Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for July 29, 2015

I love Bernice.

That burned, Bern.

Pruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-DENSE!!!!

That’s Bernice, always the smarta…leck.

Maybe the person who gets severed from Luann’s life at this point won’t be Quill. Maybe it will (finally) be Bernice. At long last, Luann is reacting to all the snarkiness Bernice aims at her. And of course, Bernice tells Luann that it’s her own fault; that Luann ‘brings it out’ of Bernice.

Nice ‘counseling’, counselor. Maybe Luann isn’t the only kid in search of a realistic vocation.

I don’t think so. I think Luann just finally reached the end of her ability to pretend that Bernice is her friend.

You Know Luann, ONCE Upon a Time, Bernice had a Boyfriend Named Zap or Zippo or Something, That SHE Had Problems With. But When She Came to You with HER Problem, I Don’t Remember YOU be SNARKY at All.Just Goes to Show Who Your REAL Friends Truly Are. Truth be Told, You’d have been BETTER Off Calling Gunther for Comfort.

NOW, Remove Bern’s Glasses, Give Her a Three Stooge Style “Eye-Poke” and TELL Her to GET LOST.

Really hope I’m right. Not only because Luann deserves a friend, but because the snark level in the ’toon is getting as bad as some of the snarkiness of Lu-hater posters here…

Good theater – This is what makes a good comic.

Good use of shock therapy!

we have to be truthful, Luann brings snark from others too easily(not saying is right thing to do) and there is a huge difference between actual snark and banter, Bern tends to be snarky in her comments, and does not take time to be more diplomatic, but Luann has accepted Bern’s manner of talk

Bernice was effective in neutralizing Luann’s over the top, immature emotions. Now, Puddles can go back to sleep. Gunther and Tiffany are out having coffee, pretending to be study buddies while actually studying each other.

now that I think about it, it depends on the “listener”, if I was one who got that answer from Bern, I would have not able to contain the laughter and than thank her for bringing me to reality

Luann is not Bernice’s ‘patient’, and she’s been way too ‘patient’ with sarcastic attacks.

When did friendship become ‘having to accept whatever sarcasm someone dishes out’? That’s not friendship. That’s being dissed.

Again, if Bern thinks Luann isn’t good enough to be treated like a friend, Luann needs to move on.

My bet is that Prudence will wind up being 50 and 200 lbs.

Don’t take it too seriously. It’s a good joke.

Well, I do think Bern brought Luann back to her center (or close to it, anyway). BUT, if Bern’s snark IS bad for Luann, has Luann ever said anything about it before? The friendship (as they recognize it, folks) developed over many years. If some part of Bernice was bad for Luann, how is Bern supposed to know if she NEVER hears it from Lu? Maybe Bern’s expression in the last panel is the dawning realization that she IS a snark. And that maybe it is NOT always good. IF that’s how Lu feels. Let’s see what the next day or two bring..Even “bullies” are often hurt and sensitive (though that doesn’t ever excuse a bully’s actions or choices). An otherwise good person (yes, I believe Bernice IS shown as a GOOD person) who finds she’s been hurting a friend will at least TRY to change, and with heartfelt remorse (maybe after a brief period of denial and anger, but still). But, that’s assuming Luann IS hurt. Let’s see what comes..And folks, it IS a comic strip. Sometimes snark is thought of as funny. And, if BERNICE didn’t say it, I can almost guarantee SOMEONE would have in comments. Maybe, in the comic strip, Bern’s character functions to SAY what many would still THINK.

I’d like to point out that obviously Luann called Bernice and demanded that she come over now, and Bernice did. That’s a friend. It doesn’t mean she’s supposed to sit by Lu and hold her hand and get hysterical with her. Friends banter, and good friends know it.

Bernice sure knows how to handle Luann. She’ll bring Luann back to reality.

9For me…. this was WONDERFUL!!!!! I see today’s Bernice as being gently snarky to Luann IN A PURPOSEFUL AND HELPFUL WAY. Luann was acting obviously over-the-top about this Prudence person. The idea of Quill not interacting with any females at the Drama Internship is so foolish that I cannot really believe that Luann would be this melodramatic about the idea that Quill is hanging out and assigned to work with a female. I think it would be a very funny, strange, plot twist is “Prudence” is actually Dez….. even though it is a bit of a stretch… I could imagine “Dez” being a nickname someone named Prudence would select to adopt. It is a bit better than Prude, or Prudy or Dense. If Dez were to be Prudence, it could explain all of her card reading predictions. So, back to Bernice…. while sometimes she CAN be a bit too snarky…. in this case, I do think the snarkiness is excessive. I think it is just the right level to hopefully bring Luann back to her senses. I think that Bernice is a great friend. Like all friends, the two of them have their ups and downs…. but push-come-to-shove…. I think their friendship will endure.

“Dear Prudence”

Delphic Oracle, Luann. Can be taken many ways.

