Mad #398 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Olympics 2000 Issue - October 2000

Sergio Aragones ("A Mad Look at the Olympics") and Peter Kuper ("Spy vs. Spy") received the assignments to satirize the games in advance of the Sydney Olympics.  James Bennett drew the wiener/torch cover.  The splash-page by Aragones is excellent with its complexity and multitude of jokes.  Sergio is a veteran when it comes to event jokes but this was a rare diversion for Kuper.  The "Joke And Dagger Department" was expanded to four pages to cover the Olympic dreams of the white spy.  Although most of the battles involve some twists, this one was a total victory for the black spy as white failed in five sporting events and had one alarming awakening.  Barry Liebman ("The Case For/Against Bush/Gore") and Frank Jacobs ("What Is a Compassionate Conservative?") tried to make sense of the most bizarre U.S. presidential election of all time.  Political reality is often stranger than the satirical works.  Unfortunately, Mad also devoted six pages to an awful "reality show" ("Survivoyeur") and two more pages to the worst game show of all time ("Some Who Wants to be a Millionaire Questions We'd Love to See Regis Ask").  [JAM 12/23/2013]

Editor Meglin appeared on three pages in this issue.  Can you find him?

Departments:
When the Ship Hits the Fans - The Perfect Snore
Circus Jerks - When Clowns Go Bad
Angster's Paradise - Monroe & ... The Family Heirloom
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at the Olympics
Put the Pedal to the Mental - The Intimidator LX Owner's Manual
Jock Kitsch - Sports Memorabilia Cards We'd Like to See
Electile Dysfunction - The Case For/Against Gore/Bush
The Geek Shall Internet the Earth - A Totally Honest Message from Bill Gates
Tales From the Duck Side - A Rug's Life
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Liver La Vida Loca - Who's Who at a Botched Organ Transplant Operation  [Fake Department]
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
The Traits of Wrath - Spot Your Parents!
Lame Show Phenomenon - Some Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Questions We'd Love to See Regis Ask
An Image Fakeover - What Is a Compassionate Conservative?
Tribes And Tribulations - Survivoyeur
Grieving Las Vegas - Mad's Celebrity Cause-of-Death Betting Odds  [Tom Hanks]

Fold-In - Electric Chair