If the comic doesn’t necessarily belong on the Arlo Page, Kris Gallimore’s explanation certainly does.
Cidu Bill on Jan 9th 2008
Kris Gallimore: I kinda get what they’re trying to do here, but it doesn’t quite work for me. Adult products of a sexual nature (magazines, videos, sex toys, etc.) come “in a plain brown wrapper.” That I get. But how do they figure that popcorn would need a plain brown wrapper?
The only way I can think of for popcorn to be considered “sexual” is the penis-poking-through-the-bottom trick that Mickey Rourke did in the movie “Diner”….and frankly the thought of Blondie and Dagwood engaging in that kind of behavior is something I’d rather not visualize.
Filed in Arlo Page, Bill Bickel, Blondie, Dagwood, Mickey Rourke, adult movies, comic strips, comics, humor, movies, popcorn | 8 responses so far
Pinny Jan 9th 2008 at 01:01 pm 1
Two possible explanations:
1. The movie is so “Adult” that everything associated with it — whether or not it is adult in nature — comes in plain brown wrapper..
2. The ticket taker is actually speaking toungue-in-cheek, as popcorn used to always come in a plain brown paper bag.
Charles Jan 9th 2008 at 01:02 pm 2
I would never have thought Dagwood and Blondie would ever go to and “adult” movie.
But the joke has nothing to do with the popcorn, really. It’s a generic “brown paper wrapper” joke. He could just have easily said they give you the tickets in a plain brown envelope.
Chipper Jan 9th 2008 at 03:35 pm 3
I agree w/ Charles that I wouldn’t expect Blondie & Dagwood to go to such a movie. Looking at Dagwood’s wording again, now I think they are attending a different (non-’adult’) movie at the same theater that is showing the adult movie. “How adult is THAT movie”, indicates to me THAT is not the movie he is getting tickets for. If it were I’d expect him to say “How adult is THIS movie”. Which makes me feel much better. I’d rather this couple I’ve read about since childhood not suddenly become something much different than what I remember them to be.
Frank Jan 9th 2008 at 05:14 pm 4
Haven’t seen popcorn in brown paper bags since
the early ’50s and that was sold by street vendors
but that BLONDIE is of that era, if not earlier.
Kris Gallimore Jan 9th 2008 at 07:27 pm 5
After reading Chipper’s explanation, I see that Dagwood’s wording would indicate that he’s buying tickets for a different movie and is just asking out of curiosity. Still doesn’t make the punchline work any better, though.
arik1969 Jan 10th 2008 at 12:26 am 6
I agree with Chipper. If you look at the poster on the left side of the 2nd and 3rd panels, there appears to be a poster with a “3″ on it, leading one to believe it is at least a twin, and perhaps a multiplex. Also, Charles is right, the joke is that the movie is so adult that everything associated with it is wrapped in brown paper.
John in Tronna Sep 18th 2008 at 10:23 am 7
To Frank:
Goes back much further than that.
Couple of years back, the Bumsteads celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary (to much fanfare and crossover from other strips). IIRC, back in tha day, Blondie (nee Boopadoop) was a flapper.
Kathy A. Beatie Jun 10th 2009 at 02:14 pm 8
Would you happen to have any of the earlier Zits comics dealing with people working in a movie theater? I remember Jeremy with a very LARGE tub of popcorn in one. My son works at a concession.
Thanks!
KB