk
      • Crystal Serenity - St. Maarten
      • Crystal Serenity - Antigua Donkey Sanctuary
      • Crystal Serenity - St. Lucia
      • Crystal Serenity - Barbados
      • Crystal Serenity - Virgin Gorda
      • Crystal Serenity - Wrap Up
    • Harmony of the Seas - Preview Cruise Review >
      • Harmony of the Seas - Wonderland
      • Harmony of the Seas - The Ultimate Abyss
      • Harmony of the Seas - The Fine Line
      • Harmony of the Seas - 1887
      • Harmony of the Seas - Bionic Bar
      • Harmony of the Seas - Pre-Cruise Coverage
    • Cunard's Jackie Chase >
      • History of Cunard
    • MSC Seaside >
      • MasterChef at Sea
    • Oceania Riviera
    • Queen Mary in Long Beach
    • River Cruising in Germany - The Ms. River Splendor >
      • River Cruise in Germany -- Mainz and Koblenz
      • River Cruising in Germany - The Romantic Rhine
      • River Cruise in Germany - Heidelberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Wurzburg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Bamberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Nuremberg
      • River Cruising in Germany - Regensburg
    • Scarlet Lady - Virgin Voyages
    • SeaTrade Cruise Global 2019
    • Symphony of the Seas - Miami Inaugural Voyage >
      • Symphony of the Seas - Ultimate Family Suite
      • Symphony of the Seas - Showtime
      • Symphony of the Seas - Perfect Day at Coco Cay
      • Symphony of the Seas - Photo Gallery
    • Triton Submarines
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Cora
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
    • Travel Backtrack
  • Video
  • Travel
    • Snaps >
      • Snaps - Page 2
    • Fun >
      • Events >
        • La Bella Macchina 2017
      • AtmosFX Digital Decorations
      • Calypso Cruise
      • Pumpkin Patch 2017
      • Reindeer Games
      • River Paddle Event
    • Brian Wilson: Life in the UK >
      • Life in the UK - Bath, England
      • Life in the UK - Croquet
      • Life in the UK - Music in Russia
      • Life in the UK - Sri Lanka
      • Life in the UK - Sri Lanka - Sigiriya
      • Life in the UK - US Embassy
    • Cate Takes New York
    • Empire State Road Trip
    • Flagler Museum
    • The Florida Keys >
      • Key West
      • The Hemingway House and Museum
    • Joe Cartwright - Travel Writer >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
    • Island Destinations
    • Lake Okeechobee Picnic
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
    • U.S. Virgin Islands >
      • Coral World - U.S. Virgin Islands
      • St. Thomas Food Tour
      • St. Thomas Tour
    • Vizcaya
  • Contact
    • Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
    • Community Garden Grand Opening
    • Our Community Garden
    • LEGO Exhibit at Mounts Botanical Garden
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search