Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 22, 2024

And another week worth skipping.

Looks like Wackiness is not all it’s cracked up to be! I’m surprised they continued with this arc.

We now know that Bets wants her fans more than she wants Gunther. If it makes her happy, she should go back on her social media again.

In my opinion, this all looks like its heading towards a break up between Bets and Gunther. So.. is Bets messed up?? ;)

Gunther will never be what is most important to Bets. Their relationship, like this arc has gone on too long already.

.’’’’ Yup, Gunther dump her As fast as possible, you spent quality time with her and all she could think of was her fans. She isnt there for you she wants her adoring online fans, Im sorry dude but when it comes to her life you’ll always take second place to social Media. She should of been happy to just spend time with you Gunther, even if it was just sitting infront of a fireplace napping she should of been happy to have that quality time wiht you and instead all she could think about was her fans. Time to drop her and move on and find someone who would want to be with you no matter what wither it be an action packed night or a cozy couch night in.

We’re in for another week of Dez and deep Bets introspection. Shall we hope for something to come of it? 8^ )

I think she finally figured out she’s messed up. Now does she want to drag Gunther down with her while she tries to figure herself out of will she sever the ties with him in order to find herself and heal?

Is there a place to treat social media addiction?

Cuddling around a cozy campfire is not unlike cuddling around a TV watching a series of reruns — though the latter may offer a modicum more of intellectual stimulation unless one invents one’s own stories to tell around the fire. But perhaps the fire offered a better opportunity for introspection to achieve Bets’ insight that we see in panel 3.

Take heart Bets. They say the first step in overcoming an addiction is to admit you have one.

And it could have been worse. Imagine if you had started serious cuddling, and then had these thoughts? THAT would be seriously messed up.

Are people really thinking that making a major life change like this is like taking off a jacket and casually tossing it on the couch?

She’s with one of her oldest friends, discussing and analyzing a difficult major transition in her life.

No mention of the lost income, maybe it didn’t amount to much.

Right.

Old habits die hard. Give it time. We all adapt.

No one is like this, not even people who actually have fans!

She is very much like an addict trying to break a bad habit. She very much seems to prefer Gunther. But also wants the comfort of a fan base which she has found can be very fickle. But Gunther will stand by her more than they will.

Is that some of Dez’ “special” tea?

Yes, you could say that.

Bets is a total loser.

Bets needs to get out of her business major, and transfer into a Theater major where being on a stage in front of “fans” is the expected thing.

Driving off in the middle of the day for a spontaneous trip to a campground for a campfire might seem like “wackiness” to Gunther, but Bets glories in dressing up in outlandish costumes and directing them both in livestream videos at big events — and getting compliments from fans. There might be some guy out there for whom she’d be willing to sit around a quiet campfire without anyone else’s participation, but Gunther is probably not that person. He tried. She tried. Although I want to like her character (at least formerly competent and sparky and sure of herself), I can’t see this arc lasting past a breakup.

Just don’t take your problem to Bernice. She’ll drive you right around the bend.

No “kinda” about it, sweetie.

Dez – Bets Malone storyline? Maybe more information about Bets Family?

At least that’s better than having a cozy time with her boyfriend and still missing an ex. Bets will have to work on concentrating on her relationship with Gunther. Her fans are not her friends. They proved it by how they reacted when they thought Gunther left her for Luann.

Finnnnnnaaaaaaaaaallllllly Bets admits sheeees a mess. When Gunther and her hooked up I wondered if she was more into it for the fan base than the Gunth base..

i keep saying that she needs to see a shrink.

I’ve had wackiness but never using a campfire. Looks like Gunter didnt survive th fire

Film at 11:00..

The correct term is “NUTS” Bets.

Look at it this way:

YOU constantly mooning over YOUR lost “fans” would be like Gunther constantly mooning over an ex girlfriend.

See how TOXIC that is?

Gun may need to look out for hidden webcams the next time they’re together for some “wackiness”, just sayin’.

Ok it’s official, she got issues and nothing can be done about it.

Surprised to see this continuation, but since the arc is involving Dez (the true counselor), we should see dorm life this week.

Oh Gawd, more of this?

At least the truth is out. Bets cares more for her digital “fans” than she does for the people in her life, including (and especially) Gunther

“We took my van to a campground and made a cozy campfire.” Interesting euphemism for the real activity.

No, just realizing that it was never about Gunther, it was just about having something to show your fans and get attention.

Kinda?

It’s got to be some kind of mental illness.

Are they fans or social voyeurs? Sounded like a lot of them were hating on her at the Doll-O-Ween party.

It’s more like an addiction, the endorphins she gets when she posts. Like a person who gives up smoking, you are still doing the same things, with the same people, but it doesn’t feel the same.

Now my mother was a heavy smoker, 2 1/2 packs a day. She smoked herself into a coma twice and survived a brain aneurysm. In all cases, she was off smoking for months, chemically it was out of her system, and yet, each time she went back to smoking. She died trying to roll over and the oxygen machine was still pumping away when they found her.

You can change this addiction, to any of your choice, drinking, drugs, sex, food etc. Some people can recognize it and change and others can’t. We will have to wait and see how Bets does.

Bets must have a huge complex if she wants the attention of thousands of fans.

Oh, Puleeeze!

Yes. Go away.

