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For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 14, 2008
October 13, 2008
October 15, 2008
Transcript:
John: I interviewed 5 girls for Marie's job... and I think I've narrowed it down to two! One has great references, loads of experience, & is making a career of her work... Elly: And the other one? John: Looks like Shania Twain...
If the strip has been rebooted back to the late â70s, John couldnât possibly be drooling over Shania Twain, who at the time was about 15 and unknown.
I guess that although sheâs gone back in time itâs in current time. I wonder if in this reality Elly divorces him because he leaves her for his Shania Twain hygienist?
This comic strip isnât for me anymore. After youâve followed it for years and watched everyone grow up and you know who lived and who died, it just leaves you with an empty feeling when you read it now. I think she should have retired it, if she couldnât keep it current.
I agree. This anachronism actually distracted me from the punchline. As much as I disliked the comic switching back and forth between reruns and current strips over the previous year, Iâd almost rather have that back.
I like the strip; it has itâs bad days, but, no comic is 100% likeable to every person every day. And the strip is supposed to be fiction! Itâs not a political commentary! So⊠who cares if some things are a little âoffâ. And if the family is supposed to live in Canada, they may know who Shania Twain is; she started singing in bars as a teenager.
I didnât like the Shania Twain reference, either. Lynn should have used someone else from 1979. And it IS 1979 in the strip. I askedâŠ.and received an answer back at fborfw.com.
No, Susan lusting after a 15-year-old Shania Twain doesnât make john a pedophile. Pedophilia refers specifically to an attraction to pre-pubescent; 15, in normal curcumstances, is post-pubescent. There are parts of the world where the legal age of consent is under 15 (and there are statesin the US where itâs possibel for someone as young as 14 - or even 12 to be legally married).
Pretty sure the original said âSheryl Laddâ- My parents have the books, and I never checked the reference until you all pointed out that it had changed (I do know who Shania is)!
I encountered the strip late, and am enjoying getting to know the characters from when the strip was new. What do you know, Lynnâs mature work was more thoughtful and nuanced! Cut the early work some slack, folks, and appreciate how the times (and characters) have changed.
Does that make me old if I remember Anne Murray? I loved her singing. However now that John has admitted to being attracted to the one applicant, Elly will tell him to choose the other who hasnât got as much going for her, only a lot more experience!
I used to like this strip when I was a child so I thought Iâd give it a try. For the past few weeks I have been irked by the sexism in this comic strip. The stereotypical family roles the parents play; the weepy wife; the husband not understanding his wifeâs moods; blah blah blah. I am a wife, mother, full-time Childrenâs Library Associate and a part-time grad student. My husband cooks, cleans and cares for kids just as much as I do. We are a team. We understand and respect one another as equals. I think itâs time to bring this comic into the current decade. Even if I didnât work and just stayed home with my kids (I would have loved to if finances permitted it) my husband and I would still be equal partners to be viewed as rational and intelligent people. I think I might take this strip off of my RSS feeder.
I donât care for any of the comics that arenât currently written. Outside of Peanuts, all the comics that arenât being written anymore should move out of the way for new artists to make their money
Yep, that reference took me back a bit too! If she is going to have this in the 80âs, then it should be. Keep in mind she didnât start till 1979, so this is probably about 1985âŠseeing as how Michael is not yet in school. Donât be too hard on Elly, a stay at home mom does her part and the working man does his. That was the way it was in that time. Most of us who are reading this comic have seen our 50th birthday, so we would have remembered Ann MurryâŠor perhaps Victoria Principle or some other hotty from that time. Keep it real Lynn!
Heâs not a womanizer but he is a man - thatâs not slobber, itâs SWEAT (note the grab at the collar and the ellipses before and after his statement). I think heâs saying it and realizing - too late - the effect itâs going to have on his young wife.
Put me in with the group that is going to stop reading this comic. I thought Iâd enjoy seeing the old strips again, but they do nothing for me. I, too, enjoyed watching everyone grow up and grow older. Itâs hard to watch them start all over again, with 1970s values.
I wish all of you who donât like this strip would stop reading it so I donât irritated by your comments!
Donât forget this years motto. âWE NEED A CHANGE!â âITâS TIME FOR A CHANGE!â
This is a nice change and if you donât like this, then you sure wonât like the new president in another few weeks!
Coffee-Turtle says:
ânever pegged John as a womanizer?? isnât it out of character?â
Â
Considering how the real-life marriage that the strip is based on ultimately endedâŠ
The original did say Cheryl Ladd. The comic is in the book Iâve got the one more washload blues page 33. I have no idea who she is by the way. I was a year or two old when this strip came out.
