I asked ChatGPT to read the strip and explain: The punchline comes when the character in the teal sweater sarcastically asks, “Where is Heidi when you need her?” This is a humorous reference to the infamous 1968 “Heidi Game” incident. During this event, NBC cut away from the final minutes of a dramatic football game between the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets to air the children’s movie Heidi. Football fans missed a thrilling ending where the Raiders scored two touchdowns in the final minute to win. The incident became legendary, symbolizing bad programming decisions.
Sounds like time for some fan fiction!