I'd love to see a strip where the mom gets even by calling Lemont after his BIRTHDAY and saying what an overblown holiday birthdays are, so she's boycotting his birthday from now on.
You know, the people who complain about the guilt trips their mothers lay on them are usually the first to feel neglected if any of THEIR special days are forgotten. I'm just sayin'.
Can't I be a hypocrite AND amused? I thought I didn't have to choose. :S
Just pointing out for the record, in case my mom is reading this: Lemont Brown is not Darrin Bell.
What, you say? Your mom actually reads your strips? I've got some great guilt trips I can share with her that worked with my own kids. Or, didn't work. Whatever. Still, I thought the strip was HYSTERICALLY funny.
You know, I would have thought this was funny when I was the kid. Now that I'm the mom, what is this woman doing that's so bad? Wanting a call on Mother's Day? I used to have an aunt who would at times say melodramatically to her kids, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth..." (for those who aren't familiar, a Shakepeare quote that ends "...is an ungrateful child.") We used to think she was a gasbag. Now I feel her pain - not that my kids are ungrateful, but why she could feel like that. I know Lemont is supposed to be clueless a lot, but this is just deliberately mean. Is his mother supposed to be abusive, or just the pain in the a-- that kids always think moms are?
I don't read the strip as a criticism of the mother. The strip is funny because it highlight/exaggerates how moms and sons really interact.
Note that Lemon isn't completely clueless. He understands that the crime is his own (and that the penalty is guilt).
Agreed, it's not a criticism of the mother at all, but just wondering about the character's motivation (is that too Method?). But don't see that he thinks the crime is his own at all - people don't usually see guilt as a deserved penalty. I've often heard it referred to as a "useless" emotion, rather than one that (sometimes) is telling you you did something wrong. There IS useless guilt; but there's also deserved guilt, and I think Lemont is feeling he's a victim of the former rather than justly feeling the latter.
Hmmm. I'm going to try to assert my status as a son over your status as a mother. I think we sons feel we deserve the guilt but often remained amused by it. That doesn't prevent us from developing defense mechanisms. I think we're laughing at our own failing when we read the strip.
However, I will let Lemont's creator speak definitively to his guilt (or lack of it). Mr. Bell probably has his own account.
I wish I knew the extent of Lemont's guilt, but he won't share that with me. He barely even believes I exist. You'll probably have to ask Susan or Clyde.
Susan will probably say something to the effect that his cluelessness is a defense against his too-sensitive true emotions (usually buried). Clyde - hmm, not sure. Maybe "What?" or "Tsk - (insert chiding remark in colloquial dialect here)."
I think Clyde would say, "What? Yo, you don't have to be pushed around like that on a string, like a yo-yo. Take it from me! I don't call my mother on Mother's Day or any OTHER day!"
Reminds me of my own, but I STILL don't like that I have to call & send gifts on Mother's Day. I call my mom all the time, so why should I feel guilty if I don't call her on that specific day? I do think Mother's Day is one of those Hallmark holidays that we all fall for.
In fact, again, why don't ALL of you cartoonist guys and women get together and form your own greeting card company?
In fact, it's almost FATHER'S DAY. I can't wait to see the strips on that one! Last I remember, Lemont answered a phone call where a dad called and was so happy to finally find him (his son) and it turned out to be a wrong number caller. Poor Lemont!
In fact, the suggestion about cards is great. Darrin, why don't you start your own greeting card line? I think MANY of your fans and followers would want to help you in the distribution!
HYSTERICALLY funny! I would imagine MANY women who are moms of older children can relate as well as the older children who have moms who remind them of their status as their kids as well as being adults. :)
Forgets Mother's Day?! I do not want to IMAGINE what condition I or my psyche would have been in if I'd ever FORGOTTEN Mother's Day. Sheesh. My mom in a bad mood made Clytemnestra look like June Cleaver.
Lovely woman, and a great mother - but not to be crossed. That's all I'm saying.
