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Story illustration for "A Day with JFK" by Larry Siegel, MAD #67, December 1961
In Mort Drucker’s post-election drawing, President John F. Kennedy sings to the tune of When I Was a Lad (Ruler of the Queen’s Navy) from Gilbert & Sullivan’s popular comic opera, H.M.S. Pinafore, which premiered in London in 1878. During his campaign, much attention was paid to President Kennedy’s full head of hair, as reflected in the song’s parodied lyrics. Jacqueline Kennedy’s lyrics underscore this point: “He touseled up his hair so carefulee—That now he is the leader of the whole countree!” Song parodies were a popular feature in MAD, and musician Weird Al Yankovic considered them a primary source of inspiration in his youth.
