Not always. Its meaning changes depending on context and intonation. Besides, North Carolina is right next to South Carolina. Not like West Virginia, which is so so far away from East Virginia that you can’t see it with the Hubble telescope. Or New Jersey… where the F**K is the old one???? (It’s a joke. I know where it is.)
It angers me that people believe that"Bless your heart" is an insult… because I know better. I’m familiar with the southern culture where people say that and mean it. The saying is used in small southern towns where everyone goes to church on Sunday and actually pray for their neighbors and other members of the community. It’s northerners that need to be more kind to one another.
For those who may be interested, there’s a book titled “How the States Got Their Shapes” by Mark Stein (2008) that answers all the important questions like why Maryland has that skinny little midsection, why Delaware has an arc for a northwest border, and why Oklahoma has a skinny panhandle that looks like it should be part of Texas.
When I lived in MS, AL, and TN, “Bless your heart” could be used as a sympathetic comment and it could be used as sarcasm. Usually depended on the tone and inflection + the person to whom one was referring.
Another saying was I’m so proud for you… when I had gotten over my flu.
I remember many years ago reading a true story in readers digest about someone who wanted to mail a package to New Mexico, and the postal worker said international mail was gonna cost more. After some discussion, they actually had to pull out a road atlas to prove to the United States postal worker that New Mexico was indeed one of the United States!!!
back in The Roaring 20’s, Alexander Woollcott,a famous theatre and literary critic with a huge ego, was autographing his books and said—“What could be rarer than one of my first editions?”
To which a rival author quickly replied—“One of your second editions”
Jimmy Carter’s mother, Miss Lillian (yes, she was married), was being interviewed just after he’d said that he would never lie to the American people, and the interviewer asked if he’d ever told a lie. Miss Lillian said that he’d probably told a few white lies. The interviewer jumped on this— what was a white lie? Give her an example of a white lie! “Well, do you remember when you came in, and I said how good you looked and how happy I was to see you?” That’s a southern lady blessing someone’s heart.
Yep. We do believe in being polite. Even or maybe especially when we are actually wondering how could Anyone be so stupid/ignorant/insensitive or just plamb dumb.
It is a polite was of putting someone down. Although the true meaning has spread a lot these days. It was meant for the simple souls like Pig, where actually insulting them would be cruel, but something had to be said.
Sir Davecelot 8 months ago
I am southern, and yes, it does mean that.
BE THIS GUY 8 months ago
She could have just said, “yup, right below it.”
BasilBruce 8 months ago
“She blessed me! And I didn’t even sneeze!”
carlsonbob 8 months ago
Nothing wrong with letting Pig feel warm and loved.
sirbadger 8 months ago
Does the Pope ever say that?
paulscon 8 months ago
It’s better than the snarky comment that rat would have made. I haven’t met many Southern girls, but those that I knew seemed nice and polite.
Concretionist 8 months ago
Well, bless my soul, ain’t he SPECIAL.
B UTTONS 8 months ago
BLESS YOUR HEART, RAT!
ronaldspence 8 months ago
Pig is geographically challenged!
cmxx 8 months ago
How did “bless your heart” come to mean “you’re a dumb@##”?
uniquename 8 months ago
She didn’t answer his question.
c001 8 months ago
And is “I would never” southern, too?
orinoco womble 8 months ago
Closely related to “Aren’t you cute!” which means "You really don’t have a freaking clue, do you?·
Cornelius Noodleman 8 months ago
Carolina spelled backwards is Anilorac.
James Wolfenstein 8 months ago
Not always. Its meaning changes depending on context and intonation. Besides, North Carolina is right next to South Carolina. Not like West Virginia, which is so so far away from East Virginia that you can’t see it with the Hubble telescope. Or New Jersey… where the F**K is the old one???? (It’s a joke. I know where it is.)
blunebottle 8 months ago
Wasn’t it Queen Victoria that used the insult: “How nice for you.”?
RLG Premium Member 8 months ago
The real question is: Who blessed Stephan and why?
wrd2255 8 months ago
Pig, stay away from anyone who gets up early to see pork belly futures.
Croc Holliday 8 months ago
Don’t worry Pig, some people can’t find the US on a map of North America.
david_42 8 months ago
You never know. I live on a Court South and the Court North is about four miles west.
TechInDallas 8 months ago
Bless yer heart is really Southern for GFYS.
paulprobujr 8 months ago
I was sure she was from Dallas.
