Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for February 04, 2023

Seriously? Irma is sitting right next to Bets.. and she says that?? Not cool!

Why don’t Gunther and Bets live in Irma’s old house? Then Les could have his room again and Bets and Gunther could live together.

Bet’s was right… Irma and Al are annoying!

Yeah, Bets seems doesn’t seemed to be liked very well by the boys’ family.

The Big Chill! Just where in the Sam Hill are GnK going with this?

:o(

A VERY surprising comment from Irma! Majorly condescending. Irma – Gunther’s little friend has a name! I’m starting to think that Irma hopes to see Gunther hooked up with Tiffany. However Uncle Al’s comment is very appropriate. Les should not be bringing up any rent issue.

Oh, so Les and Gunther don’t pay any rent. Why would Al and Irma evict Tiff? They don’t charge anyone rent in that guesthouse. That’s the problem and Bets is not happy. She is formulating Plan B right now.

“Your little friend?”

This has gone from Love and Sweetness in the Gulag to a Potential Progrom at the Table!

What are they eating, I wonder. Looks like shredded beets, maybe. Or that purple cabbage. Or both.

Yikes!! First Al rips Les then Irma rips Bets.

Ha, another bombshell for the dogs of war to chew on. Look Bets, just tell Irma that you are eating for two. Then I’m sure “hilarity will ensue” and the tension will be defused. (not likely because some combatants just want to argue).

Okay, let me make this short and not sweet: how people react here, and in the print (this comic is prominent in the remaining print newspaper media) and digital media, is like a mirror. I always beseech people to realize this is an advanced form of tragicomedy, if they really want to enjoy this strip. In this case Gunther is relegated to a sad, passive-aggressive boy, Les to an angry, frustrated neutered boy actually, Bets to a “little friend.” INSULT WHOM! Not Bets, Irma, viciously I might add. If this is not obvious then the mirror is forever opaque, I guess, sigh! (:_. This is racism, pure and simple. Now, it might not continue until next week which would be criminal, now that it’s been so cleverly raised. Misdirect your way out of this Evanses, I dare you.

Oh boo hoo, Les, just because no one invites you and Gunther to parties. And Momther and Al, please explain your hypocrisy.

Is Bets getting more or putting hers back due to loss of appetite?

Hoo – eee! I would probably be keeping my mouth full of food as well, because the second it was empty, someone would be getting a royal blasting right now.

Al & Irma insisted they live there, they never mentioned anything about rent.

Hey Cal, your sarcasm does not work on this arc as to Les. Les has just been reminded of how much he is dependent on Uncle Al. with a hidden meaning you may not be able to see. I do love your second sentence though, but Uncle All and Irma are not nice people that is for sure. That is putting it mildly.

Remember the old stereotype about how girls with a healthy appetite are to be scorned? Apparently Irma does.

I just thought, what month is it? Plus what romantic date happens in 10 days? Put it together people.

There have been times that I really want to slap that Stupid smile right off Irma’s face.

THIS is one of them.

“Little friend,” huh Irma? What’s next in the “small talk” department?

“Gunthie, does Brenda/Babs/Broomhilda speak English?”

“So, what are you majoring in College, Belinda? Home Ec?”

“Oh Betsy, I think it’s so groovy now that people are finally getting together! Are you enjoying your very special month and did you think of the new Pink Panther movie?”

Some takeaways here:

1) Les may have a “job” but he ain’t paying rent at the Gulag, either. So much for those “folks” who are forever spouting off that Gun should get a job and pay “his share of the rent.” So if it was “okay” for Les, Gunther and Tiffany to live at the Gulag rent free, what was the “problem” with Bets? (And I think We KNOW the answer)

2) Gunther? NEVER ask these two Hypocrites for permission to do anything ever again.

I’m thinking We’ve seen our LAST Gray’s family dinner with Bets in attendance.

In fact, it wouldn’t surprise Me if Bets gets up and walks out.

Wouldn’t blame her, seeing as how Al and Irma just SPIT right in her face.

Yesterday I raised the suspicion that Al might be perceived as racist from his lukewarm reception of Bets. Today Irma criticizes Bets eating while sitting right to her. Most people have the good taste not to criticize a guest in their face. You know who doesn’t? — racists.

