Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for February 22, 2024

Yikes! Someone turn the hose on Bernice. She’s coming off way too eager.

Forward much?

Last week was a complete waste of time except that it made Tara and Luann act like a couple of 4 year olds clamoring for their mother’s attention. But mom (Piro) has a migraine and only wants to lie down. But they following her into the bedroom and keep demanding her attention. So Piro calls Bernice. He could have called her Monday of last week and set up a time and place where they could talk. Because he obviously wants to talk. And instead of talking about his problem the authors have been going on about what a failure Bernice is as a psychologist. In fact at this point whatever is wrong with Piro’s mother will never be revealed because neither she or Piro are important to the story. They’re just McGuffin’s to get the Bernice’s plot going.

Last week Rita mentioned that someone had asked Karen if they have trouble coming up with plots. K said that they had so many idea that they couldn’t use all of them. My follow up question would have been “but any good ones?”

Not very professional Bern, you’re not ready for the major league of counselling.

Piro, don’t walk into Bernice trap, she too eager.

Bern seriously needs to rethink her Career choice because the way she is coming off is nothing if not pushy and intrusive.

So, which is it, Bernice? Yes or no?

So.

Piro doesn’t want “people” to know about his “messed up mom.”

Does he not consider Bernice ”People?”

Well, if he doesn’t spill the beans soon, he’s sure to clam up when Family starts returning at the DeGroot Homestead.

Not to share!!!!!

I think Bernice can be trusted not to share Piro’s confidences. But can she be trusted not gloat that she knows one of Piro’s secrets and Luann doesn’t? As competitive as these three girls are for Piro’s attention, it’s hard to say.

Change. Your. Major. It’s not too late. If you actually get a license, you could hurt vulnerable people.

Funny is funny – but ridiculous is not so funny.

Lord! I hope no one ever gives her a license to practice.

Bernice is a cocktail lounge psychologist like those guys sitting on bar stools in Cheers explaining the world to anyone who will listen.

Whoa. Back off, Bernice you’re being too eager for details. None of your business. Let him decide what to share. Perhaps you ought to go back to the PittsCC girls. They’re more considerate once you share what’s bothering you, Piro, unless it’s because of Luann’s presence you didn’t want to talk about your mom in front of your cousin.

If Piro’s mother had a stroke five or six years ago, she is dealing with a more recent onset of an illness. It depends on the condition that she has been in since her stroke and how well it is being managed. At this point, we can only guess how she is doing. None of us really know, but we can understand how worried Piro must be. (Yes, I know it is only a comic strip.)

How ironic that the person studying to be a psychologist is the person most in need of one.

Why doesn’t Piro want anyone to know? Does his mom have an STD??

trying so hard, but she keeps crashing and burning.

Well, Piro, the whole world now knows..

You just lost him, Bern.

Bernice REALLY tunes in when there’s misfortune involving some one else.

She prolly listens to th Eagles’ song ‘Dirty Laundry’ everday

♫ Can we film the operation? Is the head dead yet? ♪

As much as I hate this… It beats Betsy and her mental mess. Happy and uplifting would be a nice change…

Bernice is a mess

A case like this???

Piro is boring

Piro picks up his backpack and leaves without another word.

Bernice is such a self-absorbed jerk. She’s going to make a terrible psychologist.

You are intellectually and emotionally superior to this person, Piro.

Bernice, settle down and just hear him out. You’re going to just make him feel uncomfortable or weird.

Poor Piro, Bernice the vulture saw his vulnerability and swooped down on him. Bernice has wanted to know Piro’s story for too long to be calm or patient. Maybe there will be the big surprise and Bernice will actually be able to help him. But seeing her so hyped up, I can’t help but think that Tara and Luann would have been more discreet and genuinely understanding. But there is always the possibility that, besides his needs to talk with someone about his mother, Piro wants to build a special bond with Bernice and these confidences are important to create that type of relationship.

This is painful.

Poor Piro. His “friends” are all self-serving. I’m disappointed in all of those girls.

So much for Just listening. Bernice had better go back and reread that chapter adn do a lot more Highlighting.

Kind of painful watching Bern leap from one stance to another like she doesn’t know how to handle this situation, as evidence from her thought’s and actions. Piro is opening up to her and she’s not behaving right.

Little too eager there girl. It’s as if Bernice is actually saying “Ooh hot gossip—gimme all the dirt!”

Piro, DON’T tell Bernice anything. She’s too prone to gloating about knowing something the others don’t, and she’ll end up blabbing everything. Wait until Nancy comes home and talk to her. You’ll have a much better chance of being understood when Nancy listens and offers mature advice. And she won’t tell. On the other hand, she may force Luann and Bernice to room together, while she give Brad’s old room to Piro.

Bernice thinks she’s God’s gift to psychology.

A little too reassuring and anxious, Bernice. More empathy, please….. have a cup of tea! Where’s Dez or Tiffany’s Teas? :-D

Does she plan to become a clinical psychologist? Does she have a Plan B?

She just can’t help herself can she.

He throws over those other ladies because he can trust BERNICE?? Now….That’s hilarious!

Whatever advise you have only applies to others – not to yourself.

Bernice needs to remove her psych hat and put on her friend hat. Listen, empathize…he’s given her a gift by confiding and she’s too busy asking why to enjoy the gift. SMH.

I guess Bernice hasn’t gotten to developing a detached air in her psychology studies. Perhaps, she should take some CPE.

Hopefully Bernice won’t brag to Luanne and Tara about Piro sharing with her. That would make Piro think he can’t trust anyone.

I fear a terrible day of comeuppance for Bernice.

3 fastest methods of communication. 1) Television2) Telephone3) Tell Bernice.

