Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for October 17, 2019

phishing vs. fishing… uh-huh

Many here predicted this ages ago. ✨

Once again, Bets is the voice of reason and common sense.

Mordy, is this the intro to Les pushing for a live-in arrangement?

I do like the way that both Gunther and Leslie are in immediate agreement that it would be ridiculous for someone to live with Tiffany.

The guys do know Tiffany fairly well! But Bets is right, and who knows… the new Tiffany, newly aware of financial realities, might just be amenable to moving into a double room. But please, please have her moving into a shared room in the dorm, or moving in with Bets. Please don’t have her move in with Les and Gunther!

Just about the time I start to feel a twinge of hope for Les (a kitten cracks his tough-guy facade), he yanks himself back down into the mire. (For those unfamiliar, “phishing” is an internet scam to con the unsuspecting into revealing their passwords, credit card number or other private information.)

In the house they live in, won’t they have an extra room that Tiffany can use?

Far from thinking it is ridiculous for Tiff to have roommates, Lester Molester has his eyebrows up because he is certain they will all be hot and, of course, in awe of him…

Hey guys, why is Tiffany any different from the tens of thousands of coeds who have to share dorm room space?

Now Look at THIS.

Les Knox IMMEDIATELY and predictably comes up with a “solution” that is unethical and illegal.

While Gunther thinks Les meant actual “Fishing,” an honest mistake. Now guess which guy is gonna get criticized the most here, today. Gunther, that’s “who.” Oh, look. It’s already started. ;).

But one SHOULD ask, Why is Les so “surprised?” Wasn’t he the one who suggested that Tiffany move IN with him, a few months ago?

Enough. Now, what is Bets ultimate resolution?

1) Tiffany moves in with Gunther and Les causing continued chaos?

2) Tiffany moves in with Bets and possibly other roommates?

3) Tiffany moves in with new people, possibly off campus?

4) Tiffany moves back home with her dad.

5) Tiffany moves in with ladies we know? Tara Starr? Dez & Bernice, Perhaps?

I’m thinking #2, although I’d be shocked if it happened. #1 would be the worse case scenario, IMHO. ;)

You offering, Bets?

What am I missing here? Smart, socially adept, hard working, caring with common sense, grounded, focused, self confident good looking, with Gunther? I don’t get it.

Les and Gunther stop shooting down every logical thing Bets says.

“Les Knox IMMEDIATELY and predictably comes up with a “solution” that is unethical and illegal.”He is still a work in progress. I refuse to paint him as the great SATAN.

Two phishing boats passing in the night.

Bets really is dating beneath herself here. After all, Gunther is outdoing himself in awfulness this week. Yeah, Tiffany’s not really the roommate type; so what though?!? When people fall on hard times they gotta learn to adapt. That’s just how life is.

Gunther needs to stop channeling his inner Bernice and try to contribute something useful.

I really hope GnK keep this strip PG rated and will NOT put Tiffany in as the roomie of two guys who are not related to her, one of which is lusting after her – the one who might become a stepbrother. Nope, please. Put her in with Bets or with Bernice and Dez in the dorm or better yet in with a stranger at the dorm and run wild with new arcs.

She’s gonna move in with Gunther and Les, I can see it now.

I won’t predict what will happen but my hope for Les has been seriously compromised with his first instinct to suggest a criminal activity that he knows about, the absolute resort of a grifter’s son, unfortunately. Of course Gunther is clueless, as per usual, unfortunately, but both come to the same dumb conclusion of an obvious solution by Bets. How does she put up with a proto-criminal, and clueless twit (don’t get exercised MD, he has a good side) I don’t know. I guess she likes Gun(ther) and is protective, Les? Well forgiving. But I am not predicting, but I think Bet’s point will prevail, but in what form I have no idea.

Sorry she has two to chose from , move home or share a room, but you have narrowed down her choice of room mates way to far,you might be surprised who is out there.

Les wants to set up Tiffany in the world of identity theft?

I sense Tiffany’s about to move in with the boys—

Is it my imagination, or is Leslie starting to look more nice-guy-ish and much less weasely? Something similar happened to Jack a little while ago.

Who knows? Maybe she could find someone.

I thought the phishing/fishing was a reference to the old saw “give a person a fish they will eat for a day, teach a person to fish and they will eat for a lifetime “.

Uh oh, here it comes!

Bets’ idea is good. Unfortunately, Gunther and Les’s objection is valid. Tiffany doesn’t look like a person who can easily share a room without ending up having arguments every days

The logical roommate is Bets, but then we get dry lectures on Micro Econ.

The funny situation roommates is Les and Gunther. 2 bedrooms, a couch, and Les/Gunther chaperone eachother, could work. But, Bets would veto.

My bet, Tif moves in with Bets. (or one of the other females.)

Bets is both right and wrong. Roomies is the logical answer, Tiffany is not logical. She’s impulse driven.

OK! Here it comes… Now who has space to share with Tiffany? So far there is no indication of space in the Gulag unless der boyz double up. Hard to see GnK going there. We have no idea of Bets’ living arrangement. So it would be easy for GNK to cobble up something with her. We know from August 2014 that the dorms have double occupancy rooms; Bern once roomed with Dez. That would bring Bern, Dez or perhaps someone else into play as potential roomies.

Back in 2017 Al and Irma thought Tiffany was the bombs. See: https://www.gocomics.com/luann/2017/06/08. Tiff even helped Irma in the kitchen with dessert. Al wanted no part of the guys living in the house but would he accept a “delightful Miss Farrell?” Perhaps the daughter that Irma never had??? That arc would have definite possibilities, both for Tiffany’s character development and for Al to intervene in her parental situation.

