MAD fold-in

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The MAD fold-in is a feature found on the inside back cover of virtually every MAD Magazine since it was introduced in 1964. Drawn by Al Jaffee, these fold-ins are one of the most well-known aspects of the magazine. The feature was conceived in response to fold-outs in other adult magazines, namely Playboy.

A MAD fold-in consists of a single drawing, with a paragraph of (often stilted and awkward) text underneath, and a panel across the top with a question. Each fold-in also features instructions on how to manipulate the fold-in, as well as a picture illustrating the procedure. Under the instructions are two arrows labeled 'a' and 'b'. When the paper is folded so that points 'a' and 'b' are touching, the text under the picture becomes the answer to the question, and the picture itself changes into a fresh image reflecting the new text.

Though a clever gimmick, experienced readers can usually estimate what the revealed picture and text will be, even before folding the page. As a buffer to this, there is sometimes a "decoy" fold-in: two pieces of a diversionary image that look as if they will combine in the fold in, but which prove to be just part of the background, or which are obscured by the fold. However, the many parodies and homages to Jaffee's fold-in construction highlight the unique dexterity he brings to the format.

The fold-in has rarely been moved since its debut. In the annual "20 Worst of the Year" issue, the fold-in is used as one of the 20 items, and appears as an internal page of the magazine. Jaffee's fold-in also skipped a single issue, #190 in 1977, although Jaffee still wrote and drew the magazine's back cover.

The band The Salads used this concept for their album Fold A to B.

Musician Beck used "living" fold-ins as the theme for his music video for "Girl".

In 2006, Stephen Colbert saluted Jaffee's 85th birthday with a "fold-in" birthday cake; after the center slice was removed, the remainder spelled out the message "AL, YOU ARE OLD."