Mad's Al Jaffee Spews Out More Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions

by Al Jaffee

Book by Jaffee, Al

Genres: Humor, Comics, Graphic Novels

Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Allan Jaffee was an American cartoonist. He was notable for his work in the satirical magazine Mad, including his trademark feature, the Mad Fold-in. Jaffee was a regular contributor to the magazine for 65 years and is its longest-running contributor. In a 2010 interview, Jaffee said, "Serious people my age are dead."
With a career running from 1942 until 2020, Jaffee holds the Guinness World Record for having the longest career as a comic artist. In the half-century between April 1964 and April 2013, only one issue of Mad was published without containing new material by Jaffee.
In 2008, Jaffee was honored by the Reuben Awards as the Cartoonist of the Year. Cartoonist Arnold Roth of The New Yorker said, "Al Jaffee is one of the great cartoonists of our time." Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz wrote, "Al can cartoon anything."

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The snark is strong with this one yet again! Basically, Jaffee starts with someone asking a stupid question, with killer illustrations. Typical example: a guy is changing the tire on his car and some other guy walks up and asks "Changing a flat?" To which the first guy quips "No, I am a tire thief! no, the car is too high so I decided to lower it a few inches. No, I just believe in rotating the tires every day." Jaffee also includes some longer sequences that are fun, and in one section, provides snappy comebacks to the answers to the snappy answers. All in all, a fun light read that aged very well. 4 snappy stars.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my god, I had completely forgotten about these Al Jaffe books. When I was a kid (we're talking around seven or eight years old), I thought they were the funniest thing ever and I used to pray for people to ask me the questions so I could come back with the snappy answers. (Yep, I was a brat as a kid, too -- shocking, I know.) No one ever did, at least not until I was an adult, at which time I came in from a sub-zero day looking like an ice monster and my then-husband said, "Is it cold out?" and I responded witheringly, "Is what cold out?" I think that was one of the reasons we got divorced, probably. Oh well! Love the books anyway!

[Isman · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's this thing about life. You see people do and say the stupidest things. But you don't say anything.

Suddenly, somebody enter the scene. And [s]he says what you really wanted to say. You can't help laughing.

We're repressed by societal norms from saying things considered rude. But when somebody else freely expresses it without any repentances, we laugh from relief.

And that's funny. Especially because this somebody else is the one who gets the money for it.

[Hollowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilty pleasure! I had the whole SAtSQ series when I was growing up ... and somehow lost them all. Anyone reading this with the books on hand a little xtra time for "charity work" -- scan 'em in and post 'em up on a blog, please. DOG BLESS YOU!

[Rick Bavera · Rating 2 out of 5]

MAD Magazine....I remember really loving it when I was a teenager.

The humor is still humorous, but not as funny as when I was a teenager.....tastes change, people grow up....

Some of this book is really funny, other parts just sort of amusing. I guess tastes really do change.

[Mo Kahn]

Simply awesome

[Phil Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't get enough of the old Mad Magazine.

[Chris King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sophomoric humor.

[FranklinTV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel book - - not as good as original, but still good (if you know what I mean).