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RIP Nick Meglin

Montreal Man : 6/29/2018 1:00 pm
Many of you may have seen his obit in the Times or Post or other papers and rightly so: He was the editor of Mad Magazine for most of his long life. Few outsiders know of the tremendous contributions and impact he had on each issue. He was also a terrific, funny writer in his own right, although you'd never know that from his unwillingness to share a credit, even for pieces he often re-wrote.

He was also my best friend of 52 years, godfather to my three kids and best man at my wedding. We saw one another almost every other day and spoke about our age (82, 81) writing, song lyrics, plays, operas, musicals, tennis (which we don't play any more after daily hitting several times a week in L.A., NY, here in Durham. We were so much alike in our likes, dislikes and beliefs and coffee. We spoke about it all the time and shared new blends we might have found.
If you had some prosciutto, hide it from him or it'll be gone.

We wrote together. When he came to LA to visit, we had a room with his own entrance. Both early risers and when I started the coffee going, he'd step out of the room, we'd drink and go to my office and write side by side, me with my scripts for whatever show I was on, and him usually editing Mad submissions.

He was a kind, generous, happy, happy man. When I wrote something I brought it to him for editing and opinions. And he was often on the mark. He was always supportive and asked me every day if I'm still writing. He encouraged me despite my days when my confidence flagged.

He left behind a wonderful family, daughter Diane and son Chris, who I watched grow up from my time in NY to now. They all lived here in Durham and we saw Giant games together every week. The kids are rabid Giant fans so he taught them well. And his grandchild, Chris' son has been in the fold since he was six.

We went to games together whenever I was in New York from L.A. and saw the great Giant teams of Carson, Taylor and the Eli superbowls. We went to Tampa for the Bills and in Pasadena for the Denver game. (I lived in L.A., so that wasn't a problem, but he came to watch it with me.)

Anyway, I needed to share this momentous, but sad event in my life with my fellow Giant fans. (He read BBI daily).

Love to you, Nick. You'll always be missed by me and those who knew and loved you.

R.I.P. Nick....  
Britt in VA : 6/29/2018 1:04 pm : link
Sorry for the loss of your friend, John. Hope you are well.
I read Mad Magazine religiously as a child in the 80's.  
Britt in VA : 6/29/2018 1:04 pm : link
.
So sorry for your loss  
Jeff : 6/29/2018 1:06 pm : link
It does sound like you were blessed to be able to share your lives together and have that kind of bond. Thoughts and prayers to both families
Sorry for your loss MM  
dune69 : 6/29/2018 1:10 pm : link
best friends are dear. May he RIP.
Thanks for sharing MM..  
JCin332 : 6/29/2018 1:15 pm : link
Nick had a great friend in you as per your eloquent tribute...

Sorry for your loss and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family...
sorry for your loss  
GiantsLaw : 6/29/2018 1:39 pm : link
I've never had a friend anywhere near that close. You were lucky to have each other.
Sorry to hear of your, and our, loss.  
Red Dog : 6/29/2018 1:48 pm : link
MAD was an institution. Most people didn't give that pun-filled publication its rightful due while it satirized American life and sometimes predicted trends before they happened.

From the early parodies of comic books and superheroes (like Superduperman and The Shadow) to the later detailed explanations of do-it-yourself high fidelity music systems, the joys of power boating, the evolution of food markets, modern medical problems, and the almost constant skewering the advertising industry, MAD always made me and many of my buddies laugh long and hard.

And I always wondered if the teachers actually read the copies that they confiscated from me and others. They should have.

Mad magazine  
Giantslifer : 6/29/2018 1:49 pm : link
I loved Mad magazine (60's-70's) as a kid.
I can't tell you how many times my mother took it away from me and threw it in trash. Only for me to dig it out.
For longtime BBIers  
Frank in Silver Spring : 6/29/2018 1:53 pm : link
Any post by Montreal Man is a must read and a key reason why this site is so valuable outside of our favorite football team.

