Introducing a New Character: Connie Poirier
I am really starting to get confused by what I am now going to have to refer to as the 2009 new-run version of Connie Poirier. In 2008, new-run Connie acknowledged her relationship with Brazilian doctor Pablo da Silva, the father of her son Lawrence, and stated that she had never been married, retconning away her marriage to Peter Landry. 2009 new-run Connie not only has returned back to the story that she was married to Peter Landry, but in today’s new-run of For Better or For Worse, she makes this mysterious statement:
I wouldn’t think about the past so much if I had some excitement in my life, El.
The implication of the statement is that her past (her life with Peter Landry) was more exciting than her current life. Remember that this is the same Peter Landry whose supposed reason for being was to put Connie into a very traditional housewife role and not allow her to work, and wooed Connie by acting very traditionally to her (opening doors for her and the like). Connie considers that to be exciting. Some people might consider going on a medical mission to Ecuador, and getting knocked up and having a love child from a Brazilian doctor on that medical mission and raising a child on your own to be more exciting that being a housewife; but for some strange reason, this is not the excitement Connie remembers. From this, you might get the impression that Pablo da Silva has just been retconned away. Maybe, Lynn Johnston has suddenly realized she has a few strips from 1980 she can’t reprint, unless she has 2009 new-run Connie admit Peter Landry exists and moreover, that Peter Landry was originally considered to be Lawrence’s father. It makes sense in a certain respect. After all, the strips involving Pablo da Silva do not appear for another 19 years to contradict it.
The more interesting part of the 2009 new-run Connie Poirier is that she makes a sudden departure from her character from 1980. She no longer considers doctors to be handsome, unless they are TV doctors. According to the Who’s Who on the For Better or For Worse website:
Tall and handsome, Pablo charmed Connie with his old-world courtesy, irrepressible sense of humour and deep compassion for the people they cared for each day.
When she realized that one of her co-workers, Peter Landry, was interested in her, it seemed like the answer to her prayers. Pete was a divorcee, seven years older than she was, a handsome man and a sharp dresser with an air of sleek confidence about him.
So, why is it that Connie Poirier suddenly downplays the attractiveness of guys in a hospital? Isn’t this the same woman who was crazy after Phil Richards and Dr. Ted McCaulay after a single meeting? How could this woman ever be so picky about a man that she considers TV doctors to be the only time she checks handsome guys in a hospital setting? It doesn't make sense with 1980s Connie.
The answer to the question is obvious. We have, yet again, another back-handed slam at a certain doctor by the author of this strip – maybe a certain doctor who thinks he is handsome. Lynn Johnston in one interview, said that whe wrote this strip, in particular to make light of Dr. Rod Johnston and his pride over his body. Given that, it’s not difficult to figure out which doctor Lynn Johnston is targeting, and it certainly wouldn’t be the first time Lynn took Connie Poirier out of character to make a point of her own. As I have said before, every character in this strip is Lynn Johnston.
On a personal note: The hospital had no real change in my mother-in-law's status today. Still stable. Still unconscious. Still in ICU. Thanks again for the well-wishes and prayers from all of you.
I wouldn’t think about the past so much if I had some excitement in my life, El.
The implication of the statement is that her past (her life with Peter Landry) was more exciting than her current life. Remember that this is the same Peter Landry whose supposed reason for being was to put Connie into a very traditional housewife role and not allow her to work, and wooed Connie by acting very traditionally to her (opening doors for her and the like). Connie considers that to be exciting. Some people might consider going on a medical mission to Ecuador, and getting knocked up and having a love child from a Brazilian doctor on that medical mission and raising a child on your own to be more exciting that being a housewife; but for some strange reason, this is not the excitement Connie remembers. From this, you might get the impression that Pablo da Silva has just been retconned away. Maybe, Lynn Johnston has suddenly realized she has a few strips from 1980 she can’t reprint, unless she has 2009 new-run Connie admit Peter Landry exists and moreover, that Peter Landry was originally considered to be Lawrence’s father. It makes sense in a certain respect. After all, the strips involving Pablo da Silva do not appear for another 19 years to contradict it.
The more interesting part of the 2009 new-run Connie Poirier is that she makes a sudden departure from her character from 1980. She no longer considers doctors to be handsome, unless they are TV doctors. According to the Who’s Who on the For Better or For Worse website:
Tall and handsome, Pablo charmed Connie with his old-world courtesy, irrepressible sense of humour and deep compassion for the people they cared for each day.