Can G&K maybe introduce a new Professorial character to sit Bernice down and explain to her just what a buffoon she is being?

Maybe Nancy will come home and actually be helpful.

Run, Piro, Run!

She needs a good jump

Bernice is the epitome of loose lips ! Internalize, Piro. Telling her is like broadcasting it on network news!

Bernice thinks that psychology gives legitimacy to being nosey.

Difficult to believe that Piro’s mom could be any more of a mess than Bernice is.

Run, Piro. Run.

I don’t really like or get this male character. What am I missing? (P. S. I’m 72 – Does that make a difference?) : )

Pull the plug, Bernice!

Not only is his mother a mess, so is Piro.

Looks like Bern is about to jump outta her clothes! Or maybe just onto Piro.

Been finds how exciting it is to have her first victim…I mean client!

Just another gossiping busy-body

When is Bernice going to start seeing a shrink for herself. She’s kind of messed up.

It is a bad idea not to share news like this with your friends. They care about you and will wonder what is wrong and worry about you. He could give his friends a little information, but not all the details.

I have found over the years that it is quite often best not to look too happy while trying to get people to share their pain with you. Something about not believing you are truly empathizing or sympathizing or something…I wasn’t paying attention….

Some psychologist she will be. She’s a mess! Poor Piro

And just like that, Bernice potentially ran off Piro.

Hey Bernice, maybe Piro will realize he does want to talk about it if you push him over and then pin him down on the couch. It’s called Forced Interrogation Therapy. You probably haven’t studied that chapter yet.

Bernice is coming off way to ignorant.

Think carefully…this is a ten-mark question, Piro. :D

Ugh, she’s just a vile person. And literally nobody in this strip seems to have any respect for Piro’s wishes.

Bern has quite an ego problem. She thinks because she’s taking psych courses she’s qualified to do serious counseling to someone who obviously has mental (trust) issues.

Again, learn some “Active Listening Skills” before jumping in, Bern. Only about your simple steps.

If he tells you anything confidential now, it’s going to eat at you until you share it with Lu, maybe sleep talking in your adjoining room.

Remembrances of a girl like her. It still hurts after all these years and her apology. Not being dramatic, but I lit a candle to her memory. No drama intended but life is like that.

Somebody build a backyard fence so Bernice will feel at home

Geez, I wish that someone had told me when I was a young guy that girls would climb all over me if I could just get the moody-young-man act right.

Oh, wait. I was in fact moody. But it didn’t work, not in that department, anyway. I guess I didn’t look one little bit like James Dean.

Piro should talk to Puddles.He’s a great listener and gives great hugs.

Bernice’s courses in psychology don’t seem to have taken well.

Bernice, are you failing your psych classes?

Yes, Bernice is regrettably “too eager” today. But, I suspect the REASONS for her eagerness are NOT nefarious. She is eager to HELP Piro, but in her eagerness to do so, she is not aware enough of her body language nor the bluntness of her statements. She is focused on want to get details so she can run those details through her analytical mind to see how they fit with her current understanding of psychology theory.

That is all well and good, but like with any clinician, another important skill needed is “doctor-patient” interaction skills that help the “patient” feel comfortable. For some folks these skills may be innate, but for many they are learned. Bernice does need to LEARN these skills in her quest to be an actual clinical psychologist.

In the medical and psychological communities there are many examples of folks learning their craft who had a lot of “growing pains” in this effort….. but learn and grow they eventually did. This is what I believe we are seeing here for Bernice.

A lot of television dramas with a medical ilk have had similar story arcs as we see here. I can remember seeing this in episodes of St. Elsewhere, ER, Grey’s Anatomy, and hell even in older shows like Marcus Welby, Trapper John MD, and even Emergency. Most folks (including Bernice) can develop that skill.

This is supposed to be funny because Piro is hot, but it’s not. It’s desperate and creepy (I’m including Luann and Tara). If when Les did this to Tiff, it was rightfully called out. But even Les (even Les!) learned that Tiff was more than her looks and that she should be treated like a human being first. Those rules don’t disappear just because it’s girls who are leching

“Hot Boy with Issues” chapter 24, third paragraph, found in “Phycology for Budding Phycologist-10whatever”.

Everyone they know is a practice patient for a psych(o) student.

Take a deep breath, Bernice and just let him talk!

Chill thee out, young lady!

Bernice, make up your mind. Should he share, or, shouldn’t he share?

Bernice should be a lawyer, she’d be great agt grilling witnesses.

Terrible. This was an opportunity for Bern to be a good friend and she ruins it by being a bumbling shrink.

People! So many focus on how terrible Bern is as a psychologist, or simply, they hate her character, and they’re not feeling Piro too tough either. This, IMHO, totally misses the point of the story, and there is one, that is slowly developing, with the patented twists and turns, I like to call misdirection plays, that are constant in telling the story. One barrier to understanding is that tendency to hate certain characters, from Luann (duffessness) or/to Bern’s supercilious belief in her skills or understanding of how to be a counselor, a clinical psychologist, or possibly a licensed social worker. Those instincts come from a desire to help and a curiosity about the human personality, good reasons in most minds. I’m going to hide behind, “lets wait to see where this arc twists and turns” before I express a prediction (or have a nice “I called it” or a confession I was all wrong. I have an idea though, which I think most character based opinions miss, and contrary to some strong opinions here (BB you there -:)I think that this story(ies) are humerous, well-developed, and usually end, if they do, contrary to character haters, or dumb story critics miss, but hey I could be, and often am, wrong. But as Randy Newman’s lyric goes, “I don’t think so.”

Who would trust that?

Bernice is sounding desperate