Mad #153 (Albert Feldstein) - Straw Hat Issue - September 1972

In 1972 I was in the last year of my contract with the U.S. Navy, defending Central California from Ho Chi Minh.  I am sure that I thumbed through this issue of Mad but I do not remember any of it.  President Richard Nixon (1913-1994) makes two appearances and VP Spiro Agnew (1918-1996) is shown as a bacteria ("Spirococcus").  Both were running for re-election and the public was not yet aware of unlawful activities at the Watergate office buildings.  Clint Eastwood had just completed the first of three Dirty Harry movies.  According to Mad artist Mort Drucker, the mayor of Harry's San Francisco looks a lot like Tony Bennett.  The typical Catholic family ("The Mad 'Religion in America' Primer") consists of "a husband, a wife and 26 children."  Artist Paul Coker's Catholic wife has several patches on her coat.  Don Martin explores the eating habits and musical tastes of cavemen.  Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) stars as the "Kipper" in a "Typical Sports Movie of the Past" and Howard Cosell (1918-1995) is the on-field reporter for the "Typical Sports Movie of the Present" (too many drug users and revolutionaries).  Television commercials are irritating.  The black spy makes macaroni out of the white spy.  Mad publisher Bill Gaines is the lazy gardener in Dave Berg's look at "Summer Activities" and Dave is much too interested in his neighbor's bikini tan line.  Walter Cronkite (1916-2009) learns that there is really no difference between the major political parties.  And, apparently there was a tv show about a blind detective ( Longstreet) starring James Franciscus (1934-1991).  In other words, business as usual for the "usual gang of idiots." [JAM 3/12/2010]

Look for Linus and Snidely Whiplash in "Dirty Larry."

Departments:
The Wrong Arm of the Law - Dirty Larry
A Blessing on All Your Houses - The Mad "Religion in America" Primer
Don Martin - Don Martin Looks at Cavemen
Boolah-Boolah - The Typical Sports Movie of the Past
Moolah-Moolah - The Typical Sports Movie of the Present
Picket Yourself - Mad's All-Inclusive Labor Dispute Newspaper Story
Ad Insult to Injury - Snappy Answers to Stupid Television Commercials
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Post-Waste - Mad Postcards from Mad Vacationers
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side of Summer Activities
Inside-Ouch - A Mad Peek Behind the Scenes at a Political Convention
The Malady Lingers On - A Microscopic Look at Modern-Day Bacteria
Blindfolderol - Longshot

Fold-In - Money