Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for July 06, 2018

Vegas in August? It should only be about 150 degrees outside.

Desperately.

you, Leslie, also need some decency when outside

Let’s face it folks, Les is a real piece of work!

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I don’t think that includes the marriage.

Second card spree.

This feels familiar …

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saved_by_the_Bell:_Wedding_in_Las_Vegas

Vegas, huh? Isn’t that Al’s old “stomping grounds?” He’ll probably run into some old buds there. Hopefully none bearing a Grudge, if you get my drift. And it would be WILD if one of Al’s “Showgirl” girl friends shows up!

But I digress. Let’s Hope “Towel Boy” here doesn’t get in any trouble in Vegas and drags Gunther down WITH him. I say that because while Al and Irma are Honeymooning, Les and Gunther are going to be on their own. And a pound of freshly ground COFFEE says “Leslie” is going to talk Gunther into doing something Stupid…….,

#GUNTHERBERGERMATTERS!!!

You can’t get any more romantic than a Vegas wedding. Hey, in three years, you can all go to Vegas again for the divorce!

Hopefully Leslie will stay in Vegas!

Hopefully Elvis will officiate Hitch and Irma’s wedding. I wonder if a certain blonde with helmet hair will go as well. Maybe as a maid of honor.

Here’s a wild thought: What if next Month’s Vegas Wedding is a “Double Ring Ceremony?”

Al Marries Irma, while Tom Farrell marries Ann Eiffel!

Ha! THAT would be a Hoot!

Vegas is a promising arc. Les and Gunther are not 21, so they can’t gamble or get alcohol. But G & K have something in mind.

Les would fit perfect in Vegas.

For those who are concerned about the weather in Vegas and how smoky the casinos are, one of the other big businesses in Vegas is weddings. There are probably more independent wedding chapels than casinos. All they have to do is pick one. And yeah, there are a lot of ‘officiants’ who dress like Elvis. Or any other star you might want…

Re Vegas weddings, there was a Doonesbury rerun published in the L.A. Times a couple weeks ago. As the groom was struggling with cold feet, the couple ran to Vegas. The groom selected a cowboy chapel. As the line has to keep moving, the good ol boy performing the wedding said, “While the Best Man is finishing his steak, let’s get the vows done.” LOL.

Upon presentation of the invitation, Al is smiling and Ma Berger looks 25.

When Quilly came out at breakfast time with no shirt on, the heart on Irma’s apron increased in size. This time, the hearts all stayed the same size. Hmmm….

.

To see the strip: https://www.gocomics.com/luann/2014/7/3

Like I said Greg and his progeny, Karen, really like to throw a Fran Tarkenton (greatest Viking quarterback ever for you ignorant pups) misdirection play. People focus on the two differerent antagonists, Les and Gunther, and it turns out the story is not really about them, and it is, in that they would be the most antagonistic forced roommates ever, and lo and behold, everybody is going to Vegas, which is where Al managed a club I believe. Of course his dufus nephew has no clothes clean (Les and Vegas, hmmmm) and I bet Gunther will figure a way to win a lot of money. Again I think people are totally looking one way on the field but old Frannie is going entirely another. Try to follow the old ovoid down the field people,

There is one activity in Vegas that is not legal in the City but is readily available. In a rare moment of generosity, Les might twist Gunther’s arm and offer to spring for it. Gunther is typically fussy about stuff, but an inner voice might be yelling at him to do it. I have no idea how this episode would wind up. Of course we wouldn’t actually see anything, but we might find out the result.

This is really a great panel and very entertaining arc, but even if you hate you some Les (MD, PP, et. al) you have to laugh at the last panel, all excited, in a bath towel, suddenly to realize he has no clean clothes, and/or few clothes period. No jokes about Gunther sewing any please. Hilarity ensues.

Gunther is hoping that if Les goes to Las Vegas, Les stays in Las Vegas.

.

Didn’t Brad and TJ end up in Las Vegas one time and won a jackpot, but they were too young to be able to claim it?

I fear G & K are going to do a “Hangover” wedding arc. Ever see the three movies with Brad Cooper and Ken Jeong?

I would not have picked Mrs. Berger as a Vegas wedding kind of gal, but she seems genuinely excited about this little surprise. I guess Mr. Gray really does know his bride-to-be fairly well.

I wonder if they will meet the Morgans in a crossover.

