95, Alive, and Folding Regularly
April 7, 2016 1:26 AM Subscribe
Cartoonist Al Jaffee recently celebrated his 95th birthday at a party thrown by his friends and collaborators at MAD Magazine, where he was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for the "Longest career as a comics artist": 73 years 3 months... and counting. A contributor to MAD for 60 of those years, since 1964 he has done the "MAD Fold-In", almost 450 consecutive issues - with one interruption. And he's working on one for the next issue. (previously)
When they published a 4-volume collection of his Fold-Ins in 2010, Jaffee made one more just for the books and it was very personal.
The Fold-Ins may have been imitated but never duplicated.
He created another recurring feature for MAD, the proudly smart-ass "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions", which he has performed live.
When they published a 4-volume collection of his Fold-Ins in 2010, Jaffee made one more just for the books and it was very personal.
The Fold-Ins may have been imitated but never duplicated.
He created another recurring feature for MAD, the proudly smart-ass "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions", which he has performed live.
Does he still include a chicken bone whenever someone barfs?
posted by PenDevil at 1:29 AM on April 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by PenDevil at 1:29 AM on April 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
Does he have any apprentices? Because he is so singular at his craft, it would be a shame if his craft died with him. And I have loved his work for 4 decades, at least.
I have hit an age in my life where I realize that about a lot of artists and creators. Decades of accompanying me through my life. It's wonderful, really, to have that kind of relationship with an artist who has created art across most of one's life. It's a sense of continuity that I was not anticipating but that I am happy to have.
posted by hippybear at 1:40 AM on April 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
I have hit an age in my life where I realize that about a lot of artists and creators. Decades of accompanying me through my life. It's wonderful, really, to have that kind of relationship with an artist who has created art across most of one's life. It's a sense of continuity that I was not anticipating but that I am happy to have.
posted by hippybear at 1:40 AM on April 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
The "One Fold-In ‘MAD Magazine’ Wouldn’t Run" video is geo-restricted. Spoilers welcome.
posted by effbot at 2:38 AM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by effbot at 2:38 AM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
Yes, it's vitally important that that video be restricted in its geographic distribution. Think of the money they would lose if someone from the wrong part of the world were to accidentally view it.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 3:55 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by GhostintheMachine at 3:55 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
effbot - The abandoned fold in wasn't shown, but Jaffee described it as concerning the insane proliferation of mass shootings. It was to be published about the time the "theater shooter" (I assume James Holmes) was on trial, and the decision was made not to publish, and 600,000 magazines were pulped. A decision, Jaffee stresses, that he fully agrees with.
posted by Roommate at 4:15 AM on April 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Roommate at 4:15 AM on April 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
That book-exclusive fold-in is even more meta than you think - note the positions of the words at the bottom.
posted by BiggerJ at 4:16 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by BiggerJ at 4:16 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
And if you didn't click the "previously" link, you missed this awesome interactive collection of some of Jaffee's greatest Fold-Ins
That was very satisfying for the perfectionist side of me that always endeavored to get the folds juuuust right.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 4:45 AM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
That was very satisfying for the perfectionist side of me that always endeavored to get the folds juuuust right.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 4:45 AM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
A▶◀ B
posted by adept256 at 4:46 AM on April 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 4:46 AM on April 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
THIS COMMENTER WAS
A FRUSTRATED WASTE
OF A PERSON BY THE TIME
HE GOT THIS
COMMENT
LINED UP RIGHT
A▶ ◀ B
posted by Rock Steady at 5:17 AM on April 7, 2016 [33 favorites]
A FRUSTRATED WASTE
OF A PERSON BY THE TIME
HE GOT THIS
COMMENT
LINED UP RIGHT
A▶ ◀ B
posted by Rock Steady at 5:17 AM on April 7, 2016 [33 favorites]
I haven't bought a mad magazine for about 30 years, to discover Al Jafee still working is surprisingly heart warming.
posted by deadwax at 5:18 AM on April 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by deadwax at 5:18 AM on April 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
Following up on a comment from boo radley in the Stan Lee thread from February, I hereby suggest these posts henceforth get tagged as "nobits".
Viva Al Jaffe!
posted by briank at 5:19 AM on April 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
Viva Al Jaffe!
posted by briank at 5:19 AM on April 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
Mad Magazine was a staple for me when I was a kid, back in 60's. Luckily for me, that was also Mad's heyday. I learned so much, cartooning/drawing-wise, from that collection of artists, and Jaffee was one of my faves. Such a great, recognizable style.
