Introducing Duncan
My lovely wife has had to endure my sense of humour for a long time now. She's at the point where she rarely laughs at anything I say, just because it's coming from me. I remember some years ago, I had to make a speech at a community group banquet because I was its outgoing president. As is usually in those cases, I peppered my speech with a lot of jokes and I can say, without too much immodesty, that the speech went well. It was a very friendly crowd, so I got good laughs from almost all of my jokes. Plus I had timed the speech to not last more than 7 minutes to keep anyone from getting too bored. A good time was had by all, except by my wife in attendance, who was once again subjected to my sense of humour. After the speech was over I asked her how she liked it and she responded, "These people will laugh at anything you say."
It is with this thought in mind that I had to approach today's For Better or For Worse. The lines are:
I mean, doors open, right?
You get started in something an' you meet people an' doors open.
There's always an open door!
(Personal Digression: 3 times. We get it already. The doors. They open!)
Yeah!...You just hafta remember to let go of the knob.
So, the idea is that if Duncan does not let go of the knob, then door won't be opened. And this is funny because:
a. Duncan is known for not letting go of knobs? I think I missed that story. In the first 2 panels of today's For Better or For Worse, we learn more about Duncan than we have learned in the entire time since he has been in this strip. One of Lynn Johnston's worst developed characters.
b. The knob symbolizes Duncan's fear of the unknown, and he will not be able to get those opportunities, unless he faces his fear and allows the door to open? This might make sense, but it hardly something you would laugh at.
c. Duncan is known for masturbating (knob is well-known slang word for penis), and no one wants to open a door on a masturbator? This one is almost funny, but certainly far too crude to be Lynn Johnston's intent.
I can't make anything funny out of it. I can barely make any sense out of it. And yet, there is Eva laughing her head off. When I read this strip and look at Eva, I repeat what my wife would say to April, "These people will laugh at anything you say."
It is with this thought in mind that I had to approach today's For Better or For Worse. The lines are:
I mean, doors open, right?
You get started in something an' you meet people an' doors open.
There's always an open door!
(Personal Digression: 3 times. We get it already. The doors. They open!)
Yeah!...You just hafta remember to let go of the knob.
So, the idea is that if Duncan does not let go of the knob, then door won't be opened. And this is funny because:
a. Duncan is known for not letting go of knobs? I think I missed that story. In the first 2 panels of today's For Better or For Worse, we learn more about Duncan than we have learned in the entire time since he has been in this strip. One of Lynn Johnston's worst developed characters.
b. The knob symbolizes Duncan's fear of the unknown, and he will not be able to get those opportunities, unless he faces his fear and allows the door to open? This might make sense, but it hardly something you would laugh at.
c. Duncan is known for masturbating (knob is well-known slang word for penis), and no one wants to open a door on a masturbator? This one is almost funny, but certainly far too crude to be Lynn Johnston's intent.
I can't make anything funny out of it. I can barely make any sense out of it. And yet, there is Eva laughing her head off. When I read this strip and look at Eva, I repeat what my wife would say to April, "These people will laugh at anything you say."
posted by howard at 11:06 PM
15 Comments:
I'm not sure if this applies to anything in real life but I think I know what Eva's reasoning might be. She's most likely thinking "April just said something strange that I can't understand. I'd better laugh in case it's a joke."
The "joke" makes no sense and Eva is a laugh track.
I interpret letting go of the doorknob to mean letting go of emotional baggage. “Opportunity knocks but you have to open the door” implies that opportunity comes to you, while letting go of the doorknob implies that you need to do the walking.
I think it’s a good strip. I’ll ask my husband what he thinks.
Me: Hon, come here for a second; I want to show you something
He: I’m on the phone on “hold”
Me: I’ll give you the cordless
He: It’s with the bank; I need the wall phone
Me: Use the cordless and when someone answers you can go back to the kitchen. Here, I have the cordless on speakerphone.
He: Oh please
Me: Read this strip. What do you think?
He: OK
Me: OK what?
He: Nothing. I have no opinion.
Me: Then look at it again. What does it mean to you?
He: You gotta take a chance
Me: Do you think it’s a good strip?
He: No.
Me: I want to show you something else
He: I’m going back to the kitchen
Anon NYC
LOL! Mr. Anon NYC for the win! ;)
I'm really getting the feeling that Lynn & Co. are playing a game.
"Let's put some random words in a hat, draw out one a day and make a pun with it. Then let's build the strip around it."
Well, I guess that's what you have to do when (1)you're on autopilot and (2)don't have any idea what the point is and where it's going.
dreadedcandiru2,
She's most likely thinking "April just said something strange that I can't understand. I'd better laugh in case it's a joke."
