Some years ago, National Lampoon sold art prints signed by Sam Gross of his famous “Frog” cartoon. (You know the one—a woman looking at a menu in a French restaurant turns to see a forlorn, legless frog wheeling itself out of the kitchen on a cart below a sign that reads “Try Our Frogs Legs.”) Inquiring minds want to know: What’s it worth?

For those who care, I have re-written my answer to the question about the 1979 HBO special “Disco Beaver From Outer Space” which was produced by National Lampoon. I hadn’t seen this until recently. I must admit that it has its funny moments, but the overall impression was that it was a little short of the mark. It’s quite possible that the production quality, which is a bit crude by today’s standards, made it more difficult to appreciate. Those who viewed it when first aired probably had a more favorable impression (especially judging from the frequent emails I receive regarding the show). I was surprised to see Michael Simmons (son of former NatLamp publisher Matty Simmons) crooning country western in several of the bits. (Thanks to Michael as well for providing some details about the show.)

One of the things you won’t find at Mark’s Very Large National Lampoon Site is every cover of National Lampoon. It’s not my intent to chronicle the entire history of the magazine, just the first five years. But have no fear: Robert Winters has posted scans of every single National Lampoon cover from the promising April 1970 (Sex) issue to the appropriately-themed November 1998 (Failure) issue, the magazine’s last.

The New York Times today has published a pretty succinct summing up by Jake Tapper of the history of National Lampoon—how it started, where it’s been and where it is now. A sad but true story. (I admit to being one of those fortysomethings mentioned in the article who is rather dismayed at what it’s become.) Read it before it gets moved to the NYT pay-per-view archive. (Thanks to Joe and everyone else for bringing this to my attention.)

Update: Or it may be a sad but not so true story. Read what Matty Simmons has to say about the article.

Further Update: It should be noted that there are some factual errors in Mr. Simmons’ letter, such as the the part about Hendra and Kelly not being among the contributors to early issues (which would be true only if you count the first three as early issues). So, a sad but (as far as I know) true story which some people take issue with. Sometimes I wonder if this site is worth the trouble…

And a Clarification: When I called the NYT article “A sad but true story” above, I was not commenting one way or the other about the factual accuracy of the story (heck, a lot of it was news to me), but rather on the main point of it—that National Lampoon isn’t what it once was.

I have no doubt the NYT did their homework, but I also know that peoples’ memories are not the most reliable things. I only know what I read, and much of what I have read about National Lampoon has turned out later not to be perfectly accurate. I was not there, except as a reader of the magazine. I’m just this guy, you know? In any case, I don’t want my site to turn into a forum for debate about the article. Have a nice day.

A new 4-CD collection of classic (and not-so-classic) National Lampoon audio humor has been released called “The Classic National Lampoon Box Set”. The set contains bits going back to the 1973 album Radio Dinner, up through 1982. These are available on other albums and collections (see listing below), but if you don’t already own those, this may be a good way to get the favorite bits you remember from your ill-spent youth.

Here is a listing of the tracks: Disc 1 (previously released as “That’s Not Funny, That’s Sick”): Squalor Show; Confession; Dick Ballentine Phone in #1; Disco Hotline; Dick Ballentine Phone in #2; Love Birds/Flashnova; Listener Sponsored Radio; For $25,000; Gymnasty; Dick Ballentine Phone in #3; Yiddishco; Listener Sponsored Radio #2; Pulp; For $15,000; Rapeline; Mr. Roberts #1; Stereos and Such; Listener Sponsored Radio #3; Height Report Disco; Mr. Roberts #2; Dial-A-Curse; Humpback Whales; Listener Sponsored Radio #4; 2,015 Year Old Man; Fasten Your Seatbelts; Listener Sponsored Radio #5; Monolithic Oil. Disc 2 (previously released as “National Lampoon White Album”): Perrier Junkie; At the Bar; What Is God?; Fartman; Discoleptic; Steak; Sounds of Physical Love; Gay Alliance; Robert Caucasian vs. Squab; What About Reupholsterers?; Shakespeare Knock Knocks; Nude Figure Model; Couple at the Door; Christopher Street; California Hot Tub; What Turns Women On; What Were You Expecting—Rock and Roll? Disc 3 (previously released as “Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the End of the World”): Introduction; Annie; Firing Line; Cocaine; Jane Fonda Speaks Out; Firing Line 2; Sushi Riot/Godspeak Suite; Porkbucket Place; Born Against Bob; Godspeak; My Bod Is for God; South Bronx Is Burning; Byz Talk; Abe Shenkle’s Rock Show; Sidewinders; Byz Talk 2; Walk in the Park; Best Friends; Mr. Reagen’s Neighborhood; Apocalyspo Now! Disc 4 (previously released as “The Greatest Hits of the National Lampoon”): Deteriorata; Save the Whales; Colorado; I’m a Woman; Well-Intentioned Blues; Mission: Impeachable; Kung Fu Christmas; Mister Roberts; Gymnasty; Pizza Man; The Immigrants; Those Fabulous Sixties; Magical Misery Tour.

