# The Alfred E. Neuman Voodoo Sign **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2016, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376 "2016-05-09T04:27:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/1 "2016-05-09T04:27:16Z")
On the back of the September 1962 issue of _Mad,_ and on the back cover of the paperback _The Voodoo Mad,_ is The Alfred E. Neuman Voodoo Sign. The accompanying text, on the back of the paperback, reads (centered, in a few different fonts): WARNING! If you do not plan to buy THE VOODOO **MAD** Stop looking at this back cover **NOW!!** \*Stop here! Read No Further! Halt! Because this is… THE ALFRED E. NEUMAN VOODOO SIGN _[The sign appears here]_ Once you look at it—if you do not buy it for your own— **YOU DIE!** (Well, we warned you not to look!)\*The six-fingered hand points at this line from both ends. The six-sided sign has an outer ring with 18 “bad luck” symbols (clockwise from top): 1. A skull and crossbones. 2. A black hand. 3. C.O.D. 4. A parking meter reading “VIOLATION.” 5. The Ace of Spades. 6. S.O.S. 7. Spilled salt. 8. Two theatrical tragedy masks. 9. A horseshoe with the horns down (“allowing the luck to run out.”) 10. Two broken eggs. 11. An envelope edged in black. 12. A hammer and sickle. 13. A guillotine. 14. A finger pulling skin down beneath an eyeball. 15. An open umbrella (presumably in a house). 16. A black widow spider. 17. Snake eyes on dice. 18. SS _(Schutzstaffel,_ meaning “protective echelon,” an arm of the Gestapo). The six inner symbols, clockwise from upper right, are: 1. Voodoo doll with pins in it. 2. The number 13. 3. A broken mirror. 4. A ladder (bad luck to walk under it). 5. Lighting three cigarettes on one match. 6. A black cat (crossing your path). In the center, of course, is the familiar face of Alfred E. Neuman, who never brought anybody any luck. 😃 The ones I would like to know about specifically are the eggs and the eyeball…what do they have to do with bad luck? (Though that gesture can’t help your eye any…) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/2 "2016-05-09T04:36:58Z")
Wild guess: The Evil Eye and just plain broken eggs (which are never good things to have). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/3 "2016-05-09T04:42:08Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > The ones I would like to know about specifically are the eggs and the eyeball…what do they have to do with bad luck? (Though that gesture can’t help your eye any…) The eye is presumably the [evil eye.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye) I don’t know about the eggs, but breaking eggs would seem to be pretty bad luck in and of itself. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/4 "2016-05-09T04:43:29Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The eye is presumably the [evil eye.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye) > > I don’t know about the eggs, but breaking eggs would seem to be pretty bad luck in and of itself. not if you want to make an omelet. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/5 "2016-05-09T04:46:55Z")
> [@simster](#): > > not if you want to make an omelet. … Which is more or less what Stalin said with reference to the engineered famine in the Ukraine. Really,\* really\* bad luck! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/6 "2016-05-09T04:50:31Z")
In my case, it _would_ be bad luck–because I never learned _how_ to make an omelet! ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/7 "2016-05-09T05:17:53Z")
Ace of Spades? I thought it was the Queen of Spades that was bad luck: the Death card. Ace of Spaces is a card you want! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/8 "2016-05-09T05:31:00Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Ace of Spades? I thought it was the Queen of Spades that was bad luck: the Death card. Ace of Spaces is a card you want! I thought you didn’t want to draw the Queen of Diamonds, boy. She’ll beat you if she’s able. You know the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/9 "2016-05-09T06:16:57Z")
Go ask Alice… ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/10 "2016-05-09T06:18:47Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I thought you didn’t want to draw the Queen of Diamonds, boy. She’ll beat you if she’s able. You know the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet. You are cruel, because all I can think of now is: _Playing with the queen of hearts Knowing it ain’t really smart The joker ain’t the only fool Who’ll do anything for you_ Stupid, catchy-ass song. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/11 "2016-05-09T07:17:18Z")
For those who are sufficiently interested… The two click rule, to protect you against [an odious Death Threat](http://www.comicstoastonish.com/enlarged/The_Voodoo_Mad_Signet_Book01.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/12 "2016-05-09T12:40:26Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Ace of Spaces is a card you want! Not if you’re VC! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/13 "2016-05-09T12:43:39Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Ace of Spades? I thought it was the Queen of Spades that was bad luck: the Death card. Ace of Spaces is a card you want! You win some, lose some, it’s all the same to me. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/14 "2016-05-09T14:24:39Z")
Ace of Spaces? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/15 "2016-05-09T15:58:43Z")
The ace of spades has always been [the death card](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ace_of_spades), especially when the book came out. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/16 "2016-05-09T17:36:57Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > 1. SS _(Schutzstaffel,_ meaning “protective echelon,” an arm of the Gestapo). Other way around. The Gestapo was a branch of the SS (aka “Defense Squad”). [https://www2.bc.edu/~heineman/SSorg.jpg](https://www2.bc.edu/~heineman/SSorg.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/17 "2016-05-09T18:28:42Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > In my case, it _would_ be bad luck–because I never learned _how_ to make an omelet! [When it looks like you should quit Find another way of looking at it When life gives you eggs Just a great big bowl of eggs When life gives you eggs You gotta make that omelette Crack, splat, psss Crack, splat, psss Make an omelette Crack, splat, psss Make an omelette Make an omelette Make an omelette Make an omelette now How? First melt a tablespoon of butter in a medium frying pan Over medium heat And sauté the onions and green pepper 'til they’re tender Add the ham pieces Make an omelette Make an omelette Make an omelette now Turn off the heat Let the omelette sit one minute in the skillet So the inside cooks right through Take that egg and beat it Take that egg and beat it You gotta heat it and beat it, before you eat it So beat that egg Beat that egg Beat that egg And that’s how you make an omelette That’s how you make an omelette That’s how you make an omelette That’s how you make it!]([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_ww\_KVzwnXE&t=2m45s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ww_KVzwnXE&t=2m45s)) (from _Something Rotten_) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/18 "2016-05-09T18:34:44Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > For those who are sufficiently interested… > > The two click rule, to protect you against [an odious Death Threat](http://www.comicstoastonish.com/enlarged/The_Voodoo_Mad_Signet_Book01.jpg)! That’s clearly the Evil Eye. The eggs are just broken, not in a bowl or pan, so they’ve been broken accidentally. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/19 "2016-05-09T20:10:46Z")
The eyeball thing is from an old joke in which the gesture is gorilla language for “fuck you”. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376/20 "2016-05-09T22:10:31Z")
Yeah? And how many gorillas read \*Mad? \* 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alfred-e-neuman-voodoo-sign/754376.md?page=2)