Anything But Monday (magazine)
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
vs. The Doors
; Mike Tyson
vs. Mothra
; Lassie
vs. Benji
(with rabies) and other characters battling it out for pugilistic supremacy.
comic series poking fun at office politics and the lack of business ethics in corporate America.
to the Miss America Pageant.
, 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.
Origin
Anything But Monday (ABM) began in 1985 on the campus of Drew UniversityDrew University
Drew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...
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
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
, 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
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
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.
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.Weekly World Perceptions and Ponderings
An “ever notice”-type column pointing out the absurdities, contradictions, and futility of everyday life.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.Classic Fights
Similar to but predating Celebrity Death Match, this comic series pitted Greek goddess AthenaAthena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
vs. The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
; Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
vs. Mothra
Mothra
is a kaiju, a type of fictional monster who first appeared in the serialized novel The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Takehiko Fukunaga, Shinichiro Nakamura, and Yoshie Hotta...
; Lassie
Lassie
Lassie is a fictional collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. Published in 1940, the novel was filmed by MGM in 1943 as Lassie Come Home with a dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage name "Lassie" in six...
vs. Benji
Benji
Benji is the name of a fictional dog who has been the focus of several movies from 1974 through the 2000s. It is also the title of the first film in the Benji series....
(with rabies) and other characters battling it out for pugilistic supremacy.
Giblets
A send up of Sniglets, Giblets listed and defined words that are in the dictionary but shouldn’t be.Corporate Cocks
Pre-DilbertDilbert
Dilbert is an American comic strip written and drawn by Scott Adams. First published on April 16, 1989, Dilbert is known for its satirical office humor about a white-collar, micromanaged office featuring the engineer Dilbert as the title character...
comic series poking fun at office politics and the lack of business ethics in corporate America.
Everyone’s Entitled to Our Opinion
Inflammatory one page editorials on controversial topics ranging from abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
to the Miss America Pageant.
World War Waifs
Comic tracing the adventures of Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, 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
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
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
The Overnightscape
The Overnightscape is a popular podcast hosted by Frank Edward Nora, co-creator of Anything But Monday . Releasing its first episode in March 2003, a full year and a half before the term 'podcast' came into use, The Overnightscape has since released its 500th episode in July 2006. In 2005, The...
. 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.