Leave it to the usual gang of idiots to call out some of the dumbest things that happened this year.
In the new issue of MAD Magazine, issue 531, out now, the satirical crew of writers, artists and editors named their annual “20 Dumbest People, Events and Things” for 2014, with their biggest target the National Football League. They also poke fun at the Ebola hysteria, the GM recall and other “dumb” things.
amNewYork spoke with MAD editor-in-chief John Ficarra about the list.
What’s the science behind choosing No. 1?
A number of factors are involved. Was it a big story? Will it still be in the news when we’re on sale or will, at least, the story resonate with readers? How good is our idea? And, of course, what is the likelihood we’ll be sued? The higher the likelihood of a lawsuit, the more successful we’ve been.
Why did the NFL deserve the top spot?
The NFL is the most popular [sports league] in America. It makes tens of billions in revenue each year. Commissioner [Roger] Goodell personally pulls down over $44 million a year. And they put all of that at risk by (choose one) A) Turning a blind eye to their domestic abuse problem, B) Bungling an investigation into their domestic abuse problem, C) Lying under oath about the investigation of their domestic abuse problem, D) All of the above. That’s pretty dumb.
What makes something worth putting on the list?
Have you read the issue? It’s a list of the 20 DUMBEST! Our criteria is simple: If it’s dumb, it’s in! This question is already a strong contender for next year’s list!
What were some things that just missed the list?
We wanted to do something on the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision, but kept falling asleep talking about it. … Sadly, we went to press before the Bill Cosby scandal broke. That certainly would have made the list.
How does the ranking process work?
After we pick No. 1, our ranking process is similar to that monkey who throws darts at a dartboard to pick stocks, only less scientific.
How early do you start on this list? Are you compiling these as they’re happening?
Yes, I start a new Word document on Jan. 1 and then pretty much add at least one person, event or thing every day. It seems dumb rarely takes a day off.
Who is this year’s dumbest New York person?
Naming Taylor Swift New York’s Global Welcome Ambassador. That’s like naming Woody Allen Alabama’s Man of the Year.