Darn…. I had forgotten her name was Desdemona.

-“friend” must be a butt kissing yes man or woman

Do you remember when Bernice and Delta were leaving for that drive to an interview for an internship for Bernice? A lot of the initial time in that arc was taken up by Bernice and Delta agreeing that it was so great to be without Luann. They agreed that Luann would have ruined the trip by being some kind of drama queen, or what.

Of course, the comedy in that arc came about because both of them ended up as drama queens, when the car ran out of gas and Delta locked the car with Bernice’s keys in it, and so on.

But the take away from that, for me, was that Bernice is not a friend to Luann. A friend doesn’t have to be a yes man, but a friend is not someone who smiles to your face and then constantly cuts you down behind your back.

Just so you know, since you say you don’t have a lot of friends: the behavior that Bernice showed during that trip while disrespecting Luann, and the behavior she often shows in reacting to Luann, is not friendly.

Dez has exhibited a lot of what could be called strange behavior, such as suddenly grabbing and hugging Bernice for a long period of time, or allowing her friends to leave things in her dorm suite that Bernice would have to be responsible for, burning incense without asking Bernice if that is ok with her, and so on. Bernice never showed snarkiness toward Dez regarding any of these behaviors.

My understanding of this is that Bernice is happy to be a friend of Dez’s, but would prefer that Luann become a part of her past.

It does make you think twice about Dez.

Bernice is great. Her sarcasm is needed to bring Luann back to reality. But I keep wondering about Delta. We haven’t seen her in awhile. I know she’s studying a long way away now, but you’d think she’d call once in a while.

Because it’s the “friendly” thing to do, that’s why.

Why are you picking on Bernice? Your truest friend is not the one who’s always kind and nurturing, but the one who won’t let you get away with wallowing in your own BS…because you’re better than that, and they know it. Bernice is, and always has been, Luann’s best friend, and Luann knows it.

Luann, get your arse in gear and hop the first train, plane or bus to NYC; certainly the world won’t crumble if you miss work for a couple of days; especially if you plan it over a weekend

Luann had time to call Bernice and it took time for Bernice to get to the DeGroot’s – and Luann is still practically hyperventilating. I think Bernice’s virtual dope slap was well deserved and well played. Yes, someone else might have brought Luann to the same point more gently, but this is the relationship Bernice and Luann have, and it’s served them both well for many years. Bernice knows Luann’s tendency to let her mind go to extremes where boys are concerned, and just brought her back in a single frame.

Oh, and Bernice being “snarky”? People put other people down to cover and compensate for their own feelings of inadequacy…something that Bernice has in spades.

lighten up … it’s just a strip and Bernice wasn’t out of hand

Bernie was right on, Luann needed a slap in the face, not comforting.

Snark / sarcasm love it.Those complaining would never survive North Jersey.Oh, and it is just a comic strip.

Bern was probably a mile or two away, doing her own things in her own life, and Lu calls with this life-and-death message.*I’d be p.o.’d too.

“I’m still not seeing your “Pro” button.”*JPW – I see BS’s Pro button this morning, but not yours. Sorry about the demotion. Let me know if you need a letter of recommendation, as I’ll be glad to help.

Bernice, are you suggesting that Luann has… flaws??? You’d better retract that fast, since there’s no surer way to invoke the wrath of the True Believers herein.

“Bernice is a very good friend…,Whom else would take her Tantrums?”_____________________________________

Aw GEE, I Dunno, Gauntlet.

Gunther, Maybe?

Some of the best counselors I know are VERY snarky, especially when someone was over-reacting to something like Luann is.

Bern is funny and while she can be a cynic, her comments (sometimes) are good for Luann, like today… “Earth to Luann!” …is basically what she is saying.

Bernice and Luann are friends and friends sometimes get to be snarky with each other.One can be a counselor or one can be a friend, but one cannot be both. Bernice is a friend for Luann, one of the best, actually.

Sort of a ‘treat your neighbor as you would want to be treated’ thing…

“To be a Pro, one only need to pay $11.88 a year.”*Imp – Oh my, aren’t you cynical? BS and Levi told us over a year ago about the 580 question multiple choice test, with 18 esays and a dissertation that were involved. ANd we can believe Levi, at least, as he is dearly departed.

Agreed. Some people need a smack to get them to see what they’re doing.

Okay, so it was mildly funny, but also very mean. Bernice gets on my nerves with her constant sarcasm and snarkiness: she is so one-note.What if anything should we impute to Luann’s reading of Desdemona’s cards?

I admit that I don’t know what it is and that I’ll probably become the target of the many snipers lurking here, but “PRO” status on the comic pages? Sounds embarrassing for grown ups, like a boy scout merit badge. I’m just here to ogle Tiffany, Crystal, and Rosa.

SPOILER ALERT

Somewhat more supportive, but it kind of disappointed me. I’d have preferred Luann to take off for NY City and start a brand new adventure…