Pastis has really evolved well beyond the simple pun.His have become a bizarre and convoluted journey from the first panel to the last panel. And the heck of it is, that you know where this is going to lead, but you just can’t help yourself and you still read it.
Exactly what do plays on words have to do with being “Politically Correct” or not? Puns can be made on any subject. You need to come up with a different term than “PC” for the general disdain for puns.
In Texas, the state speed bump is the Armadillo. New Mexico donated a chicken to Texas to show the Armadillos you really could cross the road. :-) [now ducking thrown rocks from Texas.]
Speed bump?…it’ll be more like “smashed bump” when someone comes along in some form of transportation and the turtle can’t get out of the way (think rabbit).
After a consultation phone call with my linguist daughter, let me try: There is no verbal pun. Not is it exactly a visual pun (as a combination watch and dog would be a “watchdog”). It seems instead to be a kind of weak “physical” pun—a turtle simply being a speed bump. Such an amazingly weak sort of pun is probably some kind of accomplishment—a weaker one is pretty hard to imagine. And a most withering anti-prize really ups the ante. The first panel has gotta be history’s worst pun! That makes the last panel more delicious. (Except it seems a lot of us really tripped over the whole thing. I know I did.)
gimmickgenius over 11 years ago
British slang for a speed bump? A sleeping policeman.
William Weedman over 11 years ago
Pastis has enough of those to decorate the turtles whole shell.
rmacprivate over 11 years ago
Pastis has really evolved well beyond the simple pun.His have become a bizarre and convoluted journey from the first panel to the last panel. And the heck of it is, that you know where this is going to lead, but you just can’t help yourself and you still read it.
rnmontgomery over 11 years ago
I’m voting for Thaves of Frank and Earnest – he faithfully out-puns the cartoonists.
edclectic over 11 years ago
“Slow down, you move too fast…”
jtviper7 over 11 years ago
I hope it’s not a ’ At-a-boy ’ or a ’ Good Guy ’ button.
ChessPirate over 11 years ago
Maybe the worst pun ever in this strip…
dflak over 11 years ago
Well, if he’s a speed bump, then that must be a bumper sticker he has on his butt.
gocomicsmember over 11 years ago
Exactly what do plays on words have to do with being “Politically Correct” or not? Puns can be made on any subject. You need to come up with a different term than “PC” for the general disdain for puns.
dzw3030 over 11 years ago
In Texas, the state speed bump is the Armadillo. New Mexico donated a chicken to Texas to show the Armadillos you really could cross the road. :-) [now ducking thrown rocks from Texas.]
whereswayno over 11 years ago
Someone help me out! I just don’t get it. I know I’ll smh when I do, but now, I’m clueless!
Keith Messamer over 11 years ago
I thought this was a government service medal.
DGWillie over 11 years ago
In the good olde days of Pibgorn, it was “Ducks behind the couch.”
ORMouseworks over 11 years ago
Speed bump?…it’ll be more like “smashed bump” when someone comes along in some form of transportation and the turtle can’t get out of the way (think rabbit).
pschearer Premium Member over 11 years ago
Count me the third person not to see any pun.
DJJG over 11 years ago
After a consultation phone call with my linguist daughter, let me try: There is no verbal pun. Not is it exactly a visual pun (as a combination watch and dog would be a “watchdog”). It seems instead to be a kind of weak “physical” pun—a turtle simply being a speed bump. Such an amazingly weak sort of pun is probably some kind of accomplishment—a weaker one is pretty hard to imagine. And a most withering anti-prize really ups the ante. The first panel has gotta be history’s worst pun! That makes the last panel more delicious. (Except it seems a lot of us really tripped over the whole thing. I know I did.)
DJJG over 11 years ago
Typo! I meant, “Nor is it exactly a visual pun . . .” Oh, me. And humor that has to be explained can make it lose its savor—-