Mad #234 (Albert Feldstein) - M*U*S*H Issue - October 1982

"M*U*S*H" was the third parody of M*A*S*H to appear in Mad after the "M*I*S*H M*O*S*H" parody of the movie by Robert Altman (1925-2006) in Mad #138 and the "M*A*S*H*UGA" television parody in Mad #166.  The first two parodies were drawn by Mad artist Angelo Torres who was missing from this issue after 99 consecutive appearances.  M*A*S*H has been an oddity in the entertainment world.  The television show was better than the movie and the movie was better than the novel by H. Richard Hornbecker (1924-1997) writing as "Richard Hooker."  And then, Mad parodies by Arnie Kogen (the last drawn by Jack Davis) and Stan Hart were better than the originals, but Mort Drucker's drawing on the cover of #234 was better than the parodies.  [JAM 12/19/2010]

The patient kicked the bucket on page 6; the hostess is serving fish-head hors d'oeuvres on page 28.

In an eerie coincidence, the arsonist on a commemorative stamp is named "Tim McVey" almost 13 years before Timothy McVeigh bombed the government building in Oklahoma City.

Look for Mad Editor Al Feldstein in "It's a Thankless Job" and cigarette-smoking Smokey Bear in "20/30."

Departments:
Th-Tha-That's Alda, Folks! - M*U*S*H
Battle Hymns for Hers - Marching Songs Now That the Armed Forces Are Co-Ed
Don Martin - One Freezing Day in a Cemetary; One Broiling Day in the Desert; One Steaming Day in the Congo
Post Roasties - Commemorative Stamps That Tell It Like It Really Is
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
A Futile State - It's a Thankless Job
A Hitch in Crime - Mad's Theft and Vandal-Proof Products
The Greats of Rap - How To Pick Up Girls ... of Various Types ... in Various Places
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Crime And No Punishment - A Mad Look at American Justice
Letters Entertain You - The Mad Word Puzzle
Games Feeble Play - Mad Pastimes for the Bedridden
The Wizard of "R's" - A Special Edition of 20/30 Starring Barbara Waltzers with Scenes from "Death-Which-Is-Which II," "On Olden Pond" and "Death Crap"

Fold-In - Pac-Man