Comments on: Reuben

By: Cedar

Cedar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:38:24 +0000

I LOVE Sandra Boynton, and think she’s deserving of recognition. She has a great, droll sense of humor, and more or less started the “alternative” greeting card trend with her un-Hallmark style.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:33:14 +0000

Actually I found this funny without knowing the reference, but only because it sorta sounds like me. My husband loves reubens and I’ll make them from time to time. But, my ‘reuben’ has turkey instead of corned beef, no sauerkraut, and no dressing.

Also, here is a link to the card that Mark is referring to.
http://www.sandraboynton.com/sboynton/hippobirdiecards.html

By: Mark in Boston

Mark in Boston — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:24:25 +0000

You’ve never seen Boynton’s birthday cards?

“Hippo Birdie Two Ewes
Hippo Birdie Two Ewes
Hippo Birdie Deer Ewe
Hippo Birdie Two Ewes”

Each word under a picture of the appropriate animal.

By: Cidu Bill

Cidu Bill — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:36:50 +0000

Boyton is also the author of such children’s classics as “Moo, Baa, La La La.”

Seriously.

Her books have a simple, rhythmic quality, and my children enjoyed listening to them when they were just a few days old. They served, I suppose, the same purpose of lullabies (but my reading voice is much safer for young ears than my singing voice).

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:35:48 +0000

Sandra Boyton draws cartoon-y hippos and sheep and whatnot.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:23:01 +0000

“This year’s winner of the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award is greetings card and licensing superstar Sandra Boynton.” (from the Reuben site)

Who the hidelyho is Sandra Boyton? And man, you can win a lifetime achievement award for greeting cards. Whoda thunk.

By: Pinny

Pinny — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:04:04 +0000

Thanks heather for completing the thought.

Here’s how I caught the reference:
When I first read this in my local paper, I IMMEDIATELY associated the word “Reuben” in the first panel with the Reuben Award (which is actually named for contraptionist Rube Goldberg!) but I did not expect that it was what the cartoonist actually meant. [I was was very into (mainstream) comics in the past and something must have stuck.]

It was only when I saw the bolded words in the fifth panel that I suspected that I was right about “Reuben” and they were all related, and it was only this afternoon that I remembered to check it up and see if I was right.

Which was when I sent it in as a “reverse” CIDU.

By: bAT L.

bAT L. — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:43:00 +0000

I spotted the words in bold and noticed the unique phrase “Snappy answers”, but I didn’t know the story behind it. Very nice reference, but just strange for the people who were unaware.

By: Antonio

Antonio — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:03:22 +0000

If you’re gonna make an inside joke cartoon, you should at least make it funny for the thousands of people who don’t know what you’re talking about. Or how about this: Don’t do inside joke cartoons.

By: heather

heather — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:15:09 +0000

Ahhhh I would never have known that.

And just to complete the thought, the kid’s “I wish I had a snappy answer” must be a reference to Jaffee’s “snappy answers to stupid questions” gags.