# Berke Breathed Appreciation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 15, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125 "2001-03-15T19:02:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/1 "2001-03-15T19:02:42Z")
I’ve been meaning to do this for a while. We’ve had similar threads for Mel Blanc, I think we should do one for Berke too. Naturally, the phrases that have stuck in my mind are all from Opus: The Right Guard is a wee bit chilly this morning. Someone please give the TelePrompter a swift kick! Pear pimples for Hairy Fishnuts! ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/2 "2001-03-15T20:24:09Z")
I loved Bloom County. I have many of his books and enjoy reading them. My favorite strips were when Opus when on a diet. Liposuction for the nose, hehe. “How about diet and exercise”. Or how about the early strips with Cutter John and all of the gang on the wheel chair pretending to be Star Trek characters. That stuff was great. ---
**Author:** ![Simetra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Simetra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simetra)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/3 "2001-03-15T20:41:49Z")
Breathed is ultra-super-schway! I love Bloom County, wasn’t a big fan of OutLand tho’. Matter of fact, I have every Bloom County book ever written. I’ve read them so many times, you could show me the first panel of any strip, and I could quote almost verbatim the rest of the strip. 🙂 Now where is **lolagranola** at? “Dab some listerine on the ol’ pits. A little Right Guard for the breath… Yeah… I’m a little nervous.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/4 "2001-03-15T20:44:03Z")
I have several of his books, plus I’ve several strips that I cut out from the paper. Opus is watching Mr. Rogers. Mr Rogers: “Can you say civil servant?” Opus: “Bozo” Opus has been having nightmares about McD’s serving penguin burgers, so he asks the counter person if they serve that. “McNope, but Mcmaybe mclater!” Also “Offensensitivity” _sigh_ one of the best ---
**Author:** ![Totoro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Totoro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totoro)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/5 "2001-03-15T20:48:06Z")
“Folks, he died of Acne.” ---
**Author:** ![snac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@snac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snac)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/6 "2001-03-15T20:48:08Z")
“A boy and his penguin!” “A penguin and his boy!” “Two dips and a dad.” That one, and the Pac-Man in the bar… ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/7 "2001-03-15T20:51:43Z")
I have an Opus christmas ornament on my divider behind my computer at home…Bloom County was my favorite strip, I too had all the books…“smelling faintly of herring” “like the toes of Casper Weinberger” Keith ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/8 "2001-03-15T20:53:41Z")
All I wanted was directions to the restroom. – Opus Oops, forgot to carry the two. – um… that genius kid ---
**Author:** ![Zanshin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e274bd/32.png) [@Zanshin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zanshin)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/9 "2001-03-15T20:53:41Z")
I agree - Berke Breathed is one of the most talented and intelligent cartoonists of our time (IMHO) and is well-deserving of an appreciation thread. The only one that springs to mind is Steve Dallas: Where’s the BOURBON???!?!?! (as a diaper-clad toddler) “Berkley, Broads and Buckley.” (after being asked what the three “R”'s are, and replying with the three “B”'s) My all-time favorites have to be the Starship Enterpoop strips… aaaaahhhh, good times. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/10 "2001-03-15T21:01:48Z")
Of course! The McD’s strips! My favorite of those features Opus & Mr. Limekiller patiently listening to the teenager rattle off the menu, then deciding, “Let’s go get a McPizza!” Then there’s Steve’s heavy metal band with Opus playing “weighty brass”. When Rosebud saw Opus dressed like a member of KISS, the following exchange resulted: Rosebud: “The Hottentots are running amok!” Opus: “No, it’s just us. Band practice broke up early.” Rosebud: “The Hottentots are running amok in the music business.” ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/11 "2001-03-15T21:16:35Z")
Cutter John to attractive blond on a cold day: “Mng li ah floza! Floza!” Opus translates: “He says his lips are frozen.” Steve Dallas’s first rule of successful litigation: Never sue poor people. They don’t have any money. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/12 "2001-03-15T21:19:13Z")