I think some of these answering machine strips might make fun Mothers Day cards. The Hallmark offering are pretty stale and anything other than a soft-focus shot of a rose with a sappy poem would be welcome change.
Yes, it's widely abused commercially. But, a telephone call doesn't cost anything, and even a visit once a year would be nice and not too much to ask for; and, how is wanting to be remembered a guilt trip?
Couldn't agree more. Hear bloody hear. So don't buy commercial cards; send a nice note & make a phone call. But would a few flowers kill you? And if you live nearby, how about having her over for dinner? Don't judge a mom till you've walked a few miles on her pregnancy-swollen feet.;)
Yes, at least some gift cards to the nearest drug store? Or, a back rub? That doesn't even cost money!
That doesn't work with my mom. A phone call AND a card are required (she gets both). Further, the offering of sacrificial flowers is clearly NOT welcome.
Actually, my mother would love a "guilt" themed card. She likes that kind of humor and welcomes the recognition of her contributions in the field of guilt. Your "pregnancy-swollen feet" line pales in comparison to "That's okay, I only nearly died giving you birth."
It may tell you a lot about where I got my sense of humor but one of these strips would be a hit with my Mom.
There are quite a few people that I know that could probably benefit from that message!
This is perfect for all of us ex-mama's boys.
Does showing consideration automaticallhy mean that you're a moma's boy?
Oh, not in the slightest. I was an only child, and my mom and I were always cool like that. Now that I'm married with kids, she still hits the roof whenever I'm inaccessible and tries to place a guilt trip on me. A son's independence and motherhood tend to clash like oil and water. My mom's apron strings must be made outta bungee cord. :)
Fellas (and fell-ettes), always show love for ya moms! She's the only one you got. And, Ma, if you're reading this, "I love you, and Candorville rulez!! Remember that."
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I'd love to see a strip where the mom gets even by calling Lemont after his BIRTHDAY and saying what an overblown holiday birthdays are, so she's boycotting his birthday from now on.
You know, the people who complain about the guilt trips their mothers lay on them are usually the first to feel neglected if any of THEIR special days are forgotten. I'm just sayin'.
Can't I be a hypocrite AND amused? I thought I didn't have to choose. :S
Just pointing out for the record, in case my mom is reading this: Lemont Brown is not Darrin Bell.
What, you say? Your mom actually reads your strips? I've got some great guilt trips I can share with her that worked with my own kids. Or, didn't work. Whatever. Still, I thought the strip was HYSTERICALLY funny.
You know, I would have thought this was funny when I was the kid. Now that I'm the mom, what is this woman doing that's so bad? Wanting a call on Mother's Day? I used to have an aunt who would at times say melodramatically to her kids, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth..." (for those who aren't familiar, a Shakepeare quote that ends "...is an ungrateful child.") We used to think she was a gasbag. Now I feel her pain - not that my kids are ungrateful, but why she could feel like that. I know Lemont is supposed to be clueless a lot, but this is just deliberately mean. Is his mother supposed to be abusive, or just the pain in the a-- that kids always think moms are?
I don't read the strip as a criticism of the mother. The strip is funny because it highlight/exaggerates how moms and sons really interact.
Note that Lemon isn't completely clueless. He understands that the crime is his own (and that the penalty is guilt).
Agreed, it's not a criticism of the mother at all, but just wondering about the character's motivation (is that too Method?). But don't see that he thinks the crime is his own at all - people don't usually see guilt as a deserved penalty. I've often heard it referred to as a "useless" emotion, rather than one that (sometimes) is telling you you did something wrong. There IS useless guilt; but there's also deserved guilt, and I think Lemont is feeling he's a victim of the former rather than justly feeling the latter.
Hmmm. I'm going to try to assert my status as a son over your status as a mother. I think we sons feel we deserve the guilt but often remained amused by it. That doesn't prevent us from developing defense mechanisms. I think we're laughing at our own failing when we read the strip.
