Mad #285 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Iran-Contra Issue - March 1989

The Mad staff had shown a significant amount of restraint regarding the illegal activities of the Reagan administration over the years 1981-1988.  There were some isolated attacks but nothing like the barrage of salvos launched at Richard Nixon and company during their tenure.  However, editor Ficarra writing under the pseudonym "J. Prete" finally found his mettle with "Mad's Find-the-Hidden-Scoundrels Puzzle."  Al Jaffee drew the "Can 'o' Worms" and Ficarra challenged readers to find "... 39 of the most infamous of these fun-loving officials."  Of course, the "Teflon President" was never implicated in the scandals that tainted "more than 100 Reagan Administration officials ..."  This was truly a group of miscreants who had no respect for "the rule of law" but their law-breaking records would all be broken in 2001-2008 when Poppy Bush's draft-dodging son ascended to the throne and brought Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Karl Rove et al. with him.

W.C. Fields (1880-1946), Bert & Harry, Bartles & Jaymes, Jack Nicholson, Mickey Spillane (1918-2006), Dick Butkus, Billy Martin (1928-1989), Rodney Dangerfield (1921-2004), Bob Uecker, Spuds McKenzie and others found their happy hour in the television parody "Beers" cleverly written by Debbie Ovitz and drawn to perfection by the magic pen of Mort Drucker.  Dave Berg drew the drew eight of the Mad staffers in "The Lighter Side of the Office." [JAM 10/4/2011]

Departments:
Slam Danson - Beers
A Dryer Sense of Humor - Drama on Page 9
It Still Doesn't Adage Up - Mad Re-Examines More Wise Old Sayings
Post Sleazin' Play - Mad's "Find the Hidden Scoundrels" Puzzle
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at Little Wheels
Toonstruck - When Roger Rabbit Technology Takes Over All o Hollywood's Films
The Hype Report - NBC's Superbowl Pregame Memo
The King Is Bled - Don't Be Fooled
Flattery Not Included - Toys "R" U
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Goonstruck - Recasting Famous Old Movies with Today's Famous Wrestlers
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
A Bouquet of Yawning Glories - Some Classic Examples of World Class Boredom
Frank on a Roll - Greeting Cards for Very Special Occasions
Home on the Strange - Duck Edwing Moseys out West
Swizzle-Schtick - Crocktale
Bang the Bum Slowly - Drama on Page 48

Fold-In - Cigarette Smoke