For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 03, 2009

Oh, that does it. He didn’t know he was already skating on black ice?

GASP! Did Elly call the King a Fink? Oh my goshhhh!

I think John got exactly the reaction he was aiming for!

she’s married to a doctor. trust me, she’ll get over it.

I haven’t seen most of these strips since I was a kid, but I don’t remember them being so bitter.

I think he’s messing with her, but his timing is terrible. Now she needs to get her revenge and show him exactly what a “hassle” she can be…

(@hank, he’s a dentist and it doesn’t make a difference. My father was a dentist and my husband earns more than a doctor, and we still don’t want to be called a “hassle” or told that we’re working for them. If that’s true, then he’s working for me also and he’s a “hassle” in his own way. You definitely don’t put your spouse down, esp to others.)

Hope he’ll be comfy sleeping on the couch tonight.

Elly, can’t you take a joke? :-D

She is not screaming irrationally and it would be really nice if some people wouldn’t always say the same thing over and over. I wouldn’t want to be told I work for my husband either, even in jest!

I wouldn’t have minded being counted. I would mind being called a GIRL!! by the BOY!!

I think it has more to do with the old saying “Man works from sun to sun but woman’s work is NEVER done!” Elly has a lot more work to do - with the house and kids - then he does… she never gets a break from it all really - she’s TIRED !! duh!

FINK?

Now there is a word I haven’t heard in, oh, 30 years or more. Really dates this one, doesn’t it? Now-a-days, she would probably call him something a little more colorful.

I would have killed him right there on the spot!!!

The “King” _IS_ a Fink!!! (Mrs. Goaler doesn’t “work” for me, nor do I “work” for her… we work together!)

Yeah, I wouldn’t have liked the girl and working thing either–it’s one thing to add “my wife works with me and that’s how i keep things going”…. this way it’s like she’s only staff and “girl” staff at that.

LOL “Fink” … see “Wizard of Id” and you’ll get the jist of this joke - the Wizard’s wife and several of the Kings peasents use FINK alot.

And yes, Mr. John, you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.

Yes, and SHE can make you sleep on the couch too!

No, hank197857. Elly married a DENTIST. She’ll still get over it, though. Hopefully she isn’t the ninth girl working for John.

I still think John knew he’s get a rise out of Ellie. And I don’t think it means that he believes what he says- it’s more of a joke.

But some men are chauvinists and actually believe all that girls should do the Joe work stuff.

I am SO TIRED of the sexism in this comic strip. I’ve been reading FBOFW for approximately 5 years now and this the last straw. I’m not reading it anymore. I’m surprised it’s written by a woman, it’s disrespectful.

John is like my father - he loves to tease - and to get a rise out of the teasee, my mother. I used to get mad at both of them - him for doing it, over and over, never feeling bad about upsetting her, and her for getting upset, over and over, never learning a different way to react.

Ah, the good old days.

Erin_Gallagher, eh, what? She’s pointing out the rampant sexism, not wallowing in it…

At least John acknowledged that Elly WORKS! Too many husbands think that the wife at home ALL DAY with small children doesn’t count as WORKING!!! I think it was meant as a joke.

@ hildigunnur :: I understand that the comic is meant to be funny and I get it. I know that John was just joking with Elly. However, these types of storylines happen constantly and it’s getting to be too much to handle. I guess I’m just a little more modern in my thinking. (not compared to you but society in general)

sensitive … that’s okay, erin. that’s part of being a woman.

anyway, instead of balling and calling her husband a fink in front of others, the smart woman would simply go shopping with the money she’s worked for.

Yeah, men never make their wives look like jerks in front of other people.

Dude will be on the couch for a long time.

Erin_Gallagher, I have always been of the opinion that making fun of stereotypes is the best way to point out how wrong they are. That goes for gender stereotypes as well as racial ones. It’s a risky course to take, because some people don’t understand the sarcasm involved, but I think it’s worth while. Hopefully you can give Lynn the benefit of the doubt when she does this.

besides, erin, most men are klutzes anyway, present company included. it’s part of our “charm” :) hopefully, it’s all in good fun.

… and honeygirl, why would my wife derpive herself like that?