“Wally says he loves you too…What’s that, Mom? Oh. Well, it’s…it’s an I.O.U., actually. But I folded it up and put it on my finger just like a ring! …Hmm? No, silly, we wouldn’t dream of having our wedding in a pizza parlor! We’re getting married in the gazebo!…No, that big white pavilion…in the park!…What? You’re breaking up…oh…Buddy. Buddy. His service dog, Buddy! Mom? What’s wrong? Mom, stop crying. Mom?”
13 thoughts on “Tell Mama”
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Son of Stuck Funky 
Other than the usual wry smirking there’s nothing specifically objectionable about this one, other than the fact that mother-in-law jokes are the oldest ones in the comic strip author’s handbook. In fact, one of the oldest prehistoric cave paintings ever discovered was deciphered and found to be a mother-in-law joke. No wry smirking in that one, though. That innovation came way later.
I never do this, but I’ve seen tomorrow’s strip and it’s grim, even by FW standards. Three silent panels featuring Mrs. Pizzalifer (Rache’s mom) fashioning a noose from a length of extension cord and tossing it over a beam in the garage. Seriously though, I wonder if she lives in town? Because now, as a member of the Montoni’s family, she’s entitled to a 5% discount on all large pies with everything AND priority seating before noon on any weekday!
TFH: Re: Batiukmobile® tag, good eye, almost missed that!
Rachel: “Yeah, Mom, Wally ordered me to marry him!”
*beat*
Rachel: “Wally. Wally Winkerbean.”
*beat*
Rachel: “No, he hasn’t already died twice! He’s alive! And the man I love!”
*beat*
Rachel: “Your grandchild? ….huh. Your guess is as good as mine.”
*beat*
Rachel: “What do you MEAN how will he react to a new father?!? And, what do you MEAN what are we going to do about living arrangements?!? WEDDING MOM, WEDDING! I’m a girl so it’s my job to do the wedding!”
*beat*
Rachel: “What do you MEAN I’m still stuck in the same 80 hour a week pizza job I had after high school and have no time to plan a wedding?!? I’m a WOMAN! It’s what we DO!”
*beat*
Rachel: “what do you MEAN Wally makes the guys on MAD MEN look enlightened?!?”
Wally: “Heh-heh. Wimmen. They got hormones and feelings and stuff, rite Buddy? HAW!!!”
I think the “took you long enough!” referenced the acknowledgement that Mom exists.
If one were to encounter this particular strip in a cultural vacuum, then the joke is actually pretty funny. In fact, it’s one of the more clever I’ve seen in this comic.
Alas, the necessary vacuum has already been filled…with what looks like sand, from the Middle East…or…are those asbestos fibers? Aaah! Get me outta here, I’ve got five kids to feed!
why is Waldo so broke ? didn’t he get some kind of being dead military back pay ?
“What do you mean it took him long enough? We’ve only appeared together in about 6 dailies over the past 3 years. You want long, check out that 2-week arc when Darin and Jessica were storming out of the door, whoo boy!”
Agree with Beckoning, on its own this strip actually isn’t bad. Sure earlier it was dumb with that dog as best man thing, but all in all it’s nothing like Writer’s Block Mark. 1-500 or Awkwardly Written Lisa Plot # 33692 and actually could be something that you would actually think belongs in a newspaper.
“Tell her I love her too…as long as she keeps that little urchin of yours outta my hair.”
@flappy – Wally probably has his disability compensation (paid by the VA) and his dishwasher money (paid by Funky). The Army would have paid any back pay and insurance proceeds to his “widow” (Becky) ten years earlier. Once he was declared dead, his pay would have stopped.
He would be entitled to pay while he was a POW and the Army has probably settled with him on that, but he (and Becky ) would have to pay back the $400,000 life insurance policy proceeds that Becky collected at his “death.” After he (and Becky) settle with the insurance company, there probably isn’t much money left; keeping in mind that Becky was entitled to the money and did nothing wrong after the Army declared him dead.
Again, the VA could help Wally get a better (more pay) job, but TB prefers to have Wally wallow in his condition, rather than try to improve it.
Hey Bill,
Thanks for the insightful comment! One of the things I like best about writing/reading SoSF is when a member of the community puts some real world information up against Batiuk’s skewed view of “reality”. Sounds like you have some firsthand experience dealing with the VA. Thanks again for reading and commenting and have a great weekend.
*Stay Funky!*
*TFH **aka **Tom Hackett* http://sonofstuckfunky.com http://twitter.com/sonofstuckfunky
When did Wally and Rache leave town? No way there are two 3+ story buildings (panel 3) in Westview…
Wow, word of Wally & Rachel’s pending nuptials has spread quickly!!!
Judging by panel 1, spurned best man candidates appear ready to sideswipe Buddy and take him out of the picture…..PERMANENTLY!!!! (Cue Rockford Theme Song..)
This is neither here nor there with respect to today’s smirkfest, but there sure are some pathetic excuses for commentary over on NJ.com.