Original artwork, not a still
Gary Larson
What we say to dogs: “Okay, Ginger! I’ve had it! You stay out of the garbage!” What they hear: “Blah blah Ginger blah blah blah.”
— The Far Side ‧ 1980
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the clearest picture ever drawn of talking past someone. The owner thinks every instruction has landed; the dog hears her name and noise. The cartoon is used in talks and training slides to describe jargon, over-long instructions and anything where only the keyword gets through, and 'blah blah Ginger' is shorthand for an audience that has stopped listening.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Far SideShow the scene
Gary Larson's single-panel Far Side cartoon is split in two: first, what an owner says to the dog (a stern lecture ordering Ginger to stay out of the garbage), then what the dog hears, where the only recognisable sound is her own name. The Far Side ran from 1980 to 1995 and was syndicated to over 1,900 newspapers. One cartoon ranking site, citing the official Far Side shop, dates this panel to 25 October 1983; that date is not confirmed.
Sources (2)
- Blah blah blah Ginger, Annotated Gilmore Girlspost bodyReference checked
- What We Say to Dogs, W3C talk slideslide 20Reference checked
Context reviewed
