What Else is Gnu?

Cidu Bill on Oct 3rd 2009

Not that anybody asked me, but…

gnus.gif

… wouldn’t this have worked better without the last two words in panel 2?

Filed in Bill Bickel, Mike Peters, Mother Goose, comic strips, comics, humor | 15 responses so far

15 Responses to “What Else is Gnu?”

  1. harvling Oct 3rd 2009 at 04:05 pm 1

    yes.

  2. Frosted Donut Oct 3rd 2009 at 04:33 pm 2

    Yeah, it comes across as setting up the joke for people who don’t know what “gnus” are. Needs a “Hey, Stupid People!” tag.

  3. paperboy Oct 3rd 2009 at 05:06 pm 3

    But then they learn something new-bonus!

  4. Jeff S. Oct 3rd 2009 at 06:32 pm 4

    They would have learned it by the joke anyway. The words are wasted ink, IMO. OMFG ;)

  5. Kevin A Oct 3rd 2009 at 09:03 pm 5

    Yeah, something started happening to Peters about a year ago or so. When I read this strip yesterday, I felt the transfer to senility (or whatever it is) was complete.

  6. Harold Oct 3rd 2009 at 09:52 pm 6

    paperboy: You mean something gnu.

  7. Mark in Boston Oct 4th 2009 at 12:19 am 7

    He should have said, “They’re doing the whole day on East African cattle called ‘gnus’. That’s spelled g-n-u-s but pronounced “nooz”. The g is silent. Remember that now. It’s important for the punch line.”

  8. Henry Oct 4th 2009 at 02:07 am 8

    Mark:

    “Incidentally, it is a homophone of ‘news’. That means the two words sound the same. This has taken some effort, so kindly be appreciative when you see the next panel.”

  9. Elliott Oct 4th 2009 at 01:36 pm 9

    no gnus is good gnus.

  10. Nicole Oct 5th 2009 at 01:50 pm 10

    Yes, but WILL-DE-BEAST get angry at the pun ?

  11. Elliott Oct 5th 2009 at 01:52 pm 11

    I guess we’ll never gno.

  12. Brian Oct 5th 2009 at 05:51 pm 12

    Is that word definitely pronounced with a silent ‘G’?
    I remember Gary G-nu on ‘The Great Space Coaster’ in the ’80s, as well as that joke about the gnu parents…the mother wanted the father to spank their baby, but he refused, saying, ‘It’s time you learned to paddle your own gnu’….a joke that doesn’t work unless the ‘g’ is pronounced.

  13. Scott Oct 6th 2009 at 02:11 am 13

    Paging Flanders and Swann…

  14. Elliott Oct 6th 2009 at 05:19 pm 14

    OK, when the Flanders & Swann references begin, I am reassured that I’m not the only older person here.

    e

  15. Frosted Donut Oct 6th 2009 at 06:14 pm 15

    @Brian: Well, a check of various on-line resources (wiktionary, dictionary.com, merriam-webster) show they all agree it has a silent “g.”

    I remember the same joke, and I think it relies on the mispronunciation of “gnu” common to kids, who don’t understand why you put letters in words and then don’t use them.

    Also, fellow Geezers, we’re not supposed to use “Hottentot” to refer to the folks who gave us the word “gnu.” The new improved word is “Khoikhoi.” I’m spending more and more time learning substitute words. I want my brontosaurus back!

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