Although Cami didn’t actually see Dear John this weekend, we had a conversation about it when I told her that the film had unseated Avatar’s 7-week run atop the box office returns. The film raked in $30 million against Avatar’s $22 million haul.
Avatar’s downfall had to happen eventually, but a $30 million opening weekend for a romantic drama seems beyond the pale. Certainly some counter-programming against the Super Bowl played its part. But when I discussed the film with Cami, she felt that the film was probably buoyed by fans of Nicholas Sparks’s book from which the film was adapted. Sparks also wrote The Notebook and, well, ladies LOVE The Notebook.
“Do you think Channing Tatum had anything to do with the box office,” I asked Cami.
“That lunkhead? Uh, no,” she replied.
This was the jumping off point for today’s comic as we discussed how ridiculous and fake Channing Tatum’s name sounds. It should be noted that Cami suggested a play on words and write a punch line that somehow involved Carol Channing.
Honey, I love you. But that was never going to happen.
I mean I never want to underestimate your intelligence and assume you guys aren’t going to understand certain references. But Carol Channing? I have to draw the line somewhere.
That said, I’m pleased that Cami finds Channing Tatum as weird as I do. Not just the name, but his whole on-screen persona. Or, rather, NON persona. To us, Tatum is pure tapioca. The guy looks like he’s sleepwalking through every performance. At this point, I don’t know if his eyes being half-lidded all the time is an acting choice or a genetic anomaly. But even in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra from last summer, he looked bored. He’s firing semi-automatic weapons, running away from explosions and he looks bored.
To me, Tatum is like a jock that somehow wandered onto a movie set and someone said “HIM! Put HIM in front of the camera! He’ll do!”
I’m curious if any of you guys saw Dear John this weekend. Was it any good? How does it compare to The Notebook? Because as schmaltzy as The Notebook is at times, you’d have to be soul-dead not to be drawn in by that ending. Can Dear John hope to hold a candle to it? Any thoughts about the bland appeal of Channing Tatum?
BTW – Bonus points if you can guess the movie I’m referencing with the title of today’s strip.
Leave your comments below!
I figured you'd be watching the Super Bowl, so I snuck out to see Dear John.
Counter programming at its finest. What did you think of it.
Meh. It was okay.
Channing Tatum doesn't do it for you?
I think it's his name. I can't take him seriously.
"Channing Tatum" sounds so FAKE. He should change it to "Chet Squarejaw" or something so I could at least appreciate him ironically.
Hey Dirk, say hello to your mother for me!
Your reply amuses me.
I approve. 🙂
I didn’t really have any interest in the flick. I’m sure it’s worth watching at some point – possibly when being dragged from the movie rental place, kicking and screaming that I want to watch Star Trek again or something.
😛
Good call on Carol Channing…I have no idea who she is and I like to think I’m decently versed on pop culture outside of sports.
I’m one of those weird girls who has never seen The Notebook and has no interest in seeing it, despite my girl-crush on Rachel McAdams. I also have a girl-crush on Amanda Seyfried, and I think Channing Tatum is a fine piece of manhood, but I don’t think I’ll see Dear John unless my Official ChickFlickSideKick insists on it. And I think our next one will be Valentine’s Day, anyway. I’m interested to see America’s answer to Love Actually.
I’m not much into celebs, but when I read the name, I thought of Carol Channing and Tatum O’Neal.
I liked his work in “Fighting” and “She’s The Man”……but I’m not too big of a fan of his.
I concur with Liz about Valentine’s Day. I still gush over Love Actually (mostly because of the actors in it), and am curious if this will be the US equivalent. But I won’t be seeing it in the theaters…I’m spending my money on Wolfman this weekend instead!!!
P.S. Info on Channing Tatum (apparently his real name, and at one time he was employed as an exotic dancer using an even faker sounding name): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channing_Tatum
I just always remember Ryan Stiles doing impersonations of Carol Channing on whose line is it anyway.
