For cryin’ out loud, Summer. Can’t you let the guy watch his videotape in peace without you sitting there simpering?
Lisa must have been having a “good” day when she recorded her video message, since by the time she learned that Darin was her son, she was about two months from death. She looks pretty robust on the tape. I wonder how proud she’d be if she lived to see how far Darin got in life with that MBA.
So the gag gifts from yesterday were merely a setup for the “real” “present”, which Summer brandishes close enough to Darin’s face to cause him to flinch: “A birthday video that Lisa made for you.” And yes, it’s awkward hearing Summer reference her sainted mother by her first name, but it would be more awkward to have her say “a birthday video that my mom…um, our mom…my biological, uh, your biological mother…”, especially with the woman who actually raised Boy Lisa standing nearby.
All that aside: today’s punchline is actually cute and funny: Darin delivers a gentle zinger to his age-shifting adoptive parents, and Ann doesn’t miss a beat. Well played (for once), Mr. Batiuk.
bad wolf
December 2, 2011 at 9:43 am
Now the part where Les somehow avoids taking Cayla on what would be an amazing honeymoon. Because why would she be interested in Africa?Golobulus
December 3, 2011 at 11:21 am
You know, Les, if you weren’t such an insufferable putz you could’ve used this opportunity to make Cayla really happy ON YOUR HONEYMOON.
Nope, TB’s got other plans for the Kilimanjaro trek, and they don’t include the future Mrs. Les Moore, who graciously withdraws herself from consideration, thus paving the way for next year’s epic daddy/daughter mountaineering arc.
Epicus Doomus
December 3, 2011 at 12:35 am
…You damn well know this guy is going to whine and bitch his way up and down that f*cking mountain while the always-annoying Summer will be quipping and overacting along with him the entire way. Then he’ll come home and brag about it in that irritating, self-depreciating Batomic way of his.
You heard it here first…
Erich
May 19, 2011 at 11:31 am…I’m trying to remember the name of another author with a pragmatic attitude towards adaptations…when somebody asked him about Hollywood “ruining” his books, he replied “They’re not ruined. They’re still right there on the shelf.” Who said that?
redbird
May 19, 2011 at 5:17 pmErich: Finally found it at Slate:
“…Except, of course, it was supposed to be exactly that. Comics writer Alan Moore, whose dislike for adaptations of his books has been widely documented, is fond of telling a story about Raymond Chandler. When asked if he worried about Hollywood ruining his books, Chandler replied, “They’re not ruined. They’re right there on the shelf….”
My own research led me to this very old posting on a discussion board, where the expression is used by author James Ellroy (who I guess was quoting Chandler). Anyway, in today’s strip, Lisa’s Ghost says pretty much the same thing.
Today’s post title was inspired by Lisa’s cold, spooky hand on Les’ in panel 3, which in turn reminded me of this 80’s classic:
“There, There, My Dear” –Dexy’s Midnight Runners
In likening himself to Hemingway , Les leaves out a key element of Papa’s quote: “You throw them your book, they throw you the money. Then you jump into your car and drive like hell back the way you came.” Although in this case, instead of money, Hollywood would throw the book back. After using it for asswipe.
Son of Stuck Funky 