Double Dipping
Cidu Bill on Aug 22nd 2009
Years and years ago, back when B.C. was a humor strip, the “Dip in the Road” gag was one of the classics:
Does today’s update even make any sense as a joke, other than as a reference to the earlier strip?
Filed in B.C., Bill Bickel, CIDU, Johnny Hart, comic strips, comics, humor | 19 responses so far
TasmanSea Aug 22nd 2009 at 03:28 pm 1
The last panel that makes you reinterpret a “dip” as a person also made me want to interpret “twinkie” as a person the first time I read it. I feel like it would work better as a standalone if either “hypoglycemic dip” or calling someone a dip as an insult were more commonly used expressions- although both seem like they would be understandable to most people I know, their rareness in everyday speech make the whole thing seem forced.
brien Aug 22nd 2009 at 04:37 pm 2
“How can I treat a hypoglycemic dip?”
Intended meaning: What measures can I take to address the physiological condition characterized by a drop in my own blood glucose?”
Interpreted meaning: I know a person pejoratively described as a “dip.” That person is suffering from a acute hypoglycemia. I wish to provide that person with a treat. How can I ensure that this so-called “dip” receives a treat appropriate for his condition?
Answer to interpreted meaning: Tell him to find a Twinkie. It’s a simple task and a simple treat, appropriate for someone described as a “dip,” and will address his hypoglycemia.
The ironic juxtaposition of the intended and interpreted meanings make this strip “humorous”.
CIDU Bill Aug 22nd 2009 at 04:49 pm 3
Yeah, I get what the anonymous writer is trying to say — but this seems like such an over-labored re-use of the same 40-year-old gag that I wondered whether there was supposed to be an additional level of funny. I’m not sure this would even be recognizable as an attempt at humor to somebody who didn’t remember the original comic.
Catlover Aug 22nd 2009 at 05:15 pm 4
CIDU Bill - the use of “dip” as a derogatory statement is not limited to B.C. circa 1969 ago. “What a dip!” and “He’s a dip wad/dipwad!” are relatively well-known statements, and I know a lot of people to this day who think it’s funny to take pictures of little Billy next to DIP or DIP IN ROAD signs.
As it wasn’t just one strip but the title of one of the collections, I would hope the new cartoonist/syndicate would know they are reusing something from their legacy. I wouldn’t take it for granted however.
Mark in Boston Aug 22nd 2009 at 05:19 pm 5
This sort of set-up is never really funny. Another example:
“Have you seen the new henway they’re building?”
“What’s a henway?”
“About five pounds.”
Mitch4 Aug 22nd 2009 at 05:46 pm 6
Saturday’s “Tom the Dancing Bug - Super-Fun-Pack” (at http://www.gocomics.com/tomthedancingbug/2009/08/22/ ) is a real tour-de-force of mocking comic cliché tropes and lame jokes. One of the sub-comics includes the “henway”setup (though not the punch).
CIDU Bill Aug 22nd 2009 at 06:00 pm 7
Catlover, the graphic I posted was the cover of the collection.
Lola Aug 22nd 2009 at 06:00 pm 8
Round these part, dip is short for dip sh-t. Never heard it called dip wad, but p replaced by ck often enough.
Powers Aug 23rd 2009 at 07:50 am 9
I have never before seen the “Dip in road” gag, but this strip was still amusing. No need to be so cynical.
Tim Aug 23rd 2009 at 08:47 am 10
My wife is hypoglycemic. I’ve never heard the phrase “hypoglycemic dip” before. It sounds to me like one of those over-strained setups to a gag. And yes, it’s really the same old gag.
padraig Aug 23rd 2009 at 01:02 pm 11
Like Liam Neeson’s line in “The Dead Pool:”
“It’s not a rip-off, it’s… an homage!”
indgeek Aug 23rd 2009 at 01:39 pm 12
Chinese waiter : How about some won ton?
Diner : What’s won ton?
Waiter : About 2000 lbs.
(Come on - puns are always good - even recycled.)
Todd Aug 24th 2009 at 12:39 am 13
Mark’s and indgeek’s jokes would work better if the punchlines were delivered by a third person.
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the BC dip, but it didn’t impair the joke for me. The bad set up did. You don’t tell someone they need to make Budweiser or anti-freeze. You just ask them how, and when they don’t know, then you tell them.
Elliott Aug 24th 2009 at 06:33 am 14
Wait until you’re diabetic. Then you’ll have no problem.
Mark in Boston Aug 24th 2009 at 09:00 pm 15
And Curls’ joke would work better if the punchline were delivered by a third person.
Otherwise, by the third panel he forgot what he said in the first panel, and also what the words meant.
RobynS8971 Aug 27th 2009 at 09:38 am 16
That original BC was a 3 panel strip, with the wheelie rider passing a “Dip in Road” sign, then the last panel coming upon the dip sitting there. Still love that strip, would love to see the whole thing again.
BeachGuy Aug 31st 2009 at 02:07 pm 17
I loved the original BC.
Nearly every office or cubicle or desk had a favorite BC strip taped or tacked to it.
Then Johnny Hart got religion and used BC to promote it. End of BC. A wide range of objections, and most papers pulled it. I have been looking for BC collections for years now, with little success (within my budget, that is). Most have been snapped up.
Lost in A**2 Aug 31st 2009 at 05:19 pm 18
I always appreciated Mr Hart’s ‘religion’ strips. I liked that a cartoonist was willing to express his beliefs so publicly.
Harise Sep 4th 2009 at 03:51 pm 19
So BC was more accessible BC?