Mad #172 (Albert Feldstein) - Still Knocking Nixon Issue - January 1975

While Tricky Dicky was now an ex-president jogging on the beach in San Clemente in his big old shorts, Mad writers were still jabbing him and his dysfunctional administration.  Dick DeBartolo led the way with his "Commemoratives to President Nixon" that included the "Nixon Three Dollar Bill" and the "Nixon National Weasel Refuge."  Frank Jacobs writes about "Watergate Roulette" in "Alfred's Poor Almanac."  Lou Silverstone laments that "A Downer Is ... reading about the shape the country is in ... and knowing you voted for Nixon."  Silverstone adds one more jab in "The Six Million Dollars, Man!" with agent Roscoe complaining that "the President somehow dropped 46 tapes down the John in his Oval Room Office ... and now the White House is being flooded!"  However, there was not one word about the newly unelected President Gerald Ford except the back page photograph with caption: "... so why not ... PARDON HITLER!"

Don Martin was in fine form in this issue with his "Natural History Movies" featuring the insect masters of deception: "Burmese Twig Beetles," the "Freen Bug," and "Dung Ant;" followed by "The Goono Aborigines" and "The Great Golden Eagle" stunt man.  For once, actual words outnumbered the usual Don Martin sound effects that were limited to "ZZT-CHOMP," "PITTOOiE" and "STOOPFT!"

Strangely, there were two clever articles about road signs in the issue.  Jacobs, Al Jaffee and Bob Clarke presented 21 "Picture Road Signs We'd Like to See" and Paul Peter Porges and Jack Rickard added ten more "Picture Road Signs for Everyday Situations."  The former showed signs that warn us about boring historical markers, stupid and expensive kiddies rides, windshield-wiping bums and phony farm stands.  The latter gave us hand-held signs to notify others about their offensive odors, our headaches and our need for peace and quiet during football season.  Since publisher Gaines always paid contributors by the page, it seems that the team of Jacobs, Jaffee and Clarke were underpaid for their article.  [JAM 6/2/2010]

Look for every cartoon dog in Jaffee's "Mad Solutions to Big City Doggie-Do Problems" including Pluto, Snoopy, Sandy, Daisy, the RCA dog and many others.

Departments:
The Boring '20's - The Great Gasbag
Alfred's Poor Almanac - November 14th to January 1st
Don Martin - Natural History Movies: "14: Insect Masters of Camouflage And Illusion; #27: The Goono Aborigines; #39: The Great Golden Eagle
Hysteria Repeats Itself - If the World of Yesterday Faced the Conditions of Today
From "Super" to Nuts - More Powerful Than a Locomotive
The Symbol Truth - Picture Road Signs We'd Like to See
Bummer Crop - A Downer Is
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side of Staying Young
Lets Make It Perfectly Clear - Commemoratives to President Nixon
Out, Damned Spot! - Mad Solutions to Big City Doggie-Do Problems
Shtick 'Em Up - Bluff That Mugger
Symbol Explanation - Picture Road Signs in Everyday Situations
The Sum of the Parts - The Six Million Dollars, Man!

Fold-In - Food