I know what three people will do in Las Vegas. What I don’t know is what Gunther will do there. He’s too smart ot gamble, he won’t be interested in any of the shows. And, while I’m sure the the Las Vegas off the strip has museums and the like, how many of them can Gunther visit, before even he gets bored with them.

Les had better get started with his (laundry). Hopefully Gunther will keep his stand of not doing it. Let’s see.

How naïve can she be, the man is up to no good.

Okay Gentle People. For those of you that asked what could possibly go wrong with Gunther and “Towel Boy” in Vegas, here’s a Hint: From 1996. Old Smiley and Brad when Smiley talks Brad into going to Vegas. The Story actually starts about a week before, but the real plot starts here:

https://www.gocomics.com/luann/1996/07/06

Enjoy and pray for Gunther when gets there.

#GUNTHERBERGERMATTERS!!!

Be sure to say hi to Moe Greene, Mr. Gray…

One of these story lines will happen,,, Gunther will Win Big,,Les will lose Big, Les will connect to Vegas big time, Les will decide Vegas is the place for him.

IIJM, or is it just plain time that Gunther grew the heck up and moved out?

This could be almost as wild a trip as when Luann and Bernice vacationed in New York City, and they didn’t go to bed until 10:15!

Would Ma Berger care too much, if the wedding event happened in a Mirage?

“A King, A Queen, A Wild Card, And A Possible”

“(They’ve Got Me In) Their Little ‘Deuce’ Coup” (♩)

“Eat Your Heart Out….But Save Room. For A Desert!”

“1 Knot, Full Speed Ahead”

“They Call Me Mr. Grey….But You Can Call Me Al!” (♩)

“I Want My, I Want My, I Want My Empty Beach!” (♪)

“This Is Not The Last Resort”

or

“Bergers That Turn Grey”

Here’s GnK’s big chance to fulfill Gunther’s life path and make MORDY the most joyous person on the planet.

It seems he (Gunther) is an adept at card counting and builds a fortune at the Blackjack tables, taking just enough at each casino to stay below their radar. Walks over to the roulette table places the maximum wager on the red, wins, takes the money and leaves. He gives Les a hundred bucks, tells him to buy some frozen dinners and get his laundry done. Calls Tiff. Flies her to Vegas on a charter. Proposes; she accepts. They get married in the Havana room. Both fly off to Peru. Affect a rescue of Rosa from her insurgent captors. The two return home. They call Tiff’s father, tell him Tiff doesn’t need his allowance any more; that she has a new “sugar daddy,” and, Ohh! By the way! Your current squeeze is a chiseler. Then fly to Europe to work Gunther’s card magic at the continent’s casinos.

They tell GnK they won’t have Gunthie and Tiff to kick around and more and live the La dolce vita forever.

How’s that MORDY? :o)

In Vegas, of all places?! Les needs clothes?!

“Clothes?! We don’t need no stinking CLOTHES!!” (And boy … do Les’ clothes STINK!! :)

Plus, gee, doesn’t Mr. Al look SO happy?! :)

In the first panel, Irma doesn’t just almost look like Gunther, she looks exactly like Gunther.

My late uncle happened to have the skill of counting cards, and won himself a lot of money during World War II between actual duty assignments. When he returned to the states after the war, he actually spent time in Vegas to raise enough money to start a business. That was when it was very dangerous for anyone to be thought to be cheating (only the mob is allowed to break laws, nobody else). Though no one could ever prove he was counting cards, Uncle ‘Art’ was politely advised to never show his face again in most of the houses. I would imagine that, while things aren’t as wild west anymore, it would be dangerous for anyone with a system (including Gunther) to try it in Vegas…

The plot thickens… sort of.

Nothing says “class” and “intimacy” like a Vegas wedding!

I wonder if Vegas now has a chapel where the minister wears an orange wig and a red necktie.

No one else notice that the card is upside down and backwards?

I still think something from Al’s past is going to come to light in Vegas, which may throw a money-wrench on the whole shebang.

@SCHRODINGER’S DOG: I think it would be a lot funnier if famous stars who are part of Al’s past show up and come to the wedding…

Hopefully, Les will STAY in Vegas. There’s always room for another Elvis impersonator.

Al didn’t even asked Irma where she wanted to get married? This is the first she’s heard about going to Vegas for her wedding. I would hate to get married there.

good luck in vegas!

8

Although I have not commented lately, the last several days have been very INTERESTING in terms of story and plot! A few general comments:

1. The guest house…. very “funky” California design with the “indented” roof line. I like the look of it. The house itself is actually pretty darn nice on the inside too. I like it.

