Mad Libs (a play on ad lib, from Latin ad libitum - as you wish) is a word game where one player
Mad Libs consist of a book that has a short story on each page, but with many of the key words replaced with blanks. Beneath each blank is specified a lexical or other category, such as noun, verb, place, or a part of the body. One player asks the other players, in turn, to contribute some word for the specified type for each blank, but without revealing the context for that word. Finally, the completed story is read aloud. The result is usually comic, surreal and somewhat nonsensical.
For example, a Mad Lib might initially look like this:
"One day, ________________ _________________ to New York to see the ______."
name of person past-tense verb noun
After completing the Mad Lib, it might read:
"One day, Marco Polo flew to New York to see the clock."
Several imitations of Mad Libs have been created, most of them on the Internet. Imitation Mad Libs are sometimes used in educational settings to help teach the parts of speech.
Mad Libs in pop culture
- The Drawn Together episode "Captain Girl" features a villain called the Mad Libber who is based on Batman's foe The Riddler.
- In the Simpsons episode "Barting Over", while the family is cleaning out the garage, Lisa finds a book with the ability to summon Satan. But before she finishes the phrase of the book to summon him, she discards the book for a Mad Libs booklet. In another episode "Yokel Chords" Bart plays Sad Libs, a psychiatric parody, with his psychiatrist.
- In the Seinfeld episode "The Frogger", Jerry, being asked about his last date, says: "She's a sentence finisher. It's like dating Mad Libs."
- In the Friends episode "The One With the Kips", Joey hides things in Monica's bedroom, including a Mad Libs book. Phoebe takes the game from him. During the ending credits we see the group playing Mad Libs. Phoebe uses only the word "Phoebe" to fill the blanks, which Monica says doesn't "count" as 'good' Mad Libs. In the episode "The One With the Jam", Phoebe dates her sister Ursula's stalker, who, at one point in the episode where he is trying to give up his stalking habits, shows Phoebe his 'stalking equipment.' At one point he pulls out a Mad Libs book, but quickly explains that, "they're just for fun."
- In My Name Is Earl we see Randy and Earl's ex-girlfriend Jessie playing Mad Libs. Randy fills the blanks with "butt".
- On an episode of Reno 911!, Officer Weigel engages traffic offenders in traffic school in a game of Mad Libs.
- In Family Guy Stewie plays Mad Libs based on the fairy tale Cinderella.
- In the 2nd season of The O.C., Lindsay offers to play Mad Libs with Caleb while he is recovering from his heart attack; Caleb makes several jokes about Ryan's inability to play along.
- In episode 7 of The Knights of Prosperity, Mad Libs are mentioned
- In the 2004 film "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" Vince Vaugh's character says "If you need me I'll be in my office doing Mad Libs."
- In "That 70's Show" episode 707, Fez says "I was just shampooing this foxy girl Danielle and the next thing I know we're making out in the shampoo closet." to which Hyde replies, "That doesn't sound real, man. That sounds like a Mad Lib."
- In an outtake of an episode in Season 2 of The Office, Michael comes up with a "Dunder Mifflin Mad Lib." In response, Pam says, "We are so happy...no, I'd like to choose a different adjective."
Books
- The Original Mad Libs 1 (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-0055-9
- Cool Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-7660-1
- Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-7441-2
- Worst Case Scenario Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-0298-5
- Napoleon Dynamite Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-2011-8
- Goofy Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-0059-1
- Vacation Fun Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-1921-7
- Off-The-Wall Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-0108-3
- Mama's Got A Brand New (Diaper) Bag! (Adult Mad Libs) - ISBN 1-59609-202-5
- Dysfunctional Family Therapy (Mad Libs) - ISBN 1-59609-181-9
- Night of the Living Mad Libs (Mad Lbs)-ISBN 0-590-48468-0
- Once Upon A Mad Libs Junior (Mad Libs Junior) - ISBN 0-8431-0768-5
- Mad Libs 40th Anniversary Edition (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-7823-X
- Super Silly Mad Libs Junior (Mad Libs Junior) - ISBN 0-8431-0758-8
- Sports Star Mad Libs Junior (Mad Libs Junior) - ISBN 0-8431-0770-7
- School Rules! Mad Libs Junior (Mad Libs Junior) - ISBN 0-8431-0853-3
- Bachlorette Bash (Mad Libs) - ISBN 1-59609-178-9
- Animals, Animals, Animals! Mad Libs Junior (Mad Libs Junior) - ISBN 0-8431-0951-3
- Keepers and Losers Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 1-59609-150-9
- Mad Libs from Outer Space (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-8431-2443-1
- Camp Daze Mad Libs (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0843122390
- Mad Libs for President (Mad Libs) - ISBN 0-439-69679-8
- Scooby-Doo Halloween Mad Libs Hanna-Barbera
- The Powerpuff Girls Mad Libs - ISBN 0-8431-7738-1
- Family Guy Mad Libs
- American Dad Mad Libs