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MAD Magazine Announces Second Annual List of 20 Dumbest People, Events and Things of the Year

Story Filed: Thursday, December 02, 1999 10:16 AM EST

NEW YORK, Dec 2, 1999 (ENTERTAINMENT WIRE) -- The editors of MAD Magazine, America's foremost experts in dumbness, have chosen the Y2K Panic to top the list of the second annual "MAD 20," the humor monthly's year-end review of "The Dumbest People, Events and Things of 1999."

"The doomsayers claim the banks are going to fail, the power is going to go out and we should all hole-up in our bunkers with a year's supply of Cheese Whiz," said MAD co-Editor Nick Meglin. "But when the big ball drops in Times Square we're sure it's going to be nothing more than another payday for Dick Clark."

"Unless, of course, we're wrong, in which case, um, could you spare some Cheese Whiz?" added co-editor John Ficarra. "Besides, who knows 'dumb' better than us? We've been putting out the dumbest magazine in the nation for over 40 years!"

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's endless "listening tour" placed second and is satirized in Hillary's World, a spoof of Andrew Wyeth's painting, Christina's World.

Rounding out MAD's list of 1999's dumbest are:

3. Moronic Teen Movies

4. The Latin Music "Explosion" - Livin' La Vida Joka!

5. George W. Bush's Transparent Dodge of the Cocaine Question

6. Jerry Falwell's Homophobic Attack on the Teletubbies

7. The Media's Obsession with the JFK Jr. Crash

8. Cell Phone Addiction

9. Sega's Introduction of the Overpriced Dreamcast

10. The Failed Major League Umpires Strike

11. The Frighteningly Overrated Blair Witch Project

12. Monica's Story - Lewinsky's "Tell-All" Book Tells Nothing

13. Woodstock '99 - The Rage of Aquarius

14. The Stock Market Frenzy (Everyone's Getting Rich but You, Dummy!)

15. The Beanie Babies' Fake Retirement

16. Random Acts of Senseless Violence

17. Tae-Bo - Fitness for Fools

18. America's Fixation with End-of-the-Century Lists

19. Pamela Anderson's Breast Reduction Falls Flat

20. Jar Jar Binks - The Most Irritating Star Wars Character Since the

Ewoks

The MAD 20, a special full-color 16-page section, is featured in the year-end issue of MAD Magazine (No. 389), on sale now at comic book specialty stores at newsstands and bookstores everywhere beginning December 14.

MAD Magazine is America's longest-running humor publication. Founded by Bill Gaines in 1952, MAD has inspired generations of irreverent fans with its ridiculing of politicians, movies, television and modern life, and with popular characters such as Alfred E. Neuman and Spy. Vs. Spy. Whether in print, on television, film or cyberspace, MAD remains one of the favorite American icons.

For more information, additional art or to schedule an interview contact: Patty Jeres at 212-636-5448 or patty.jeres@dccomics.com

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), December 02, 1999

Answers

First Poole, then Decker, then Oprah, now Alfred E. Neuman. That's good enough for me.

All Clear on Y2K!

Sell your beans, fast.

-- a (a@a.a), December 02, 1999.

I have some really old mad magazines, are they classics? Any collectors out there want some?

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), December 02, 1999.

Damn!! Not Alfred!! He knows all!!

-- Familyman (prepare@home.com), December 02, 1999.

At least MAD is being logically coherent in this.

After all, Alfred E.'s tagline is "What, me worry?". No there's a polly's polly. :o)

-- Nathan (nospam@all.com), December 02, 1999.

Dang. I forgot to get Cheese Whiz. I knew there was something missing . . .

-- Margaret J (janssm@aol.com), December 02, 1999.

I do have three cans of Australian-made Kraft Cheddar Cheese Product I could trade them for a lifetime subscription to MAD.

This is humor. I love the TV show too.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), December 02, 1999.

Yes his tag line is "What, me worry?" Normally said in front of a burning, exploding building of some sort. Very apt.

-- Typhonblue (typhonblue@hotmail.com), December 02, 1999.

21. NASA gets the conversion tables wrong. Damn, I said centimeters. CENTIMETERS!!!!!

-- so (so@so.so), December 02, 1999.

lol, so!

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), December 02, 1999.

Cherri - w/r respect to the old issues: Yes.

Please, get contact me at your convenience.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 02, 1999.

Well, well, well. Will wonders never cease! We now have Cherri, one of the best-known debunkies, taking advantage of Y2K to sell her old MAD magazines. Making money off Y2K ain't quite so bad, huh, Cherri? Don't let cpr and the others find out!

-- I can't believe (she@did.that), December 02, 1999.

Don't sell them! They are perfect for emergency toilet paper.

-- anonymous (anonymous@anonymous.com), December 02, 1999.

Watch out Little Annie Fannie!!!

-- catfish joe (joe6pack@bottomdweller.net), December 02, 1999.