MAD About the Trump Era – Various (Author, Illustrator)

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Are you looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift for the mom who doesn’t think she’ll be able to stand one more day with this corrupt, narcissistic president? Is she depressed that her worst fears have been realized and there’s more to come? That is,  we have a con man  running the country and he’s determined to undermine the U.S. constitution and the rule of law?

Well, look no further. The “Usual Gang of Idiots” (MAD’s terminology, not mine) will add some well-needed hilarity to mom’s day in MAD about the Trump Era. They’re saying the stuff we’re thinking, but in a fun, creative way.

In this sequel to Mad About Trump, the Gang looks at the presidency around the two-year mark. Some parodies reflect older events as it’s impossible to keep current through the publication date. There’s a cartoon of Trump receiving the “Richard Nixon Lifetime Achievement Award for Fibbing” at 5,000 false or misleading statements. We all know that he’s over 10,000 now. It’s all pre-AG Barr (or should I say Trumps’ personal attorney Barr?), but it doesn’t matter. It’s all good.

I kept trying to find examples of some of the funniest bits, but I can’t. There are so many. Maybe it’s the cartoons in the “Witch Hunt” section. Then again, there’s “Jeff Sessions’ Border Book”, which is also rather tragic. How about the Provisions of Trumpcare which spell out that “Narcissistic-sociopathic disorder will no longer be recognized as an incapacitating mental illness”?

Cabinet members and advisors aren’t exempt from punches even though they come and go like a revolving door. In fact, there’s an entire section on “The Best People”. Also, we can’t forget all the cartoons featuring the most powerful man in the world and Trump’s boss: Vladimir Putin. They’re unforgettable.

Hopefully there will be another sequel, and I hope it features Trump’s band of enablers: Congressional Republicans who just don’t seem to care about principle or the constitution and are willing to go down with him.

Even though I received a complementary digital review copy of MAD about the Trump Era, I purchased a paperback to enjoy in the future. I will probably buy more as gifts.

OK, you may ask how I can find any humor in these dark, serious times. I’ll respond with the old saying, “If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry”.