National Lampoon December 1972

National Lampoon

December, 1972

December, 1972, and the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 is the immortal soul classic, 'Me and Mrs. Jones,' by Bill Paul. Other soul / R & B classics also are on the charts, such as 'If You Don't Know Me By Now,' 'You Ought To Be With Me,' and 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone.'

 

The rascally boys at the National Lampoon have decided to celebrate Easter, rather than Christmas, on the cover of the December issue.

 

As always, looking through the advertisements in this issue is a trip into the pop culture / music culture as it was 52 years ago. The advertisement for Boone's Farm Apple Wine certainly suffused me in nostalgia, although I'm sure that, were I to drink some nowadays, I would be seriously hungover.

Record albums........does anyone remember Marjoe Gortner ?! Actor, musician, writer, and all-around talent. You can listen to the folk-rock stylings of Bad But Not Evil here.
 

The full-page ad for George Carlin's LP Class Clown and the Firesign Theatre's Not Insane Or Anything You Want To, reminds us that back in the 1970s comedy albums were a big part of the music and media landscape. You can listen to side one of the Firesign LP here. I find it pretty lame, but remember than back in '72 you couldn't go to websites and listen to comedy tracks. What you saw in the record stores, was what you got.

Speaking of ad parodies, this December issue has one for a cake mix. It's prescient, given that the safety of our food was an issue in last month's Presidential campaign.

Cartoonist Bernard Kliban, of 'Kliban's Cats' fame, contributes some funny cartoons about farting. That's Lampoon humor for you !!

Charles Rodriguez takes aim at 'Men's Liberation,' which, as he depicts it, refers to acts of malevolence directed against nagging wives.

Neal Adams, one of the hottest artists in comics in '72, illustrates a 'Son O' God' episode that seeks to offend Catholics, Jews, black people, and Southerners. The Lampoon never did things half-way........the only people who are going to 'get' this comic, are those over the age of 60.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Miller contributes one of his stories, which, as always, is both funny and gross. I won't say much more, but point out that at one point in 'Magi,' there is an allusion to 'Marie's Merkin Mart'...........

 

'Foto Funnies' gives Lampoon readers what they want: boobies ! That's editor Doug Kenney sitting on the right. 

Then we have the traditional black-and-white comics at the back of the magazine. The Jeff Jones 'Idyl' piece is a stellar example of draftsmanship, and for now, devoid of the 'pregnancy' creepiness that would appear in future 'Idyl' installments.

 

 

 

 

And so, let's sit back and remember with fondness those long-ago days of yore, Christmas-time, 1972........