Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for November 15, 2018

oh, do tell, Tiffany, what that snarky sleaze did to your father last week

I know so many folks who are ‘over’ people in this exact same fashion. ✨

Borenice is surprisingly calm again. Paris(Tiff) is not!

Ann Awful seems to have the same effect on most people. Tom is the only one that seems to like her.

You sound like you’re over her. But I can’t blame you, she’s evil.

My heart is literally breaking right here for Tiff. If Bernice, a “future counselor”, cannot recognize this something is not right. Tiffany’s been the butt of the joke for the last two days, but Bernice is way more of a disappointment compared to Tiffany’s self centeredness.

Well don’t menace words Tiff.

Well Okay. Now the “Onion has finally been peeled” and We get to the heart of the matter. What’s REALLY Bugging Tiffany. Ms. Ann Eiffel! Tiffany’s been putting up a front all this time, as Many have suspected. Something tells Me that there may be a “Winter Offensive” against Ann in the making. Unfortunately, THAT will involve Les, again. But It’s high time for some “resolution” to the “Ann Eiffel Problem.” What’s it been? 18 months now? It’s time to come up with some *Sensible plan to deal with Ann once and for all. Either that, or accept her presence for good. Tiff might want to enlist the aid of someone with a brain like Gunther this time around, instead of keeping him in the dark, again. Someone with a BRAIN and No Ulterior motive, like Les wanting to get into her pants. Heck, involve the whole gang. Luann, Dez and Tara, all owe Tiff a favor for getting their money back. And Gunther will help for nothing. Tiffany will NEED a small army to take Ann down. Besides, what does she have to lose?

Oh. And remember this? https://www.gocomics.com/luann/2018/09/08

I think We now KNOW how Bernice gets some of her “information,” so she can gossip with Luann. Through these “Fake” Interviews!

Actually, I’m kinda impressed with Bern there!

Okay, here we go. Now we are going to find out Tiffany’s true feelings. Of course Bernice is totally clueless, has no personal, or even incipient empathy, so I guess we have to do the work. Let it go Tiffany. If I could met Mr. Farrell I would want to punch him in the face, really hard, then explain to him what a hanging part he is…

RIGHT, she’s over it, right….

Tiffany may be about to actually experience the kind of breakthrough that she probably has not allowed herself to have with her real counselor; that her problem is not with makeup or Ann Awful, but with her feeling all her life that she didn’t matter enough to her father for him to spend time with her, and not just send her money. But if this conversation just sticks with complaints about Ann, that breakthrough won’t happen. And Bernice is just a student, not really a counselor, so she won’t be able to really help…

I meant to say “let it out Tiffany” just to be clear.

They’re both oblivious. Tiffany thinks she’s “over” Am Eifell but it’s obvious that she’s giving Ann pretty much free reign over her brain. Bernice thinks she’s “listening and observing,” she’s missing about 100% of what’s really important to Tiffany.

Well, it’s good that you have moved on.

About time! This story finally got interesting. Bernice is going to get the chance to relate like a human for once and help a sister human resolve a serious personality disconnect. Should be good for both of them. (please let it be true).

Tiffany was her father’s little princess. That affected her personality from early teens to the present. Tiff so needs to move on! I had hope for a while when Tiff wanted to make Gunther happy. But that fizzled when it turned out that Gunther’s main interest in Tiffany was for competing with Les.

Bernice is missing the whole purpose of the assignment by a mile. She is supposed to be learning how to listen to a psychotherapy patient, any patient, no matter how trite or annoying they might seem.

Well, now we’re getting somewhere…but Bernice is oblivious (shock and surprise)!

And on another subject: since Greg Evans just had a birthday, does anyone know how old he is? Or does he age in ‘Luanniverse time’?

Like I mentioned yesterday, poor Tiffany stayed away from the darkness in her life and did not bring up the hurt her father has caused by his relationship with Ann Evil. Now, she is ready to open up about it.

Let it all hang out, Tiffany!

“I barely even ever think about it.”

On Monday, Bernice said the interview was for her psych class unit on listening and observing. Is she listening or observing? The moment Tiffany moves beyond shallow superficiality and hits some gritty emotion, Bern cries, “Next! Next!” Her vision of herself as a counselor is as delusional as Tiffany’s vision of herself. Bernice’s take on the interview is as self-centered as Tiff’s. They are sitting in the same room and in separate vacuums, although at least Tiff seems to be trying to break through today.

Hmm, sensing some hostility here. I think Tiffany and Ann need to don some sparing gloves and just duke it out.But given Tom has never made an appearance in this comic strip, i’m assuming given how ann looks, he’s not interested in her personality. Just a guess. Why does tiffany and Ann Eiffel NOT get along? Because their personalities are exactly the same. Self-centered, self-absorbed, attention-seeking, and manipulative.