Egrayjames 8 months ago
It angers me that people believe that"Bless your heart" is an insult… because I know better. I’m familiar with the southern culture where people say that and mean it. The saying is used in small southern towns where everyone goes to church on Sunday and actually pray for their neighbors and other members of the community. It’s northerners that need to be more kind to one another.
royq27 8 months ago
Sending the strip to all my blessed friends in the south…
oakie817 8 months ago
remember it’s @ before # except after $
Croc Holliday 8 months ago
For those who may be interested, there’s a book titled “How the States Got Their Shapes” by Mark Stein (2008) that answers all the important questions like why Maryland has that skinny little midsection, why Delaware has an arc for a northwest border, and why Oklahoma has a skinny panhandle that looks like it should be part of Texas.
Ellis97 8 months ago
Well South Carolina is right below North Carolina, so yes.
Goat from PBS 8 months ago
Southern slang, it’s fun.
larslarson 8 months ago
Everybody knows it’s just next to Oklahoma! What a dummy.
librarylady59 8 months ago
When I lived in MS, AL, and TN, “Bless your heart” could be used as a sympathetic comment and it could be used as sarcasm. Usually depended on the tone and inflection + the person to whom one was referring.
Another saying was I’m so proud for you… when I had gotten over my flu.
Richard S Russell Premium Member 8 months ago
The final comment would’ve been a little more transparent if it had used $$ instead of ##.
Zebrastripes 8 months ago
And she’ll never say, “come back now, ya hear.” Because she hates pork.
Kveldulf 8 months ago
No, Pig, South Carolina is right next to South Dakota, only one letter away. North Carolina is — oh, you get the idea.
aerotica69 8 months ago
Wait…..there’s a NEW Mexico?
Count Olaf Premium Member 8 months ago
Is it anywhere near South Dakota?
hooglah 8 months ago
In Texas it means, “Kiss my a $ $”.
betsypoe 8 months ago
… and FU too Debbie.
el_eye 8 months ago
I believe there is a song called: “Just a little bit south of North Carolina.”
John Jorgensen 8 months ago
Just a little south of it, in fact.
Cameron1988 Premium Member 8 months ago
Debbie has no personality. She has the same exact expression in three different panels
WCraft Premium Member 8 months ago
How about that.
wildlandwaters 8 months ago
Oh man! I gotta remember that one!!
wildlandwaters 8 months ago
I remember many years ago reading a true story in readers digest about someone who wanted to mail a package to New Mexico, and the postal worker said international mail was gonna cost more. After some discussion, they actually had to pull out a road atlas to prove to the United States postal worker that New Mexico was indeed one of the United States!!!
marilynnbyerly 8 months ago
Actually, it can be meant kindly. It has many meanings according to the tone and situation. My Southern roots run deep so I know these things.
DNCoyote 8 months ago
I love the last panel :)
FireAnt_Hater 8 months ago
Arkansas is land-locked (surrounded by six states), and one can get to each of those six states by traveling due south from Arkansas.
willie_mctell 8 months ago
It’s like the joke about “fabulous.”
Aladar30 Premium Member 8 months ago
Sweet, naïve pig.
Katje 8 months ago
Awww… Bless your heart… :D
zeexenon 8 months ago
South Carolina is sexually explicit, and California is burning all documents referencing it.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 8 months ago
Nah. “Kiss My Grits” is Southern for "Dumb $%^*
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 8 months ago
Joke for Book Tour Pastis
back in The Roaring 20’s, Alexander Woollcott,a famous theatre and literary critic with a huge ego, was autographing his books and said—“What could be rarer than one of my first editions?”
To which a rival author quickly replied—“One of your second editions”
Tina Rhea Premium Member 8 months ago
Jimmy Carter’s mother, Miss Lillian (yes, she was married), was being interviewed just after he’d said that he would never lie to the American people, and the interviewer asked if he’d ever told a lie. Miss Lillian said that he’d probably told a few white lies. The interviewer jumped on this— what was a white lie? Give her an example of a white lie! “Well, do you remember when you came in, and I said how good you looked and how happy I was to see you?” That’s a southern lady blessing someone’s heart.
rick92040 8 months ago
If someone blessed me like that I would bless them back.
Curiosity Premium Member 8 months ago
Yep. We do believe in being polite. Even or maybe especially when we are actually wondering how could Anyone be so stupid/ignorant/insensitive or just plamb dumb.
eddi-TBH 8 months ago
It is a polite was of putting someone down. Although the true meaning has spread a lot these days. It was meant for the simple souls like Pig, where actually insulting them would be cruel, but something had to be said.
Gary Elmore 8 months ago
Pig is challenged, period!
Otis Rufus Driftwood 8 months ago
Just when I thought from my experience that Southerners weren’t that polite as we believe . . .
JoeMartinFan Premium Member 8 months ago
To make it even more patronizing, say “Aww, bless your lil’ heart.”