Mad #477 (John Ficarra) - Global Warming Issue - May 2007

There is not much humor associated with global warming.  Mad editors could muster just three pages of it.  The Mark Fredrickson cover shows Alfred E. Neuman riding his Sea-Doo through the tips of New York City skyscrapers; and the readers learn "How Global Warming is Affecting Various People" (i.e. one dozen sweaty celebrities).  Climate change in the 21st century is certainly a man-made problem but probably not as bad as overpopulation, global terrorism or various global diseases.  Like all man-made problems, global warming is a self-correcting one.  When the infection (human beings) is gone, Earth will recover. 

The search for inspired humor was a difficult one in this issue.  When the reality television shows (The Biggest Loser and My Super Sweet 16) for the anchor parodies are awful parodies of themselves, any attempt at Mad humor seems to be mean-spirited and pointless.  Anybody can make fun of obese people and spoiled brats.  However, there is always some good in each issue of the magazine.  Did you know that a boy scout could get a merit badge for not having an affair with his teacher? One of the "lardasses" has a "Freedom Fries" tattoo on his arm.  The "Unabridged Corporate Slogan" for McDonald's mentions "violent acid reflux".  One of the officers in Caldwell's police station lost a donut.  And, Paris Hilton & Richie Rich were invited to Erica's Sweet 16 Party.  Now we know why Mary Ellen McLaughlin could only sell four full-page ads for this short issue.  [JAM 11/7/2014]

Departments:
Random Acts of Mindless - The Fundalini Pages
Fat's Entertainment - The Biggest Lardass
Sex Education - Mad's Teacher Translation Guide
A Long Phrase Journey into Blight - Unabridged Corporate Slogans Part II
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at Airport Security
An Inconvenient Spoof - How Global Warming is Affecting Various People
Rallstones - 7 Periods Closer to Death
Angster's Paradise - Monroe & ... The New Kid
Subordinate Claus - What if Kris Kringle Were into S&M  [fake department]
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Season Desist - Signs Your Stalker Has Spring Fever
Comic Schnooks - Mad's Villainous Outtakes from Heroes
Pen And Stink - The Mad Strip Club
A Bitch in Time - My Stupid Spoiled 16
Sports Character Assassination

Fold-In - Rehab