When I first saw this FPP, I was afraid it was a eulogy. Glad to see Al hasn't left us quite yet.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:19 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
When I first saw this FPP, I was afraid it was a eulogy. Glad to see Al hasn't left us quite yet.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:19 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Jaffee attended the High School of Music and Art in New York city with Mad creator Harvey Kurtzman and Mad alums Will Elder, Al Feldstein and John Severin (all previously).
They weren't all in the same class, but that gives you an idea what a hotbed of creativity that place must have been. This picture of Jaffee and Elder in their HIgh School cafeteria is one of my favorite things.
posted by marxchivist at 5:31 AM on April 7, 2016 [9 favorites]
They weren't all in the same class, but that gives you an idea what a hotbed of creativity that place must have been. This picture of Jaffee and Elder in their HIgh School cafeteria is one of my favorite things.
posted by marxchivist at 5:31 AM on April 7, 2016 [9 favorites]
The fold-in had to obfuscate.
The fold-in had to blow my mind.
The fold-in never failed to deliver.
posted by unliteral at 5:37 AM on April 7, 2016
The fold-in had to blow my mind.
The fold-in never failed to deliver.
posted by unliteral at 5:37 AM on April 7, 2016
🎂
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:19 AM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:19 AM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
A couple weeks ago it hit me that Ted Cruz in blue jeans and with a self-satisfied expression reminded me of some Al Jaffee character - something from his Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions maybe - so I looked him up and was happy to see he's still kicking.
Also it's great to see Mort Drucker is still around.
posted by theory at 6:25 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Also it's great to see Mort Drucker is still around.
posted by theory at 6:25 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
I can't believe I never realized it was supposed to be the opposite of a fold-out.
I haven't read Mad since I was a kid but I'm glad to know it's still around, along with at least one of the original artists.
posted by bondcliff at 6:30 AM on April 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
I haven't read Mad since I was a kid but I'm glad to know it's still around, along with at least one of the original artists.
posted by bondcliff at 6:30 AM on April 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
Well done, Al!
OK, OP -- now do Jack Davis, also not dead!
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:48 AM on April 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
OK, OP -- now do Jack Davis, also not dead!
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:48 AM on April 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Do Al Jaffee and Roger Angell know each other, or would they care to? They are almost exact contemporaries - Jaffee was born in March 1921 and Angell was born in September 1920. They live in the same city, even!
And then add in Betty White (January 1922), and Doris Day (April 1922) if she wanted to be less reclusive.
Good to hear that Mort Drucker is still around too. When I subscribed to MAD magazine in the 1970s, I used to especially enjoy reading the little asides that Drucker would toss into his drawings.
posted by tallmiddleagedgeek at 6:59 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
And then add in Betty White (January 1922), and Doris Day (April 1922) if she wanted to be less reclusive.
Good to hear that Mort Drucker is still around too. When I subscribed to MAD magazine in the 1970s, I used to especially enjoy reading the little asides that Drucker would toss into his drawings.
posted by tallmiddleagedgeek at 6:59 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
I can't believe I never realized it was supposed to be the opposite of a fold-out.
...son of a bitch.
This is just like the other day when I realized thirty-goddamned-seven years after the fact that the waitress on the cover of Supertramp's Breakfast in America was a reference to the Statue of Liberty.
Sometimes I wonder how I'm still able to tie my own shoes.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 7:15 AM on April 7, 2016 [12 favorites]
...son of a bitch.
This is just like the other day when I realized thirty-goddamned-seven years after the fact that the waitress on the cover of Supertramp's Breakfast in America was a reference to the Statue of Liberty.
Sometimes I wonder how I'm still able to tie my own shoes.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 7:15 AM on April 7, 2016 [12 favorites]
This is just like the other day when I realized thirty-goddamned-seven years after the fact that the waitress on the cover of Supertramp's Breakfast in America was a reference to the Statue of Liberty.
Oh, but it goes much, much deeper than that.
posted by bondcliff at 7:43 AM on April 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
Oh, but it goes much, much deeper than that.
posted by bondcliff at 7:43 AM on April 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
Q: Is he the same guy that does the little cartoons in the margins?
A: Yes, that's a side project that became a running feature. He still uses his gag pen name for that artwork.
A: Yes; he draws them on a full-size canvas, and then they take a photo from 100 feet away.
A: Yes, and also Spy vs. Spy (and you can fold those in too).
posted by kurumi at 8:01 AM on April 7, 2016 [13 favorites]
A: Yes, that's a side project that became a running feature. He still uses his gag pen name for that artwork.
A: Yes; he draws them on a full-size canvas, and then they take a photo from 100 feet away.
