Anything But Monday (magazine)
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Anything But Monday was a nationally-distributed humor magazine published in the late-1980’s. The semi-monthly publication featured satirical social commentary, sarcastic criticism of public sensibilities, and comic strips that parodied many elements of American society and popular culture.
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[edit] Origin
Anything But Monday (ABM) began in 1985 on the campus of Drew University as a college radio show created and hosted by students Mike Masters and Frank Edward Nora. The pair’s weekly radio show on station WMNJ became immediately popular with listeners on and off the Drew University campus who appreciated the show’s stream of consciousness/improvisational humor format at a time when most other college radio was limited to classic rock and alternative music mixed with campus news and announcements. The ABM radio show also gained notice for its bold irreverence, as Masters and Nora regularly violated station policy with their provocative language and criticism of the WMNJ station manager and other members of the university’s staff and faculty. Though popular among students, ABM quickly drew the administration’s ire thanks to Masters' and Nora’s on-air jokes, some of which were deemed sexist or racist. Other “offensive” content included a slew of pranks and practical jokes, and a controversial “Santa Claus Meets Jack the Ripper” sketch. In the fall of 1985, Drew University’s executive board attempted to have ABM cancelled and Masters and Nora dismissed from the WMNJ staff. The two students contested the dismissal but were eventually removed from the air.
The next fall, Masters and Nora formed Anything But Monday Productions and made plans to begin publishing an underground magazine version of ABM. The magazine debuted in late 1986 and featured risque comics, humorous articles, and profanity-laced editorials. Seemingly free from both the constraints of the radio format and the scrunity of university officials, Masters and Nora began pushing the envelope and ABM content became increasingly suggestive and profane. As more and more copies of the magazine were published and began circulating around the Drew campus, Masters and Nora once again found themselves at odds with the administration when some of the Drew students deemed the magazine racially offensive and brought their concerns to the attention of school officials. The university’s judicial board threatened to bring Masters and Nora up on human rights violations and expel them if publication of ABM continued. Citing the First Amendment, Masters and Nora challenged the administration and turned to the student body and the media for support. News radio 1010 WINS New York and others covered the story and the irony of the controversy was revealed to the public. This consisted of the fact that Drew was considered extremely progressive for its time, as it was one of the first colleges to offer the “Computer Initiative” program, 1 and one of the only schools with coed bathrooms in its dormitories. Despite this negative media attention, the university’s judicial board found Masters and Nora guilty and the two received a written reprimand and were forced to cease distribution of ABM on the Drew campus.
Nora subsequently transferred to New York University while Masters continued at Drew. He and Nora (now joined by a full staff of writers and artists) continued publishing Anything But Monday and secured national distribution for the now color magazine.
[edit] Anything But Monday content
Anything But Monday consisted largely of humorously irreverent articles and comic strips that parodied or otherwise offered sarcastic commentary on American mores, religion, family values, big business, history, literature, education, politics, and sexual practices. ABM also lampooned popular culture including television, movies, advertising, and celebrities. The magazine was specifically targeted to “mature” readers and often included adult language.
[edit] Recurring Features
[edit] Our Side Gallery
Single-panel comics spoofing Gary Larson’s, The Far Side.
[edit] Weekly World Perceptions and Ponderings
An “ever notice”-type column pointing out the absurdities, contradictions, and futility of everyday life.
[edit] Israeli Kat and Matzoh Mouse
Comic strip chronicling the adventures of a crime fighting Jewish feline, his trusty sidekick, and arch-enemies Goyim Gorilla and Meshugga Daddy.
[edit] Classic Fights
Similar to but predating Celebrity Death Match, this comic series pitted Greek goddess Athena vs. The Doors; Mike Tyson vs. Mothra; Lassie vs. Benji (with rabies) and other characters battling it out for pugilistic supremacy.
[edit] Giblets
A send up of Sniglets, Giblets listed and defined words that are in the dictionary but shouldn’t be.
[edit] Corporate Cocks
Pre-Dilbert comic series poking fun at office politics and the lack of business ethics in corporate America.
[edit] Everyone’s Entitled to Our Opinion
Inflammatory one page editorials on controversial topics ranging from abortion to the Miss America Pageant.
[edit] World War Waifs
Comic tracing the adventures of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Benito Mussolini, and Emperor Hirohito, all imagined as children and members of a Little Rascals-type gang.
Regular Anything But Monday departments included “Crappy Poems”, “Brief But Blunt Celebrity Bios” and “R-rated Horrorscopes.”
The initial success of Anything But Monday, combined with the earlier media attention generated by the controversy at Drew, brought the magazine’s creator’s to the attention of MTV executives, who took meetings with the Masters and Nora and eventually hired them to write for the short-lived MTV To Go magazine. Slumping sales and creative differences among its staff forced Anything But Monday Productions into bankruptcy and the last issue was published in November 1989. Nora went on to create and host several podcasts including the popular The Overnightscape. In the summer of 2006, Nora and Masters reunited and began discussing the possibility of reinventing Anything But Monday once again -- this time as a podcast.
[edit] Taglines
“The Laugh Magazine”
“The Vanguards of Anti-obsequiosity” [sic]
[edit] References
- "The Computers of the Computer Initiative" by Neil Clarke
- The Overnightscape's History of Anything But Monday (Part 1)
- The Overnightscape's History of Anything But Monday (Part 2)
- The Overnightscape's History of Anything But Monday (Part 3)