Michael Gross recently put up an online portfolio of his work. As expected, it includes covers he designed during his years as art director of National Lampoon, his work at Esquire, in the movies (including his famous Ghostbusters logo design), and as an illustrator. Less well known are his paintings and photographs (note: some of the photos are not “work safe”). I was particularly taken with his “places” photographs. Just amazing. Update: Michael died in 2015 and his portfolio site is gone now. But I’ve replaced all the links thanks to the Wayback Machine archives so you can still access his site that way. His Facebook page still exists, and has more of his work.

National Lampoon‘s original art director Peter Bramley has died at the age of 60. Peter and fellow Massachusetts College of Art graduate Bill Skurski co-founded Cloud Studio in 1967. Cloud Studio was hired by National Lampoon to produce the magazine during its first year. He created the “duck” mascot that debuted on the cover of the first issue and was used for a while in the magazine, and did a perfect Peter Max parody on the cover of the second issue. After Michael Gross replaced him as art director with issue number 8, Bramley continued to contribute illustrations and cartoons to the magazine through the mid-seventies. Among his classic pieces were “Sextraterrestrials” and “Toilets of the Extraterrestrials” (both written by Henry Beard), and the recurring comic strip “Vinny Shinblind, The Invisible Sex Maniac.” (Some of these can be seen on the official NatLamp website here.)

Just last summer I received a brief email from Peter which he closed with, “…give my regards to all the little Lampoonatics. Vaya con carne, Pete.” R.I.P.

Peter’s Obituary in The Boston Globe

Profile of Peter by Steven Heller in the New York Times (from the archives–fee required to view. Alternate link.)

Tribute on the official National Lampoon site

Update: Sadly, except for the NYT obit, most of these links have died as well.

“Hugo Flesch” is not a pseudonym used by Henry Beard, as I previously stated on Beard’s bio page. Hugo Flesch is a real and talented writer who wrote a number of very funny articles for National Lampoon (sometimes collaborating with Beard) including such classics as “Chums In the Dark,” “Printout: The Magazine Written by Computers for Computers,” and “Does the Name Pavlov Ring a Bell?” I based my erroneous assertion on some admittedly thin circumstantial evidence in the way certain articles in the magazine were credited. It’s not my habit to make such bold, baseless assertions, but in this case, that’s exactly what I did. My apologies to Hugo, and also to his sister Abigail who was understandably upset and brought this to my attention.

Better known as the National Lampoon Sunday Newspaper Parody, The Dacron Republican-Democrat has been reissued in book form. One of the funniest publications to come out of NatLampCo, this follow-up to the equally funny and phenomenally successful National Lampoon 1964 High School Yearbook Parody was first published in 1978. It was printed on real newsprint and assembled like a real newspaper (although smaller in size than the real thing) with a cover date of February 12, 1978. Fictional Dacron, Ohio was also the home of C. Estes Kefauver High School (of the yearbook parody) and there are many references to people and places from the earlier work.

Includes things like a full-color comics section, the Swillmart advertising supplement, Pomade and Sunday Week “magazine” supplements, and endless side-splitting ad parodies.

The hardcover reprint is printed about the same size, but on glossy white paper instead of newsprint. It’s still rolling-on-the-floor funny, but who ever heard of a glossy newspaper? Weird.

Norman Rose, the voice-over announcer who appeared on the National Lampoon Radio Dinner LP (doing the Lorne Greene part on “Deteriorata” among other things) and the National Lampoon Radio Hour, died on November 12 at the age of 87. (Obit)