As to John being a womanizer. No he is not. Also this is not out of character. He is like the majority of Heterosexual males, he likes looking at attractive woman. If you look at every comic where they go to the beach on vacation its implied that he oogles women.
Cheryl Ladd was one of âCharlieâs Angelsâ - she replaced Farrah Fawcett. And she was and is still gorgeous. The change to Shania is actually a logical choice, as far as reader effect goes. Better to have a few readers jarred by the Shania anachronism then a larger number of readers wondering who Cheryl Ladd is.
Of course, many younger readers may not recognize the name Shania Twain either, as sheâs been out of the spotlight for awhile.
I was going to write a grumpy comment thtat thereâs no way Shania Twain was the original singer in the last panel (given that the strip is re0running originals from my adolescence).
That was assuming I knew all about Twainâs U.S. career. It turns out her native Canadian career started in the early â80s, and I wondered if the strip originally referred to her given name Eilleen Twain:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShaniaTwain#Earlyyears
OK, Coffee-Turtle, heâs not womanizing. If he were womanizing, he wouldnât tell his wife! I feel heâs just being honest about the fact that his other choice is very beautiful. Thatâs being a man, when you can share that with your wife and not pretend it doesnât exist, and at the same time, that itâs not going to affect your real love. Itâs just appreciating, folks, itâs not sexâŠ
dsped over 16 years ago
If the strip has been rebooted back to the late â70s, John couldnât possibly be drooling over Shania Twain, who at the time was about 15 and unknown.
ebutts422 over 16 years ago
I guess that although sheâs gone back in time itâs in current time. I wonder if in this reality Elly divorces him because he leaves her for his Shania Twain hygienist?
fairportfan over 16 years ago
I may stop collecting this stripâŠ
USVet over 16 years ago
This comic strip isnât for me anymore. After youâve followed it for years and watched everyone grow up and you know who lived and who died, it just leaves you with an empty feeling when you read it now. I think she should have retired it, if she couldnât keep it current.
patik over 16 years ago
I agree. This anachronism actually distracted me from the punchline. As much as I disliked the comic switching back and forth between reruns and current strips over the previous year, Iâd almost rather have that back.
Artrina over 16 years ago
Typical man; doesnât know when to stop talking!
I like the strip; it has itâs bad days, but, no comic is 100% likeable to every person every day. And the strip is supposed to be fiction! Itâs not a political commentary! So⊠who cares if some things are a little âoffâ. And if the family is supposed to live in Canada, they may know who Shania Twain is; she started singing in bars as a teenager.
rms46 over 16 years ago
Shania Twain? That Donât Impress Me Much!
summerdog86 over 16 years ago
I didnât like the Shania Twain reference, either. Lynn should have used someone else from 1979. And it IS 1979 in the strip. I askedâŠ.and received an answer back at fborfw.com.
Silverpearl over 16 years ago
And would you know who - if he had said Anne Murray?
runar over 16 years ago
No, Susan lusting after a 15-year-old Shania Twain doesnât make john a pedophile. Pedophilia refers specifically to an attraction to pre-pubescent; 15, in normal curcumstances, is post-pubescent. There are parts of the world where the legal age of consent is under 15 (and there are statesin the US where itâs possibel for someone as young as 14 - or even 12 to be legally married).
Wildmustang1262 over 16 years ago
Shania Twain? No way! If that strip looks like in 1970âs, someone else must be somewhere in Canada for Johnâs hygienist.
kathy19104 over 16 years ago
Pretty sure the original said âSheryl Laddâ- My parents have the books, and I never checked the reference until you all pointed out that it had changed (I do know who Shania is)!
mivins over 16 years ago
I encountered the strip late, and am enjoying getting to know the characters from when the strip was new. What do you know, Lynnâs mature work was more thoughtful and nuanced! Cut the early work some slack, folks, and appreciate how the times (and characters) have changed.
alondra over 16 years ago
Does that make me old if I remember Anne Murray? I loved her singing. However now that John has admitted to being attracted to the one applicant, Elly will tell him to choose the other who hasnât got as much going for her, only a lot more experience!
jfsanborn over 16 years ago
I used to like this strip when I was a child so I thought Iâd give it a try. For the past few weeks I have been irked by the sexism in this comic strip. The stereotypical family roles the parents play; the weepy wife; the husband not understanding his wifeâs moods; blah blah blah. I am a wife, mother, full-time Childrenâs Library Associate and a part-time grad student. My husband cooks, cleans and cares for kids just as much as I do. We are a team. We understand and respect one another as equals. I think itâs time to bring this comic into the current decade. Even if I didnât work and just stayed home with my kids (I would have loved to if finances permitted it) my husband and I would still be equal partners to be viewed as rational and intelligent people. I think I might take this strip off of my RSS feeder.
coffeeturtle over 16 years ago
never pegged John as a womanizer?? isnât it out of character?