Lifelong friendship through all of the ups and downs, all while wearing blue in the fall, makes you a lucky man in this respect. Well done.
RIP  
JohnG in Albany : 6/29/2018 1:56 pm : link
I absolutely LOVED Mad Magazine as a kid in the late 60's and 70's.
Sorry for your loss  
bradshaw44 : 6/29/2018 2:04 pm : link
Montreal Man. Prayers for you and your good friend.
Sorry to hear Montreal Man  
Dr. D : 6/29/2018 2:33 pm : link
losing best friends sucks. My condolences.
My condolences to you Jon  
BobR in Durham : 6/29/2018 5:34 pm : link
As long as you have your memories of him, he will live on in your heart.
Sorry for your loss  
JohnF : 6/29/2018 5:44 pm : link
loved Mad back when i was a kid, it was the best humor mag out there!
Mad Magazine was great!!  
Vanzetti : 6/29/2018 6:36 pm : link
The type of satire that we really miss as a nation right now.
I remember one cartoon, where they had a reporter asking the president where he stood on Civil Rights. And the president responds, "Who's Sybil Rice?"

That always just stuck with me from when I was a kid.

Sorry, for Nick's passing, but he sounds like a guy who lived life to the fullest. I'm sure you are going to miss him but he left a legacy behind.



MAD Twists Rock N' Roll  
Ira : 6/29/2018 6:49 pm : link
She Got A Nose Job
Link - ( New Window )
My condolences MM ....  
short lease : 6/29/2018 8:01 pm : link
Friends with that kinda staying power (52 years?) do not come around that often.

RIP Mr. Meglin.
Sorry for your loss, Jon  
Moondawg : 6/29/2018 8:29 pm : link
I was a MAD devotee in the mid-80's to early 90's. Loved all of it, even when some of the political references were above my understanding. The gift of laughter is a precious one in this world.
It's been a tough year John  
Jay in Toronto : 6/29/2018 8:41 pm : link
So glad you have had such amazing relationships and partners in crime.

Hopefully he's looking down with a grin saying

"What, me worry?"
so sorry for your loss  
Paulie Walnuts : 6/29/2018 9:55 pm : link
and I loved Mad magazine... RIP Nick
RIP Nick  
viggie : 6/29/2018 10:38 pm : link
What a legacy he left. Mad was most of our childhoods. sorry for your loss.
We could all only hope for such friendship.  
BigBlue in Keys : 6/29/2018 11:00 pm : link
Sounds like a life lived incredibly.
Thank you for sharing  
Maryland Giant : 6/29/2018 11:35 pm : link
This is a memorable post. Thank you.
Having a friend  
GiantMike92 : 6/30/2018 6:06 am : link
like that is priceless you are a very lucky. His physical presence in your life will probably never be replaced, I’m so sorry. Hold onto his/your memories of him I’m sure you will think of him often.
Just want to thank all those  
Montreal Man : 7/2/2018 6:00 am : link
who responded. It's heartwarming and very appreciated.
My condolences  
Matt M. : 7/2/2018 6:38 am : link
I'm so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful post.
I both..  
FatMan in Charlotte : 7/2/2018 8:52 am : link
look forward to and dread MM's posts. I know they will be like this one - full of nostalgia and great memories, but they are almost always about a passing of a close friend of his.

MM - My thoughts are with you. I know it has been a tough several years with some of the tragic losses you've experienced, but your perserverance and reflections on lives well lived are inspirational.

If you come to Charlotte for the Giants game this year - you always have an honorary spot at the tailgate!!
My condolences,  
dorgan : 7/2/2018 1:07 pm : link
Jon. You've had more than your share of loss the past few years.
Thanks again, all.  
Montreal Man : 7/3/2018 7:44 pm : link
Scott ... when and if I get a ticket to the game I'd be thrilled to be an honorary Charlotte tailgater.

Very sorry for your loss  
steve in ky : 7/3/2018 8:43 pm : link
Sounds like he was a wonderful friend.
RIP  
MadPlaid : 7/3/2018 9:28 pm : link
So sorry for the passing of your best friend.
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