It’s nice to know that Bets and Gunther spent the weekend camping together. Sure, it’s sad that Bets still misses sharing her life through the media, but the good thing is that she’s talking about that, with Gunther and with her friends. She will be able to find a solution, thanks to their help or, perhaps, that of a therapist. Seeing her talk to a specialist could be a way to finally find out something about her relationship with her family. Or maybe Tiffany will advise her to go to talk with Mrs. Fogarty… That would be interesting!

When did it become “her” van?

That Gunther must be some kind of genius. He has this high energy girlfriend who loves play acting for social media and making great money. To help make her quit all that (for him) he takes her to do something “wacky” – from comfy couch tv watching to comfy woods fire watching. Brilliant!

Nah, not really. Habit is one of the most powerful things. You can feel weird about doing something without feeling pain, if you had said pain for a long time!

I thought they made a cute couple but then the social media thing became an issue. Now they dragged the storyline out to the point of tedium and I don’t care if they break up or not.

Too bad, but couples break up…

They need to find a middle ground, or some sort of compromise, or go their separate ways.

The first step in being totally free of an addiction is acknowledging there’s a problem.

Is Bets wearing medical scrubs?

She has acknowledged that she has a problem. And That’s Half The Battle.™

After living for ‘the fans’ for so long, some withdrawal is to be expected.

Not “kinda” messed up. She is TOTALLY messed up.

And we’re back to everyone being ready to just throw Bets away. Yes, that is messed up of Bets, but she’s also still in the early stages of breaking an addiction. One that she was mired in for years. The fact that she recognizes and admits the issue is good. She’s taking steps to change which will be a lot more effective and lasting than trying to just block it out cold turkey.

37 replies (as I type) this and no comments about “you know what.” This pleases the libido policeman. You have done well my children.

Bets is shallow and self-absorbed. It’s quite telling, despite seeming to be a small detail, that she always refers to her followers as “fans.”It’s understandable that Gunther, who apparently really cares for her, wants to be supportive. But there comes a point where support devolves into enablement. Without real and serious consequences, Bets will never change.

I’d suggest you seek professional help, but you’d go to group therapy and make it all about yourself. Say, not a bad idea. Why not try Dr. Hartley?

I find that when trying to quit some behavior or activity one needs to find something to put in its place to fill the void. You can’t just quit, substituting something else (that’s healthier) helps.

More messed up is right time to leave Gunner

I’ll say Bets is messed up…and if Gunther stays with her, he’ll be messed up too

I told you she’s a narcissist….

To me, this is less about their relationship than a peek at the “adoration addiction”. Bets is essentially in detox, and will occasionally have Jonesing over her addiction.

She needs to feel like a celebrity. That is her identity.

Dez has the insight and maturity Bernice would like to have. I’m not a Bernice Basher, I’m just saying…

Hope fully this topic will show the absolute idiocy of following “influencers”. Too many real people to look up to rather than follow all these wanna be’s

Just get an “Onl_fans” account, Bets! You’ll have LOADS of “friends” then!

Since when does Gunther CAMP? I guess if it’s only for a few hours, long enough to start a fire and leave, then that would pretty much sum up his “camping” abilities.

Time for a new thread !

Kinda. Poor Bets is a messd-up individual.

They went camping. That’s wacky?

She is indeed!

Sigh… Then go to your “fans” (the ones who talked bad things about you and “Gun”), Bets. NEXT!

She’s an exhibitionist.

Bets forgot to say that she and Gunther set each other ON FIRE! ;)

Well Bets you finally came to realization that you are messed up and need help.

I do like this plot, which is a change from the old bets plots, having her TRY to pull back on the social media.. but it simply is hard. It’s hard to put away instant validation. I for one stopped commenting as much because I was talking way too much. Good or bad it’s hard to trade out that instant reaction from people. It dosen’t help bets really dosen’t seem to have any actual friends through her socials or in real life. Dez likes her but they don’t seem to really hang out, she resents and mocks tiff, and Stef is less a friend and more some kind of banshee their forced to live with. It’s something I never really thought about before, as pushing people away was mostly her fault… but it’s still not plesant to not have many people you can turn to.

If this is her seriously admitting that she has a problem, there might be hope for her.

It looks like the patented Luann Method is in full effect:

1. Start out by introducing a new character who is confident, interesting, and maybe a little bit misguided.

2. Slowly transform them into an insecure, predictable, and boring dullard.

Kinda? Let’s try really messed up. Why can’t Gunny see through this? … Oh . Right.

More than kinda it would seem…..

It takes a long, long time to unlearn habits like that. This will not be a short road. It may be worth it, though.

Kinda?

tomorrow: Bernice hears a distant voice calling to her. :-/

Gunther and Bets sure have a different definition of “wackiness” than the rest of us. I suppose that’s inevitable when they can’t engage in any of the activities actual college students love to do.

Yeah she is kinda messed up but hopefully she will figure it out.

Yeah, you kinda are.

I’m ready to Bets to drive off in her van…permanently.

It sounds like Betts needs help weening herself of needing her fans approval.

Gunther needs that Latina girl back in his life. He deserves better than this train wreck.

Messed up seems to be the theme here.

Self-realization is the First Step on your way to Recovery, Bets. Hang in there!

Whatever happens between Gunther and Bets, Bets has to do something about her addiction to attention.

HER van? I thought it was THEIR van!