I wouldn’t blame Tiffany if she were to pick up and move over to the Mark Trail strip and give sickeningly sweet Cherry a run for her money. Bernice can migrate over to “The Dinette Set” and be with her own oblivious kind. She can have fun writing all her rules on their kitchen bulletin board.

She certainly is over her. Let her vent, Bernice. Tiffany needs it, and you’ll get some insights.

If only Tiffany could move on moving on!

So Bernice was interested and analytical (and writing insulting notes) when Tiffany was talking about makeup. But has no interest when Tiff is talking about real feelings. Who’s the shallow one again?

Tiffany sure mentions Ann a lot considering she says she is over her.

finally we get behind the mask

Ooo, hot button pushed! Perhaps Bernice will accidentally offer a suggestion for Tiff to deal with or resolve the problem.

Bern, I do believe you’ve hit the mother lode…

Why Does It Work category: Greg can be throwing stones at his characters at the same time he is drawing them. It’s like biting the hand that feeds you, and getting away with it. Ah, but hanging out with Tiffany is still the most fun way to start the day.

I can’t wait to find out what that bee itch did last week!

Well… guess I have to! :o)

Too much Western Union. Not enough comics.

6

Well… even though Tiffany is visibly distraught, and that is sad…. I do feel a sense of relief that the last three days seem to have been designed to show Tiffany displaying “old Tiffany” behaviors as a coping mechanism or as a shield…. and not a loss of the more insightful and thoughtful Tiffany that has been emerging.

Also, even though Tiffany may not yet realize it…. while Ann Eiffel is a problem…. and is a true annoyance in most facets of this comic (including in her relationship with Tom “Cat” Ferrell)…. Tiffany does not yet seem to be aware that the more challenging problem is her relationship with her father.

Her having grown up with Tom “Cat” Ferrell’s manner and ways makes it a challenge for Tiffany to see, understand, or know of alternative ways a father-daughter relationship can be. The “old Tiffany” was not one to be particularly thoughtful or observant about the relationships of others… so it is highly unlikely that she has spent much time thinking about the range of father-daughter relationships she can view by looking at other examples. The “new Tiffany” may or may not have given much thought to how a father-daughter relationship could be as well…. and even if she has been thinking about it, it has been for only a short while (the college years).

So, how will we proceed from this point? Some options I see:

1. This may develop into a new revenge on Ann arc.

2. This may develop into an arc where Tiffany confronts her father (and perhaps we see him drawn as a character).

3. This may be an arc where Tiffany vents her feelings and there is no real movement or resolution at this time. But, it may show Tiffany becoming more aware.

Other things are possible, but the above three seem to be logical potential paths at this point.

In the last panel Tiffany almost looks like Boopsie’s alter ego Hunk-Ra from the Doonesbury strip.

Soooo! Bernice has swerved into one of Tiffany’ most recent traumas and perhaps the one at the heart of her developmental issues. Daddy! Now we have an opportunity for Tiff to deal with her issues and for (GnK to let) Bernice develop too. Perhaps as a person, counselor and friend to Tiffany.

First, she needs to stop asking questions; she found a/the problem. Second she needs to encourage Tiff to continue to vent her stuffed anger (in safe and appropriate ways). Tiff’s overeating probably resulted from trying to deal with the anger with Ann and her father. Let it all hang out. Rant, rave, be animated. Reduce the anger pressure because anger always covers pain. Third when the repressed pain is allowed to rise to the surface, the waterworks will begin. Again Bernice, encourage her to express her pain in safe and appropriate ways. Cry like a baby. They haven’t “learned” to repress feelings yet.

Then, and most important, fill the pain void with understanding, friendship and encouragement. In other words be a friend in need. See and like the hurt little girl she showed Gunther. Only good can come from it.

OK, GnK. Balls in your court. Let’s see what you do with it! :o)

narcissistic much?

Isn’t Bern in class to learn these skils? If she already had them, she wouldn’t need it…and we wouldn’t have a plot. That said, some natural empathy WOULD be really useful.

A nerve has been struck! Was wondering when this would come up. Stay strong, Tiff, and listen for once, Bernice!

Is this story arc a pilot for a planned spin-off strip, Bernice Halper, Clueless Counselor?

So, everyone thinks “poor little Tiff, she’s been ignored and neglected by Daddy all these years.”

Really? I don’t.

To me, Tiff is acting like a spoiled little princess who has been the center of Daddy’s universe all these years. He gave her anything she wanted, took her on fabulous vacations, and it was probably largely due to the Farrel influence and money that Tiff was chosen for things like Miss Chamber of Commerce.

