Upcoming Yale Record Events

Stand Up and Escape Room

Fellow Owls, 

Come join the best of current Yale Record Stand Ups and recent Yale Alumni for a night of laughter and merriment! These fine comics have appeared everywhere from the newly renovated College Theaters to the New Yorker to McSweeney’s. This event is co-hosted by Yale Club of NYC and the Yale Record Corporation.

Drinks are at 6:30 and the show starts at 7. The show will be hosted by River Clegg ‘11, who McSweeney's described as one of the funniest joke writers in New York. Join us for drinks, comedy and pizza afterward.

RSVP via Facebook or just email me (robert@schlaff.com).

Date: October 24, 2018
Time: 6:30 Drinks, 7:00 show
Location: Yale Club of NYC (50 Vanderbilt Ave)
No cost for Record Alums

Record Escape Room Event: Also, we're planning a Yale Record "Escape Room" trip in NYC. If you'd like to be trapped in a room with other Record Alums with only your humorous wits to help you escape, email Ilana Strauss (ilana.e.strauss@gmail.com) and/or fill out what times work for you.

Best,
Rob Schlaff OO ’99
Alumni Relations Chair, Yale Record Corporation

The HOOT!

The Newsletter of The Yale Record Corporation

Dear Old Owls,
 
The other day I was planning my expat Thanksgiving menu when I heard a rapping at the door. I assumed it would be my monthly Amazon delivery of a 16 pack of toothpaste and 48 rolls of paper towels (a subscription saves 5%, you see), but it was my good friend Old Owl.

It had been almost a year since I’d seen him on British soil, so I did the only decent thing and invited him in for tea. As I put on the kettle, I asked about his long absence, but all I could get out of him was some mysterious business about a travel ban and interference with the Brexit vote. FAKE NEWS he assured me. 

When I returned to the table, I noticed he was perusing my Thanksgiving meal plan, and by ‘perusing’ I mean he had scratched out “Roast Turkey” and substituted “Raw Voles.” I asked if he would be joining us for the holiday, but alas he said he had plans. I thought he said something about a turkey costume and a presidential pardon, but I could be mistaken—my owlish is quite rusty these days. He informed me he would only be in town for the day—just enough time to pass along some news and collect some coin for the annual fundraising campaign. I informed him I had already donated at yalerecordcorporation.org/donate, but I told him I’d pass along the news to the other alumni. Rather than looking satisfied, however, I could have sworn I saw him drop a few pieces of silverware into his jacket pocket.

In addition to telling me of the start of the 2017 fundraising campaign, OO regaled me with tales of the YRC’s Record stand-up comedy event at the Yale Club of NYC, provided an update on the YRC’s archival project, and brought news of new books by alumni David Litt ’08 and Dick Bentley ’57. You’ll find all that and a few selected pieces from recent issues of The Record below in this edition of The HOOT!

Best wishes,
 
Michael Thornton '09
President, The Yale Record Corporation

[Subscribers received the HOOT over email]

From the Archives

The cartoon below by Herbert Peter Wells ’35 was selected for the "Best of 140 Years of Yale Record.” Peter was Art Editor of The Record.

Herbert Hilbish (Peter) Wells  ’35  cartoonist Katzenjammer Kids

Peter Wells graduated from Yale University in 1935, where he nurtured a penchant for cartooning, serving as Art Editor of The Yale Record. During the early 1940's, Peter wrote and illustrated a variety of children’s books, one of which, Mr. Tootwhistle’s Invention, won first prize in the New York Herald Tribune’s Children's Spring Book Festival of 1942. After World War II, Peter Wells rejoined King Features where he wrote and drew for the Katzenjammer Kids comic books between 1948 and 1951. For Scholastic Magazines during the 1950s and 1960s, he created the cartoon strip, “Pete the Pup.” From 1954 to the early 1970s, he started and ran the Cartoon Course of The Famous Artists School in Westport, Connecticut, a school run by Norman Rockwell and other successful artists of the day.

Peter was an avid jazz musician, playing with Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra and other Dixieland groups, playing bass and baritone saxophones and delighting audiences with wild riffs on his penny whistle.  Peter and his wife of sixty years lived in Connecticut, raising three boys whose antics found their way into his Katzenjammer Kids comics and children’s books. Peter Wells was a member of the National Cartoonist Society.

The HOOT!