Bill’s bazooka-barfing. “Opus this my…” “ **BOOMERS BLOOPERS BLESSERS BOSOMS** ” Hey, there’s a gopher wetting on my foot. Bad dog, Rambo…BAD DOG! And Steve Dallas turning into a giant can of Spam… ---
**Author:** ![mighty\_maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@mighty\_maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mighty_maxx)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/13 "2001-03-15T21:21:36Z")
Man I loved Bloom County. Binkley’s Anxieties was a favorite as was the strip where Opus beat the mimes to death with a stick of pickle loaf…hehe. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/14 "2001-03-15T21:23:47Z")
Loved the cockroaches. “Imperialist pig! Give us some wheaties!” “One more step and we lick the pot roast!” “It means Flora just laid her eggs in your underwear drawer!” ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/15 "2001-03-15T21:44:14Z")
Transcribed from library check-out. Milo vs Opus (Bloom County Meadow, candidates on stools before podiums. Sign which reads “to Day: Practice Debate”) Milo: I understand that my opponent supports the 55 M.P.H. speed limit. Opus: Saves 500 lives a year! I fully support saving lives. Milo: Then he’d support the saving of another 10,000 lives by lowering the limit to 40 M.P.H. Opus: 40? Milo: Or to 20 … Saving 30,000 lives a year. Opus: Gee… 20 is pretty slow. Milo: Apparently my opponent would send 30,000 men, women, and children to fiery, mangled deaths just so he can zoom along to his manicurist at 55. Opus: I DON’T HAVE A MANICURIST! Milo: He probably doesn’t. Most mass murderers don’t. Hitler didn’t. Opus: stop it! Stop It! STOP IT! (bangs on podium) Milo: Rebuttal? Opus: (frazzled) What? Milo: Give your rebuttal. Opus: Uh… Bush is a wimp. (Opus’ washroom, opus in tub in technicolor rub-a-dub hair shield) Narrator: The candidate retires to the tub…comforted in the knowledge that even “The Gipper” never really sounded totally sober without note cards, either. ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/16 "2001-03-15T21:51:04Z")
[http://www.pvponline.com/rants\_breathed.php3](http://www.pvponline.com/rants_breathed.php3) Two part interview with Berke by a couple of online cartoonists. ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/17 "2001-03-15T22:56:51Z")
I’m still waiting for the Bloom County movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Opus to come out 🙂 I’ve read the books so many times over and over again that I really need to go out and buy the complete collection again. Pages falling out. Complete sections missing. It’s pretty sad. I do have a comic … or rather original art … hanging outside my cube here. It has Oliver is his quest for the long-tailed hamster shouting out “But the calculations were correct!!”. Being a programmer, I understand the feeling very well. I wish my record of Billy and the Boingers still worked ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/18 "2001-03-15T23:03:48Z")
From [http://www.in2itonline.com/index.php3?pagetype=article&title=breathed](http://www.in2itonline.com/index.php3?pagetype=article&title=breathed) > [@](#): > > Chris: Are all the Bloom County strips that have appeared in newspapers available in your collections? If not, how did you decide which of your strips would be included the books? > > Breathed: All are there. Except for the first year… which all stunk and I buried them. Now, I know that’s not true. At one point, I actually was cutting the comics out of the paper and putting them in my own day by day scrapbook (me? fanatical??? nevah!). When the book that contained those strips came out, the published strips were in a different order, some of the wording had been changed, and there weren’t as many. One specific example was when Oliver built a working model of an atomic bomb for his science project. That series lasted at least a couple days; however, only one strip ended up in the book (“Okay everybody, fire drill!” - “Keep your jets cooled, I got the safety on.”). ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/19 "2001-03-15T23:11:23Z")
Berke Breathed’s attraction has always escaped me. I know that he got a boost from “replacing” the far surperior Calvin & Hobbes strip, but after that I cannot fathom his continued popularity. ---
**Author:** ![Grok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Grok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grok)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125/20 "2001-03-15T23:54:51Z")
Bloom County rocked, until Breathed started to get fanatical about the animal rights stuff. But even with that he did some funny stuff. One of my favorite characters, who unfortunately appeared VERY rarely, was Luther Henry Putgrass the ranting TV reparirman. His was hilarious, but I won’t attempt to quote his ramblings here. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/berke-breathed-appreciation-thread/58125.md?page=2)