Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 30, 2018

Shakedown, breakdown, takedown. Everybody wants into the crowded line.

You’re taking astounding notes to Tiffany’s problem, Mrs. Fogarty.

Poor Tiff might end up crying those last few extra pounds away. ✨

So, nothing about the phony lingerie. Just upset that daddy is still dating (marrying?) Ann.

High tide on the mascara…

And there’s nothing she can do about it! Daddy’s gonna have to learn his lesson on his own.

OK, now I am confused. I can’t imagine any professional counselor in private practice, or for that matter, a counselor working at the college or university level, referring to herself as “Mrs. (Anything).” Their listing would include their first and last name. Plus, any private practice counselor, male or female, would include a first name in a listing, and include at least some license or credential information beneath her name. So am I to assume that Mrs. Fogarty is still associated with the high school? And seeing her professional patients in her high school office?

And while I’m ranting… Mrs. Fogarty sure must write big!

Major break down may be right. Without that makeup to hold her together, Tiffany could fall apart.

I was almost convinced that this counselor was helping, until she said that dumb thing about filling two jumbo notepads…

Remembering that Mrs. Fogarty is a plot device, I think this weird therapy/counseling session will bear some fruit, what particular fruit, bitter or sweet, or bittersweet, we don’t know yet. But my money and hope is on Tiffany, although it won’t go in a way we can easily predict. As Orange head likes to say, W’ell see.

I pity Tiffany. I’ve seen families where EVERYONE DESPISED mom or dad’s (pick one) new love interest. Did it change anything? Not one bit except to drive the family apart and the new “couple” closer together. Was the new love disloyal, abusive and disgusting? you bet. But even when the authorities ultimately intervened, it only made the (abused) parent more defensive of the new significant other and resentful of the children for such a “betrayal”. It’s sick but that’s what happens. This goes on FOR YEARS. Suck it up girl; Anne’s giving Dad something he wants / needs and nothing you can say or do is gonna change it. Move on with your life.

why is Mrs. Fogarty taking notes anyways??

I see Ms Phelps/Mrs Fogarty is still an absolutely awful counselor. Way to make this about you, lady.

Tiff your dad found a way to get you out of the way and she in her second book of taking notes i did not think you had that many problems except one Ann!!!

What I suspect, Tiffany, is you had interfered with your dad’s past relationships due to jealousy that by the time he started dating Ann, you were doing it again, in his eyes, and he was not going to let you do it again. So he took half of your allowance and sent you to see Mrs. Fogarty. I suspect the Ann Showdown was all in your own making over the years. Let it go and watch Ann drain his accounts and disappear. He gotta learn from his mistakes, just like you do. He gotta learn that he needs to vet his women.

I enjoy the way that the Evans are using the therapy sessions as a way to move the plot along. Hey, therapist appointment serve different functions in a story than in real life — though in response to one recent comment, anyone like Mrs. Fogerty who is worth her salt knows that there are both negligent or abusive parents who misuse offspring getting help with the lame excuse, “now we know know you are crazy so it is not my fault”.

It has to be hard to tackle stories where so much disappears from view. It’s rather like having ground cover, isn’t it? The ground cover can be pretty and have it’s own tales to tell, even have scent or flowers, but there is an entire active world moving below its surface. This session is parting the leaves.

Today I really appreciate how Mr’s Fogerty says a very real thing, that Tiffany has had a major break-through, and how that then leads seamlessly into the joke.

After more than one filled up notepad, Tiffany was overdue for a breakthrough!

Oh, Tiffany, Ann Eiffel’s an angel alright…Satan’s Angel.

I would love to see her mom make an appearance one day.

Tiffany is still behaving as an island. This can’t be a one week arc. NEXT week Tiff might start to talk about what she did rather than what she wants. And Mrs. Fogarty could redeem herself as being useful if she starts to ask the right questions.

Tiffany: I got a refund for my friends.

Fogarty: Wasn’t Les with you. Why are you not saying “We” got refunds?

And then she could ask Tiff the killer question:

Why did you do everything on your own?

Very sad that Tiffany clearly isn’t going to get the help she really needs.

If we ignore a few out of kilter details, we learn that Tiff, for the first time, is able to talk about some personal pain, rather than burying it under faux cheer. I think the notebook thing is the Evanses trying to be funny rather than suggesting Mrs. Fogarty’s lack of professionalism. How many 19 year olds are honest about their pain?

Ann chose the therapist?

one woman’s breakthrough is the other’s breakdown.

This feels really bizarre. The juxtaposition of a weeping girl with a serious problem and counselor rejoicing over a triviality is so jarring I don’t even know what the make of it.