The Newsletter of The Yale Record Corporation

Dear Old Owls,
 
On Halloween night, a simpler time, before our little blue marble decided to roll into the next reality over, I heard three quick raps on my front door.
 
I grabbed my bowl of candy, paused Netflix, and forced a smile as best I could. Opening the door I saw what I believed to be a child in a uncanny owl costume. Rather than “Trick or treat?” I was greeted by a “Hoot?”
 
“Commit to the bit. I like it!” I said.
 
I extended the bowl and told my feathered friend to take four. The Halloween economy strictly adheres to the principle of supply and demand--when the supply is gone, I demand to be left alone.
 
I began to suspect that all was not as it seemed when rather than grabbing a fistful of candy I found my guest reaching for my wallet.
 
“Hey, stop that!” I said.
 
The owl shrugged, gave a “Hoot?”, and lit up a Cohiba cigar. It was not a costumed child at all, but Old Owl. I should have known, children, in my experience, rarely carry a flask.
 
I invited OO in and we got to talking. Our dear mascot reminded me it was the time of year for the YRC to pass the hat.

"I suppose that's why you were going through my pockets?" I said, but OO seemed not to have heard me and suddenly was spending a great deal of attention inspecting a ficus in the corner.
 
I told OO I would put together a HOOT! post-haste to let the rest of the alumni know. After all there was much to share. I had an interview with former Obama speechwriter David Litt ‘08 burning a hole in my pocket and a Record piece had for the first time received a million hits online! OO seemed satisfied with the plan and glancing at its watch (identical down to the scratched crystal to one I lost the previous week) pronounced it time to move on. I bid my old friend adieu and got down to work.
 
Hoot!
 
Michael Thornton '09
President, The Yale Record Corporation

[Subscribers received the HOOT over email.]

The HOOT!

The Newsletter of The Yale Record Corporation

Dear Old Owls,

The other day I was strolling past the biology building at the University of Cambridge. I had just turned in my thesis, and glancing in the windows at the lab rats in their cages, I felt doubly pleased at my newfound freedom. Not looking where I was going, I bumped into none other than Olde Owle.
 
He was clad in black turtleneck and watch cap—an odd outfit for June. I told him one might think he was up to no good with such a getup, but a quick survey of his possessions—grappling hook, headlamp, a Swiss passport—set my mind at ease.
 
“Training for the ol’ Matterhorn, eh? I guess a real climber practices wherever he can. How about some lunch?”
 
OO looked wistfully through the window at the rows and rows of caged rats and then glanced up at a hawk perched on the ledge, a surly chap with a scar across his face and a Bowie knife in his beak.
 
“Bring him along too if you like. My shout.”
 
After some fish and chips and a few pints of bitters at The Eagle, I begged my pardon as OO’s presence had reminded me it was time to compile another HOOT! So much had happened since the last. There would be updates on the 2015 fundraising campaign, an invitation to dinner at the Biltmore in Los Angeles, a few words on the passing of William Hamilton ‘62, and a report on the Yale Record Corporation award dinner at Mory’s. Plus, in the "Jigger of Wry" there would be an interview with Ian Dallas ‘00, a new issue of the Record to announce, and a humor piece on the naming of the new residential colleges.
 
My feathered friend, wings folded contently across his stomach, half opened one eye and gave a short nod farewell. I bid him adieu, gave a nervous smile to his traveling companion, and set to work. Below you’ll find all the above and a few spare odds and ends.
 
Hoot,
 
Michael Thornton, ‘09
President, The Yale Record Corporation

[Subscribers received the HOOT over email.]

Los Angeles Get-to-Gather and Parliament of Owls Movable Feast

Los Angeles area Yale Record Alumni are invited to join an informal reception and dinner (dutch) at the Los Angeles Millennium Biltmore Hotel. Sunday July 10, reception at 5pm and dinner at 6pm.

The event is hosted by Don Watson, ’59, Yale Record Hysterical Archivist, and will honor Michael Gerber ’91. "Many surprises in store including laughs galore.”

If you can come, please contact us here.

2016 Yale Record Corporation Awards Luncheon

We are indebted to alumni attendees and supporters of the 2016 KLOOT Award luncheon:
Gary Clarke ’59, Charlie Hoyt ’59, Jack Newsham ’14, Rob Schlaff ‘99, Len Stokes ’66, Mim VanderKloot, and Don Watson ‘59
 
The 2nd Annual KLOOT Award Luncheon was held at Mory’s on Saturday April 16, as spring sprung in New Haven. The event was a smashing success, or at least smashing, as you may divine from the attached pictures, with a full room of Yale Record graduating seniors and alumni supporters. Many of the students had never been to Mory’s before. Many of the alums had never been to Mory’s when the sun was up.

