Question 1: Does the Milford Star really have a high readership amongst the citizens of Goshen?
Answer: Yes. Ever since the Goshen Gazette was purchased by Rupert Murdoch and turned into a right-wing farm equipment newspaper, the Milford Star is the only place Goshen citizens (“Internet-free for 153 years and counting!”) can get anything resembling news.
Question 2: What is someone’s grandmother doing in the dugout?
Answer: That is actually whiny Jim Gross, but to be fair, he is in fact someone’s grandmother.
Question 2a: Why hasn’t Elmer heard of Goshen’s world famous PACO’S DISCOUNT MEXICAN SUPPLY WAREHOUSE Y EMPORIUM?
Answer: Because he is a moron.
Question 3: Does Rep. Betty Bright really have anything better to do than respond to Gil every time he writes her an idiotic letter?
Answer: No. As the congresswoman representing Milford, Goshen, New Thayer and any number of moronic towns, she is known in Congress as the brightest of the dim bulbs. With the district that has the lowest literacy rate in the nation, Rep. Bright has copious amounts of time to spend responding to both letters she recieves each year.
Question 3a: Is Gil to drunk to get up and speak on the phone?
Answer: Never tell Gil he’s too drunk to do anything. Just trust me.
This plot continues to lurch aimlessly about, like a drunken football coach trying to find his way home from PUB. Today’s example: looks like team unity in panel 2. Whatever happened to the Lou Dobbs contingent on the Mudlarks? Did one lopsided victory heal all their divisions?
And one nitpick: Have you ever heard anyone actually speak the abbreviated form of “Representative”? If someone said to you, “It’s Rep Bright,” your reply would of course be, “What in hell are you talking about?” The odd thing is, there’s actually room in the panel to spell out “representative.” Presumably Whigham just couldn’t be bothered.
Comment by johnw — June 20, 2008 @ 9:46 am
Gil looks like a Rock Em Sock Em Turtle in Panel Three. I hope that’s a rusty nail he’s drinking.
And you’re right, Johnw. I never referred to our own former Strom Thurmond as “Sen. Thurmond”. In fact, it was usually “senile bastard” or “hypocritical embarrassment to our state”, but never “Sen. Thurmond”.
Comment by southmauldin — June 20, 2008 @ 10:00 am
It’s great because “Hasta la vista” translates to “see you later”, so really they’re just excited for their next big match up!
Comment by Bryce — June 20, 2008 @ 10:04 am
When you’re too busy to write “representative” when all you’re doing is typing using Comic Sans, you’re bringing laziness to a whole new level.
Comment by Tony — June 20, 2008 @ 10:06 am
Is that Gil’s pet worm wriggling out of it’s bowl in panel 3? (look near the claw hands holding the phone). Otherwise, I don’t get what it is..
Comment by richard — June 20, 2008 @ 10:09 am
Gil seems a bit annoyed that Mimi interupted his drinking and watching porn on his big screen TV.
I think the racist in panel one could be Drunken lout’s son….I can picture him yelling “SING TARZANA NIGHTS!”
Comment by Regina — June 20, 2008 @ 10:35 am
Gildo’s really rockin’ the Quagmire look today.
Giggity!
Comment by sourbelly — June 20, 2008 @ 10:35 am
OMG, southmauldin, are you actually from Mauldin, SC? ‘Cause so am I!
Also, I’ve relized that Mimi resembles a friend of mine. Should I point this out to my friend, or no?
Comment by Kiki — June 20, 2008 @ 10:49 am
What the hell is Granny clutching in her/his claw hand? Looks like a ball cap with a
ginormous white tumor growing out of it.
Comment by Gil'sBarber — June 20, 2008 @ 11:27 am
Actually, I think Gil is too busy trying to break the TV with the back, left corner of his block head to get up and answer the phone.
Comment by Everett — June 20, 2008 @ 11:51 am
I thought whiny Jim Gross was Woody Allen.
I posted this thought over at the comics curmudgeon today, but I’ll share it here too:
Tyler Jay is the catcher of the Milford baseball team. I’d really love to see the fans of New Thayer (or perhaps those bastards at Valley Tech) shown whacking themselves in the back of the head in cruel mockery.
Comment by Ned Ryerson — June 20, 2008 @ 11:52 am
I’m just curious where Gil found a size 18 engagement/wedding ring for Mimi.
Between those man-hands and the oozing herpetic blister that she’s been rubbing all over the phone receiver, it’s no wonder Gil’s resorted to alcoholism.
Comment by Darkefang — June 20, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
Kiki – Yes, I am from South Mauldin, SC and I am heading up there now from Columbia for a night out downtown in Greenville. Where do you get your Gil cartoon? The State newspaper fooled me into believing that they weren’t willing to pay the $19.95/year for the subscription, but then yesterday they ran all four of the strips for the week. Can you imagine the sensory overload experienced by the 19 readers in the greater Columbia area?
And yes, you should tell your friend she looks like Mimi. And if she isn’t married to a blockheaded drunken coach with eyes for Kaz, then see if she is free for drinks tomorrow night.
Go Mavericks!
Comment by southmauldin — June 20, 2008 @ 12:10 pm
johnw, I think Rep. Bright falls under the same category as LG Howard Gourwitz. It’s a Milford thing; we wouldn’t understand.
Comment by sourbelly — June 20, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
Is not the choice of ‘you’ both in panel 2’s caption and dialog balloon just absolutely Gildonic? And obviously “you don’t feel the sting” either when your as blotto as Gildo is. Fun activity for the day: use El-mer’s hand gesture (or alternatively Gildo’s pretend chin-up gesture from a couple days ago) ten times in a normal conversation with somebody and watch their eyes widen!
Comment by SemperFi4evr — June 20, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
Is ElMullet hitching a ride in panel two?
Comment by Regina — June 20, 2008 @ 1:33 pm
South Mauldin–
I actually don’t live in Mauldin anymore, but I did live there for, like, 12 years growing up, and my folks still do (right across the street from Mauldin HS; at the time I was in the HS, we lived right on the line between Mauldin and Mann, and I went to Mann). When I still lived there, Gil Thorp ran in the sports section of the Greenville News. Let me email my ma and ask if it still does.
Comment by Kiki — June 20, 2008 @ 2:12 pm
All this talk about where people read Gil Thorp leaves me nostalgic, since the San Diego Union Tribune dropped it close to 4 years ago. I use the excellent Houston Chronicle website, and sometimes the Gil Thorp home itself (at the Chicago Tribune), but neither compare to holding the paper in your hand and seeing it in newsprint glory.
Comment by The Big B — June 20, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
Panel #2, Dugout is haunted by the ghost of the late Harry Caray.
Comment by ScooterAl — June 22, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
In a surprise celebrity visit to the Milford dugout, Phil Spector takes time out from his murder trial to wish the Mudlarks well.
Comment by Earl J. Waggedorn — June 22, 2008 @ 8:01 pm
I’m surprised Gil didn’t take time out from “helping” Elmer to give you a shout-out for a happy birthday, Jason, or get Rep. Bright to make a special proclamation.
Comment by JanB — June 23, 2008 @ 4:11 pm