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Mad Magazine Trivia Quiz

What, me worry? Just how well do you know this furshlugginer magazine and comic? Take the veebelfeetzer quiz, already!

A multiple-choice quiz by czolgolz. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
czolgolz

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
189,204

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
1405

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 136 (11/15), Guest 110 (10/15), Guest 47 (15/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. "Mad Magazine" has been around longer than you probably think. Who was the President of the United States when "Mad" published its first issue? Hint

Dwight Eisenhower

Harry Truman

John Kennedy

Franklin Roosevelt

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. Who, in 1952, described "Mad" as 'a short lived, satirical pulp'? Hint

Bill Gaines (founder and publisher of "Mad")

Time Magazine

Anti-comic crusader Frederic Wertham

Andy Worhol

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. Everyone recognizes "Mad's" mascot, the gap toothed, grinning Alfed E. Neuman. What celebrity won the Alfred E. Neuman look-alike contest? Hint

David Letterman

Prince Charles

Ted Koppel

George W. Bush

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. "Mad" is used to riding the edge of tastelessness. However, in 1990 "Mad" rejected a cover as too offensive. What did it show? Hint

A huge middle finger

Alfred exposing himself

George Bush, Sr, burning a (sort of) US flag with Alfred's face on it

George Bush, Sr, throwing up

NEXT>

Question 5 of 15

5. In 1968, "Mad" had to alter a cover just before they went to press. Why? Hint

It prematurely showed a U.S. moon landing

They forgot to leave room for the new UPC symbols

It showed Frankenstein's monster, which is copyrighted

It spoofed Robert Kennedy, who had just been killed

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. "Mad" isn't famous for reporting breaking news, and yet they were the first monthly magazine to report a major story. What was it? Hint

The results of the 1960 election

The name of the second "Star Wars" movie

The moon landing

Nixon resigns

NEXT>

Question 7 of 15

7. One of the great "Mad" artists passed away in 2002. His most famous column was 'The Lighter Side of...' which looked at middle American culture. Who was the artist? Hint

Dave Berg

Al Jaffee

George Woodbridge

Bill Elder

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. Who is the Mexican-American cartoonist who doodles the wordless jokes in "Mad's" margins? Hint

Sergio Aragones

Angelo Torres

Antonio Prohais

Jose Lopez

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. Which Madman is responsible for the 'fold-in,' the back cover that you can fold to form another picture? Hint

Don Martin

Al Jaffee

Harry North

Dick DeBartolo

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. The Cuban-American artist Antonio Prohais started which long-running "Mad" feature? Hint

Melvin and Jenkins

Spy Vs. Spy

The first television spoof

The Mad Reader

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. "Mad's" office is in a building on, fittingly, MADison Avenue. What weird mascot once graced the office? Hint

Felix, the dead (and stuffed) cat

Arthur, the avocado tree

Albert, the mold in the coffee cup

Dewey, the invisible man

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. "Mad" was instantly popular. So popular, in fact, that it began to have imitators. Can you find the made-up names in this list of "Mad" knock-offs? Hint

"Whack" and "Unsane"

"Duh" and "Bonkers"

"Bughouse" and "Crazy"

"Cracked" and "Nuts"

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. In 2001, "Mad" made a major change in its format. What was it? Hint

They switched to an all color format

They began to run ads

Alfred no longer graced every cover

They had centerfolds

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. What "Mad" feature deals with an unpopular teen, his sidekick Walter, and his tormentor, Dylan? Hint

Marvin

Monroe

Madison

Melvin

15. "Mad" has published for over half a century, more than 400 issues in all. Movie spoofs are one of their mainstays. For their 300th issue they decided to lampoon some classic films. Which of these was NOT spoofed in "Mad" #300? Hint

'The Maltese Falcon' (The Cheesewiz Falcon)

'Gone With the Wind' (Groan with the Wind)

'The Wizard of Oz' (The Wizard of Odds)

'Casablanca' (Casabonkers)

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 17 2024 : Guest 136: 11/15
Nov 02 2024 : Guest 110: 10/15
Oct 27 2024 : Guest 47: 15/15
Oct 23 2024 : ViciousDelish: 4/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "Mad Magazine" has been around longer than you probably think. Who was the President of the United States when "Mad" published its first issue?

