Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 31, 2018

I haven’t seen this many tears in one place since the last Pixar movie.

the ninjas must be chopping onions near Mrs. Fogarty too

It’s a sad story. Do you believe it, Mrs. Fogarty? Because I am not buying it. I remember little things like the time when Tiffany got her dad to buy her way into a summer drama camp and getting the lead in the production opposite Quill!, and it didn’t seem like it was one of those, “If only my father gave me affection, I wouldn’t need to do this” moments.

Now THIS is Not a Good Sign. Tiff has even got MRS Fogarty a-bawling. Focus Fogarty, FOCUS!

I REALLY Hope Fogarty got really good advise for Tiff because if she’s THAT desperate to get her dad’s attention, then she’s liable to do something “life threatening……,,”

For all those who keep posting that this is about a supposed Gunther or Les “thing” and not about the real reason she was coming to terms with herself way back in that discussion with Gunther, after which she closeted herself, and gained weight, this should be pretty definitive that this arc is not about that. It’s about the basic issue, parental love, and affirmation, from her father in particular, that she is coming to terms with. Not that there are not all kinds of related stories, Ann Eiffel being a major part, but this is about Tiffany’s life in Luanniverse, not her romantic life. Thinking it is amounts to projection. At some point some version of the old Tiff may emerge, but I think she will be older and wiser. Mrs. Fogarty is a plot device.

It has been good therapy for Tiff to let it all out.

Yeah, we all figured you out some time ago….let’s see what Mrs. Fogarty’s advice is…when she stops bawling.

Is Tiffany going to start counseling the counselor?

I’m glad to see Mrs. Fogarty actually relate and show emotion. I was never especially impressed with her as a counselor when Luann & gang was in high school. She seems more sympathetic now.

now that’s a breakthrough.

So much for objectivity. Turn to Gunther; he can’t talk emotions well, but he cares.

Must be nice sympathising with a spoiled brat

I thought Mrs.Fogarty was supposed to help.

How to freak out everybody and get kicked off of GoComics at the same time by doing something real:

On the couch, Tiffany hugs Gunther. Gunther passionately says, “Tiffany.”

Tiffany says, “Daddy.”

.

.

.

Oh dear……

For many years of Luann scripts Tiffany has been selfish and thoroughly nasty. Other characters were less than perfect – particularly Luann herself – but Tiff was always the villain, at least until Ann and Les came along. However I, and I suspect many others, had a sneaking affection for Ms Sheraton St Louis. She was always sexy and very, very funny. Now she’s vulnerable and suddenly everyone loves her. She’s still sexy, but the point is that she doesn’t think so. I hope she can sort herself out. If that involves losing some weight then so be it. Tiff needs a friend – not a rather poor councillor. Bring back Crystal, or let the freewheeling Tara take up the role.

Tiff’s Dad may have emotional hangups – so he gives his daughter what he can – gifts,… trips… Ann probably made the moves on Ted, and with her considerable experience – knows how to work him.

Tiffany seems to display a lot of symptoms of Reactive Attachment Disorder. She was neglected as a child (being given everything you want is not being spoiled if no attention or affection accompanies it) but always seemed to push anyone away who tried to be her friend. Some people can’t handle the feeling of sadness so turn it into an emotion they can handle, most times it is anger. Tiffany played the “I am better than you and don’t care to be your friend anyway” card but inside I believe that she was really just quite lonely.

She always seemed as though she was trying too hard to pretend her life was perfect, meanwhile her family life was disolving. She had to be strong and as a teenager, perhaps she was too young to know how to deal with it so she acted out.

I think Tiff has suffered from depression for a long time but was really good at covering it up.

Then in college, she couldn’t fit in or keep up, ergo the isolation and weight gain. On the plus side, it looks like she is slowly losing some of that weight (nice drawing Greg!) and opening up in therapy so perhaps she will emerge a stronger and better person.Now, this is just my opinion, I am not a professional but I relate toTiffany on a very personal level and can understand the underlying sadness that people don’t see.

Looks like Mrs. Fogarty is having a breakdown – er, breakthrough of her own!

OK, now we’re getting somewhere! Perhaps, even Ms. Fogarty is getting somewhere in her own life, hmmmm??? How ironic if Tiff became the counselor here. Tiff complains that her dad is not giving her “affection.” But affection can be acquired many different ways. One of them is financial support (above and beyond the societal “parental” requirements – food, shelter, clothing, education, etc.). I think Tiff’s dad has done that. HOWEVER, what Tiff may really be looking for (and what I think most parents struggle with) is time. It may be really hard for Tiff’s dad to make the time to spend with her or, (worse), he just chooses not (or doesn’t want to) spend time with her. And that’s a more serious problem. Tiff wants her dad “live in person” in her life. Why he isn’t doing that is the question Tiff needs to resolve for herself by confronting her dad. Maybe the problem is Tiff reminds Dad too much of his “ex” (Tiff’s mother) and that he’s shunning TIff for that reason. Maybe it’s just simply that he’s a lousy time manager. Or, he has a personal issue with Tiff himself, but still wants to meet his “parental obligation.”

