# Does anybody actually like The Family Circus? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990 "2001-08-13T04:08:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/21 "2001-08-13T14:45:45Z")
My father has a comic book about tennis written and illustrated by Bil Keane. It’s pretty funny, or at least it was the last time I read it (I was probably 12). I remember that it was significantly better than the Family Circus comics, though (which I’ve never been able to stand). ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/22 "2001-08-13T14:46:51Z")
There have been exactly four different ideas for TFC cartoons in the past 19 years: 1. “Little Billy does the drawing this week since Dad is on vacation” 2. “Trace Jeffy’s path to the neighbor’s house as he goes to get a cup of sugar for mom”. 3. The “not me” ghost. 4. The Grandma and Grandpa ghosts. I can do without it, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Darqangelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@Darqangelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darqangelle)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/23 "2001-08-13T14:56:43Z")
[http://www.jaxstuff.com/sideshowstuff/sideshow.html](http://www.jaxstuff.com/sideshowstuff/sideshow.html) ---
**Author:** ![seriousart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@seriousart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seriousart)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/24 "2001-08-13T20:34:41Z")
A friend of mine said he met Bill Keene at a comic convention and said he was surprised at how genuinely funny he was in person. His theory is that Mr Keene is fully aware of how much the strip sucks, and laughs his rich ass to the bank every pay day. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/25 "2001-08-13T21:21:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by seriousart \* > \*\*A friend of mine said he met Bill Keene at a comic convention and said he was surprised at how genuinely funny he was in person. His theory is that Mr Keene is fully aware of how much the strip sucks, and laughs his rich ass to the bank every pay day. \*\* Actually, I hear the only reason Keene still draws the strip is because if he doesn’t, the syndicate will turn it over to a hack artist who will just “ghost” it. Keene draws it only so someone else won’t, but he’d rather retire if he could… …or so I heard. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/26 "2001-08-13T21:26:39Z")
I find it inspiring. If anything that mediocre can last, there’s hope for me yet. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/27 "2001-08-13T22:34:21Z")
I did when I was little. There WAS one not too long ago that I thought was funny. It was the mother asking little Jeffy if he would open the door for her, because she had her arms full of groceries, and he says, “What’s the password?” she’s like, “My arms are full and if you don’t open that door you’re going to be in BIG trouble young man!” And he’s like, “Nope, that’s not it, and walks away”. You can see her looking REALLY pissed on the other side of the door. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/28 "2001-08-13T23:17:22Z")
I confess that there are a few Family Circusses (Circi?) adorning the refrigerators of my extended family. They’re mostly things that have happened to our family, too–you know, the “it’s just barely funny because it’s true” stuff. Myself, I find it, just, creepy. The feminine contours of Dad and Grandpa in their . . . their . . . _slacks_–there’s just no other word for 'em! Their _slacks_ . . . _shudder_ The comic strip _Fear and clothing_ had this funny thing when Grown-Up Six-Year-Old Billy (now a hardened convict) hijacked the strip. Family Circus . . . crossover gold. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/29 "2001-08-13T23:44:52Z")
I swear to God I saw this Family Circus strip years ago, when I was a wee lad. It was a Sunday strip, not the circular daily ones. All qoutes are paraphrases from a very fuzzy memory. It starts with this guy asking Jeffy for directions. Jeffy remembers mom telling him not to talk to strangers, so he runs off without a word, leaving the guy standing their with his hands on his hips saying “How rude!” Jeffy runs home and tells mom about it, and she says, “Well, in this case it was probably okay to talk to him.” Cut to a pair of cops busting the guy, and one of them says, “Good thing we caught this child molester before he could find another victim.” :eek: I swear I actually saw this, but nobody believes me. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/30 "2001-08-14T00:04:52Z")
Mayor Wilkins was a big fan of _The Family Circus._ Especially P.J. Getting to be quite a handful, you know. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/31 "2001-08-14T00:50:06Z")
Miller, don’t fret. I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/32 "2001-08-14T01:00:43Z")
The Family Circus is the Circus Peanut of the comic strips. Everyone has tried it… many continue to try it in hopes that someday it might be good… but nobody but little kids really like it, and even that’s a toss up. Ugly, stale even when fresh, and only good for some bad jokes. But it will never, ever go away. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/33 "2001-08-14T02:04:00Z")
I like The Family Circus sometimes. I am definitely not a lower-middle class woman with kids, either. Specifically, I am a middle-middle class man with no kids (except for those I teach, but that’s not the same thing). ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/34 "2001-08-14T02:23:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Turbo Dog \* > **The Family Circus is the Circus Peanut of the comic strips.** Well said, m’good man. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/35 "2001-08-14T03:48:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mouthbreather \* > \*\*Miller, don’t fret. I remember it. \*\* I didn’t see that, but I do remember one about not talking to strangers, and better safe than sorry. I was little, and my mom posted it on our fridge. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/36 "2001-08-14T16:06:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*Hey, I spend a lot of time wandering randomly about saying things like “oooh oy,” too! > > Some Doper—I forget who—once suggested setting up a crosshair on each circular Family Circus and seeing how long it takes to finish off the whole family. Brilliant. \*\* That would be me…here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=35013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=35013) Gotten the whole bunch yet, Eve? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/37 "2001-08-14T16:51:21Z")
Sorry I forgot who suggested that, lawoot—I just winged Billy the other day . . . ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/38 "2001-08-14T16:51:25Z")
…and another thing - what the fuck kind of name for a dog is “Barfy?” “Here, Barfy, get the stick.” “Damn you, Barfy, stop humping my leg.” “I think Barfy may have heartworms.” It just doesn’t work, does it? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/39 "2001-08-14T17:49:25Z")
Actually, I thought that naming the dog “Barfy” was the only glimmer of wit the damn strip ever showed. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990/40 "2001-08-14T18:09:23Z")
A friend of mine that lives across that state and I have a little game we play called “Make The Family Circus Funny”. We clip out the comic and modify either the words or picture and mail them back and forth. I wish I had a scanner, I’d put some up on my website. I only know one person that actually enjoys that strip. I love the crosshairs idea! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-actually-like-the-family-circus/75990.md?page=3)