I find the most reasonable explanation for Mindy’s attraction to Pete is the one offered by a number of commentors–she’s hoping to sleep her way into some of those Starbuck Jones/Cable Movie Entertainment millions so she can buy her way out of this strip. That’s surprisingly cynical for a strip like this, but, let’s face it–Pete is otherwise a repellent character, who has no attractive features of any kind, and only an insane/desperate person would find him worthy of affection. I mean, he and Mindy had two remarkably stupid conversations, and suddenly she wants to divert from the airport to Bedside Manor? (To meet He Who Shall Not Be Named In This Strip, of course.) I’d find it more plausible if she was driving him to some remote field where she’d force him to dig his own grave before gifting him with a bullet.
Pete is one manifestation of the Ultimate Batiuk Form–the Whiner. If Mindy is serious about wanting to be with him, she had better get used to endless whining about how hard he has to work at what would otherwise be his dream job. Because those who exist in the Funkyverse without constant complaining don’t truly exist at all.
Of course, the sleeping-to-the-top theory falls down when you realize this would mean a female character has drive and ambition–and those things are not directed toward bringing milk and cookies to her comic-reading man. Sorry, everyone.
It does remind me of the old Hollywood joke–this one comes from the 1930’s I believe, so it’s right there on Nostalgia Boulevard. “Did you hear about the aspiring actress? She was so stupid, she slept with the writer!”
