Mad #264 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Wrestling Issue - July 1986

Professional wrestling would not seem to be a good humor target for Mad since the sport (?) could not be more ridiculous than it is.  However, Mad editors decided to send their top artists Mort Drucker, Dave Berg and Angelo Torres into the ring.  Torres scored the most points with publisher Gaines ("Mental Man") as the "first paranoid schizophrenic to single-handedly hold the Tag Team Championship title" in "Mad's Pro Wrestling Predictions."  Drucker drew Hulk Hogan on the cover and Rocky Balboa as the interviewer of "Mad's Wrestling Promoter of the Year."

Berg presented a brief, unfunny look at wrestling fans.  However, the best of the "Lighter Side" is always Berg's visit to the Mad office.  In this issue, tennis player Meglin is late for a meeting with Gaines, Ficarra, Brenner and Nozkowski (?).  The rubber stamps and dirigibles were fixtures in the publisher's office.  Also, if you look closely, you can see Gaines sitting in the water sport audience a few rows below Groo ("A Mad Look at Water Sports") by Sergio Aragones. [JAM 7/11/2011]

Departments:
A Remington Steal - Moonfighting
The Ducats of Hazard - The High Risks of Front Row Center
Don Martin - One Grim Morning in South America; One Grim Afternoon over the Mediterranean; One Grim Twilight in the South Pacific
Crystal Brawl - Mad's Pro Wrestling Predictions
Ron for the Money - The Reagan White House Garage Sale
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Dick - A Mad Peek Behind the Scenes at a Health Spa
Heavy Mental - Mad's Sure Signs of Insanity
Getting Blood from Stallone - When the Rambo Influence Spreads Everywhere
Goof of Purchase - Why 999 Shoppers out of 1,000 Never Collect Those Manufacturers' Rebates
May the Foes Be with You - Rocky V-XI or, the Italian Scallion vs. the Great Hollywood Villains
A Hard Act to Swallow - When the Coke-Pepsi Rivalry Gets out of Hand
Huckstermania - Mad's Wrestling Promoter of the Year
Sergio Aragones - A Mad Look at Water Sports

Fold-In - Overpriced Tool