Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for February 19, 2010

when people ask me if i watch reality tv, i always reply “of course i do , the original reality tv show, professional wrestling.”

It’s funny though, that WWF (I refuse to use the new name lol) has tougher drug standards than the real sports lol

Yup. I’ve said it before, will way it again - Trudeau has a lot to say about the military, none of it good or particularly well informed. Hard to believe this guy has a Pulitzer.

Really? He seems to get soldiers to me. And I find him always respectful.

HEY FBJSR! GBT has some fine soldier characters, to include LT BD, SGT RAY. The “professor” and Toggle!

You are correct Potrzebie. And don’t forget the vet at the VA center working as a counselor (forget his name). He is definitely one upright soldier.

Dude is not stupid. He’s an innocent who believed all the hype from t.v. childhood to recruitment center. He’s an innocent lamb-to-the-slaughter.

Professional wrestling: Ballet for the common man.

I learned that Professional Wrestling wasn’t real when I noticed that Vegas books didn’t take bets on it. I was about eight.

Dude is a product of the Bush’ unfunded “no child left behind”

“It’s funny though, that WWF (I refuse to use the new name lol) has tougher drug standards than the real sports lol”

–it’s funny that you believe that, anyway.

They usually do about a two hour long show and than many more hours signing autographs.

My first USO show was the Redskin Cheerleaders. An organizer told the girls their time was up, and the girls told him they would stay until every soldier was through the line.

I was impresssed!

Sunshipballoons, they have actually suspended and fired “wrestlers” for substance abuse. You don’t see that in the real sports.

Though I know they came up with the policy more out of a PR angle rather than because they care about people lol

The wrestlers seem to be a lot cooler than pro athletes anyway. I’ve met quite a few of each.

It’s Zero from “Beetle Bailey”!

My God, the wind from Tulsa blows and blows - this is a college graduate?

“Sunshipballoons, they have actually suspended and fired “wrestlers” for substance abuse. You don’t see that in the real sports”

–nope. In 2007, in response to congressional pressure, WWE suspended 10 guys for doing business with a pharmacy that was under federal investigation. WWE has never suspended any wrestler for failing a drug test or refusing to take one. Unlike MLB, NFL, NBA (and I think NHL), which have all suspended players for failing drug tests.

In Aug of ‘08, 37 were suspended for wellness policy violations. Rob Van Damme (very popular at the time) was fired for his pot use. Jeff Hardy is again under suspension, Brian Christopher was fired in the late 90’s for getting caught with pot crossing the Canadian border, Eddie Guerrero was fired before being rehired for his substance abuse.

Sorry, but with the steroid scandals in MLB, I just can’t take much faith in their drug policy lol. And yes, I’m sure the WWE’s isn’t perfect either lol.

But wrestling’s still fun to watch. It’s soap operas for men lol

hmm, didn’t know about the 2008 suspensions. I stand corrected.

Dude is an icon for the “19 and bulletproof” who feed the machine (once called ‘cannon-fodder’).

Naive about the ugly politics and economics driving the wars, assured of his own ability by the trainers, probably (in this economic climate back home) in nearly the only job available.

He probably won’t get hip to reality until he gets out, *if* he survives his tour. G’Bless Him and his brothers, but he’s gonna be disappointed when he finds out.

Wow, what’s worse: the dude who believes it’s real or the stooge who knows it isn’t but watches anyway?

Maybe Dude’ll be part of a longer story line and we’ll find out just what the deal is.

There really needs to be another panel between panels 3 and 4 where Crisis is just looking at Dude with one of those “Are you kidding me?” looks.

Joe Doty - You didnt say, the other guy was Tweedle Dee, right?

he got his pulitzer the same way that obummer obtained his nobel, BS!!!

@Joe, speaking of wrestlers who were supposed to be arch-enemies, that’s only supposed to be in their professional life. This happens all the time. For example, politicians who attack each other up, down, and sideways may be good friends in their private life. It’s not wrong, just a fact of life.

@freeholder1, as someone said, it’s ballet! and it definitely requires a great deal of skill. they do the same in chop-sock movies, after all.