National Lampoon October 1985

National Lampoon

October, 1985

October, 1985, and sitting at number one on the Top 40 is the Norwegian band A-Ha, with 'Take on Me.'
 

The latest issue of the National Lampoon is on the stands, with the theme of an 'All-Star Music Issue.' The magazine is in something of a transition period; as founder Matty Simmons states in his book 'If You Don't Buy this Book, We'll Kill this Dog: Life, Laughs, Love and Death at the National Lampoon,' he had fired a portion of the editorial staff, replacing these with his sons Michael and Andy Simmons, in an effort to boost circulation and advertising. This strategy had improved the Lampoon's fortunes somewhat, but the magazine's glory days of the 1970s clearly had passed. 

 

The comics are the best thing about this October issue. We get full color with 'Trots and Bonnie,' as our heroine discovers the reality of forming a band: clashes over creative directions can be challenging to manage.

'First Gig,' by Andy Simmons, Peter Kleinman, and Rob Orzechowski, presents the adventures of Nice Jewish Boy Irwin Nadler, and his rise to musical glory with the Rolling Stones.

 

 

 

Speaking of Nice Jewish Boys, Drew and Josh Alan Friedman take acidic aim at the hapless Frank Sinatra, Jr.

 

In '85, Yuppies were a major target of pop culture scrutiny and the Lampoon provides a centerfold featuring yuppies in quintessential 'preppy' garb.........

A parody of Rolling Stone, Rollin' Home, takes aim at the entrenched worship of elderly, black bluesmen by white, urban hipsters. The faux-interview with bluesman 'Interstate Brickman' is a spot-on mockery of Jan Wenner's editorial attitudes.........
 

 

 

 

In that October of '85 the 'Foto Funnies' still were lively.......

Let's close out our survey of the Lampoon with a cartoon..........

And that's how it was, in the pages of the Lampoon, 41 years ago.........