Not always. Its meaning changes depending on context and intonation. Besides, North Carolina is right next to South Carolina. Not like West Virginia, which is so so far away from East Virginia that you can’t see it with the Hubble telescope. Or New Jersey… where the F**K is the old one???? (It’s a joke. I know where it is.)
It angers me that people believe that"Bless your heart" is an insult… because I know better. I’m familiar with the southern culture where people say that and mean it. The saying is used in small southern towns where everyone goes to church on Sunday and actually pray for their neighbors and other members of the community. It’s northerners that need to be more kind to one another.
For those who may be interested, there’s a book titled “How the States Got Their Shapes” by Mark Stein (2008) that answers all the important questions like why Maryland has that skinny little midsection, why Delaware has an arc for a northwest border, and why Oklahoma has a skinny panhandle that looks like it should be part of Texas.
When I lived in MS, AL, and TN, “Bless your heart” could be used as a sympathetic comment and it could be used as sarcasm. Usually depended on the tone and inflection + the person to whom one was referring.
Another saying was I’m so proud for you… when I had gotten over my flu.
I remember many years ago reading a true story in readers digest about someone who wanted to mail a package to New Mexico, and the postal worker said international mail was gonna cost more. After some discussion, they actually had to pull out a road atlas to prove to the United States postal worker that New Mexico was indeed one of the United States!!!
back in The Roaring 20’s, Alexander Woollcott,a famous theatre and literary critic with a huge ego, was autographing his books and said—“What could be rarer than one of my first editions?”
To which a rival author quickly replied—“One of your second editions”
Jimmy Carter’s mother, Miss Lillian (yes, she was married), was being interviewed just after he’d said that he would never lie to the American people, and the interviewer asked if he’d ever told a lie. Miss Lillian said that he’d probably told a few white lies. The interviewer jumped on this— what was a white lie? Give her an example of a white lie! “Well, do you remember when you came in, and I said how good you looked and how happy I was to see you?” That’s a southern lady blessing someone’s heart.
Yep. We do believe in being polite. Even or maybe especially when we are actually wondering how could Anyone be so stupid/ignorant/insensitive or just plamb dumb.
It is a polite was of putting someone down. Although the true meaning has spread a lot these days. It was meant for the simple souls like Pig, where actually insulting them would be cruel, but something had to be said.
Sir Davecelot 11 months ago
I am southern, and yes, it does mean that.
BE THIS GUY 11 months ago
She could have just said, “yup, right below it.”
BasilBruce 11 months ago
“She blessed me! And I didn’t even sneeze!”
carlsonbob 11 months ago
Nothing wrong with letting Pig feel warm and loved.
sirbadger 11 months ago
Does the Pope ever say that?
paulscon 11 months ago
It’s better than the snarky comment that rat would have made. I haven’t met many Southern girls, but those that I knew seemed nice and polite.
Concretionist 11 months ago
Well, bless my soul, ain’t he SPECIAL.
B UTTONS 11 months ago
BLESS YOUR HEART, RAT!
ronaldspence 11 months ago
Pig is geographically challenged!
cmxx 11 months ago
How did “bless your heart” come to mean “you’re a dumb@##”?
uniquename 11 months ago
She didn’t answer his question.
c001 11 months ago
And is “I would never” southern, too?
orinoco womble 11 months ago
Closely related to “Aren’t you cute!” which means "You really don’t have a freaking clue, do you?·
Cornelius Noodleman 11 months ago
Carolina spelled backwards is Anilorac.
James Wolfenstein 11 months ago
Not always. Its meaning changes depending on context and intonation. Besides, North Carolina is right next to South Carolina. Not like West Virginia, which is so so far away from East Virginia that you can’t see it with the Hubble telescope. Or New Jersey… where the F**K is the old one???? (It’s a joke. I know where it is.)
blunebottle 11 months ago
Wasn’t it Queen Victoria that used the insult: “How nice for you.”?
RLG Premium Member 11 months ago
The real question is: Who blessed Stephan and why?
wrd2255 11 months ago
Pig, stay away from anyone who gets up early to see pork belly futures.
Croc Holliday 11 months ago
Don’t worry Pig, some people can’t find the US on a map of North America.
david_42 11 months ago
You never know. I live on a Court South and the Court North is about four miles west.
TechInDallas 11 months ago
Bless yer heart is really Southern for GFYS.
paulprobujr 11 months ago
I was sure she was from Dallas.
