Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for February 27, 2012

A fool and his money…

Having made Jeff a successful writer, GBT can give him all the money he needs. What he can’t give him is real ambition. That’s why Jeff’s “wants” are elusive and insipid.

No matter what circumstances Trudeau invents, he’ll always safeguard Jeff from disappointment. Jeff never has to encounter reality, and that’s why these strips are so boring.

At least Jeff Redfern still knows who his “entourage” consists of. Redfern, in fact, is showing a surprising grip on reality compared to earlier.

Libros para habitation. How many of each?

Jeff has never impressed me as a character who thought too far ahead. Tomorrow always seemed to take care of itself. So, no one should be surprised to see him blowing his money on a mansion.

For Palin Drome:

Because I enjoy criticizing them and the attention I get by doing so…

I get tired of all the characters if I see them too often, but then I miss them if they stay away too long (How’s Mel doing? What’s Phred been up to? How did Thor grow up?). But I know Trudeau has to keep a lot of balls in the air, and some character/story arcs require more attention than others.

As for Jeff, who’s to say he hasn’t got a major reality check in store at some point? The higher he rises, the further he falls.

Nah…Susan. That was just a change of scene…now we’re among the scions of the Beltway Bumptious. You know, those who speak officiously of you and me…when they speak or think of US at all.

Look, I’m libber than thou, maybe…but I’ve been to DC, and it’s a GREAT place to visit. Not at all like the USA.

It’s amusing that some folks are angry because they think Jeff didn’t earn his fortune. He wrote a book that while largely based on flights of fancy, has proved popular. He did actually live through some pretty wild times, which he simply ‘edited’ the humiliating parts out of. He earned his fame and fortune as much as just about anyone else out there. Was he lucky? Well, duh! Anyone who strikes it rich has a fair amount of luck on their side.

Jeff isn’t what most people would call a likeable character, but I like him, and I’ve been hoping he’d get a bone tossed his way for some time now. This is nice, but I can’t help feel that he’s being set up to have the rug yanked out from under him.

Where’s the Red Rascal doll and lunch box? There should be plenty of moola rolling in.

Or, perhaps, Jeff’s living on his advance and is about to encounter Harsh Reality when actual sales turn out to be less than the number upon which the advance was based…

If I had a book contract like Jeff’s, I think I would buy this castle. At one time they wanted 3 mil for it, but after a few months the owners can’t hack the hood and it goes on the market again at a discount. The last time it sold for a little over a million, so 1 or 2 owners from now it should be down to six figures. It’s been remodeled is a great place, there’s a fresh water spring from the Sierras running underneath with 200’ of hand carved caverns accessing it like a dungeon.

I’d love to have my own castle and invite all the Laughing Squids over for a party. I worked down the street for 16 yrs so the hood doesn’t bother me. Besides the public housing and the super fund site, there’s a light industrial area heading into the old shipyard with a lot of artsy/creative types like JJ working there. The Rascal business model has to be better than sure fire, all I need is a publisher like the Rascal’s and the right amount of bs to get there.

Something about a neatly-groomed guy in suit and tie using the word “crib” in the urban slang sense strikes me as odd..I hope Jeff gets a British butler. Great comedy potential.

I just went out and bought gas @ $4.40/gal, forget the castle.

A nice funny beginning to the week.

Wait! I’m still interested in Alex & Leo & grandma!! Come back!!!