---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began…"
description: "\"The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began writing freelance for them around the end of 1971, and then all through '72. They hired me in '73, and I left ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/p-j-o-rourke-184_chiefs_the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began_304430.png"
---

#  The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began writing freelance…

![“The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began writing freelance for them around the end of 1971, and then all through '72. They hired me in '73, and I left early in '81. I did everything from low puns to being editor-in-chief.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/p-j-o-rourke-184_chiefs_the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began_304430.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/p-j-o-rourke-184_chiefs_the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began_304430.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/p-j-o-rourke-184_chiefs_the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began_304430.png)

> “The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began writing freelance for them around the end of 1971, and then all through '72. They hired me in '73, and I left early in '81. I did everything from low puns to being editor-in-chief.”

[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.

He recounts his early freelance work at The Lampoon, highlighting a rapid career progression.

**In simple terms:** Early career at The Lampoon.

Key Takeaway

Embrace varied roles to grow.

Themes

career development writing humor journalism

Mood

reflective humorous

Type

career personal

When to use this quote

- college journalism
- freelance writing
- career advancement

Key Concepts

satire editorial leadership

Questions to Reflect On

- What skills helped you rise quickly?
- How did humor shape your editorial voice?

A Different Perspective

Freelance instability can be challenging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lampoon/) [Pun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pun/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [I went back to bumming around New York, writing freelance stuff for Car & Driver and such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-went-back-to-bumming-around-new-york-writing-freelance-stuff-for/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I was grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. The political violence really started in 1970-1971. The political difficulties start a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/i-was-grateful-for-the-opportunity-to-make-a-difference-the-political/)

[John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/)

> [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/)

> [The Harvard Lampoon itself, which had a pretty stellar run in the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/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/)

> [Monday Night Football started in 1970, and when it started, it was something extremely special because sports had not been aired in prime time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-michaels/monday-night-football-started-in-1970-and-when-it-started-it-was/)

[Al Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-michaels/)

> [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/)

> [Even when I started in 1970, I knew that television was having a negative effect on our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/even-when-i-started-in-1970-i-knew-that-television-was-having-a/)

[Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [“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/)

## 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 Chiefs quotes

> [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [I always wanted to be a fireman, a cop, an Indian chief, a doctor, a lawyer. I always wanted to be all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fireman-a-cop-an-indian-chief-a-doctor-a/)

[Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/)

> [The chief wonder of education is that it does not ruin everybody concerned in it, teachers and taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-chief-wonder-of-education-is-that-it-does-not-ruin-everybody/)

[Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/)

> [Las Vegas is a resort whose two chief sources of income are seven and eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/las-vegas-is-a-resort-whose-two-chief-sources-of-income-are-seven-and/)

[Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/)

> [There is no one force, no group, and no class that is the preserver of liberty. Liberty is preserved by those who are against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burnham/there-is-no-one-force-no-group-and-no-class-that-is-the-preserver-of/)

[James Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burnham/)

> [Remember chief of staff Rahm Emanuel's callous enjoinder 'you never want a serious crisis to go to waste'? This White House is a serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-tyrrell/remember-chief-of-staff-rahm-emanuel-s-callous-enjoinder-you-never/)

[Bob Tyrrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-tyrrell/)

> [There is a wealth of unexpressed love in the world. It is one of the chief causes of sorrow evoked by death: what might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hopkins/there-is-a-wealth-of-unexpressed-love-in-the-world-it-is-one-of-the/)

Arthur Hopkins

> [Pure love is the chief manifestation of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-baba/pure-love-is-the-chief-manifestation-of-education/)

[Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-baba/)

> [The chief beneficiary of life insurance policies for young, single people is the life insurance agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/the-chief-beneficiary-of-life-insurance-policies-for-young-single/)

[Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/)

> [Most of my writer friends are women, and they're all extremely talented, so of course I think the state of contemporary fiction for women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/most-of-my-writer-friends-are-women-and-they-re-all-extremely/)

[Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/)

> [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/)

[Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/)

> [I'm going to be specific so you can render your verdict. Let's go to North Africa, she was the chief engineer of the disastrous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-m-going-to-be-specific-so-you-can-render-your-verdict-let-s-go-to/)

[Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/)

> [...virtue is attended by more peace of mind than vice, and meets with a more favourable reception from the world. I am sensible, that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/virtue-is-attended-by-more-peace-of-mind-than-vice-and-meets-with-a/)

[David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/)

> [When you have the Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee and the political director of the Romney campaign, and their two companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-caddell/when-you-have-the-chief-of-staff-of-the-republican-national-committee/)

[Patrick Caddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-caddell/)

[Browse all 1,428 Chiefs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began writing freelance for them around the end of 1971, and then all through '72. They hired me in '73, and I left early in '81. I did everything from low puns to being editor-in-chief.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "P. J. O'Rourke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began-writing-freelance-for-them/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chiefs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began-writing-freelance-for-them/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/p-j-o-rourke-184_chiefs_the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began_304430.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/p-j-o-rourke-184_chiefs_the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began_304430.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/p-j-o-rourke-184_chiefs_the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began_304430.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The Lampoon started in 1970, and I began writing freelance for them around the end of 1971, and then all…” — P. J. O'Rourke",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "P. J. O'Rourke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The Lampoon started in 1970, and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began-writing-freelance-for-them/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-lampoon-started-in-1970-and-i-began-writing-freelance-for-them/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```