Where will GnK go???

Les’ plan makes Mordy’s insistence that Les hasn’t changed all that much seem to be prophetic. He’s never waivered.

IF she stays in college, it’s gotta be either rooming with Bern and Dez or with Viper and Sun. Those are the only established choices so far.

Bets has the right idea, but Tiff doesn’t need to move out, she needs someone else to move in. Who’s available? Bernice? Bets? With Bets and Tiff living together, Gunther would have “one stop shopping.”

Les’ true colors come out. Recommending an illegal “solution.”

Yes, Tiffany needs to share a room but how much longer will her few pieces on ebay rent that room?

Enter the 3’s company crowd.

cue the theme music: Come and knock at our door….

So … if s Tiff going to room with Les and Gun?

Interesting to see all the people referencing Three’s Company as a possible influence for this latest twist. This strip’s bold new direction is to copy a TV sitcom that aired 42 years ago?!? Of course, Gunther and Les’s situation is copied from a fifty-year-old movie…

Still, I think the idea of characters rooming together as young adults has a lot of merit. Problem is that we’re focusing on the wrong characters: what we really need to is pry Luann out of her parents’ house. She’s all settled in there like a tick, so good luck there.

You just had to trigger Les’ imagination, didn’t you?

First panel sounded a lot like a Pearls Before Swine gag.

Tiff, Piro, and Viper?

Les is probably calling Uncle Al.

This story arc will have her move in with the Degroots since Prudence will be moving away. Either that or Brad / Toni / Shannon land a house of their own and the Degroots need new renters.

(gags) Well, I guess Les’ supposed character reform just went down the tubes. Friend in trouble with finances? Easy solution… “I’ll set you up so you can start scamming other people for money. Phishing, Nigerian Prince, impersonating the IRS and demanding money, sending computer viruses, fake charities, etc. and if all else fails, there’s the ol’ pigeon drop, or you could sell small packages of mysterious substances (koff)- just don’t ask what they are. If you’re caught, your room and board and food will all be taken care of, and you’ll have plenty of time to take classes at Uncle Sam’s library.”

Looks like the guys are about to get a new roomie.

In two panels, Les manages to capture the main reasons that Mordy and I still do not trust the character: He immediately thinks of illegal enterprises for Tiffany to take up and, while we’re at it, that she should take up residence with him!

And if, by someone in the family knowing how to set up a phishing operation, Les means Al, then I add that to my own list of reasons that I still do not trust Al. But then, that comes as no surprise to those who follow my comments: I have yet to see something good in any of the Ann Clan, including Al and Les.

I still think that Gunther came home from Peru for a reason, and that reason was to stop Irma and Al from getting married. We all see how that turned out: Not only did he not prevent the marriage, but he ended up stuck as roommates with the guy who personally bullied him and his friends – and has yet to show remorse for all the evil things he had done “back in the day” (my only concession to the Les lovers out there).

And for Les lovers out there, I repeat what I have said – a lot – these last few days: A little remorse from Les would go a long way. G&K appear to want us to assume said remorse occurred “off camera” but, as we see today, there is very good reason to suspect that Les hasn’t really changed at all.

Hmmm… who’s Bets’s roommate? She and Tiff seem to get along okay and she already helping her study. Bets is entrepreneurial and Tiff wants to be soooo… Not sure exactly what the upside for Bets is though besides the cutdown in overhead of living expenses.

Is she suggesting what I think she is suggesting?

They’re a bit dense but I love them.

6

A good, albeit obvious response from Bets. Les and Gunther are skeptical…. but hell, this may really be Tiffany’s awakening moment and she truthfully starts to become her own person instead of the “spoiled rich-kid, glam-girl” she originally started out to be.

But…. I hope very much for a few caveats in this story…….

a) PLEASE, do not have Tiffany move to the Gulag.

b) PLEASE, do not have Tiffany and her roommate become the “girl version” of the already overplayed Unger/Madison concept that seems to be the primary roles for Gunther and Les these days.

c) Bets would be good as a roommate….. but is that too obvious a choice? And, at this point in the academic, unless Bets lives off campus…. she might already have the full potential occupancy in her dorm room.

d) Sadly…. it seems likely that Tiffany (at this point in the semester) would mostly have only options to live off campus. I do not think many universities will have folks in the dorm seeking to add a roomate this late after the semester has began. This also has me wondering…. if Tiffany moves out of the dorm…. would there be a penalty? And, if there is any money to return…. would it go to Tiffany or go to slimy ’ole, Tom (Cat) Ferrell?

Now…. I know this is just a pipe dream , but…. I think it would be quite interesting…. and perhaps is even “comedy ensues – ish” if this were to happen next Summer…… Luann is transfering to Mooney…. she decides to live in the dorms and takes a random roommate…. and…. so does Tiffany….. and viola…. Luann and Tiffany are paired together as roomies. Haha!

Bet’s is couching it as a business and financial solution. If Tiff is made to see it that way (i.e. good business sense) then she could be convinced. Tiff needs to start thinking this way now or else fail at any future business venture that she might want to try.

We all know we’re this is headed to

This will not End Well.

Yes, probably not either of you young men.

We all know what Lecherous Leslie is thinking and hoping.

But Bets is the better buddy bet. And what a hottie set of roomies they’d be!

The “ph” in “phishing” probably inspired by the phone hackers of old known as “Phone Phreaks.”

Maybe Tiffany can sue her father for withholding child support. Just see those headlines, “Suspected hooker and con lady siphons support money away from her mark’s daughter, who had already been abandoned by her mother.”

She needs more income/less expenses. I’m not at all surprised Less knows criminals.