Episode 61 with Humor Writer for The Onion, Mad Magazine, and More: Funnyman, Dave Croatto

 

 

Show Notes and Links to Dave Croatto’s Work

On Episode 61, Pete is honored to talk with Dave Croatto about writing for The Onion, Mad Magazine, and many other publications. Dave talks about the freelance writing life, his literary and comedy influences, and what makes good humor writing.

Dave Croatto is a freelance writer who has contributed to Mad Magazine, The Onion, The New Yorker, and many other publications.

 

 

The Onion article from 2008-“Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet”

 

Buy Dave Croatto’s Books on Amazon

 

Dave Croatto’s Mad Magazine Page with Links

At about 2:10, Dave talks about his childhood reading loves, particularly comic strips, and later, authors like Dave Barry

 

At about 5:00, Pete uses an anecdote about a Simpsons episode to ask Dave about how he looks at “childish” and adult humor as he has gotten older and watched his son confront the humor

 

At about 7:00, Dave talks about his connections and background in appreciating and absorbing and mimicking comics

 

At about 8:10, Dave talks about his reading interests as a kid

 

At about 10:40, Dave talks about comedy and “punching up and down”/mean spirited humor; he talks about wanting to “laugh with” and not “laugh at”

 

At about 13:30, Pete and Dave talk about satire and irony in the current era

 

At about 14:30, Dave talks about the feeling a person gets, the “high” he has gotten when people are enjoying his laughter and the encouragement he received to keep doing humor, 

 

At about 16:50, Dave talks about his work for Mad Magazine, including his start as an intern as a college freshman

 

At about 18:10, Dave talks about the experience of editing in the humor writing world and Mad Magazine’s ethic/philosophy-he calls the publication “the fun uncle”

 

At about 24:20, Dave talks about his experience writing for the vaunted The Onion, including his contribution- article from 2008-“Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet”

 

At about 30:30, Dave talks about the times when 

 

At about 32:45, Dave talks about The Onion and its serious headline and article that has come around gun violence and its work after 9/11

 

At about 33:30, Dave talks about his writing for children, particularly superhero-themed work

 

At about 34:10, Dave talks about being published in The New Yorker

 

At about 36:30, Dave talks about his TGIF Friday’s parody for Mad Magazine and his Batman/Joker work in The Bystander

 

At about 39:35, Dave talks about shows and humorists he enjoys in 2021-including John Mulaney, Desus & Mero, Bob’s Burgers, and Drunk History

 

At about 43:00, Dave talks about the balance between art and commerce in doing his work, as well as future projects

 

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