A: Yes, and also Spy vs. Spy (and you can fold those in too).
posted by kurumi at 8:01 AM on April 7, 2016 [13 favorites]
Oh, but it goes much, much deeper than that.
Not enough facepalm in the entire world. I would point out when Breakfast in America was released but that breaks a longstanding rule of never argue with conspiracy theories, just ignore them until they go away, and if they don't, punch them until they do.
posted by eriko at 8:08 AM on April 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Not enough facepalm in the entire world. I would point out when Breakfast in America was released but that breaks a longstanding rule of never argue with conspiracy theories, just ignore them until they go away, and if they don't, punch them until they do.
posted by eriko at 8:08 AM on April 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Spy vs. Spy (and you can fold those in too)
Wait, WHAT?
posted by Rock Steady at 8:33 AM on April 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Wait, WHAT?
posted by Rock Steady at 8:33 AM on April 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Not enough facepalm in the entire world.
I haven't really dug any deeper, because who needs that, so I haven't really figured out if that's a joke or not. I suspect it is for some, and WAKE UP SHEEPLE for others.
posted by bondcliff at 8:49 AM on April 7, 2016
I haven't really dug any deeper, because who needs that, so I haven't really figured out if that's a joke or not. I suspect it is for some, and WAKE UP SHEEPLE for others.
posted by bondcliff at 8:49 AM on April 7, 2016
Bondcliff, I don't understand. PU - the twin towers, what?
posted by seawallrunner at 9:06 AM on April 7, 2016
posted by seawallrunner at 9:06 AM on April 7, 2016
Bondcliff, I don't understand. PU - the twin towers, what?
The PU is cut off so it looks like 9 11 in the mirror image.
posted by pjern at 9:14 AM on April 7, 2016
The PU is cut off so it looks like 9 11 in the mirror image.
posted by pjern at 9:14 AM on April 7, 2016
(I'm sorry I didn't mean to derail this thread. Let's get back on track and drop the silly Supertramp/911 stuff, even if that is what the Illuminati wants us to do)
posted by bondcliff at 9:33 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 9:33 AM on April 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Always loved his stuff so very much. Thank you for the dose of awesomeness!
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 10:14 AM on April 7, 2016
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 10:14 AM on April 7, 2016
THIS WAS
A WASTE
OF TIME
A▶◀ B
Exactly as intended.
When I first saw this FPP, I was afraid it was a eulogy. Glad to see Al hasn't left us quite yet.
Yeah, I guess somebody HAD to say that, but this was my personal response to the complaint about "too many obits" on the site.
Q: Is he the same guy that does the little cartoons in the margins?
SnippyButNotSnappy Answer To A Stupid Question: NONONONONONONONO. Sergio Aragones is second to Jaffee in current seniority at MAD, having first wandered into their offices in 1962. Aragones is also the creator of the 'barbarian-parody' comic book series Groo the Wanderer, and his collaborator, writer/blogger Mark Evanier (for whom Aragones redesigns his heading weekly) was where I first learned of Jaffee's birthday/world record (I should've given him a 'via' credit).
And Jack Davis and Mort Drucker, yes! Still alive and kicking but both happily retired thanks to MAD's discovery of caricaturist Tom Richmond in 2000, who has been doing the job of two (extremely talented) men on MAD's movie/TV parody pieces (as well as enough other recognizable work to raise suspicions that he is a team of skilled robots).
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:39 AM on April 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
A WASTE
OF TIME
A▶◀ B
Exactly as intended.
When I first saw this FPP, I was afraid it was a eulogy. Glad to see Al hasn't left us quite yet.
Yeah, I guess somebody HAD to say that, but this was my personal response to the complaint about "too many obits" on the site.
Q: Is he the same guy that does the little cartoons in the margins?
SnippyButNotSnappy Answer To A Stupid Question: NONONONONONONONO. Sergio Aragones is second to Jaffee in current seniority at MAD, having first wandered into their offices in 1962. Aragones is also the creator of the 'barbarian-parody' comic book series Groo the Wanderer, and his collaborator, writer/blogger Mark Evanier (for whom Aragones redesigns his heading weekly) was where I first learned of Jaffee's birthday/world record (I should've given him a 'via' credit).
And Jack Davis and Mort Drucker, yes! Still alive and kicking but both happily retired thanks to MAD's discovery of caricaturist Tom Richmond in 2000, who has been doing the job of two (extremely talented) men on MAD's movie/TV parody pieces (as well as enough other recognizable work to raise suspicions that he is a team of skilled robots).
