Today is a historic day. Mary Worth touches her first black person. She doesn't appear to be too pleased about it either.
However, the fact that a non-white character has finally appeared in Mary Worth is momentous, and I thank Karen Moy and Joe Giella for introducing us to Dr. Milton Smith, Success Story. It almost feels like when the Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino. There's no going back now.
Dr. Milton is staring right at Mary when he says "I owe it all to you." Huh? Is it common knowledge that all success stories stem from the force for good that is Mary Worth?
ReplyDeleteWho, yes, looks utterly appalled at having to shake hands with Dr. Milton.
Dear Old Shelly certainly has a propensity to smirk. Just imagine the look on her face when she receives that award. (It'll likely be a Major Award, too.) Well, she's certainly put in enough time at Promise Haven if she shepherded Milton Smith through high school, college, graduate school, and either a Ph.D. or an M.D.
ReplyDeleteOkay, it is noteworthy that Moy has finally included a non-white character, but (showing my age here) it reminds me of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" The Sidney Poitier character couldn't be an average guy, he had to be a Nobel Prize winner.
Are those fruit flies circling Shelly's hair?
Oh, I don't know how unfazed Mary is - she has pretty much exactly the expression that Arrested Development's Lucille Bluth gets when she's not terribly pleased (which is most of the time).
ReplyDeleteDr. Smith: ...And I owe it all to you!
ReplyDeleteMary: Of course you do. It's a pleasure to meet me. I mean...well, it's a pleasure.
Dr. Smith: When Dear Old Shelly Cohen first greeted me at Promise Haven, I was in a drug-addled state and had no direction in my life. She said, "My friend Mary Worth would quote a famous person to you and pull you right up from your bootstraps! And she would serve you something to eat." Well, that set me straight. I cleaned up, sobered up, and finished first in my class at Med School University. I never thought I'd meet you, Mary Worth! Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And something tells me I won't be the only one to say those words to you here tonight.
Oh my God the Redskins might change their name and a African American appeared in Mary Worth race relations at all new high.
ReplyDeleteIt's only 2013 we have a African American President and 10/22/13 will be the day to be remembered in race relations an African American appeared in Mary Worth.
ReplyDeleteWow, Mary Worth in the same room/panel with both a person of color and a person of the Jewish faith. It's the dawn of a new diversity. Perhaps we will also see my beloved Cleveland baseball team get rid of their disgusting Chief Wahoo logo--but I'm not holding my breath on that one.
ReplyDeleteThe first non-white character and he owes ALL of his success to a white character.
ReplyDeleteBut good job Moy for finally introducing a black person. Maybe in another 50 years they'll include a gay character?
I'm not buying it.... I think the colorist is pranking Karen and Uncle Joe. She was instructed to make Dr. Smith, white and his suit, brown. Hope she's got another job lined up!
ReplyDeleteFunny! Nance @ 9:12 - the exponential effect of Mary's 'food for thought' approach to meddling is nothing less than mind-boggling.
ReplyDeleteMary IS the first domino.
Mary: "YOU LOOK FAMILIAR... OH, WAIT - AREN'T YOU THAT NICE CAB DRIVER WHO TOOK ME FROM THE AIRPORT TO SHELLY'S HOME?"
ReplyDeleteI barely can keep my breakfast down after reading that this man, who worked hard to pull himself out of a bad situation to accomplish such a high level of success would say it was due, "IN LARGE PART" to Mary Worth. Not even Dear Old Shelley (I-Put-in-the-Long-Hours-in-this Place)Cohen deserves the credit in LARGE PART. HUMPHF!
ReplyDeleteThe plot craziness is over the top, for sure. But I love the changing perspective, with DO Shelley on Mary's left and then BAM! on Mary's right.
ReplyDeleteTime travelers AND black people!
All due to Mary!
Wow, my head is spinning! I've never seen such diversity in MW. What's next, Juanita Gonzalez, the center's receptionist? Sandeep Patel, the center's accountant? An Lee Wong, Shelly's art dealer/ next door neighbor? The Worthyverse is now a melting pot!
ReplyDeleteI love that Shelly Cohen serves bagels for lunch and Milton Smith, black man, was once a druggie. No stereotyping intended, I'm sure. We can only hope for flashbacks of "the ghetto" to complete the picture. Next panel - Mary pulls the hand sanitizer out of her purse.
ReplyDeleteMary never even knew this guy existed, yet all these years he's been working so hard and singing her praises. How many MORE people are out there just like Milton? Why, it could be hundreds, or thousands! Maybe millions! All because of Mary!! Let's raise a toast to Mary! Hear, hear!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile... back in Santa Royale, the latest edition of the weekly newsletter "The Charterstone Matters" has come out. It is advising tenants to lock their doors and be extra vigilant regarding the recent rash of break-ins. It seems Tommy, out of prison now and living at the complex... has taken up some, er...extra-curricular nighttime activities. Mr. Alorra is quite concerned and wishes Mary would hurry back. SHE would know what to do.
At Promise Haven, every sharing circle begins with a recitation of "The Legend of Mary Worth" as inspiration. The downtrodden young people learn how she vicariously created this fine shelter for them so they can learn to be well-to-do elderly white people, too. I'm afraid Dr. Milton Smith didn't quite make it all the way there and had to go to graduate school to compensate.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, Milton. I think you're making it up about your dad. He looks pretty upset, sitting there alone in the subway.
ReplyDeleteThis has to be the first ever reference to "eating out of dumpsters" in a Mary Worth comic strip. . . truly a week of firsts! As time goes by, Shelly Cohen resembles a member of the clergy more and more. She could also pass as a modern-looking nun--that is if she weren't Jewish. ..
ReplyDelete