The ''Jester of Columbia'', or simply the ''Jester'', is a
humor magazine at
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Founded on
April Fool's Day, 1901, it is one of the oldest such publications in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
Printed continuously at least through 1997, it was revived in 2001 after a short lapse in publication and again in 2005 after another, shorter one. ''Jester'' now produces magazines and sponsors comedy events on Columbia's campus.
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Issues
Excluding brief lapses in publication, the Jester has always produced issues. Jester publishes four or five times per year, with articles loosely centered around a broad theme. Issues contain a wide array of articles and jokes, such as narratives, dialogues, and articles composed of short paragraphs discussing a theme. To heighten the effect of period pieces or specific jokes, articles appear as fake documents found and scanned into the issue. Illustrations are a significant part of the magazine, with visual gags and fake ads bringing greater variety.
Jester attempts to not repeat jokes or features, except for a letters to the editor section, an editorial, called the "Editaurus," an obituary
An obituary (wikt:obit#Etymology 2, obit for short) is an Article (publishing), article about a recently death, deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as Article (publishing), news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on p ...
section succinctly named "Deaths," and a couple of "list" pages containing short jokes and lists. However, there are no recurring subjects, and news-style pieces rarely appear, except as "sampled" documents. Within individual issues, there are also recurring references, including ones regarding Picabo Street, the Zune, and Q-Zar.
Other activities
In addition to publishing the magazine, the group puts on comedy events, containing sketches, improv comedy, and an event reminiscent of the antics of Andy Kaufman, where an audience was forced to watch other students eat dinner for 30 minutes while listening to madrigals.
Jester also performs a number of pranks, most recently establishing a pseudo-rivalry with the ''Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal'', culminating in a staged theft of issues, attached rebuttals, and a parody website. The '' Columbia Spectator'' reported the event as an actual disappearance.
Alumni
* Arnold Beichman, anti-communist polemicist
* Bennett Cerf, co-founder of ''Random House
Random House is an imprint and publishing group of Penguin Random House. Founded in 1927 by businessmen Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer as an imprint of Modern Library, it quickly overtook Modern Library as the parent imprint. Over the foll ...
''
* Paul Gewirtz, law school professor, editor in 1966–67
* Allen Ginsberg, poet of the Beat Generation
* Gerald Green, writer
* Judd Gregg, politician and lawyer
* Rockwell Kent, artist, in 1903 became the ''Jesters first Art Editor
* Ed Koren, New Yorker cartoonist
*Tony Kushner
Anthony Robert Kushner (born July 16, 1956) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Among his stage work, he is most known for ''Angels in America'', which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, as well as its subsequent acclaime ...
, playwright
* Robert Lax, poet
* Joseph L. Mankiewicz, screenwriter
* Thomas Merton, author and monk
* Cliff Montgomery, football player
* Robert Pollack, professor of biological sciences
* Ted Rall, political cartoonist
* Ad Reinhardt, artist
* Ed Rice, journalist
* David Rosand, art professor
* Bernard Shir-Cliff, editor
* John Slate, aviation lawyer
* Ralph de Toledano, journalist, co-founded the ''National Review
''National Review'' is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs. The magazine was founded by William F. Buckley Jr. in 1955. Its editor-in-chief is Rich L ...
'' and edited ''Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...
''
* Lynd Ward, artist
* Gerald Weissmann, essayist and medical scientist
* Herman Wouk, writer
References
External links
''Jester'' website
an article in the January, 2002 edition of '' Columbia College Today''
{{Columbia University
Satirical magazines published in the United States
College humor magazines
Columbia University publications
Magazines established in 1901
Magazines published in New York City