Tiff needs to confront her father and get answers to those questions. If it turns out to be just a time management” issue, then they can work on that. Perhaps, even if it’s a “remind me of my ex” issue, they might be able to do something. But, if it is a personal issue, then Tiff needs to recognize that, wish him well, and then let him go, moving on with her life and leaving his, once she’s able to support herself financially. This, because there’s no way she’s going to get her dad to change, in that case. Yeah, I know, it sucks to think about one’s parents in those terms, but if the relationship is that toxic, you have have enough self esteem and protect your own life (both present and future).

Courage, Tiff! Looks like you’re going to get there!

Two panels and we know the whole Tiffany story. One more panel softens it with a touch of humor. Tiff is still the most fascinating character in this strip.

Definitely crying off a few pounds. ✨

Did she suddenly get lipo?

Mrs. Doherty may not be a “counselor” according to some, but she’s bringing out some good stuff with Tiff. Sometimes just hearing ourselves with a grown up mind can elicit changes.

Often a good listener is the best counselor. I remember a line in the Crocodile Dundee when he was confronted with a drug abused who was said to be depressed. Dundee said “What’s the matter? Doesn’t he have any mates [friends]?” We all need “mates”.

IMO Torad nailed it: “Maybe the problem is Tiff reminds Dad too much of his “ex” (Tiff’s mother) and that he’s shunning TIff for that reason”

@TORAD: I mostly agree with you, but I don’t think that providing material goods and monetary support for a child qualifies as affection. It may be essential, but it’s not enough. To believe otherwise is to deny a human need that cannot be met by “things”. And if she does decide to confront her dad, she needs to be prepared for his continuing incapacity for the emotional bond she has every right to expect from him. So she must do that for own self-honesty.

Tiff is 19 I think. Time to check out the rest of the world instead of moping about not enough affection from her dad. Personally I don’t want to see Ann totally disgraced and thrown in the slammer, followed by a mushy tearful reunion with Tiffany & her dad. Everybody go get a life – which could be very interesting in Tiffany’s case…

A nod to Greg/Karen. In a few words, they have consolidated all we need to know while we have expended a thousand words just trying to explain and analyze his cartooning 101. He’s still the master of his art.

A strip where Tiffany mentions being ignored:

https://www.gocomics.com/luann/1994/09/15

A friendly “warning” to all— be careful what arguments you get sucked into. You may find yourself being played, just don’t let yourself be victimized. The pattern repeats, the dance goes on.

As a single parent Mr. Farrell may not know how to deliver the affection that he might feel, so he does it the only way he knows how, just like he may not be a good judge of genuine qualities in a mate. Mrs. Fogarty has done her job of listening. But the next job (if we can get to a 2nd week) is to help Tiff figure, on her own, how to move forward. Maybe Tiffany needs to approach her Dad differently. If she had to choose between a large allowance and affection which would she pick? Clearly Tiff does not have a problem with all the clothes, car, trips etc. Would she use her allowance to invite her father out to dinner… alone? It would take strength of character (on Tiff’s part) to reach out like that.

@RSH: It is a wimpy affection that cannot be shared in any way by a father to his daughter. I know one hears about such things, but I think it more likely Mr. Farrell feels hardly any affection at all. And I suspect Tiff has tried to accept the material gifts as a surrogate for emotional needs, but this has now completely broken down.

This ‘toon has a lot of parents who are ’missing in action’, it would seem. While I’m not a long time reader (Luann was not in the print newspapers I used to read; I discovered it online), I feel like we are missing a lot of information about parents. We seem to lack info about parents of Bernice, Ox, Knute, Crystal or Tara. What we do have is a set of ‘complete’ and caring parents for Luann and Brad.

……………………………………………….

We have a mother for Gunther (some see her as controlling or smothering, but we certainly don’t all agree on that – I don’t), and there are conflicting stories about Gunther’s father. We know about Les’s mother (not the loving sort), but all we know about his father is that he may have died in the line of fire. Now we see a story reaching its peak about the lack of a father’s attention for Tiffany, although it could be said that the fact that he took her with him on trips before he started traveling with Ann is some indication that he cares about her, more than a parent who only sends money and otherwise wants a child to be ‘seen and not heard’. And again, a mother is ‘missing in action’.

……………………………………..

So there are ‘backstories’ on all the characters as a partial result of lack of attention from parents. And it’s important to resolve the miseries that lack can cause a person. But at some point, regardless of how painful or empty a person’s childhood was, adulthood has to begin, and it starts with that person deciding to create a good future even if the past wasn’t the best.

Here’s what I think: Tiffany is faking it. Cut to tomorrow’s strip: " How did I do Mrs Fogarty? I am auditioning for a new show! If I can make you cry then for sure the audience will cry!"

We’re getting more of the Very Sad Family Backstory of of Poor Tiffany Farrell, and I hope it brings her some good. But Mrs. Fogarty in denial is not a helpful thing….

Tomorrow: does MR. Fogarty poke his head in the door to say hello?

Any legal rules on hyphenated names? I’d like to see Mr. Fogarty-Phelps and Mrs. Phelps-Fogarty. Anyway, Mrs. Phelps, private counselor, is an old, trusted character who doesn’t have to be auditioned. She keeps the story from getting too heavy by adding her own brand of gentle humor.