Mitchell Harris ’16 [LEFT]  2016 KLOOT Award Winner

Annelisa Leinbach ’16 [RIGHT] 2016 John Morrison Memorial Award winner
 

The 2nd Annual Kloot Award, administered by the Yale Record Corporation, honors the memory of Frederic J. VanderKloot ’59, a member of the Record board 1956-1959 and Business Manager 1958-1959. Fred’s business acumen, imagination, and levity were a major contributor to the success of the Record, the oldest and almost continuously published college humor magazine in the U.S.
 
The 2016 Kloot Award was presented to Mitchell Harris, ’16 with a citation that reads:
…with gratitude for strengthening The Record’s standing in the Yale community… Having served as The Yale Record Business Manager, in which role he showed an innovative mind and tireless spirit; and having written many pieces for The Yale Record magazine and website, and having been a consistent presence and enthusiastic participant at Record meetings, quick to show support for his fellow owls with a distinctive laugh and sagacious advice.
 
The John Morrison Memorial Award is an annual award administered by Yale University. It provides the award and stipend “for the best art contribution in the Yale Record during the Year.” The Award was established in 1920 by the family of John Morrison 1917S, a Record artist and recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross and Croix de Guerre with palm, killed in action in WWI.
 
The John Morrison Memorial Award for 2016 was presented to Annelisa Leinbach, ’16 with a citation that reads:

…with gratitude for upholding the Record’s rich artistic tradition and with hopes and blessings for a bright future….Having served as The Yale Record Art Director, in which role she recruited artists to join The Record, solicited art for the magazine, and curated submissions; and having created numerous covers for The Record, and having promoted the role of hand drawn art in the Record at a time when too few humor artists can be found at Yale.
 

Adrian Bonenberger [RIGHT]  upon election to the Parliament of Owles.      

Jack Newsham ’14 [LEFT] finishes the Mory’s Cup. Len Stoke [RIGHT] reads the demanding lyrics of the refrain, “It’s Jack, it’s Jack who Makes the World Go Round.”

 
Adrian Bonenberger ‘02, U.S. Army Captain (Ret.), and author of the acclaimed Afghan Post, gave a brief talk “Pratfalls and Parachutes: A history of war satire.” Adrian described examples of war satire as it hit its peak in WWI and WWII, and posed critical questions he is currently researching including contemporary examples and their absence. Adrian was presented with The Certificate of Election to the Parliament of Owles, (a conclave so remote that no one, not even Google, knows anything about it) with a citation that reads, “for distinguished words, wisdom, and wit in the grandest traditions of the Yale Record, whatever they are and wherever they may roost.”
 
Alumni supporters attending included Gerald “Gary” Clarke ’59, who regaled with anecdotes of the lives of literati. Gary is author of Capote: A Biography (and basis of the movie). Gary’s biography of Judy Garland Get Happy is optioned for a movie with Anne Hathaway as Judy. Len Stokes ’66 shared a bit about his current series of Donald Trump satirical graphics, actually funnier than his subject. Don Watson ’59 cautioned of the power of the Mory’s Cup, retelling his UGrad adventures of assisting a Volkswagen onto the sidewalk in front of Mory’s after a Green Cup ceremony in 1959. A Campus Cop appeared, complimented the feat and then required the rowdies to simply put it back. Jack Newsham ’14 ably (well almost ably) demonstrated the ritual required of the last one to finish the cup. Mim Vanderkloot graced the event, adding reflections about the late great Fred VanderKloot, in whose memory the award is presented. Mim let us know that, “Fred would have really loved this!”
 
Your contributions to the Yale Record Kloot Award Endowment Fund help support this serious fun and may be sent to The Yale Record Corporation, P.O. Box 209051, New Haven, CT06520.
 

In Memoriam: William Hamilton, 1939-2016

William Hamilton, Yale Record Art Editor 1962 and distinguished alumnus, died in a car crash on April 8, 2016. His successful career as cartoonist and dramatist is documented more fully than I can recount on Wikipedia. 

A commemorative of his New Yorker cartoons are viewable here.