I know people like this in real life, so that is completely believable.
Anon NYC
I interpret letting go of the doorknob to mean letting go of emotional baggage. “Opportunity knocks but you have to open the door” implies that opportunity comes to you, while letting go of the doorknob implies that you need to do the walking.
OK. This is good advice, but if it requires this much explanation, is it funny? I think Mr. Anon NYC answered that question nicely. I love your he/me dialogues with Mr. Anon NYC.
debjyn,
I'm really getting the feeling that Lynn & Co. are playing a game. "Let's put some random words in a hat, draw out one a day and make a pun with it. Then let's build the strip around it."
I have no problem with that idea, if it can be made into something. Lynn wants Duncan to mention doors being opened, a common phrase used into describing job opportunities (or most of the Pattersons’ lives). Lynn wants April to make a joke about that. How would you make something funny about that?
Let me give it a try:
While you’re walking through that open door, make sure it’s not a storage closet on the other side.
You’re a good student. I know lots of people will a-“door” you.
While you’re looking for open doors, don’t forget to check the “window” of opportunity.
Well, those all stink. Maybe Lynn is funnier than I thought.
I laughed at this strip, but not for the intended reason. I laughed at the panel where April suggests he open a travel agency, and Eva suggests he could use his travel agency to organize "worldwide sporting events."
1. Travel agencies are going the way of the dodo, thanks to Orbitz and Expedia. I know some people who own one. If a kid came to them and said, "I wanna be a travel agent," they would say, "Do you want to be able to eat?"
2. Travel agents do not organize sporting events. Sports federations/associations do. Could Duncan get a job with one of them? Sure. But not if he is stuck in Milborough owning a travel agency.
I think the theory that "knob = penis" makes total sense. First, teenage boys are known for being incessant masturbators, and other kids make jokes about it constantly in high school. Second, there is the connotation where "maturbating = sitting around talking about something but never taking action." Maybe this is actually a very sophisticated dirty joke/double entendre from April.
Of course, Lynn would never do that. Darn.
Anyway, this is one of the stupidest FOOB strips I can remember. Even if teenagers do like to give advice about things they don't really know about--like careers--no teenager today would advise someone to be a travel agent. They don't even know what travel agents are/were. Sheesh.
qnjones,
Travel agencies are going the way of the dodo, thanks to Orbitz and Expedia.
I’ll bet I know a certain computer-phobic comic strip writer who still uses a travel agency. A quick internet search shows me that there are 6 travel agencies in North Bay, Ontario. I wonder which one Lynn uses?
Maybe this is actually a very sophisticated dirty joke/double entendre from April. Of course, Lynn would never do that. Darn.
Well, Lynn Johnston is the person who coined the phrase “roadside” and “gig” to stand for “premarital sex”, and just a little over a year ago, she had April and Gerald getting drunk and well on their way to a little roadside action too. The topic is not completely out of reach for Lynn Johnston. However, I will agree with you that she probably would not make a joke about the subject.
Here's the real question, though: if the door is already open, why are you grabbing the knob in the first place? Are you supposed to carefully shut the door of opportunity behind you? Who does that? This makes no sense.
Lynn wants Duncan to mention doors being opened, a common phrase used into describing job opportunities (or most of the Pattersons’ lives). Lynn wants April to make a joke about that. How would you make something funny about that?
"I want to open my own doors. I'm a feminist!"
"Since I'm going to be a vet, I bet it will be a doggie door!"
"And if the doors don't open, you can always try the school of hard knocks!"
... eh, at least they're not masturbatory double entendres.
qnjones, I agree that it would make no sense for Eva to suggest that Duncan organize worldwide sporting events via a travel agency. This is so nonsensical that I suspect Eva's suggestion is meant to be separate and apart from April's (lame) one, as in, "And here's another thing you can do!"
aprilp_katje,
This is so nonsensical that I suspect Eva's suggestion is meant to be separate and apart from April's (lame) one, as in, "And here's another thing you can do!"
In other words, Eva is saying, “April just said something that makes no sense, so let me suggest something else that I like.” Given that Eva is supposedly into tennis, her suggestion for worldwide sporting events is in character, even though we have never seen Eva or Duncan play sports.
I don't think so. I keep looking at it, and it seems that Eva is clearly making her suggestion in conjunction with the idea of being a travel agent. Possibly all that hair bleach has leaked into Eva's ears and dissolved her brain?
katje, I came across your "small request" in today's Coffee Talk. I'll be looking to see if your wish is granted.
Post a Comment
<< Home