Harvard's Humor Magazine Just Hit 150 Years of Glorious, Absurd Parody

One hundred and fifty years. Let that number sink in. That's how long the Harvard Lampoon has been meticulously crafting its brand of humor, recently celebrating a century and a half of making people snort-laugh with a multi-day bash and a pop-up exhibit. Over 100 alumni, many of whom have gone on to write for your favorite TV shows, gathered at the Harvard University Archives to bask in the glow of their shared, absurd history.

Take Thomas Beale, for instance. A Lampoon alumnus and the group's long-time treasurer, he recalls picking up a James Bond book called "Alligator" and not realizing it was a pitch-perfect Lampoon parody until he was halfway through. That, he says, is the gold standard of spoofing: you're in too deep before you realize you've been deliciously tricked. Naturally, this experience launched his own humor career, starting with a high school column and culminating in his Lampoon tenure. He even brought a USA Today parody from his personal collection, featuring his two daughters and the family dog, because apparently that's where we are now.

A Peek Behind the Satirical Curtain

The archivists, bless their organized hearts, pulled out nearly 100 items, plus a treasure trove from alumni's private stashes. We're talking everything from architectural blueprints of the iconic Harvard Lampoon Castle (a building that looks like it belongs in a very serious fairy tale) to a 1974 article about John Wayne riding an armed personnel carrier into Harvard Square. Why? Because the Lampoon had called him the "biggest fraud in history," and apparently, some legends take that personally.

The parody section alone spanned three centuries, showcasing an 1892 faux-Greek trilogy and their 2013 masterpiece, "The Wobbit." Turns out, even Helen Gurley Brown, the legendary editor of Cosmopolitan, got in on the action, sending letters with suggestions for their mock issue, including better cover models and headline tweaks. Because even Cosmo knows good satire when it sees it.

But the Lampoon wasn't always the only one dishing it out. Rival publications like The Advocate and The Crimson often turned the satirical lens back on them, sometimes escalating to actual baseball games and track meets. Because nothing says "we're funnier than you" like a good old-fashioned athletic showdown.

And then there's the art. While many alums went on to write for TV, the exhibit highlighted the incredible hand-drawn and painted pieces that filled the magazine's pages. Some of this art almost didn't make it. The daughters of Henry Russell Wood (class of '27) found his collection under a bed in a leather suitcase. And Mac Whatley (class of '77) literally rescued pieces from the street during castle cleanouts because he couldn't bear to see them tossed. Thankfully, these gems are now safe in the Archives, far from the curb, preserving 150 years of irreverent genius for future generations to ponder, and probably snort-laugh at.