Difference between revisions of "Jester of Columbia"

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The '''''Jester of Columbia''''', or simply the '''''Jester''''', is a campus humor magazine. Legendarily founded on [[April 1|April Fool's Day]], [[1901]], it is one of the oldest such publications in the US. Revived in [[2001]] after a 12-year lapse in publication and again in [[2004]] after a shorter one, ''Jester'' has once again begun to produce magazines as well as sponsor comedy events on Columbia's campus. It is widely acclaimed as "somewhat funny every now and then," a major achievement for any college humor publication.
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{{wp-also}}
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The '''''Jester of Columbia''''', or simply the '''''Jester''''', is a campus humor magazine. It is widely acclaimed as "somewhat funny every now and then," a major achievement for any college humor publication.
 +
 
 +
The Jester is also known for its comedic performances, which include the Andy Kaufman-esque [[Banquet in Honor of the King of Spain]], the full multimedia production [[Up Late with Jeff Julian]], the sketch show [[Finite Jest]], and [[Internship Survival Guide]], a collaboration with [[Project Bluelight]].
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==History==
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[[File:Jester2007.tragedy cover.jpg|thumb|The cover of the May 2008 Tragedy issue]]
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Legendarily founded on [[April 1|April Fool's Day]], [[1901]], ''Jester'' is one of the oldest such publications in the US. It was revived in [[2001]] after a 12-year lapse in publication and again in [[2004]] after a shorter one. It stopped publication most recently in [[2020]] and has not yet been revived.
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The magazine has occasionally tested the boundaries of satire severely. 1,500 copies of a [[1967]] issue that included phrases such as "tar babies" and "the noble savage" were confiscated by black students from around campus, and around 30 of them were burned in front of [[Ferris Booth Hall]] in June of that year.<ref>http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19670605-01.2.2&srpos=3&e=-------en-20--1--txt-IN-negroes+AND+jester----#</ref>
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During the 2006-2007 school year, Jester was embroiled in a [[CUSJ-Jester Feud|bizarre (and possibly one-way, i.e., as a Jester-only prank) feud with CUSJ]], the ''[[Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal]]''.
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In [[May]] of [[2008]], the Jester prompted one of those short-lived web-scandals with their "Tragedy" issue, the cover of which featured the Titanic crashing into the Twin Towers<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/jester/tragedy/index.htm</ref>. Some bloggers blogged about it; some commenters commented about it<ref>http://bwog.com/2008/05/13/quickjester-tragicomic-transformations-edition/</ref>. Classic sensitivity/free speech thing.
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==''Jester'' covers==
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The ''Jester'' has occasionally been known for its artistically sophisticated covers, a trait which reached its peak during the 1930s, when [[Ad Reinhardt]], later a notable abstract expressionist painter, was one of its editors. The cover art of the ''Jester''s of this period was considered comparable to that of ''[[The New Yorker]]''.
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<gallery>
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Image:Jesterrow.jpg|[[1934]] cover featuring the [[crew]] team, by [[Ad Reinhardt]]
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Image:Jestergwb.jpg|[[1931]] cover celebrating the opening of the George Washington Bridge
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Image:Jesterlion.jpg|Left: [[Columbia Lion]] by [[Ad Reinhardt]], Right: A [[1934]] issue featuring stories by football captain [[Cliff Montgomery]] and [[Arnold Beichman]]
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Image:Jester30s.jpg|Covers from, top left, [[1931]], featuring a New Years' party in [[John Jay Hall]]; right, [[1933]], by [[Ad Reinhardt]], which served as the program for that year's [[Varsity Show]]; bottom, the [[1936]] [[Commencement]] edition, also by Reinhardt
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Image:Jester07.gif|[[2007]] cover
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Image:Jestermville.jpg|[[2008]] cover satirically depicting the revelation of the [[Manhattanville campus]] plan as a stained glass window
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Image:JesterBuzzCoverSpread_web.jpg|[[2010]] New Yorker Style cover for the "Buzz" issue
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</gallery>
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It is currently embroiled in a bizarre [[CUSJ-Jester Feud|feud]] with the ''[[Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal]]''.
 
