Joe Raiola
Joe Raiola (born October 12, 1955) is an American satirist, comedy writer and producer. He is known for his work in Mad magazine, for which he was a member of the editorial staff and a frequent contributor for 33 years, through the end of 2017 when he retired as senior editor. He is also known for the Annual John Lennon Tribute in New York City, of which he is the cocreator and executive producer, and for his solo show, The Joy of Censorship. He is currently the president and artistic director of Theatre Within. Early life Born in Brooklyn, Raiola grew up on Staten Island where he attended Tottenville High School. He was awarded a scholarship to Adelphi University based on his work in the school drama class. After graduating from Adelphi in 1977, he worked as a New York City taxi driver. MAD career Raiola's work first appeared in MAD #254/April 1985. He is credited on over 100 MAD features, frequently sharing a byline with fellow editor Charlie Kadau. "MAD is the only place in America where if you mature, you get fired,” Raiola said. As a member of the editorial staff, he appeared in the magazine’s masthead for