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.
Sorry for your loss and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Link - ( New Window )
RIP Mr. Meglin.
Hopefully he's looking down with a grin saying
"What, me worry?"
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!!