# Can somebody explain today's "Momma" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704 "2010-05-08T00:27:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/1 "2010-05-08T00:27:29Z")
I’m not really up on “Momma” but I see it from time to time. I’ve never batted an eye at it really, until today. [What the heck is this supposed to mean](http://news.yahoo.com/comics/momma)? I have absolutely no idea what the intended joke is supposed to be. It is absolutely mystifying me. Anyone have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/2 "2010-05-08T00:28:40Z")
I’m guessing the implication is that Thomas keeps his laundry hamper in the bathroom, so the other dude is pretending to use the bathroom so he can really go and steal his socks. Kinda dumb, and it took me a minute before I got it. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/3 "2010-05-08T00:32:23Z")
Josh Fruhlinger has [his own](http://joshreads.com/?p=6579) disturbing theories. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/4 "2010-05-08T00:33:41Z")
So Francis is low on socks, and his solution is to use Thomas’ dirty socks? and why is Francis sweating? ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/5 "2010-05-08T00:37:07Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > Josh Fruhlinger has [his own](http://joshreads.com/?p=6579) disturbing theories. Hah, yeah thats more what it reads like to me. And why on earth did Fransis used to steal Thomas’ (is that his brother?) dirty socks anyway? Why not steal his clean ones, if he needs socks. The whole thing is just way too weird and gross for a bland generic type of comic strip like this. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/6 "2010-05-08T00:45:16Z")
Oh, gross. I think that possibility hadn’t occurred to me because, ew. EW. SERIOUSLY. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/7 "2010-05-08T01:35:59Z")
I got it right away. Francis wants to steal Thomas’ socks out of his laundry hamper, which he keeps in his bathroom. It probably helps that our laundry hamper was in the bathroom growing up (built into the counter, in fact). ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/8 "2010-05-08T02:33:40Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > Josh Fruhlinger has [his own](http://joshreads.com/?p=6579) disturbing theories. There’s clearly something wrong with me, because his third idea was the first thing I came up with. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/9 "2010-05-08T02:46:42Z")
He’s sweating 'cause he ran over to his brother’s house to get the socks out of his hamper ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/10 "2010-05-08T02:58:52Z")
Is this strip _ever_ funny? ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/11 "2010-05-08T05:17:47Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Is this strip _ever_ funny? I didn’t know it was still being written – it’s never been funny, and I was sure it would have been killed off by now. ---
**Author:** ![Baraqiyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@Baraqiyal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baraqiyal)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/12 "2010-05-08T06:03:15Z")
I got here a day late and I’m agonizing trying to figure out Saturday’s strip only to find out that the subject of the thread was Friday’s strip. Anyone care to tackle Saturday’s strip? ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/13 "2010-05-08T07:27:20Z")
> [@Baraqiyal](#): > > I got here a day late and I’m agonizing trying to figure out Saturday’s strip only to find out that the subject of the thread was Friday’s strip. Anyone care to tackle Saturday’s strip? Had to look up Beau Brummell. He “was the arbiter of men’s fashion in Regency England” in the18th and early 19th century. His name has been referenced in a total of 3 posts in Straight Dope’s 10+ year history.Yet knowing about him is essential to understanding today’s Momma. So, to recap, to appreciate Momma, you have to know about 18th century fashion pioneers, you have to assume hampers must be in the bathroom, and you have to take it for granted that someone else’s used dirty socks is what someone would want if he was running low on his own. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/14 "2010-05-08T09:49:34Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Had to look up Beau Brummell. He “was the arbiter of men’s fashion in Regency England” in the18th and early 19th century. His name has been referenced in a total of 3 posts in Straight Dope’s 10+ year history.Yet knowing about him is essential to understanding today’s Momma. > > So, to recap, to appreciate Momma, you have to know about 18th century fashion pioneers… Or read regency authors such as Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. He’s quite a common reference, esp in Heyer’s work. He’s also mentioned in the movie ‘Annie’ (from Wiki): _The song “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” features the lyrics, “Your clothes may be Beau Brummelly- They stand out a mile…” referencing Brummell’s eclectic manner of dress._ ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/15 "2010-05-08T14:31:39Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > Or read regency authors such as Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. He’s quite a common reference, esp in Heyer’s work. He’s also mentioned in the movie ‘Annie’ (from Wiki): > > _The song “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” features the lyrics, “Your clothes may be Beau Brummelly- They stand out a mile…” referencing Brummell’s eclectic manner of dress._ Heh, I was about to say, “Or have seen Annie.” ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/16 "2010-05-08T16:18:20Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > Or read regency authors such as Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. He’s quite a common reference, esp in Heyer’s work. He’s also mentioned in the movie ‘Annie’ (from Wiki): > > _The song “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” features the lyrics, “Your clothes may be Beau Brummelly- They stand out a mile…” referencing Brummell’s eclectic manner of dress._ And _It’s Still Rock And Roll to Me_ by Billy Joel has the lines “You could really be a Beau Brummell, baby/If you just gave it half a chance.” ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/17 "2010-05-08T18:33:47Z")
Not to mention the mid-60s group The Beau Brummels that had hits with “Laugh, Laugh” and “Just A Little”. “Laugh, Laugh” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA7x\_MCZplQ&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA7x_MCZplQ&feature=related) “Just A Little” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm8gtFQja5U&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm8gtFQja5U&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/18 "2010-05-08T19:03:38Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Had to look up Beau Brummell. He “was the arbiter of men’s fashion in Regency England” in the18th and early 19th century. His name has been referenced in a total of 3 posts in Straight Dope’s 10+ year history.Yet knowing about him is essential to understanding today’s Momma. > > So, to recap, to appreciate Momma, you have to know about 18th century fashion pioneers . . . Not at all. I didn’t know who (or when) Beau Brummel was historically, but I know that “Beau Brummel” is cliche-shorthand for a fashion-conscious man. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/19 "2010-05-08T23:31:39Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > There’s clearly something wrong with me, because his third idea was the first thing I came up with. Ditto. Why else would you want socks from the hamper? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-todays-momma/538704/20 "2010-05-09T00:02:45Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Ditto. Why else would you want socks from the hamper? This response on the Comics Curmudgeon site makes the most sense to me: > [@](#): > > The possibility that Francis doesn’t care about cleanliness and is running out of socks which are not falling apart, period, says everything I need to know about the artist’s hygiene standards… I [del]am one of those[/del] have been acquainted with guys who don’t care whether their socks are clean, as long as they don’t have too many holes in them.