A Blonde Nubile Wrapped in Cellophane
In today’s reprint of For Better or For Worse, Michael uses the phrase, “blonde nubile wrapped in cellophane” as what Uncle Phil said he wanted for Christmas. I looked up “nubile” just to make sure there was not a noun form of the word of which I was unaware. There isn’t. You could have the expectation that little Michael has gotten his words mixed up. Uncle Phil said, “A nubile blonde wrapped in cellophane.” And Michael got blonde and nubile mixed up because blonde is a word he probably knows, while nubile is not. So, Elly will then yell at Phil for using the word “nubile” with Michael, because she doesn’t want Michael to know it means, “Of an age suitable for marriage.” The horror! Actually, Elly is probably more concerned about the waste of good cellophane.
Phil will take the hit from Elly. Of course, my mind goes to Uncle Phil telling Michael what “nubile” means and Michael’s response, “But Uncle Phil, you don’t get a girl suitable for marriage for free. Dad says every day that every time he is around mom, he is still paying for getting married.” Then in the strip right after that, Elly opens the door to find Connie standing there wrapped in cellophane saying, “Merry Christmas, Phil!!”
The other problem is that the word “nubile” as a part of the catchphrase, “nubile young woman” has not been in common use for awhile. In fact, if I heard Michael talking, I might have thought he misheard Phil asking for a blonde mobile (as in phone) wrapped in cellophane. Then in the next strip, Connie shows up at the door wrapped in cellophane saying, “You rang?”
Of course in a strip which makes light of two different meanings of the phrase "moot point", what is "nubile" to that?
Phil will take the hit from Elly. Of course, my mind goes to Uncle Phil telling Michael what “nubile” means and Michael’s response, “But Uncle Phil, you don’t get a girl suitable for marriage for free. Dad says every day that every time he is around mom, he is still paying for getting married.” Then in the strip right after that, Elly opens the door to find Connie standing there wrapped in cellophane saying, “Merry Christmas, Phil!!”
The other problem is that the word “nubile” as a part of the catchphrase, “nubile young woman” has not been in common use for awhile. In fact, if I heard Michael talking, I might have thought he misheard Phil asking for a blonde mobile (as in phone) wrapped in cellophane. Then in the next strip, Connie shows up at the door wrapped in cellophane saying, “You rang?”
Of course in a strip which makes light of two different meanings of the phrase "moot point", what is "nubile" to that?
posted by howard at 11:27 PM
14 Comments:
The real annoyance factor is Phil's lack of discretion; he can have what Lynn thinks is a typical macho fantasy but he shouldn't blab to a small child about said middle-aged-woman's-idea-of-what-filthy-disgusting-perverted-men-want. There's a time and place to share distorted and highly improbable visions of ecstasy and it isn't anywhere near where children of indeterminate age are.
The other problem is, of course, Elly's reaction. She could just as easily aped Edda Burber and delivered her threats in honeyed tones while using words Mike didn't understand anymore than he did Phil's hottie-wrapped-in-plastic nonsense. THAT would have been funny!
The nouning of "nubile" bugged me, but as you point out, one can at least go with the premise that young Michael misreported the word order. (Though, considering LJ's tenuous grasp on the language at times, I suspect the error was hers.)
Also, the "blonde nubile" phrase somehow reminds me of Michael's later use of "sylphan lovely" in the pompous monstrosities known as his monthly letters.
DreadedCandiru2,
The real annoyance factor is Phil's lack of discretion; he can have what Lynn thinks is a typical macho fantasy but he shouldn't blab to a small child about said middle-aged-woman's-idea-of-what-filthy-disgusting-perverted-men-want.
I agree. Of course, given that the trip started with Michael talking about how Phil was going to see Santa so he could ogle the elves, there’s no telling what kinds of things 6-year-old Michael said to Phil to make him think that a cellophane comment would not be inappropriate for him.
She could just as easily aped Edda Burber and delivered her threats in honeyed tones while using words Mike didn't understand anymore than he did Phil's hottie-wrapped-in-plastic nonsense. THAT would have been funny!
Yes, but it would not have been Elly. Elly’s power is that all the other characters are afraid of her shrieking, and will do almost anything to keep that from happening. It is less important what Elly says, than how she says it. With Edda, you have to worry those honeyed tones will lead to an actual threat; since she has not shied away from engaging in physical battle before. Elly is unpleasant and maybe a danger to your ears. Edda is a whacko, you don’t turn your back on.
aprilp_katje,
(Though, considering LJ's tenuous grasp on the language at times, I suspect the error was hers.)
I don’t know about that. That woman is far out. She knows her pops and in the springtime, when the flowers are out, she can really bee-bop.
Also, the "blonde nubile" phrase somehow reminds me of Michael's later use of "sylphan lovely" in the pompous monstrosities known as his monthly letters.
I remember the "sylphan lovely" situation. It was classic Mike. He is simultaneously lusting over the underage model being used for Portrait Magazine and yet deploring the fact the underage model is not wearing very many clothes.
howard,
Elly’s power is that all the other characters are afraid of her shrieking, and will do almost anything to keep that from happening. It is less important what Elly says, than how she says it.
This is true. Sadly, it is her only power. If she were the sort of person you didn't turn your back on, she'd have a much easier time of things.
Dreadedcandiru2,
If she were the sort of person you didn't turn your back on, she'd have a much easier time of things.
True enough. However, the threat of physical violence in a family setting is not usually considered to be humourous.
I've heard "nubiles" used as a noun--meaning something like "chicks." (Or "teeny-boppers"--to really date myself.) Was Phil flashing back to his rock band days, when the admiring girlies gazed up at the stage with lust in their eyes? Heck no, he's a trumpet player; he never went on the road with Hard Core Logo.
And I'll have to agree with everyone about Elly's inappropriate response. She should have given Mike an innocuous explanation. And then cornered Phil & told him such tacky behavior in front of her son was not appreciated.
maggie-texas,
I've heard "nubiles" used as a noun--meaning something like "chicks."
A slang term could change “nubile” from adjective to noun. That would work and in fact, that’s the way the urban dictionary has it.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nubile
maggie_texas,
And I'll have to agree with everyone about Elly's inappropriate response. She should have given Mike an innocuous explanation. And then cornered Phil & told him such tacky behavior in front of her son was not appreciated.
That would have been the right thing to do but it wouldn't have been the funny, in-character thing to do. Elly's gotta bellow and people gotta scatter.
I choke on nubile every time Lynn hands us another one of these hideous strips.
--jjamele
DreadedCandiru2,
Elly's gotta bellow and people gotta scatter.
Look out !! She’s gonna bellow!!
jjamele
I choke on nubile every time Lynn hands us another one of these hideous strips.
With reprints, I think it may actually be old bile revisited.
Holiday Greetings from New York City. May 2009 be a better year for all of us and for the world.
Howard, I think you might want to watch this month's Google interview with Temple Grandin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiAMAxNXUh0&feature=channel
Anon NYC
Anon NYC,
Holiday greetings to you too, and thanks for the link. That was very informative, with a lot of good advice for dealing with my Asperger boy.
Post a Comment
<< Home