However, I will let Lemont's creator speak definitively to his guilt (or lack of it). Mr. Bell probably has his own account.
I wish I knew the extent of Lemont's guilt, but he won't share that with me. He barely even believes I exist. You'll probably have to ask Susan or Clyde.
Susan will probably say something to the effect that his cluelessness is a defense against his too-sensitive true emotions (usually buried). Clyde - hmm, not sure. Maybe "What?" or "Tsk - (insert chiding remark in colloquial dialect here)."
I think Clyde would say, "What? Yo, you don't have to be pushed around like that on a string, like a yo-yo. Take it from me! I don't call my mother on Mother's Day or any OTHER day!"
Yes, Darrin, I would like to know that also.
Me as well, Mr. Bell. :D
The latter, I'd say. When he showed Momma in a flashback, she wasn't at all abusive. In fact she was shown to be a great mom: http://candorville.com/2009/04/26/why-you-talk-so...
Reminds me of my own, but I STILL don't like that I have to call & send gifts on Mother's Day. I call my mom all the time, so why should I feel guilty if I don't call her on that specific day? I do think Mother's Day is one of those Hallmark holidays that we all fall for.
In fact, again, why don't ALL of you cartoonist guys and women get together and form your own greeting card company?
In fact, it's almost FATHER'S DAY. I can't wait to see the strips on that one! Last I remember, Lemont answered a phone call where a dad called and was so happy to finally find him (his son) and it turned out to be a wrong number caller. Poor Lemont!
In fact, the suggestion about cards is great. Darrin, why don't you start your own greeting card line? I think MANY of your fans and followers would want to help you in the distribution!
HYSTERICALLY funny! I would imagine MANY women who are moms of older children can relate as well as the older children who have moms who remind them of their status as their kids as well as being adults. :)
Forgets Mother's Day?! I do not want to IMAGINE what condition I or my psyche would have been in if I'd ever FORGOTTEN Mother's Day. Sheesh. My mom in a bad mood made Clytemnestra look like June Cleaver.
Lovely woman, and a great mother - but not to be crossed. That's all I'm saying.
I think some of these answering machine strips might make fun Mothers Day cards. The Hallmark offering are pretty stale and anything other than a soft-focus shot of a rose with a sappy poem would be welcome change.
Yes, it's widely abused commercially. But, a telephone call doesn't cost anything, and even a visit once a year would be nice and not too much to ask for; and, how is wanting to be remembered a guilt trip?
Couldn't agree more. Hear bloody hear. So don't buy commercial cards; send a nice note & make a phone call. But would a few flowers kill you? And if you live nearby, how about having her over for dinner? Don't judge a mom till you've walked a few miles on her pregnancy-swollen feet.;)
Yes, at least some gift cards to the nearest drug store? Or, a back rub? That doesn't even cost money!
That doesn't work with my mom. A phone call AND a card are required (she gets both). Further, the offering of sacrificial flowers is clearly NOT welcome.
Actually, my mother would love a "guilt" themed card. She likes that kind of humor and welcomes the recognition of her contributions in the field of guilt. Your "pregnancy-swollen feet" line pales in comparison to "That's okay, I only nearly died giving you birth."
It may tell you a lot about where I got my sense of humor but one of these strips would be a hit with my Mom.
There are quite a few people that I know that could probably benefit from that message!
This is perfect for all of us ex-mama's boys.
Does showing consideration automaticallhy mean that you're a moma's boy?
Oh, not in the slightest. I was an only child, and my mom and I were always cool like that. Now that I'm married with kids, she still hits the roof whenever I'm inaccessible and tries to place a guilt trip on me. A son's independence and motherhood tend to clash like oil and water. My mom's apron strings must be made outta bungee cord. :)
Fellas (and fell-ettes), always show love for ya moms! She's the only one you got. And, Ma, if you're reading this, "I love you, and Candorville rulez!! Remember that."
Good answer! Great insight. :)