That does it… I’m sick of her father being s jerk. I’m going to figure out how to turn myself into a cartoon and enter her world, track her father down and set him straight. Then I’m going to LuAnns art class… you know… in case there’s a nude girl model. That could be hot…

Good to gradually discover that Tiffany is actually human.

Just play the long game, Tiffany.

Folks, part of being a Counselor is being a Good “Listener.” And so far, Tiffany has told her plight to MRS Phelps, Les, Dez, Bernice and Gunther. And of the five, Gunther is the only one (so far) that made Tiff feel a little better after talking. And He did it for free.

That said, Phelps IS helping by listening. But at the end of the arc, what advise could Phelps give Tiffany other than that She should believe in HERSELF, get on with her life, and stop depending on others, namely her father?

We could soon see a Tiffany that drops out of college and get a regular job….,

Hasn’t Tiffany discovered water-proof mascara by now?!

It seems like the Evanses can’t make up their minds who Phelps/Fogarty is. The marriage could suggest that time has progressed and Fogarty has advanced her career to private practice. Then they have her behaving like the old high school cartoon. High drama and gag-a-day. The balancing act isn’t quite working yet.

“A Stationery Front”

“It’s Note What You Think”

“Caught Shorthand-ed”

“Paper View”

“Who’s A Freud, Of Virginia Woolfe?”

“Problems, Problems, All Day Long” (♩)

“Forever Jung” (♬)

or

“A Pen For Your Thoughts”

Aah, counselling. One of those lines, apart from exterminators, where “more bad is ‘good’, for you to do your job right”…..

“Dear Penthouse, you won’t believe what happened in therapy today…” ;-)

At the risk of sounding cold-hearted, perhaps Tiffany should just cut ties with her father. If he’s not going to listen to her and see Ann for what she really is, then he deserves to find out the hard way that his daughter was right all along.

I hope Tiffany has informed Simone of Souffle Lingerie about Ann’s scam. Simone needs to launch an investigation to see about suing Ann Eiffel. Chances are Ann will need Mr. Farrell’s money to deal with the lawsuit.

And Tiffany should just focus on her own future. Tiffany is a smart young woman. All she needs is a job she enjoys doing, and she won’t have to depend on her father holding any allowance over her head. When and if Daddy Dearest come to his senses, and see his daughter is doing okay without him, he’ll be sorry he lost her.

LUANN1212 nailed it, above. Folks! She’s not a “counselor” in Luannverse. She’s “Mrs. Forgety The Counselor!” A plot device. A caricature needed to fulfill a role or niche. GnC have moved her forward in Luannverse to fill that niche, post high school.

Quit panning it. Sit back and watch the pretty lights. This is going somewhere.

Personally with the issues Tiffany was dealing with, therapy was best for her. However, I do think its messed up that her dad would rather believe his girlfriend over his own daughter. Thats just…gosh I can’t even figure out the right word for it. But don’t worry Tiff, Ann is gonna get whats coming to her.

@JAYBLUE ‘’Forever Jung" (♬)’

Tiff is an Archetype of a Freudian slip of a girl. :o)

I just realized Ann’s name is pronounced NFL… What do G and K have against football?

Tiff, the next time you have an issue, do us a favor: please for the love of God, leave the mascara at home! The late Tammy Faye Baker cried with less make-up than that!

To those who malign Mrs. Fogarty I say give her a break. This is a comic strip; she’s just remarking (in a comic way) about the volume of emotion and information suddenly coming out of Tiff, who up until now was encased in a fortress of her own construction. You can’t help someone unless they open up. I give credit to Fogarty for being a listener and letting Tiff come out on her own. The only other person Tiff has opened up to is Gunther.

Tiffany, you need some TLC…………take it from me.

Well, good on Tiff for justifying Mrs. Fogerties job and giving her somone to fix the same way you gave luann someone to hate. Focus on your own wants, girl. I’m kind of surprised Tiff hasnt hit on the one thing that might work to get dads attention at this point and be a hell of a lot more fun then counseling/moping. Namely, take daddys credit card and the an all out rip the floors out blow the doors out dorm party and make some friends. He cares about money, not you, so rack them bills up. If daddy calls you out on it, you have his attention, let him know how you feel. If he just pays it off, you know his attitude toward college education (have fun & party time!) and can go have fun on your own. I kind of doubt Tiff is as rich as people think or she wouldn’t be moping around Pitsville like this.

So, when did Miss Phelps marry Mr. Fogarty?

As with all head doctors, shrinks, therapists, et al., the “patient” does all the work while the “professional” listens and facilitates. Only Tiffany can help Tiffany solve this issue, and Mrs. Fogarty (formerly Ms. Phelps) is just there to keep the Jumbo Notebooks Co. in business….

Who is this girl, and what has she done with the real Tiffany?

This isnt about the “Jon Arbuckle drinks dog semen” thing is it