See you in the funny papers!!! After 25 years following Luann (since 1998), I’m out.

Well, the family dynamics shown here do not bode well for any discussion of the issue that Les and Gunther wanted to bring to the table. It appears rather that a prior conflict over the relationship between Gunther and Bets may take precedence and obscure anything else. One commenter here has suggested that Bets could humorously exploit Irma’s “soto voce” observation about her appetite by claiming sarcastically that she’s “eating for two”; but I don’t believe that humor would be the result. It would only focus everyone’s attention on Bets — and secondarily on Gunther. Neither of them would enjoy that, nor would it likely be helpful to throw into Al & Irma’s faces that they have been unhospitable and worse.

Clearing the air could be of benefit, but only if an impartial authoritative referee were present to ensure that the participants in such a family intervention maintained rational perspective. Regrettably, it appears that discussion of “the Tiffany problem” will have to be deferred to some other time and forum. There’s no help for it here. It’s a pity, because only a few days ago I offered some suggestions for a possible approach to resolve the matter. But I suppose if all problems were so simply resolved, there would soon be nothing left to comment upon [:)].

“Neither are you’ Game, set, match. Like.. now we know LES Hasn’t been this whole time, and I assume Gunther hasn’t yeah… they have no excuse. I mean granted Gunther’s mom REALLY seems to be anti-bets and while I can sympathize with that on a personality level, she comes off petty as she’s not complaning about anything Bets is ACTUALLY doing, and comes off.. iffy given Bets is black and as far as we see Gunther’s mom hasn’t seen her abuse her son that we know of. I mean WE’VE seen her emotoinally abuse the guy and be a massive jerk to everyone. We get why someone coudln’t stand her, but she hasn’t seemed to actually do anything on panel to make Gunther’s mom dislike her this much. I’ll at least say that Greg is at least seeing that Bets isn’t at all popular and pivoting her more to antagonist, so that’s something.

I don’t think Irma enjoys Gunther having a girlfriend after all this time. Just like Gunther didn’t like his mom dating. I’m not getting into the whys. They were quite settled in their home life and, for, me that can be enough. I know many people who have difficulty with change. Her comment about Bets just seems peculiar to me.

I’m trying to remember is Irma encouraged Gunther to follow Rosa. If so, that kind of punctures the racism drum.

I like Tiff more than I like Bets. Does that make me racist? No, it doesn’t, because they have completely different personalities.

Is Tiffany replacing Leslie Knox?

Why is Gunther seating between Al and Irma?

I think it’s awesome Gunther and Les are tag-teaming and hope it stays a thing. I’m with Bets in that these two need to get it together with Tiff. That being said, Al’s far from stupid. He’s got something cooking and it’s a life lesson, I’m sure.

Insulted “Little friend” is doing a slow burn.

“We’re barbecuing tonight, want to see if your little friend wants to stay for dinner?” War Games, character playing MatthewBroderick’s mom

Wow. I would love to see Bets let Irma win. Get up, say goodnight, and let Gunther‘s mommy have her little boy. Bets can be annoying, yes, but she deserves better than that.

Does Betts have so little on plate because she ate it quickly or did she only put a little on her plate?

bets had less food on her plate than everyone else, too, and didn’t seem to be actively eating.

Just tell Tiffany to leave.

With that comment about Bets’ appetite, I lost all the sympathy I had for Irma. It’s clear why Bets wasn’t happy to go to have dinner with them, this way of talking is slimy! Irma doesn’t like Bets at all and she wants to discredit her in the eyes of her son!! Al has more diplomacy, but he too deliberately ignores the discomfort in which his nephew lives. They really are a perfect match, for better or for worse! This dinner won’t help the boys, they have to talk directly to Tiffany and then deal with the anger of their parents for “pushing her out”.

Wow. Lots of tension at this table.

Bets might as well ask why it’s OK for Tiffany to live at the house but she couldn’t. But she probably already knows the answer.

And Gunther’s “little friend”?? Man, I’d expect Bets to get up, say “I’m calling an Uber, bye” and leaving after that snide remark.

oh my, Irma is sitting between Bets and Gunther. Another reason for the grumpy look on her face.

