Now that I have your attention, take a look at this old comic strip from 1985, less than six weeks after the debut of Arlo & Janis. Don’t the characters look weird? But that’s not why I’m showing you this particular strip. I’m showing you this strip, because it is the only A&J strip ever changed or rejected by syndicate editors because of risqué content. United Media editors in New York struck the words “without a bra.” Apparently, other cartoonists have groaning file drawers filled with material rejected by an editor for salaciousness, and the annoyed cartoonists take their revenge by publishing this forbidden material on their own Web sites, to the delight of readers. If you believe my reputation, you would think that I would have the groaningest file drawers of all. I am sorry to disappoint you. I am at a loss to explain this.
Arlo & Janis, Uncensored!
By Jimmy Johnson
Recent Posts
Ghost of Christmas Past
This holiday Arlo & Janis comic strip from 2022 is similar in concept to the new strip that ran yesterday. I thought the latter ...
Spearhead
I have produced a number of comic strips related to Veteran’s Day. Especially in latter years, I have tried to emphasize the universal experience ...
Dark Passage
Remember: it’s that weekend. The return to standard time can be a bit of a shock in the late afternoon, but I rather enjoy ...
What’s old is old, again
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to build a web site, but there are similarities. Everything needs to be just right, or ...
Back to the ol’ drawing board
I don’t have a lot of time this morning. I wasn’t going to post anything, but I’m tired of looking at that old photograph ...
Thursday’s Child
On Sunday, I teased you with the suggestion there are more changes coming here. There are. They will appear soon, and I think you’ll ...
266 responses to “Arlo & Janis, Uncensored!”
… one early drawing with A+J sitting facing each other where a “dot” at a strategic location was removed by the syndicate…
Of course, the “Love Is” couple always got away with being nude…unless they were at the beach, then they wore swimsuits. Never understood that… 🙂
JJ, your version of risqué is better and more interesting than anything that would be censored. This is one of my favorites:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Arloandjanissuggestive.jpg
JJ: What Mike said… And… Your risque is gentle and whimsical – always in good taste!
…and then again, there are the famous “Arlo Awards” for pushing (or at least nudging the envelope. Jimmy, I hope you cherish the honor for inspiring those awards!
Have you ever slipped in a risque reference that went over the editor’s heads? There have been a few times that I have had to look up a word or do an internet search to figure your strip out. I also wonder if you have ever done one without realizing the double meaning of something said.
@steve from royal oak: Go to .http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/category/arlo-award/
It’s a whole site dedicated to that topic, and its named on honor of Arlo
Our Humble Author can get away with a lot of suggestive material because of the open and obvious underlying affection that the two protagonists have for one another. Sonny and Cher (among others) relied on constant insult and put-down for their humor; unsurprisingly, they were divorced. George and Gracie, on the other hand, adored each other and we adored them.
So what are the plans for the big 3-0 coming up for the strip? Personally, I find that A&J have gone from strength to strength, and provides different nuances of enjoyment as each year has dawned. There will be the inevitable clunker, but they are so few and far between that it is tempting to think anyone could do this. Then again, Larry Bird made making free throws look simple, and he merely made 500 of them every day to keep it that way. This is difficult work being done here, and being done very well, and for a very long time. I know of no other strip with the longevity, without a drop in high quality, that this one has.
That’s because you are a gentleman. Your risque is more hinted at than hit you in the face. You leave much to the readers’ imaginations and let us decide how risque to make it or not.
Just yesterday, while leaving Wally World, the young lady walking in front of me inspired (à la Jeff Foxworthy) the thought: “If you wear a very sheer white lace top with a black bra…you may be a redneck.”
Of course, 86ing the bra (à la Janis) would eliminate that pointless observation.
Mindy, {{hugs}}
I think as someone else mentioned, you have to understand Arlo (or occasionally Janis) to know that the comic may be hinting at something risque. It’s hard to believe tha “bra” was censored… for many years the radio and TV have been saying and showing much, MUCH, worse!
Some may debate the use of “worse” but, risqué or not, there isn’t a sitcom on that I will watch, including the one in which my distant cousin stars. The humor award goes to-all of us. There is never a day when I don’t find a laugh somewhere in here, even if someone (like me) isn’t happy about something. Which brings up a subject that I have been considering. Calling this the village has worked until now, but is there any interest in naming the village? It would be unofficial unless JJ wants to get on board. That’s a hint for my suggestion BTW.
No makeup, no bra, no worries.
Hugs and kisses.
Jerry in Fl, Johnsonville?
Many years ago, someone here observed that most people, especially those of the female persuasion, seem to have an aversion to the vulgar but an appreciation for the risqué. I have found that to be the case in dealing with my all-female staff, and perhaps that is a principle Jimmy has also discovered and used so effectively in A&J.
In the past, I floated the idea of A&Jville as a name for this community, but that was thoroughly sunk by “the Village”, which, as memory serves, was first used by Mindy (aka Just Plain Mindy). If I am crediting the wrong person, feel free to let me know.
And if we are entertaining ideas for a new appellation, I would suggest “Hooterville”, but that has already been used on a couple of TV sitcoms.
I never did figure out exactly what was supposed to be going on here, but it was fun to think about.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/190/1385308627_2.jpg
I like that idea, Ghost, but there’s another explanation: the woman in question might be advertising her assets.
Been tardy lately, here now. Trying to get caught up, seeing as how my SO has been flitting about in here.
I float a balloon for, Day View, an unincorporated community. The site name is “arloandjanis”; they are the pillars upon which the community is built, and their surname is Day. Also, we get a daily view of life through their eyes. But, whatever we might name this community, we remain a village of kindred spirits (GR6 being our spirit emeritus) drawn here by Jimmy’s guiding hand.
I never use the name that you referenced in your post, Ghost. A&Jville or A&J.com or even “the blog” suit me fine. I would even prefer The Community over the other.
Then there’s Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, but some village in Wales is already using that.
What we call ours doesn’t matter, as long as it’s not “Ghost Town”. 🙂
I think I kind of like Johnsonville. It keeps “ville” for “village” but refers also to Jimmy, and I think it has kind of a Mayberry, small town feel to it.
Nancy that is not bad…except I don’t want to be called a cheese filled brat.
Once we name this wide spot in the road all kinds of bad things will begin. Elections for council members, appointment of an enforcer of council rules, taxes, syntax codes, etc.
Dayton? No, that’s taken. Day’s Village, maybe, but sounds like a certain motel chain. Daytown?