One anecdote that appears in a People magazine archive from 1979 tells of his acceptance as a New Yorker artist, an association that he maintained until his death:

Bombarding The New Yorker with his cartoons from Alaska, he finally got what he considered the ultimate rejection slip. "I wrote the art director a letter saying he must be an old man who hates young people," Hamilton recalls. "Suddenly I got a check for $200, with no explanation."

For more of Hamilton’s extraordinary life and times.


A story that does not appear on the web is one I can tell from Yale daze. It goes somewhat like this:

Bill Hamilton arrived at Yale in Fall 1958. One of his first visits was to the college dormitory suite of Bill Cudahy, Dick Bentley, and myself. Cudahy was Record Chairman that year. Dick was managing editor and writer. I was Art Editor. Young Hamilton asked if this was the room of the Yale Record Chairman, adding that he had selected Yale because he much admired the Yale Record and wanted to be part of it.

Cudahy—all too true to form—said, no, he did not know any Cudahy, never heard of the Yale Record, then turned to us to be sure we nodded agreement. This ruse lasted for an extended comic minute. Once we did see the cartoon portfolio that Hamilton brought under his arm, he was admitted to the fold forthwith. William Hamilton recounts his version of this story in his 50th Yale College Class of 1962 Reunion Essay—we hope out of fondness of memory, rather than as catharsis of early career trauma.

Bill went on to extend the Yale Record cartoonist tradition far more than any of us.

Donald Watson 

Yale Record Art Editor ‘59

The HOOT!

The Newsletter of The Yale Record Corporation

Dear Old Owls,

The other day I was doing some last-minute Christmas shopping for my nephew, Bennett Wilson Rhyner, who despite having a name like an accounting firm is a three and a half year old boy. Given his age, I bought him a full-size train filled with smaller toy trains, but before I could even slip my credit card back into my wallet, I heard the ringing of a bell and a familiar Ho, ho, ho…or was it Hoo, hoo, hoo?
 
Having given my last “Make America Great Again” hat to the Salvation Army Santa at the mall’s entrance, I held my phone to my ear and picked up my pace, but a snowball to the back of the head got my attention. As I turned I saw not Saint Nick, but the one and only Olde Owle. He informed me it was time for The Record to pass the hat, and, in the spirit of ecumenicalism, he gestured to a range of head coverings running the gamut from a Santa hat to the Pastafarian’s spaghetti strainer, each held by a rather ominous figure from Brinks.
 
I, John Michael Thornton, dutifully, and under no threat of blackmail for acts allegedly committed in Tijuana on or around the 2nd of June, 2013, dropped my contribution into a mitre, OO handed me a letter for tax purposes, wished me a happy New Year, and told me to spread the word.
 
In that spirit I bring you the latest version of The HOOT! with updates on The Yale Record Corporation’s 2015 fundraising campaign; a humor piece from River Clegg, ’11; an update from our Hysterical Archivist, Don Watson, ’59; news about a new print humor magazine from Michael Gerber, '91; and a report on The YRC’s Harvard/Yale tailgate from Adrian Bonenberger, ‘02.
 
Best wishes and a happy New Year.
 
Hoot,
Michael Thornton, ‘09
President, The Yale Record Corporation

[Subscribers received the HOOT over email.]

Yale-Harvard Tailgate 2015

Join the Yale Record Students and Alumni starting at noon in Lot D before the Yale-Harvard Game

Old Owls,

If you are coming to The Game on November 21st, join us for a Yale Record "Meet and Meat" with great food, friends and feasting. Adrian Bonenberger (adrian.h.bonenberger@gmail.com) '02 and Rob Schlaff (robert@schlaff.com) '99 from our Alumni Relations Committee will be hosting the event starting at noon in Lot D. Rumor has it that only the finest vittles will be served including Horned Owl meat served with shavings of Mory's cup.  If you are around for the game, email Rob and Adrian for more details or RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/467431150105569/

Adrian and Rob

Note: For those of you unfamiliar with the Yale University, Rob will provide some historical background.  Yale University is a prestigious 41 year old university based off the western Mexican coast. Founded by Yale Locks Inc. initially as a trade school for locksmiths, it has since expanded its curriculum into instruction in other trades such as Biomedical Engineering, Physics, Archaeological Studies and Film Studies (the latter two being available for a joint “Indiana Jones” degree). Known worldwide for its beautiful pale and black “Goth” architecture, Yale also famous of its impressive list of hilarious television characters including Montgomery Burns, Dmitri Martin and George W. Bush.