Yuk! Looks like dog food. Right now, our heroine, Ann ❤️ Eiffel is at an upscale restaurant dining on a Wagyu filet and sipping Dom Perignon on some (probably married) dupe’s American Express. Speaking of eating, eat your hearts out, envious haters.

Perhaps the boys can just move into the manse

What a conversation.

Boring

Things are going to get uglier next week!

That’s telling him uncle al

That’s not the word I would use…I think this strip is about to go where others won’t. Hopefully, it doesn’t fizzle out like the lesbian angle from about a decade ago.

It’s implied that Bets can’t hear Irma, she is sort of wispiring in Gunther’s direction…

Somebody might be pregnant!

“Your little friend”. Can Irma be any more dismissive toward Bets? Greg has decided to permanently change the relationship between her and Gunther’s parents. They’ve taken it from being friendly-lovey to antagonistic and rude. So with that in mind, it will probably create a problem between Bets and Gunther in the future. If I were her I wouldn’t marry into that situation. And WHAT is that they’re eating? It looks like black spaghetti with worms.

This is going swimmingly ….

Why don’t they all move in to Tiffany’s house?

Do Al and Irma like Tiff because she comes from money? Would they like Bets more if they knew how much she was earning?

Hum, this isn’t going exactly as planned.

“Your little friend has quite the appetite…” … Good Lord Irma… if it wasn’t already rude enough that you and Al have made it clear that Bets isn’t welcome at your supper table, you use that belittling phrase “little friend”, insinuate that she’s overweight, and then do it within earshot when she’s sitting right next to you. Now, I’m not the biggest fan of Bets. I think she’s manipulative, selfish, and loves her social media fame above all else. But in this case, I’m going to stick up for her.

I have no idea how this misdirected gathering complete with nasty insensitive comments by Irma is going to conclude. But it would be great if Gunther would grow a spine, get up and quietly state that the dinner is not working out and that he and Bets need to leave. Of course this won’t happen. Someone suggested that Bets would leave (I believe). But that’s not enough. Gunther needs to take the lead in making clear to Irma that he will not stand for mean and unfeeling comments towards his girlfriend.

Oh, Irma! I can empathize with Bets in this. After Christmas dinner, someone I just met commented to her daughter that I seemed nice. I was standing in front of her. Maybe I’m overly sensitive, but seems the comments could be made directly or omitted.

Bets hasn’t said anything, yet and seems to be “hangerly” eating. From the previous panel, she seems surprised neither Al nor Irma suggested that Tiff move out. Thinking she’s doing a slow burn.

Wow those two “adults” just graduated to the most obnoxious characters in this strip.

wait a minute … BETs is BLACK?!!! Good GAWD!!! What you miss reading the braille version of the strip!

By the way one more permutation I will throw in. I’ve always wondered about the parentage of Gunnie, and even if possible, Ms. ginger headed Irma might herself be biracial. I know personally some people with this situation, some passing, many not; I even know someone who committed suicide because she could not deal with this issue. I doubt it, but there are so many ways this s=arc could go, its possible. Self-hate, or displaced self-hate bases on racialized issues is a thing.

Ya know, this reminds me of the old adage, ‘if you want something done right, do it yourself’. The boys really should have dealt with Tiffany themselves instead of trying to get Al and Irma to do the job. They brought her in, they should ask her now to leave.Todays strip was disturbing for sure. Just what G&K wanted it to be.

…still going well I see

Their little friend Came to eat not chat!

There used to be a comic strip “Lolly”// Tiffany is a little similar to Lolly.

Gunter should say “well, she’s eating for two, Mom!”

Gunther needs to stand up to Al and Irma about how they treat his GF. They are treating her awful this week and so far Gunther has not stood up for Bets at all. I hope he defends Bets next week.

I noticed Les didn’t have a come back to Al’s comment about not paying rent.

There was a time, not so long ago (in Luanniverse time), that Ma Berger would cheerfully lavish lots of food onto dinner guests. Now, as Mrs. Grey, she’s serving pig slop and making rude remarks when a guest takes a second helping.

