Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for March 09, 2024

Hurrah for Bernice, the bestest, smartest, bossiest, piece of doggie doo Luann has ever known. Now that Karen has congratulated herself can we have a REAL story?

Luann, should have just stop, with great advice, but as always, Luann takes it a step to far.

I’m glad to see that Luann was allowed to acknowledge that her ‘friend’ is often less than friendly. Why should Luann or anyone be subjected to sarcasm all the time?

maybe listen and learn Bern…

OMG, too funny!

Ta Da! I think we’ve actually reached the end of this arc.

Truth on both sides…Bernice is quick to puncture Luann’s more self-serving or unrealistic statements but is harsher than necessary in the way she puts her reality checks. Nice to see their friendship maybe growing and changing to be more mature and insightful…

Will Monday be a million an two?

SIGH!! Bernice has turned from feeling sorry for Piro to feeling sorry for herself. Big step backwards!

I hope this strip starts a new arc on Monday.

Hallelujah! The arc is finally over!

So what has been going on with Tiff and friends?

Did someone’s dream come true, and she ran away and eloped with Gunther? ;)

I know that’s a lot of people’s nightmare, too. LOL

Great punchline.

Yes. I hope it was a legitimate question and not just begging for validation.

Luann, I don’t actually want to improve, I just want you to tell me I’m awesome.

Offhand, all I can recall is Bernice raining on Luann’s parade.

Umm, Luann… When’s the last time you’ve ever listened to any of Bernice’s advice?

nicely played

Ahhhh Luann, you hair color is coming through again.

Luann, can’t you see that Bernice isn’t really trying to help you? She’s just putting you down to build herself up and feel superior to you.

And y’all say Luann is clueless. Come on, Bernice, listen to her.

Berniece, just because you can say something doesn’t necessarily mean you should say something.

Even when she promised Piro to say nothing, Bernice already doubted herself. There are various clues that it would be better for her to do an archive job or to be an accountant, the test she took with Mrs Fogarty, the university results which don’t seem to be very good. I can see why Luann is encouraging her BFF and it’s very sweet of her. But maybe it would be better if she was more Bernice with Bernice, telling her that being a psychologist isn’t for her. At least she took the satisfaction of remember her about the unpleasant attitude she always has speaking to her.

And now you know, Bernice.

WOO HOO!!!! On to Monday!

So, this week, following the week with us learning more about Piro’s situation (very interesting and of course sad)…. this week has been an exploration of the Luann & Bernice dynamic. To me there have been several takeaways:

1. It seems very likely this week’s panels were designed by Greg & Karen to address the anti-Luann and anti-Bernice rancor that some folks here have as their primary focus.

2. It also (to me) shows precisely that Greg and Karen want US to see that Luann and Bernice are BOTH great characters and that the extreme “hate” pile-ons that some folks seem incapable of moving beyond are unwarranted.

3. IMO both Luann and Bernice are GREAT characters….. both are kind and thoughtful (albeit in different ways), both try to do good things (to varying degrees of success), and both have some flaws (realistic, for we all do).

Luann and Bernice represent a continuum line of behavior. Luann may be a bit more unfocused and a bit less goal oriented and Bernice may be bit too tightly wound so that she can be over-the-top at times….. but both are kind, both are interesting, both are enjoyable, and both are realistic.

See, now, deep down, they really get each other. Don’t judge by surface appearances. [dodging bricks]

But… but… Bernice LIKES being a bossy, snarky know-it-all! You’re not going to take that away from her, are you?

I’m surprised Luann isn’t obsessed. “What did Piro say about me? What did Piro say about me? TELL ME”

“Bern, you can’t handle the truth!”

This Arc may actually be leading up to Luann actually taking Bernie’s advice.

We all gave bossy, snarky advice like know-it-alls when we were young.

I can almost hear the unanimous FINALLY!

Bernice doesn’t give advice, she gives opinions. And opinions are like a*sholes, everybody has one. Unless she plans to make a living as a social media poster, she needs to learn the difference.

Evidently Bernice can dish it out, but she can’t take it. Luann’s criticism is valid. Bernice’s attitude is condescending, a bad trait for a therapist.

Luann should add it’s her own fault she never took it

Tough pill to swallow, eh Bernice?

Bernice needed to hear that part in the 2nd panel.

And we have a glimmer of adult awareness from Luann!!! Mark this day on your calendar! I’m rooting for you, Lu!!

THis may be a useful lesson for Bern, and maybe G+K consider Saturday a throwaway strip, but have we lost the issue here… how to help Piro without violating his trust?

listening is one thing. Hearing is another…

There was a time when I dated a number of 22-year-old women. I learned that many of them just liked the sound of good advice. :)

Bern and Lu are BFF"s forever. LuAnn is stating that in panel 3. “One in a million.”. Pretty clear to thoze who don’t focus on hating (or liking). a particular character.

Snarky know it all fits very nicely.

What Luann should have said:

“Have you ALWAYS done it with a bossy, NASTY know-it-all attitude? Yes!”

Much more accurate.

Nice save.

At last. Some growth in maturity for both.

On a side note, congrats to Kevin Fagan on 45 years of Drabble! Did not expect this one to be one of the longer term strips. Used to read it when it came to my local big-city paper late 70s or early 80s when the gags were all Norman and Wendy.

As a supposed friend, Bernice, not as a supposed professional. To misquote an old ad line “You’ve got a long way to go, Bernice.”

She just passed the million threshold.

WHATAGURL

They both have a point. This would be a good time to adjourn for the pub if they were just a couple of years older.

Gotta take the bad with the good.

Sometimes when these rattletraps talk so much, I can appreciate Greg’s visit to the silent movie concept.

Would it be a betrayal to Piro if she just tells Luann to back off of him for a while? What he really needs right now is for things to go back to them just being friends instead of her AND Tara trying to “fix” him? I can’t remember if it was Luann or Bern that found out that he was in therapy, so he doesn’t need a second, third, and fourth one. Unless he specifically reaches out, they should just let the poor boy alone. I understand Tara is trying to connect with her cousin, but she needs to stop with the thrill seeking or making every moment an adventure and just get to know her cousin outside of the rumors started by the family.

Gaahhhh! A therapist’s job is not “to give advice” ! Help clients explore pros and cons of choices, sure but not advice giving.

A teeny bit of humility for bernice—-okay,that always helps,rare as it might be….

That has long been what has bugged me about Bernice. She bills herself as an insightful friend who gives Luann much needed reality checks, but she has such a know it all attitude that she comes off as thinking herself superior to Luann and everyone else.