I know it is not a CIDU, but I don’t really get the point of the cartoon. Essentially it is just a relatively straight illustration of the Australian aboriginal story apparently behind the naming of the band Three Dog Night without any extra humorous twist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Dog_Night#Band_name_origin Except they’re in a bed, not a hole, and are not dingoes.
If there is anyone out there who is puzzled and doesn’t mind a spoiler, here is the relevant reference. Those who are not puzzled need not click on the link, and those who hate spoilers should just ignore this comment.
P.S. @ narmitaj – It’s not a big laugh, it’s just an “awww, how sweet“: Mooch is cold, Earl brings company, and Mooch is willing to set aside his sometimes testy relationship with Guard Dog and Woofie for the sake of the extra warmth.
Ah. A continuing-story, character-driven thing rather than a gag per se.
Apparently I didn’t know the origin story, though I thought I did! I didn’t know about Australia or dingo or hole in the ground. I thought it was just a US countryside tradition , to say how cold it was by how many of your dogs you invite into bed. (And that this was something the band members knew from their childhood.)
But apart from that mistake, I took just a moment to wonder if there was a point or joke , before deciding it was only meant as a sweet moment.
I was particularly pleased that Guard Dog was, for the first time I’ve seen, off his chain. THAT made it even MORE an ‘awwwww’ comic.
A three-cat afternoon (nap)!
Like Mitch I thought it was a Southern expression, though not that far south. I’d say it’s geezer-free, since it references an expression more than the name of the band.
Good to know Kilby. The story I heard back when they were in their heyday was that the origin of the name was not sweet at all and had to do with the stereotype of bands on the road with their not always good looking female groupies. I always thought that didn’t sound like a name they would come up with based on their fairly tame music. I’m glad to know they didn’t go with something that juvenile and demeaning.
It also would have made more sense to me if they had been all together sharing warmth rather than spread out so it didn’t make any difference how many dogs were in the bed.
Spoiler I Don’t Understand: What is being spoiled by the link?
narmitaj
This makes it a circular pun. Which are *frigging* stupid if the origin is known and/or obvious. (“What’s with the Ottoman Empire? An empire named after a footstool? Come on.”) But if the origin isn’t known then it’s amusing to the reader. But it’s kind of cheating if the joke writer knew the origin and hopes the reader doesn’t.
But here presumably neither the reader (I didnt) know the origin and the circularity was accidental.
I accept accidents. Especially if they are Awwwwww.
FWIW I never heard the expression Three Dog Night meaning cold. And if I had…. well, an Awww cartoon where the literally fulfill a well known expression is perfectly acceptable comic tactic.
Uh, hello? This is obviously an Arlo!
@ Brian – Bill sometimes posts geezer items like this as a poll (looking for stats about who gets he reference, or not). I wasn’t sure whether he wanted the answer revealed so early.
In the 1960’s (before the band formed) I heard it was an Eskimo thing. Sled dogs, you know.
Recollecting a Beetle Bailey where the guys are complaining about a hot night, and Sarge says it’s gonna be a two-footer. In the last panel we see he’s sleeping with both feet sticking out an open window.
“In the 1960’s (before the band formed) I heard it was an Eskimo thing. Sled dogs, you know.”
That’s the reference I knew; Hubby usually has a four-dog night, as he’s considered the Alpha of the pack (the only thing *I* do, according to them, is feed, medicate, pay their bills, give them their one treat/day and, ultimately, help them cross the Rainbow Bridge).
Comics I Don't Understand 
I know it is not a CIDU, but I don’t really get the point of the cartoon. Essentially it is just a relatively straight illustration of the Australian aboriginal story apparently behind the naming of the band Three Dog Night without any extra humorous twist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Dog_Night#Band_name_origin Except they’re in a bed, not a hole, and are not dingoes.
If there is anyone out there who is puzzled and doesn’t mind a spoiler, here is the relevant reference. Those who are not puzzled need not click on the link, and those who hate spoilers should just ignore this comment.
P.S. @ narmitaj – It’s not a big laugh, it’s just an “awww, how sweet“: Mooch is cold, Earl brings company, and Mooch is willing to set aside his sometimes testy relationship with Guard Dog and Woofie for the sake of the extra warmth.
Ah. A continuing-story, character-driven thing rather than a gag per se.
Apparently I didn’t know the origin story, though I thought I did! I didn’t know about Australia or dingo or hole in the ground. I thought it was just a US countryside tradition , to say how cold it was by how many of your dogs you invite into bed. (And that this was something the band members knew from their childhood.)
But apart from that mistake, I took just a moment to wonder if there was a point or joke , before deciding it was only meant as a sweet moment.
I was particularly pleased that Guard Dog was, for the first time I’ve seen, off his chain. THAT made it even MORE an ‘awwwww’ comic.
A three-cat afternoon (nap)!
Like Mitch I thought it was a Southern expression, though not that far south. I’d say it’s geezer-free, since it references an expression more than the name of the band.
Good to know Kilby. The story I heard back when they were in their heyday was that the origin of the name was not sweet at all and had to do with the stereotype of bands on the road with their not always good looking female groupies. I always thought that didn’t sound like a name they would come up with based on their fairly tame music. I’m glad to know they didn’t go with something that juvenile and demeaning.
It also would have made more sense to me if they had been all together sharing warmth rather than spread out so it didn’t make any difference how many dogs were in the bed.
Spoiler I Don’t Understand: What is being spoiled by the link?
narmitaj
This makes it a circular pun. Which are *frigging* stupid if the origin is known and/or obvious. (“What’s with the Ottoman Empire? An empire named after a footstool? Come on.”) But if the origin isn’t known then it’s amusing to the reader. But it’s kind of cheating if the joke writer knew the origin and hopes the reader doesn’t.
But here presumably neither the reader (I didnt) know the origin and the circularity was accidental.
I accept accidents. Especially if they are Awwwwww.
FWIW I never heard the expression Three Dog Night meaning cold. And if I had…. well, an Awww cartoon where the literally fulfill a well known expression is perfectly acceptable comic tactic.
Uh, hello? This is obviously an Arlo!
@ Brian – Bill sometimes posts geezer items like this as a poll (looking for stats about who gets he reference, or not). I wasn’t sure whether he wanted the answer revealed so early.
In the 1960’s (before the band formed) I heard it was an Eskimo thing. Sled dogs, you know.
Recollecting a Beetle Bailey where the guys are complaining about a hot night, and Sarge says it’s gonna be a two-footer. In the last panel we see he’s sleeping with both feet sticking out an open window.
“In the 1960’s (before the band formed) I heard it was an Eskimo thing. Sled dogs, you know.”
That’s the reference I knew; Hubby usually has a four-dog night, as he’s considered the Alpha of the pack (the only thing *I* do, according to them, is feed, medicate, pay their bills, give them their one treat/day and, ultimately, help them cross the Rainbow Bridge).