I read both as a kid. It usually depended on what the cover issue was about, but Mad was easily better. I did enjoy Cracked a little more years later though when it broke away from its old format, and went online. That being said, I haven’t been on that website in ages.
Mom hated grounding me for this one reason. I always found other ways to entertain myself. No tv? Ok, I’ll read, or take the dog for a walk, and if it was during the school year, I often had so much homework, it didn’t matter anyway.
Seriously, if you know what’s good for you, stay away from that cat.