Mad #199 (Albert Feldstein) - Anita Bryant Issue - June 1978

Ms. Bryant was Miss Oklahoma in 1958 and a semi-successful singer in the 1960s.  However, she was best known as the leading anti-gay activist of the 1970s.  She became the image of intolerance of the day.  In 1977 Bryant campaigned to repeal a Dade County ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.  Her stance on homosexuality ended her entertainment career as she was widely criticized for her public pronouncements.  With this background, "Anita Tyrant" was the most unlikely candidate for the interviewer on "Mad's 'Punk Rock Group' of the Year."  But Mad editors and writer Larry Siegel put the prudish Ms. Bryant right in the middle of a concert by "Johnny Turd & The Commodes."  That would be payback - Mad style.

Stan Hart's article, "Where Your Dollar Goes" examines the cost of entertainment, shelter, medical care, food and transportation.  The comments show that not much has changed in the country in 30+ years.  Among other things, Hart concludes that ten cents of every medical dollar goes "... to help support a lobby in Washington fighting any National Health Plan that might assure good treatment for all, regardless of their ability to pay!"  As always, Mad tells the truth. [JAM 8/11/2010]

This was the first full-cover drawing for Al Jaffee.  It was about time!  Jaffee did draw the logo characters for Mad #146.

Departments:
Putting out the Bond Fire - The Spy Who Glubbed Me
Don Martin - One Morning in a Prison Tower; One Afternoon Down on a Farm; One Evening in a Bus Station
Switch Pitch - Surprise TV Commercials
Up Chores - A Job Resume for the Average Housewife
Schlock 'N' Roll - Mad's "Punk Rock Group of the Year"
Perplexi-Tease - Some Mad Things We'll Never Understand
Off the Wall - Apartment House Bulletin Board
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side of Danger
Twin Screws - Mad's Real Life Catch-22s
Buck Shot - Where Your Dollar Goes
Ecch-Ness Baggage - We Could Sure Do Without
Here They Sat ... - A Mad Look at Some Legendary Commodes
Black-Sliding - What Happened

Fold-In - R2D2