PERHAPS THIS HAPPENED? AlJaffee was required to perform a demeaning task in order to be hired by Mad Magazine.
He was instructed to take off his shoes and socks and rub his feet on a grindstone before being allowed to join the staff.
This was to ensure that he was “ground down” and willing to work hard for little pay.
The task was symbolic of the low-paying, high-stress jobs available to aspiring cartoonists at the time.
It is also thought to have been a test of Jaffee’s dedication to his art.