Answer: Harry Truman

"Mad" first came out in the summer of 1952, Truman's last year as president.

2. Who, in 1952, described "Mad" as 'a short lived, satirical pulp'?

Answer: Time Magazine

Time dismissed "Mad" offhand. "Mad" reprints this quote every time they print one hundred issues.

3. Everyone recognizes "Mad's" mascot, the gap toothed, grinning Alfed E. Neuman. What celebrity won the Alfred E. Neuman look-alike contest?

Answer: Ted Koppel

Koppel was deeply offended by the comparison...not for his own sake, but for Alfred's. Strangely, Alfred's image predates the magazine by decades. He's been seen on postcards, political buttons, ads for dentists and photographers, and on the noses of World War II bombers. The earliest images date back to the 1890s.

4. "Mad" is used to riding the edge of tastelessness. However, in 1990 "Mad" rejected a cover as too offensive. What did it show?

Answer: George Bush, Sr, burning a (sort of) US flag with Alfred's face on it

They rejected the flag burning cover for their 300th issue, as the Gulf War had just broken out and it might have been seen as anti-American. They ended up going with just a portrait of Alfred. The other covers described were real.

5. In 1968, "Mad" had to alter a cover just before they went to press. Why?

Answer: It spoofed Robert Kennedy, who had just been killed

The cover showed Alfred holding a bunch of balloons with the Presidental candidates' faces on them, and a stick pin in his other hand. When Kennedy was assassinated, they covered his face with Alfred's. A studio once threatened to sue over their use of the Frankenstein monster, but never did.

6. "Mad" isn't famous for reporting breaking news, and yet they were the first monthly magazine to report a major story. What was it?

Answer: The results of the 1960 election

While monthly magazines are printed weeks in advance, "Mad" was the first to report the results of the 1960 election: '"Mad" congratulates John Kennedy upon his election as President. We were with you all the way, Jack!' Of course, it had two covers: '"Mad" congratulates Richard Nixon...'

7. One of the great "Mad" artists passed away in 2002. His most famous column was 'The Lighter Side of...' which looked at middle American culture. Who was the artist?

Answer: Dave Berg

Roger Kaputnik, the pipe smoking hypochondriac of the comic, was Berg's alter ego.

8. Who is the Mexican-American cartoonist who doodles the wordless jokes in "Mad's" margins?

Answer: Sergio Aragones

Sergio also draws the column 'A Mad Look At...' as well as his own comic, 'Groo the Wanderer.' The claim that he was once the President of Mexico is highly debatable.

9. Which Madman is responsible for the 'fold-in,' the back cover that you can fold to form another picture?

Answer: Al Jaffee

Jaffe also writes the column 'Snappy Answers For Stupid Questions.'

10. The Cuban-American artist Antonio Prohais started which long-running "Mad" feature?

Answer: Spy Vs. Spy

A fugitive from Castro's Cuba, Prohais invented the two bird-headed spies who'd do each other in every month. Prohais has since passed on, but the column still runs. His name appears in Morse code at the top of the feature.

11. "Mad's" office is in a building on, fittingly, MADison Avenue. What weird mascot once graced the office?

Answer: Arthur, the avocado tree

Veteran Madmen remember the original Arthur, who was a lot more smokable and much more illegal.

12. "Mad" was instantly popular. So popular, in fact, that it began to have imitators. Can you find the made-up names in this list of "Mad" knock-offs?

Answer: "Duh" and "Bonkers"

"Cracked" is the only one that had any degree of success.

13. In 2001, "Mad" made a major change in its format. What was it?

Answer: They began to run ads

After a history of never accepting ads, low circulation forced the publishers to sell ad space. As of 2004, 'Consumer Reports' is now the only major US magazine that's commercial free. "Mad" does run color features, but is still mostly black and white.

14. What "Mad" feature deals with an unpopular teen, his sidekick Walter, and his tormentor, Dylan?

Answer: Monroe

It began in 1996.

Answer: 'The Maltese Falcon' (The Cheesewiz Falcon)

Hope you enjoyed this quiz. Most info comes from 'Completely Mad: a History of the Comic Book and Magazine,' by Maria Reidelbach, 1991 and my own misspent youth. Potrezeebie.

Source: Author czolgolz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor linkan before going online.
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