Mad #219 (Albert Feldstein) - Firemen Issue - December 1980

Don Martin drew twelve firemen jokes for the issue including the excellent cover showing an especially sensitive fireman.  The jokes did not contain many of his signature sound effects but we did get a SKWAPPO, a THUGAWUNK, a GASHKLITZGA, a SPAZOOSH and a THWOCK!

The movie parody "double feature" ("Little 'Star'lings" and "Gold Mining Daughter") was not so good but the television parody at the end ("The Dopes of Haphazzard") was very good.  Unfortunately, the Mad editors forgot to give the Mad writer his due credit.  Individual researchers have confirmed that the article writer was Dick DeBartolo. Also, Al Jaffee's "Fold-In" was replaced by a "See-Through."

Another editorial error occurred on page 30 as Dave Berg's "Lighter Side" categories "Bureaucracy" and "Athletics" were switched. [JAM 11/4/2010]

Look for Publisher Bill Gaines in "The Worst Selling Books of the Year" and Editor Al Feldstein in "A Mad Expose of Some Phone-y Baloney."

Departments:
Virgin Territory - Little "Star"lings
Loretta Lynn-A-Mint - The Gold-Mining Daughter
Hose Job - Don Martin Looks at Fireman; Don Martin Takes Another Look at Firemen
Backfire-Crackers - Are You Happy Now ... ?
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Decade-Dense - The Wonderful Seventies
The Fahrenheit of Absurdity - The Mad Thermometer
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Getting Even - If We Ever Have Real Equal Rights Laws
Return Enragement - More Wait Until You Get Home And Find
Turning Down the Volume - The Worst-Selling Books of the Year
Outta Sight! - A Mad Expose of Some Phone-y Baloney
Crashing Bores - The Dopes of Haphazzard

Fold-In - (none)