Now Daddy has a new playmate, and Tiff is having tantrums. Does Tom know Ann is a low-life sleaze with a low-life sleaze of a son? Maybe, maybe not. Will he care when he finds out? Maybe, maybe not. As long as Les doesn’t move in with them, why should he?

Ann could be a saint, and Tiff would react the same way. Like a spoiled five year old who has been told “NO” and isn’t getting her way for the first time. Tiff may feel she’s been replaced, but let’s face it, Ann can do things for Tom that Tiff can’t, at least not legally. ;D

If Tiff would voice her concerns to her dad then back off, she could leave the lines of communication open. Then if and when Ann leaves, Tiff could still have a Father-daughter relationship with her dad. But NOOOOOOOOO, can’t do that. I guess that wouldn’t be funny to G&K.

Interesting way for the Evans to advance multiple plot threads with this mock-psychoanalysis session. Bern’s career development and Tiff’s denouement with her father are both advanced here. What remains is Annie’s ultimate comeuppance.

Aw Let Tiffany say the B-word. But then this isn’t Doonesbury.

Let’s face it folks. Bernice just stepped into the deep end of the pool before learning how to swim. She is in way over her head.

That’s the problem with pyschologists: those of them who think they know it all, really annoy those of us who do.

Interesting – Gunther had a real problem when his mother Irma took on a boyfriend. And now Tiffany has a real problem when her father took on a girlfriend. Both kids have a real problem transitioning to life on their own as an adult.

Don’t hold back. Tell us how you really feel!

R.I.P. Roy Clark of “Hee Haw” fame. Excellent guitar player.

@kauri44: Good observation that both Tiffany and Gunther have problems with anger. But the interesting thing is, the come from such different sources. Gunther’s mother has been accused of being ‘clueless’ and worse in her reactions to him, but no one could realistically describe her as not loving and caring about her son. Some see her as smothering him and keeping him from maturing, but she never ignored him, or substituted giving him money for giving him attention. Tiffany, on the other hand, seems to have been starved of her father’s attention (although he did take her on a yearly trip, until he didn’t and took Ann Awful instead). Tom Ferrell seems like the type who rarely make time for a kid, and substitute money for giving of themselves.

Both kids react to changes in their parents’ lives with anger. Some believe that this is due to the kids not wanting to grow up. I think, in Tiffany’s case, it’s because she does not want to share what little of her father’s time she had come to count on, especially with someone who is clearly criminal in nature. In Gunther’s case, I think it’s more that (although he objects to his mother butting in when he has friends around), he has had a strong idea for a long time of how his life will work out, and he sees his mother as always being there to take care of whatever he needs to have done (like babysitting), rather than having a life of her own…

Sounds like Bernice is 100% getting it. Look at the last few days: each time she listened well to an interview subject who was not listening, and understood a key underlying issue in a phrase (which was apparently the goal of the interview…)

So tomorrow, does Gunther come knocking, saying " I thought I heard YELLING " just as Tiffany throws a lamp or something and knocks him out cold.

Go ahead Tiffany. We all want to know what Ann did!

Meanwhile, not to brag or anything, but I think I was the first one to call Ann ‘Ann Awful’, and now Tiffany is using that name. So… I guess Tiffany must read the comments here…

“From Pouty Mouth To Potty Mouth”

“You Go, GRRRR-L”

“True Grit — Of The Teeth”

“Hip, Hip, Who Raged?”

“A Wrath Decision”

“The Heart Of The Madder”

“Ticked Talk”

One more:

“The Curse Of The Babe”

So Tiffany is NOT over it as we were led (by her) to believe previously; for example, she was advising Les that he needed to move on with his life and stop thinking about ways to get back at Ann. I wonder if Les has been influencing Tiffany in this way, OR if she really and truly never got over it.

She’s got some Ann Awful Issues.

How does Tiffany know what Ann is doing? Is Les filling her in somehow? It is hard to imagine she would learn about Ann’s activities from her dad.

Clearly, Bernice will do an absolutely first-rate job when she becomes a professional counselor.

“Do you ever have feelings of anger?”

“Yes, sometimes I get so mad at people I know and at the world in general that I feel I can’t take it any more. It’s getting to the point that I’ve finally decided I just have to do something. Last week I bought a gun and”

“Do you have any hobbies?”

There you go, Tiffany! Unload! It’s good for your soul….

Bernice knows she hit a live wire and is trying to move past it. But too late.

Ann is still actively residing inside her head.

Hello?? Bernice? Get out of inside your head and look! You’re looking at your future patients …observe and listen. Of course you could not administer any official advice but you can listen as a friend and give support. You really need to practice on your listening and empathy skills and here you have Tiffany. Don’t waste it.

people often have their lives go in unexpected directions. Maybe Luann will end up the Counselor, and Bernice will be the housewife with a load of kids to drive to soccer practice.