2. Les & Gunther…. it seems rather odd to me that Uncle Al made the (apparently) two bedroom guest house with DIFFERENT sized bedrooms… seems sort of foolish in a guest house and ESPECIALLY prone to creating drama (probably intended) in the Les-Gunther abode.

3. Les picking on and goading Gunther…. annoying…. but expected.

4. Les in the towel & shoes & socks combo…. odd and strange as many have commented. He will (likely) have to take off his shoes and socks to actually dress at some point.

5. Wedding in Las Vegas….. to my mind, unless you live in Las Vegas…. Vegas weddings suggest to me 1) Renewal of vows vacation destinations, 2) Quickie marriages that typically are doomed to failure, or 3) Tacky weddings by folks who love all things “tacky”. Ma Berger and Al do not seem the “love tacky” sort. Al seems like he could be in for “Quickie” marriage if he has some sinister scheme of sort now that we know he has some underhanded ways. But, if Al is actually Gunther’s biological Dad… perhaps this could be a relationship reveal and renewal arc.

6. I hope that Gunther stays focused and does not become irate about the August wedding date.

That last panel always reminds me of that movie, A Fish Called Wanda where the guy went around sniffing his arm pits just like Les is doing.

I know the Bergers are poor but IMO Mrs. Berger seems overly excited about going to Vegas. (Heck, in California retiree bus excursions go there all the time.) Couldn’t Mr. Gray have suggested Barbados or Paris? He certainly has the funds. (I do wonder, as do others, whether some of his shadier business associates may make an appearance during the Vegas trip.)

“Conspiracy Idea:”

The card seems to say, “What love happens in Vegas stays in Vegas in my heart.”

While I had to predict the last few words…. if the above is what is being said…. perhaps it is secretly cluing us in on the ultimate demise of the attempt at marriage…. or that the marriage will begin to unravel immediately upon returning back to Pitt?

While in my mind, I tend to doubt Greg would pursue this route…. it is interesting to speculate on it.

I am still hoping for the “shocker” that Uncle Al is actually Gunther’s biological Father.

@PIPE TOBACCO: I really hope you’re wrong; the idea that Al Gray is actually Gunther’s bio father puts my teeth on edge. If we need a ‘shocker’ (and I’m not sure we do), I’d rather have Gunther’s bio father show up at Al and Irma’s wedding to object to the two of them being ‘joined in matrimony’ because he (bio Dad) and Irma never got a divorce. He just ran off to play in a band in Vegas, say, and never returned…

Mr. Gray likes women of substance. And he can not lie. LOL! Sorry just had to let it out. Anyways, this whole Gunther/Les roommate thing is ripe fodder for a lot of odd couple shenanigans.

Wait, why is Leslie wearing shoes and socks with a towel?

Al has terse itemized answers for Gunther’s terse itemized questions. Gunth may not be keen on going (certainly he doesn’t want to share a hotel room with Les) but he won’t leave his mom in the company of Les and Al given her cloud 9 state. To Al’s credit, he’s looking at it as family affair (to which Ann is not invited), something he’s never had. Still, Al has business connections in Vegas. Are they related to this trip?

Wife and I were in The Golden Nugget Casino downtown one August when they had a power failure. Only lasted about 30-45 minutes…just starting to get warm. Wife had just put a $20 into a quarter slot machine and refused to leave until the power came back on and she got her money back. She wasn’t the only one…several people were doing the same thing.

Irma’s card must be Japanese, as it appears to be backwards with the front page last.

Either Les quickly learns how to do his own laundry … or perhaps his future step-mom might lend him a dress.

Oh baby is this going to be a hellva wedding

A more down to earth explanation: Al has business colleagues and friends in Vegas whom he has invited to the wedding. They previously placed bets that Al would never get married.

It’ll be hot there. I’ve often said that now that they have a hockey team it doesn’t matter how bad the team is they’ll be popular anyways because of the ac.

Oh boy, oh boy! August wedding! It’s on! Vegas is where Al is most at home, It seems. Allons-y!

Fittingly, I got an email earlier today that a widower-friend my age (decidedly senior!) is getting married in a week on Friday the 13th….

I thought at least ONE commentator would mention the OTHER cartoon wedding (from Rex Morgan MD) that’s expected to take place in Vegas.

Been a long time since Vegas for us, but if it still has a Circus-Circus, that would be the perfect spot for this group of clowns.

…then do your laundry