This is preposterous! That fancy restaurant is discriminatory against hams! The best decision would be to file a civil rights lawsuit against the establishment.
(Provided, of course, that the restaurant isn’t actually own by pigs. Then the no-ham thing would be completely understood.)
I love that the doorman rejects him because he’s got a ham on a leash…not because HE’S A DINOSAUR IN A SWEATER. Eating the other restaurant guests or stomping on staff may be frowned upon, but having cured meat for a pet? Outrage!
My interpretation is that the sequence is attempting to point out the absurdity of keeping certain animals as pets, while eating others. It comes down to simple wordplay: ham/hamburger : dog/hot dog.
Clearly, this is an examination of internal conflicts brought on by the intersection of values (commercial, cultural, spiritual, etc). First, BDD is shown as excited by the desire of a rich full life, as sold/promised by modern commercial American culture. He charges forward with his naive, but pure spirit (as represented by the ham). Then, BDD’s conscience begins to weigh him down. As he continues to wrestle with these conflicting desires, BDD realizes that he desires a life of meaning (as embodied in the hamburger). But the doorman is the reality check to his ambitions to have it all (Madison Ave.) vs the desire to lead a life of meaning and quality. Thus, BDD has to discern his call and deliberately choose to live out his values. Through the struggle, he becomes blind (but not completely immune) to the inane commercial desires sold to us via the medium of modern western culture. It is only then, aided by his spirit and conscience (ham), that he may enter into a fuller and richer life (as represented by Le Chic).
I think that Dorothy is touring with her band. Probably not time for new strips.
January 13, 2011
Out of character. That was a great decision.
January 13, 2011
H.A.M. ?
January 13, 2011
Yes, Seann. It is most definitely amusing to see BDD go H.A.M.
January 13, 2011
This is making me laugh and laugh.
January 13, 2011
Especially the final panel. I want a seeing-eye ham.
January 13, 2011
Love the universal-no-ham-sign
January 13, 2011
seeing-eye ham! that seems like a good decision too me
January 13, 2011
This is preposterous! That fancy restaurant is discriminatory against hams! The best decision would be to file a civil rights lawsuit against the establishment.
(Provided, of course, that the restaurant isn’t actually own by pigs. Then the no-ham thing would be completely understood.)
January 13, 2011
Is a security ham compatible with Kashruth?
January 13, 2011
Bad-Decision Dinosaur is Sylvia’s favorite Cat and Girl character, she just told me.
January 13, 2011
I love the doorman’s expression in the last panel.
“Oh, gee, I’m sorry, I didn’t know. . .”
January 13, 2011
Maybe the “curse of Ham” was actually blindness. “Look at your father naked, will you? Well, now you don’t get to look at anything naked, ever again!”
Though having a non-kosher meat named after you would be punishment enough, I guess.
January 13, 2011
Well I’d rather be Ham than Shrimp.
January 14, 2011
Looks like BDD was interested in getting a hamburger for his ham….
January 16, 2011
I love that the doorman rejects him because he’s got a ham on a leash…not because HE’S A DINOSAUR IN A SWEATER. Eating the other restaurant guests or stomping on staff may be frowned upon, but having cured meat for a pet? Outrage!
January 17, 2011
The doorguy read his mind. A burger & pickle in a posh joint like that? The ham was just an excuse.
January 20, 2011
My interpretation is that the sequence is attempting to point out the absurdity of keeping certain animals as pets, while eating others. It comes down to simple wordplay: ham/hamburger : dog/hot dog.
January 22, 2011
I’m getting worried, it’s been a while since Dorothy’s posted a strip, a week. I hope she’s alright and just relaxing or otherwise having fun.
January 28, 2011
Clearly, this is an examination of internal conflicts brought on by the intersection of values (commercial, cultural, spiritual, etc). First, BDD is shown as excited by the desire of a rich full life, as sold/promised by modern commercial American culture. He charges forward with his naive, but pure spirit (as represented by the ham). Then, BDD’s conscience begins to weigh him down. As he continues to wrestle with these conflicting desires, BDD realizes that he desires a life of meaning (as embodied in the hamburger). But the doorman is the reality check to his ambitions to have it all (Madison Ave.) vs the desire to lead a life of meaning and quality. Thus, BDD has to discern his call and deliberately choose to live out his values. Through the struggle, he becomes blind (but not completely immune) to the inane commercial desires sold to us via the medium of modern western culture. It is only then, aided by his spirit and conscience (ham), that he may enter into a fuller and richer life (as represented by Le Chic).
I think that Dorothy is touring with her band. Probably not time for new strips.