When she realized that one of her co-workers, Peter Landry, was interested in her, it seemed like the answer to her prayers. Pete was a divorcee, seven years older than she was, a handsome man and a sharp dresser with an air of sleek confidence about him.
So, why is it that Connie Poirier suddenly downplays the attractiveness of guys in a hospital? Isn’t this the same woman who was crazy after Phil Richards and Dr. Ted McCaulay after a single meeting? How could this woman ever be so picky about a man that she considers TV doctors to be the only time she checks handsome guys in a hospital setting? It doesn't make sense with 1980s Connie.
The answer to the question is obvious. We have, yet again, another back-handed slam at a certain doctor by the author of this strip – maybe a certain doctor who thinks he is handsome. Lynn Johnston in one interview, said that whe wrote this strip, in particular to make light of Dr. Rod Johnston and his pride over his body. Given that, it’s not difficult to figure out which doctor Lynn Johnston is targeting, and it certainly wouldn’t be the first time Lynn took Connie Poirier out of character to make a point of her own. As I have said before, every character in this strip is Lynn Johnston.
On a personal note: The hospital had no real change in my mother-in-law's status today. Still stable. Still unconscious. Still in ICU. Thanks again for the well-wishes and prayers from all of you.
posted by howard at 10:29 PM
7 Comments:
I don't understand. Where does Connie say that she doesn't find doctors attractive, except on television?
howard,
How could this woman ever be so picky about a man that she considers TV doctors to be the only time she checks handsome guys in a hospital setting? It doesn't make sense with 1980s Connie.
The answer to the question is obvious. We have, yet again, another back-handed slam at a certain doctor by the author of this strip – maybe a certain doctor who thinks he is handsome.
This tells me that Connie is being used to fill the hole in the strip that April's disappearance left: her new role is to be the bluntly honest person who won't hide the moral lesson Lynn wants us to learn with polite vocabulary. Lynn wants us to know that Rod was a vain shnook who she thinks betrayed her? No problem; Connie will tell us that Pete was a shnook and that doctors are all vain and ugly.
As for the real world, I continue to hope for the best.
I think Connie has also unwittingly confessed that she watches General Hospital, despite her old-run denial of following any of the daytime soaps. Poor Connie, completely dismantled in new-runland.
Joshua,
Where does Connie say that she doesn't find doctors attractive, except on television?
In the final panel of today’s strip, Connie says, “The only time I check out handsome guys in a hospital setting is between television commercials.” The use of the phrase “television commercials” tells us that Connie is watching television. Although with the number of television commercials I see in the movie theatres or on the internet today, Connie could possibly be referring to one of those sources. However, the more obvious implication is Connie is talking about a television show featuring doctors. Given Lynn Johnston’s known problems with theater-going and the internet, television is the safe choice.
Going back to Connie’s statement, she specifies that situation is the only time she checks out handsome guys in a hospital setting. Since Elly, in Panel 2, points out that Connie works in a hospital this means that Connie does not check out the guys where she works. Either Connie is so conscientious about her work that she does not take the time to check out guys or Connie simply doesn’t find the guys in her hospital setting to be handsome. It would be nice to think that Connie is saying that she only thinks about work at work, but when has there ever been a strip where Connie talks about how much she loves working in the hospital? Connie is all about her love life.
Considering that Connie married Peter Landry, who was a co-worker; Dr. Pablo da Silva, another co-worker and ultimately ends up marrying a bank manager who helps her sell her house; it is fairly safe to say that Connie is able to get her mind off the task at hand and on to a man’s attractiveness fairly easily. After all, this is the woman who says in the very first panel, “I wouldn’t think about the past (i.e. her ex-husband mentioned in the Saturday strip) so much if I had some excitement in my life.” Ick!
aprilp_katje,
I think Connie has also unwittingly confessed that she watches General Hospital, despite her old-run denial of following any of the daytime soaps.
General Hospital or any of a number of other soap operas featuring doctors. I remember once seeing a survey of professions represented on soap operas and there was some astounding percentage that were doctors. Given the number of mysterious pregnancies and mysterious illnesses on soap operas, it wasn’t that much of a surprise.
DreadedCandiru2,
No problem; Connie will tell us that Pete was a shnook and that doctors are all vain and ugly.
Then, if Connie moves on to real men, she will mention firefighters and how she would gladly let them come into her house without taking off their shoes, like Lynn Johnston’s real-life situation.
Howard: Sorry, I hadn't seen Monday's strip yet when I posted my earlier comment. Indeed, what your post was based on is all there in the April 13 strip.
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