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:39 AM on April 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
The Supertramp-9/11 thingie is explained over here. Hopefully that kills the derail.
And excellent nobit, OSF. I haven't got the full-on collector's don't-open-the-packaging mania, but I remember being torn as a kid over whether or not to actually crease the magazine to do the fold-in.
posted by benito.strauss at 11:11 AM on April 7, 2016
And excellent nobit, OSF. I haven't got the full-on collector's don't-open-the-packaging mania, but I remember being torn as a kid over whether or not to actually crease the magazine to do the fold-in.
posted by benito.strauss at 11:11 AM on April 7, 2016
OOOOOOOOOOOOO a neologism - i like it
nobit, thanks for the nobit oneswellfoop
posted by infini at 12:18 PM on April 7, 2016
nobit, thanks for the nobit oneswellfoop
posted by infini at 12:18 PM on April 7, 2016
>I can't believe I never realized it was supposed to be the opposite of a fold-out.
...son of a bitch.
I'm right there with you, my Earth-1 counterpart. I've been reading Mad for nearly my whole life, and I never made the connection either.
posted by MrBadExample at 4:08 PM on April 7, 2016
...son of a bitch.
I'm right there with you, my Earth-1 counterpart. I've been reading Mad for nearly my whole life, and I never made the connection either.
posted by MrBadExample at 4:08 PM on April 7, 2016
Well, anyone born after the 60s won't realize that the "Fold-In" preceded the "Love-In" and the "Laugh-In", so the "Fold-In/Fold-Out" relationship won't be obvious.
And speaking of Old MAD artists: Jack Davis (88 and retired) remembers some of his Pre-MAD work... with the Crypt-Keeper!!
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:04 PM on April 7, 2016
And speaking of Old MAD artists: Jack Davis (88 and retired) remembers some of his Pre-MAD work... with the Crypt-Keeper!!
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:04 PM on April 7, 2016
They should definitely give him little throw-away cameo shots in movies like his former coworker Stan Lee.
Woman runs to the train station in a hurry, possibly being chased. She sees a gentleman standing nearby, and asks him "Is this the train to Boston?" He looks up at the sign that says "Train To Boston" and says "No, its freight train carrying human livestock", then he turns around and walks away while she stares in confusion.
posted by eye of newt at 11:51 PM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
Woman runs to the train station in a hurry, possibly being chased. She sees a gentleman standing nearby, and asks him "Is this the train to Boston?" He looks up at the sign that says "Train To Boston" and says "No, its freight train carrying human livestock", then he turns around and walks away while she stares in confusion.
posted by eye of newt at 11:51 PM on April 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
I would like to apologize to everyone I gave a favorite to in this thread as it was done under the influence.
posted by oheso at 5:55 AM on April 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by oheso at 5:55 AM on April 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
This detail about Aragonés is great (from the wikipedia article on him): "Since his knowledge of English wasn't very extensive, he asked for the only Mad artist he knew of that spoke Spanish, Cuban-born artist Antonio Prohías, creator of the comic "Spy vs. Spy". Aragonés hoped Prohías could serve as an interpreter between him and the Mad editors. According to Aragonés, this proved to be a mistake, since Prohías knew even less English than he. Prohías did receive Aragonés very enthusiastically and, with difficulty, introduced the young artist to the Mad editors as "Sergio, my brother from Mexico," temporarily leading to even further confusion, as the Mad editors thought he was "Sergio Prohías."
posted by kenko at 12:09 PM on April 8, 2016
posted by kenko at 12:09 PM on April 8, 2016
A couple weeks ago it hit me that Ted Cruz in blue jeans and with a self-satisfied expression reminded me of some Al Jaffee character
That description hits me more as a Dave Berg character. Boy, I'd have to've read everything ten times and be really bored before I'd check out the "Lighter Side" strips.
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:11 PM on April 8, 2016
That description hits me more as a Dave Berg character. Boy, I'd have to've read everything ten times and be really bored before I'd check out the "Lighter Side" strips.
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:11 PM on April 8, 2016
"No one was ever a fan of Cracked. We would buy Mad every month, but about two weeks later we would get anxious for new material. We would tell ourselves, 'OK, we are not going to buy Cracked. Never again!' And we'd hold out for a while, but then as the month dragged on it just became, 'OK, I guess I'll buy Cracked.' Then you'd bring it home, and immediately you'd remember, 'Oh yeah, I hate Cracked!'" Truer words were never spoken.
posted by Daddy-O at 6:35 AM on April 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Daddy-O at 6:35 AM on April 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by oneswellfoop at 1:26 AM on April 7, 2016 [7 favorites]