Renowned as the original face of unquestioning stupidity, Alfred E. Neuman's jug ears, missing teeth and lopsided eyes have secured him a place on the cover of nearly all of Mad Magazine's 550 issues.
The Genesis of an Idiot
Printed likenesses of Mad mag's pin-up-boy date back to the 19th century when such publications as Punch and Puck depicted Irish immigrant stereotypes which looked like half-witted ape men whom only their mothers would love.
Later versions of the same face were used as medical pictures to depict people with deficiency diseases or hormonal imbalances.
The face had its first taste of proper fame when it made its debut on the March 1955 edition of Mad magazine. The face now had a name and that name was Alfred E Neuman.
The Rise of an idiot
Along with the long-running and hugely popular strip Spy vs Spy, Alfred E Neuman is universally recognized as the Mad comic mascot beloved of mad kids everywhere. In the world of comic magazines, he is perhaps the most famous celebrity of them all.
Alfred's cultural impact has been significant over the decades and most memorably during the administration of George W. Bush. Neuman's features were frequently merged with the unpopular president.
Not missing an opportunity to gloat and acknowledge the natural physical similarities between Bush and Neuman, Hilary Clinton once said, "I sometimes feel that Alfred E Neuman is in charge of Washington."
The Many Quotes of Alfred the Great
Alongside gracing Mad magazine covers, Alfred E Neumann has been responsible for many magically moronic quotes which were worth the price of Mad magazine's subscription alone.
Let's end this article with some of the best ones.
"Smoking helps you lose weight - one lung at a time!"
"Prison inmates are treated to cable TV, hot meals and a college education, while on the outside some people can only afford these things through a life of crime!"
"Thanks to the new welfare bill, the question "Paper or plastic?" now refers to many American's sleeping arrangements!"
"In retrospect, it becomes clear that hindsight is definitely overrated!"
"The only advantage of living in the past is that the rents are much cheaper!"
"How come stealing from one book is plagiarism, but stealing from many is research?"
"Nowadays, a balanced diet is when every McNugget weighs the same!"
"A teacher is someone who talks in our sleep!"
"How come we choose from just two people for President, and fifty for Miss America?"
"Who says nothing is impossible? Some people do it every day!"
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