Egrayjames 11 months ago
It angers me that people believe that"Bless your heart" is an insult… because I know better. I’m familiar with the southern culture where people say that and mean it. The saying is used in small southern towns where everyone goes to church on Sunday and actually pray for their neighbors and other members of the community. It’s northerners that need to be more kind to one another.
royq27 11 months ago
Sending the strip to all my blessed friends in the south…
oakie817 11 months ago
remember it’s @ before # except after $
Croc Holliday 11 months ago
For those who may be interested, there’s a book titled “How the States Got Their Shapes” by Mark Stein (2008) that answers all the important questions like why Maryland has that skinny little midsection, why Delaware has an arc for a northwest border, and why Oklahoma has a skinny panhandle that looks like it should be part of Texas.
Ellis97 11 months ago
Well South Carolina is right below North Carolina, so yes.
Goat from PBS 11 months ago
Southern slang, it’s fun.
larslarson 11 months ago
Everybody knows it’s just next to Oklahoma! What a dummy.
librarylady59 11 months ago
When I lived in MS, AL, and TN, “Bless your heart” could be used as a sympathetic comment and it could be used as sarcasm. Usually depended on the tone and inflection + the person to whom one was referring.
Another saying was I’m so proud for you… when I had gotten over my flu.
Richard S Russell Premium Member 11 months ago
The final comment would’ve been a little more transparent if it had used $$ instead of ##.
Zebrastripes 11 months ago
And she’ll never say, “come back now, ya hear.” Because she hates pork.
Kveldulf 11 months ago
No, Pig, South Carolina is right next to South Dakota, only one letter away. North Carolina is — oh, you get the idea.
aerotica69 11 months ago
Wait…..there’s a NEW Mexico?
Count Olaf Premium Member 11 months ago
Is it anywhere near South Dakota?
hooglah 11 months ago
In Texas it means, “Kiss my a $ $”.
betsypoe 11 months ago
… and FU too Debbie.
el_eye 11 months ago
I believe there is a song called: “Just a little bit south of North Carolina.”
John Jorgensen 11 months ago
Just a little south of it, in fact.
Cameron1988 Premium Member 11 months ago
Debbie has no personality. She has the same exact expression in three different panels
WCraft Premium Member 11 months ago
How about that.
wildlandwaters 11 months ago
Oh man! I gotta remember that one!!
wildlandwaters 11 months ago
I remember many years ago reading a true story in readers digest about someone who wanted to mail a package to New Mexico, and the postal worker said international mail was gonna cost more. After some discussion, they actually had to pull out a road atlas to prove to the United States postal worker that New Mexico was indeed one of the United States!!!
marilynnbyerly 11 months ago
Actually, it can be meant kindly. It has many meanings according to the tone and situation. My Southern roots run deep so I know these things.
DNCoyote 11 months ago
I love the last panel :)
FireAnt_Hater 11 months ago
Arkansas is land-locked (surrounded by six states), and one can get to each of those six states by traveling due south from Arkansas.
willie_mctell 11 months ago
It’s like the joke about “fabulous.”
Aladar30 Premium Member 11 months ago
Sweet, naïve pig.
Katje 11 months ago
Awww… Bless your heart… :D
zeexenon 11 months ago
South Carolina is sexually explicit, and California is burning all documents referencing it.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 11 months ago
Nah. “Kiss My Grits” is Southern for "Dumb $%^*
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 11 months ago
Joke for Book Tour Pastis
back in The Roaring 20’s, Alexander Woollcott,a famous theatre and literary critic with a huge ego, was autographing his books and said—“What could be rarer than one of my first editions?”
To which a rival author quickly replied—“One of your second editions”
Tina Rhea Premium Member 11 months ago
Jimmy Carter’s mother, Miss Lillian (yes, she was married), was being interviewed just after he’d said that he would never lie to the American people, and the interviewer asked if he’d ever told a lie. Miss Lillian said that he’d probably told a few white lies. The interviewer jumped on this— what was a white lie? Give her an example of a white lie! “Well, do you remember when you came in, and I said how good you looked and how happy I was to see you?” That’s a southern lady blessing someone’s heart.
rick92040 11 months ago
If someone blessed me like that I would bless them back.
Curiosity Premium Member 11 months ago
Yep. We do believe in being polite. Even or maybe especially when we are actually wondering how could Anyone be so stupid/ignorant/insensitive or just plamb dumb.
eddi-TBH 11 months ago
It is a polite was of putting someone down. Although the true meaning has spread a lot these days. It was meant for the simple souls like Pig, where actually insulting them would be cruel, but something had to be said.
Gary Elmore 11 months ago
Pig is challenged, period!
Otis Rufus Driftwood 11 months ago
Just when I thought from my experience that Southerners weren’t that polite as we believe . . .
JoeMartinFan Premium Member 11 months ago
To make it even more patronizing, say “Aww, bless your lil’ heart.”