Why, oh why?

[slink]

OK, so another Drew strip in the VH that doesn't seem to be at all humurous... Well, maybe it's just me. I'll get round to the other thing shortly, but I'm just scared of it right now!

[slink]

Aha, the second item (manners) did have a wonderful line in it:
Tip the normal amount, unless they have demonstrated extraordinary talent (raised level of voice at appropriate times, cleverly employed sink-top materials in the creation of sound effects).

I particularly liked the image of raising the voice at the right times. Doesn't seem conducive to manners in some ways, but in others...
That bit alone is better than all the previous weeks!

[jough]

LAME

[andalucia]

I agree with jough.

Except the comic was funny for a minute when I thought it said "I once walked in on my computer playing backgammon"

[AugustWest]

I much enjoyed the bathroom etiquette piece.  Funniest bit on the variety hour yet.

Perhaps "funniest" isn't the correct term, in that it implies that there were at least two other funny items in previous VH's.  Therefore, please replace "Funniest" with "Only funny".

[jough]

I agree with jough.

Right on, sister.

Except the comic was funny for a minute when I thought it said "I once walked in on my computer playing backgammon"

That would have been funnier.  Maybe you should write something for the Variety Hour, 'lucia.

-- J.

[jay-ell]

I thought the bathroom thing failed to sux teh coqq.  That is all.

[Asherdan]

Slink identified the only line I smirked at.

[Choop]

Highlights from my reading:
- "slender volumes such as postcards or Steve Martin novels"
- the sound-effects line previously mentioned

Lowlights:
- Obviously meant to evoke a weekly column, it's marked "53" on a page that looks bound. Were this column weekly, it would not be on such a page. Were this column bound, it would not need the "Dear Reader: this week" or the "join us next week" - as a bound collection is by definition not a weekly publication. What's the format, "Rodey Perfection?" Make up your mind.
- Many references to children and should-nots. Then the references to children just stop. Who's your audience, "Rodney Perfection?" Make up your mind!
- Setting-anomalous language is used (supposedly) for the purpose of humo(u)r. In the age of cellular phones, and especially on the topic of their being used on the can, speech such as, the vocabulary is entirely inappropriate. Achewood already gets enough of this speech via Mr. Bear. When was this column supposedly written, "Rodney Perfection?" Make up your mind.

[AlohaDawg]

Choop's analysis is made complete by the question:

DO YOU WANT TO HAVE HUMOR IN YOUR VARIETY HOUR OR NOT??

MAKE UP YOUR MIND!

Although Augustwest rightly points out that IF you had to pick the funniest...no....the funny....the, um....

Most Nearly Funny item in all of the dismal history of the wretched variety hour, this would be it.

I guess.

[Limmo]

Every time  I see the words "VARIETY HOUR" I tell myself not to bother, they're never any good.  But like an idiot I click anyway, hoping for some goodness.

Ugh.  Please just stop.

[slink]

Ugh.  Please just stop.

Hence m Why, oh why?ing it! The strip alone on a Thursday would at least take away the dirty feeling the VH gives me every time!

[ferocious j]

A plague on all your houses.  The bathroom thing was great.

[AlohaDawg]

Great?

Oh, My. I can't agree. If you compare it to the rest of the offerings of the critically ill VH it has some relative luster. But that is like selecting the least green and fuzzy steak from a pile of rotting meat.

Talented people with platforms sometimes make the critical error of either trying to 'diversify' their communications modality into areas where they are less talented OR share (and dilute the quality of) their platform with friends or people to whom they feel an obligation.

It seems to me that perhaps the Cartoonist who draws Achewood may have fallen victim to both of these, and it sucks the life out of everything else he does. Which is a shame.

on a separate note:

I wish he would just change the date to the fourth. Posting yesterdays comic today allows us two comics in one day (cool!) but also leaves open the possibility that TOMORROW will be the fourth. Which we all know it isn't....is it?

I actually checked the date this morning because of that.

[jough]

Hey, cut the guy some slack.  That harbour ain't gonna pace itself!