Wildmustang1262 over 16 years ago
If I were in Ellyâs shoes, I will ask John which one he has to choose me or her as sexy toy lady?
keabu1 over 16 years ago
Shania Twain is from Canada too
I donât care for any of the comics that arenât currently written. Outside of Peanuts, all the comics that arenât being written anymore should move out of the way for new artists to make their money
cujosmom over 16 years ago
Yep, that reference took me back a bit too! If she is going to have this in the 80âs, then it should be. Keep in mind she didnât start till 1979, so this is probably about 1985âŠseeing as how Michael is not yet in school. Donât be too hard on Elly, a stay at home mom does her part and the working man does his. That was the way it was in that time. Most of us who are reading this comic have seen our 50th birthday, so we would have remembered Ann MurryâŠor perhaps Victoria Principle or some other hotty from that time. Keep it real Lynn!
circuit7 over 16 years ago
Heâs not a womanizer but he is a man - thatâs not slobber, itâs SWEAT (note the grab at the collar and the ellipses before and after his statement). I think heâs saying it and realizing - too late - the effect itâs going to have on his young wife.
margueritem over 16 years ago
Put me in with the group that is going to stop reading this comic. I thought Iâd enjoy seeing the old strips again, but they do nothing for me. I, too, enjoyed watching everyone grow up and grow older. Itâs hard to watch them start all over again, with 1970s values.
Daviddeer over 16 years ago
I wish all of you who donât like this strip would stop reading it so I donât irritated by your comments! Donât forget this years motto. âWE NEED A CHANGE!â âITâS TIME FOR A CHANGE!â This is a nice change and if you donât like this, then you sure wonât like the new president in another few weeks!
fairportfan over 16 years ago
Coffee-Turtle says: ânever pegged John as a womanizer?? isnât it out of character?â  Considering how the real-life marriage that the strip is based on ultimately endedâŠ
Durak Premium Member over 16 years ago
I was about 17 the first time around for this story line. Was John just as big a punk back then as he seems here? Or am I just getting old?
Wolfdreamer250 over 16 years ago
The original did say Cheryl Ladd. The comic is in the book Iâve got the one more washload blues page 33. I have no idea who she is by the way. I was a year or two old when this strip came out.
As to John being a womanizer. No he is not. Also this is not out of character. He is like the majority of Heterosexual males, he likes looking at attractive woman. If you look at every comic where they go to the beach on vacation its implied that he oogles women.
dsped over 16 years ago
Cheryl Ladd was one of âCharlieâs Angelsâ - she replaced Farrah Fawcett. And she was and is still gorgeous. The change to Shania is actually a logical choice, as far as reader effect goes. Better to have a few readers jarred by the Shania anachronism then a larger number of readers wondering who Cheryl Ladd is.
Of course, many younger readers may not recognize the name Shania Twain either, as sheâs been out of the spotlight for awhile.
bmarie40 over 16 years ago
I was going to write a grumpy comment thtat thereâs no way Shania Twain was the original singer in the last panel (given that the strip is re0running originals from my adolescence).
That was assuming I knew all about Twainâs U.S. career. It turns out her native Canadian career started in the early â80s, and I wondered if the strip originally referred to her given name Eilleen Twain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShaniaTwain#Earlyyears
tukla_ratte over 16 years ago
Well, now I know why there was such a gap between Elizabeth and April. No sex for a decade for you, John.
suncat over 16 years ago
I too feel like Iâm done reading this strip.
dalegarratt over 16 years ago
OK, Coffee-Turtle, heâs not womanizing. If he were womanizing, he wouldnât tell his wife! I feel heâs just being honest about the fact that his other choice is very beautiful. Thatâs being a man, when you can share that with your wife and not pretend it doesnât exist, and at the same time, that itâs not going to affect your real love. Itâs just appreciating, folks, itâs not sexâŠ
FrostbiteFalls over 1 year ago
The original punchline, on 12/13/79, was âlooks like Cheryl Laddâ.