Mad’s Al Jaffee Spews Out More Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions
The title is quite the mouthful, but it was a follow-up to a previous volume of Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions. Al Jaffee explains the background in an introductory interview with Nick Meglin:
NM: Is this book a sequel to “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions”?
AJ: No, it’s a sequel to the Bible!
NM: Was the first book a success?
AJ: No, it was a failure! They always do sequels of failures!
NM: Was it difficult coming up with entirely new situations and gags?
AJ: No, it was easier! It’s always easier after you’ve done it all and there’s nothing else to write about!
That should give you some idea of the sort of humour that’s on tap. And surprisingly it works. You’d think such a simple idea, repeated over and over again, would get tired pretty quickly, but Jaffee mixes things up well. For example, he includes mini-stories told in the form of a series of snappy answers to stupid questions, one of which is even done in rhyme, with a “smart aleck Hippie” getting blown up by some hardhat workers.
Now personally I don’t like snappy answers to any questions when I encounter them in the real world or online. I think it’s just people trying to be smart and usually succeeding only in being rude. But I didn’t mind the insults here, plus there were also some “stinging comebacks to snappy answers” and other jabs at the snapsters along the way (including what happens to the aforementioned hippie). So it was all fun in Mad’s typical early ‘70s style. A style that’s maintained right down to the plugs and the book’s dedication:
To the people at Mad who made it possible, and the people at the Internal Revenue Service who made it necessary!
Alex Good 
The Q&A at the beginning doesn’t sound funny to me, I guess you had to be there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s not highbrow stuff, that’s for sure. But if it’s something you’re in the mood for . . .
LikeLiked by 2 people
The Q&A: Only the first question is stupid. I see you covered yourself in real life by saying you don’t like snappy answers to ANY question, but I have to admit I’ve encountered a few that were so stupid they required a snappy answer, or at least a snappy look. Usually the person recognizes how stupid the question was and so it’s all fun and games. : -)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get bothered most by snappy answers to perfectly valid questions. It’s like people remember favourite put-downs from the Internet and they’ve just been waiting for a chance to use them, even in situations where they’re clearly not appropriate. And now we applaud the whole business of someone getting BURNED! like this. That bugs me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, that I agree with completely.
LikeLiked by 1 person