  
 
==''Jester'' alumni==
 
==''Jester'' alumni==
  
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*[[I.A.L. Diamond]], Hollywood comedy writer
 
*[[Allen Ginsberg]], poet of the [[Beat Generation]]
 
*[[Allen Ginsberg]], poet of the [[Beat Generation]]
 
*[[Gerald Green (author)|Gerald Green]], writer
 
*[[Gerald Green (author)|Gerald Green]], writer
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*[[Judd Gregg]], Republican US Senator from New Hampshire
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*[[Ed Koren]], cartoonist
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*[[Tony Kushner]], playwright
 
*[[Robert Lax]], poet
 
*[[Robert Lax]], poet
 
*[[Joseph L. Mankiewicz]], screenwriter
 
*[[Joseph L. Mankiewicz]], screenwriter
 
*[[Thomas Merton]], author and monk
 
*[[Thomas Merton]], author and monk
 
*[[Ted Rall]], political cartoonist
 
*[[Ted Rall]], political cartoonist
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*[[Ad Reinhardt]], artist
 
*[[Ed Rice]], journalist
 
*[[Ed Rice]], journalist
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*[[David Rosand]], art history professor
 
*[[Ralph de Toledano]], journalist, co-founded the ''National Review'' and edited ''Newsweek''
 
*[[Ralph de Toledano]], journalist, co-founded the ''National Review'' and edited ''Newsweek''
 
*[[Lynd Ward]], artist
 
*[[Lynd Ward]], artist
 
*[[Herman Wouk]], writer
 
*[[Herman Wouk]], writer
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*[[Dan]], Dan
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==''Jester'' Editors-in-Chief (2004-Present)==
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*[[Sam West]], 2004-2007
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*[[David Iscoe]], 2007-2009
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*[[Adam Nover]], 2009-2010
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*[[Michael Abraham]], 2010-2011, 2012
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*[[Patrick McGuire]], 2011
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*[[Eli Grober]], 2012-2013
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*[[Bijan Samareh]], 2013-
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==External links==
 
==External links==
  
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*[http://www.jesterofcolumbia.net ''The Jester of Columbia'' The Official Website]
 
*[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/jester/ ''Jester'' website]
 
*[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/jester/ ''Jester'' website]
 
*[http://www.jesterlackssoundscience.com "A thorough debunking of Jester's lies"]
 
*[http://www.jesterlackssoundscience.com "A thorough debunking of Jester's lies"]
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*[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/alumni/Magazine/Fall2009/feature3.html Columbia Alumni Center exhibit of ''Jester'' covers]
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==References==
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<references/>
  
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[[Category:Publications]]
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[[Category:Student publications]]

Latest revision as of 18:49, 10 September 2023

See also Wikipedia's article about "Jester of Columbia".

The Jester of Columbia, or simply the Jester, is a campus humor magazine. It is widely acclaimed as "somewhat funny every now and then," a major achievement for any college humor publication.

The Jester is also known for its comedic performances, which include the Andy Kaufman-esque Banquet in Honor of the King of Spain, the full multimedia production Up Late with Jeff Julian, the sketch show Finite Jest, and Internship Survival Guide, a collaboration with Project Bluelight.

History

The cover of the May 2008 Tragedy issue

Legendarily founded on April Fool's Day, 1901, Jester is one of the oldest such publications in the US. It was revived in 2001 after a 12-year lapse in publication and again in 2004 after a shorter one. It stopped publication most recently in 2020 and has not yet been revived.

The magazine has occasionally tested the boundaries of satire severely. 1,500 copies of a 1967 issue that included phrases such as "tar babies" and "the noble savage" were confiscated by black students from around campus, and around 30 of them were burned in front of Ferris Booth Hall in June of that year.[1]

During the 2006-2007 school year, Jester was embroiled in a bizarre (and possibly one-way, i.e., as a Jester-only prank) feud with CUSJ, the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal.

In May of 2008, the Jester prompted one of those short-lived web-scandals with their "Tragedy" issue, the cover of which featured the Titanic crashing into the Twin Towers[2]. Some bloggers blogged about it; some commenters commented about it[3]. Classic sensitivity/free speech thing.

Jester covers

The Jester has occasionally been known for its artistically sophisticated covers, a trait which reached its peak during the 1930s, when Ad Reinhardt, later a notable abstract expressionist painter, was one of its editors. The cover art of the Jesters of this period was considered comparable to that of The New Yorker.


Jester alumni

Jester Editors-in-Chief (2004-Present)


External links

References

  1. ↑ http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19670605-01.2.2&srpos=3&e=-------en-20--1--txt-IN-negroes+AND+jester----#
  2. ↑ http://www.columbia.edu/cu/jester/tragedy/index.htm
  3. ↑ http://bwog.com/2008/05/13/quickjester-tragicomic-transformations-edition/
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