--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Harvard Lampoon itself, which had a…" description: "\"The Harvard Lampoon itself, which had a pretty stellar run in the '60s.\" — P. J. O'Rourke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/p-j-o-rourke-184_decade_the-harvard-lampoon-itself-which-had-a-p_2492872.png" --- # The Harvard Lampoon itself, which had a pretty stellar run… ![“The Harvard Lampoon itself, which had a pretty stellar run in the '60s.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/p-j-o-rourke-184_decade_the-harvard-lampoon-itself-which-had-a-p_2492872.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/p-j-o-rourke-184_decade_the-harvard-lampoon-itself-which-had-a-p_2492872.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/p-j-o-rourke-184_decade_the-harvard-lampoon-itself-which-had-a-p_2492872.png) > “The Harvard Lampoon itself, which had a pretty stellar run in the '60s.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The publication enjoyed a period of high quality and influence during the 1960s. **In simple terms:** It was very good in the 60s. Key Takeaway Recognize peak eras and their impact. Themes culture humor media history legacy Mood nostalgic reflective Type historical cultural When to use this quote - College writing - magazine publishing - historical media analysis Key Concepts Satire college tradition creative peaks Questions to Reflect On - What factors contributed to its success then? - Can modern humor replicate that era? A Different Perspective Success may be fleeting; later periods may not match earlier brilliance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decade/) [Harvard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harvard/) [Harvard Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harvard-lampoon-983210/) [Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lampoon/) [Lampoon Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lampoon-pretty-983211/) [Pretty Stellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-stellar-983212/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Stellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stellar/) ## Related quotes > [Lampoon was a very collegial operation, though "collegial" usually means "friendly" and it wasn't that friendly. But we were tight, like a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/lampoon-was-a-very-collegial-operation-though-collegial-usually-means/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [You start out with Mad magazine, and you go right through the sort of black humor of Lenny Bruce, Lord Buckley, Mort Sahl, Paul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/you-start-out-with-mad-magazine-and-you-go-right-through-the-sort-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [When I left the Lampoon, I went west to try that out, and discovered that I hated it.They were awful people turning out awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/when-i-left-the-lampoon-i-went-west-to-try-that-out-and-discovered/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Lampoon was exactly the opposite. The work was a lot of fun, but the office environment was hell. You cannot put 20 humorists together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/lampoon-was-exactly-the-opposite-the-work-was-a-lot-of-fun-but-the/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [ I was never in the office \[of Rolling Stone\]. It was very different from Lampoon, where we spent a lot of time together socially,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-was-never-in-the-office-of-rolling-stone-it-was-very-different-from/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Lampoon ran out of steam in the early '80s, and wasn't able to reinvent itself because it ran out of talent. People who wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/lampoon-ran-out-of-steam-in-the-early-80s-and-wasn-t-able-to-reinvent/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [From National Lampoon, you go directly to Saturday Night Live, because it's a lot of the same people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/from-national-lampoon-you-go-directly-to-saturday-night-live-because/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In the wake of Animal House, all of us at the Lampoon had a lot of Hollywood opportunities. We could definitely get people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-the-wake-of-animal-house-all-of-us-at-the-lampoon-had-a-lot-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [As a former writer for the 'National Lampoon,' I've probably contributed to the sea of sarcasm in which we live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/as-a-former-writer-for-the-national-lampoon-i-ve-probably-contributed/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began writing freelance for them around the end of 1971, and then all through '72. They hired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began-writing-freelance-for-them/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm a member of the 1960s generation. We didn't have any wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-a-member-of-the-1960s-generation-we-didn-t-have-any-wisdom/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Lampoon was definitely quite formative. You know there's a crazy like kind of network of comedy writers from The Lampoon that are, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stoller/the-lampoon-was-definitely-quite-formative-you-know-there-s-a-crazy/) [Nicholas Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stoller/) > [My point of view comes more from the literature I've read and the comedy of the era. When I was a kid, coming across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/my-point-of-view-comes-more-from-the-literature-i-ve-read-and-the/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [“The jury returned with a verdict of "Don't ask me, I wasn't there," and was excused.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-spellman/the-jury-returned-with-a-verdict-of-don-t-ask-me-i-wasn-t-there-and/) [Brian Spellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-spellman/) > [“This was like National Lampoon's Vacation, but with death, property destruction, and an Irish accent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/this-was-like-national-lampoon-s-vacation-but-with-death-property/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More Decade quotes > [It's funny, I used to say on 'That 70's Show', you could really put us in any decade, and it was about the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-prepon/it-s-funny-i-used-to-say-on-that-70-s-show-you-could-really-put-us-in/) [Laura Prepon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-prepon/) > [It was an odd coincidence that my career took off the same decade as having babies. I often wished it had been different, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-kaczmarek/it-was-an-odd-coincidence-that-my-career-took-off-the-same-decade-as/) [Jane Kaczmarek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-kaczmarek/) > [I saw Len Hutton in his prime, Another time, another time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-saw-len-hutton-in-his-prime-another-time-another-time/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [The 1970s, the decade of my teenage years, was a transitional period in American youth culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-allin-cornell/the-1970s-the-decade-of-my-teenage-years-was-a-transitional-period-in/) [Eric Allin Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-allin-cornell/) > [I was eating beans by candle light for a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-andre/i-was-eating-beans-by-candle-light-for-a-decade/) [Eric Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-andre/) > [I'm a product of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-m-a-product-of-the-1970s/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [“The eighties happened. The nineties happened. Death and sickness and getting fat and going bald happened. I traded lots of dreams for a bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/the-eighties-happened-the-nineties-happened-death-and-sickness-and/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [When you're playing the same character for a decade it's natural that there are moments when you want to try something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schwimmer/when-you-re-playing-the-same-character-for-a-decade-it-s-natural-that/) [David Schwimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schwimmer/) > [I grew up in the '60s, which was a creative time, so it wasn't that big of a stretch to go from a baseball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-grew-up-in-the-60s-which-was-a-creative-time-so-it-wasn-t-that-big/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [I was a child of the '80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-was-a-child-of-the-80s/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [I don't buy into the glory days thing. I think every time has its great things to it. The '60s were such a glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-don-t-buy-into-the-glory-days-thing-i-think-every-time-has-its/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [You know, there's nothing in 'E.T.' that earmarks it as really '80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-duffer/you-know-there-s-nothing-in-e-t-that-earmarks-it-as-really-80s/) [Matt Duffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-duffer/) > [When I look back on my life, it seems nearly everything of interest happened in little more than one decade - dramas, tragedies, major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-radziwill/when-i-look-back-on-my-life-it-seems-nearly-everything-of-interest/) [Lee Radziwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-radziwill/) > [I have this obsession with the '80s because I missed all of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/i-have-this-obsession-with-the-80s-because-i-missed-all-of-it/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [I sort of don't remember anything I did in the '70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-sort-of-don-t-remember-anything-i-did-in-the-70s/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) [Browse all 615 Decade quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decade/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Harvard Lampoon itself, which had a pretty stellar run in the '60s.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. 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