What’s the difference? Living with Al, the guy with the shady past?

On another subject … GnK seem to be deliberately having the boys making stupid arguments for why Tiff needs to leave. Les is sleeping on a bean bag chair and is complaining that Tiff doesn’t pay rent???

Again, this all looks like GnK’s version of slapstick.

This is not going well.

OMG! I hope Greg or Karen aren’t trying to pull some like of Andy Kaufman shtick on us here! 8^ (

I see a scoul forming on her face. The wedding is off Gunth!

Apparently there are some out there who have not experienced scenarios like this one before, where the two generations flat out don’t get the others’ perspective. This is all too common. Like the late Buddy Starcher (among others) said, history repeats itself.

Here’s another possible alternative story arc. NO marriageable woman is good enough for a mother’s son; especially if he is the eldest (or only) son. I’ve seen this happen twice in my extended family. In one, peace was made and total daughter-in -law bonding ensued with the first grandchild. In the second instance, a sort of détente prevails.

Perhaps this will be the arc where Irma finally comes to accept Bets as “Gunthie’s” chosen one and future d-i-l!

I don’t understand how Tiffany plays into this arc since there was an obvious difference in her staying by herself while recuperating, while Bets and Gun would have been cohabiting.

I don’t see racism here. I only see a strong preference for Tiffany over Bets, which could be simply a preference of personalities or simply chemistry. And I think Irma would dislike ANYONE (Tiffany included) who became involved with her Baby Boy.

Can’t pull one on Al.

Les: Uncle Al, I want my bedroom back. I’m tired of sleeping in the living room in a beanbag chair. I don’t want the living room to be a bedroom. I want it to be a living room. Gunther: Mom! Her name is Bets, and she’s not a child.

By the way, so many seem focused on the food on Bets plate, and Irma’s comment about Gunther’s “little friend” having such a big appetite, some implying she is pregnant, which further implies she is promiscuous. There is no evidence presented that she is, but if so the obvious “two to tango” in babymaking comes up. I think if panel two is looked at closely, Bets is scowling, not surprisingly, but I think she is putting food that was on her plate back into the serving bowl. There was a bigger pile of slop in panel three. I think she has no appetite and is trying to figure out how to react. Telling.

Is Bets eating for two?

Fearless prediction:

Monday, dinner has ended and Bets and the boys are back in the Gulag. Bets is furious and the boys are helpless.

Tuesday or Wednesday or so, Tiff returns from the dorm party breezily announcing that she’s going back to the dorm, where the fun is.

Rest of the week, Les and Gunth talk about it.

There should be a switch back to Al and Irma talking about the “situation”, but there won’t be.

Would the boys tell Tiff it’s time to leave? Nah.

I’d love to be wrong.

Possible.

Tiffany should invite Luann et al to live in the mansion. Plenty of room.

I’m a little irritated by the way Bets is being treated.

I think it’s weird that Al and Irma didn’t want Bets moving in with Gunther, but they apparently see nothing wrong with Tiffany living in the same house as both of the boys.

I see awkwardness is the main course tonight.

It was a mistake for Les to use the rent argument which just invited Al’s response. A better approach would be to suggest that Irma and Al take Tiffany into their house which has plenty of space (relative to the Gulag) and since they love her so much it would be appropriate. They could experience Tiff for themselves.

Exactly

If G&K were looking to spur comments here, they have succeeded.

Honestly Les and Gunther are putting up the dumbest arguments here. Just say She’s fully healed and Les deserves his room back—-or he’s going to have to move in with YOU GUYS! Then, help her pack her stuff.

Sometimes it is hard to deal with people who are taking advantage of you. I know. I’m going through it right now! But you’ll feel better if you take control of the situation instead of just passing the buck like they are doing here.

Reactions may vary to the myth of the fine, fun, family dinner. Al shoots down angry Leslie (yay!); Irma insults Bets (whether intentionally or just by clumsiness). Gunther is mortified by all the friction….

Ten more minutes….

Is Bets eating for two?

Oh no! They’re RACISTS!

I haven’t seen such a jolly dinner since the Mafia guy was served his last meal just before the garroting