Because someone has to quote it SOONER or LATER:
Slab Bulkhead, Fridge Large-Meat, Punt Speed-Chunk, Butch Dead-Lift, Bald Big-Flank, Splink Chest-Hair, Flint Iron-Stag, Bolt Vander-Huge, Thick McRun-Fast, Blast Hard-Cheese, Buff Drink-Lots, Trunk Slam-Chest, Fist Rough-Bone, Stump Beef-Knob, Smash Lamp-Jaw, Punch Rock-Groin, Buck Plank-Chest, Stump Junk-Man, Dirk Hard-Peck, Rip Steak-Face, Slate Slab-Rock, Crud Bone-Meal, Brick Hard-Meat, Rip Slag-Cheek, Punch Side-Iron, Gristle McThorn-Body, Slate Fist-Crunch, Buff Hard-Back, Bob Johnson (no, wait…) , Blast Thick-Neck, Crunch Butt-Stain, Slab Squat-Thrust, Lump Beef-Broth, Touch Rust-Rod, Reef Blast-Body, Big McLarge-Huge, Smoke Man-Muscle, Beat Punch-Beef, Hack Blow-Fist, Roll Fizzle-Beef.
Wait. Those aren’t porn names, are they Psyclone?
Or maybe it’s an Adult Swim reference I didn’t catch.
Psyclone is referring to a classic episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 featuring that most epic of films: Space Mutiny. Between the nicknames and the zamboni chase it’s one of their best episodes.
Nononononononono! MST3K, Space Mutiny!
…I feel like an ubernerd for knowing that without having to look it up, but it’s all good!
I giggled.
That author seems to be really popular; a lot of my female friends go nuts over his books. I’ve never read one.
Also… Carol Channing is obscure? You must be joking.
I would’ve preferred Carol Channing, just for the smug satisfaction of getting the reference.
I don’t want to see Dear John. I read it and it was horrible.
Never saw The Notebook. Does this make me any less of a woman?
I really disslike movies made specifically to make you cry. I don’t mind if I get so pulled into a movie emotionally that I cry but a movie marketed as a tear-jerker to me is stupid. Usually the script is empty besides sad scenes.
This crowd probably knows Carol Channing best as the personality Mike Nelson’s poor abused psyche became after watching “Red Zone Cuba.”
I have NO interest in Nicholas Sparks books or the movie adaptions…..and I’m a girl. I’d rather see people blow stuff up and run around with weapons than anything like this.
Everyone who sees the movies based on his books talk about the romance and what not. As far as I’m concerned Nicholas Sparks is just a big ole cynic. He’s not a romatic at all. The main characters find what is supposed to be true love and in every one they either A) DIE! or B) end up apart.
Anyhoo…..gimme Avatar anyday. Or The Wolfman. Or Clash of the Titans……
Ok.. not that im complaining… its just… its kinda irking me that noone else is asking about it… but.. the first panel… doesnt toms face.. seem a lil… i dunno… archie-esk.? i dunno.. it just stuck out to me.. oh well.. keep up the good work though!
oh.. and about the Dear John Topic… as a movie theater employee, i despise most of the movies that bring in the high school crowd…. it was terrible… that alone was a turn off for me, so i dont plan to see it… even though, i find Amanda Seyfried pretty attractive…
and yes i did look it up cuz i was very curious.. but.. chest rockwell.. is from boogie nights yea?
BTW, Tom, What happened to your eyes? Is reading a book bad for them?
I don’t know, Tom. A Carol Channing joke would’ve been pretty awesome…
Weird that two people would comment on how I decided to draw Tom in the first panel. I’ve done the dots-for-eyes thing before…
Oh, well!
I really only liked Channing Tatum in “She’s the Man.” But other than that role, I think he reminds me too much of John Cena for me to get beyond his one-note performances and like him. And I have more male friends who love the Notebook than female ones and a lot of critics & stuff consider the Notebook to be a good guy’s romantic movie…dunno…
BTW Liz- LOVE that you have an Official ChickFlickSideKick!!! That’s awesome- gotta get me one of those! 😀
You know what? Even though they don’t share the same body type, I totally see where you’re coming from with the John Cena comparison. I can see it!
@Manda Thanks! They’re good to have, especially when most of your friends are guys 🙂
I just saw “Dear John” tonight. I have to say that “The Notebook” was so much better. And it wasn’t “John” I had a problem with…it was “Savannah” character wise. I just wanted to slap her in the face.
SPOILER:
“Oh, my friend is sick…so I need to break up with you so I can take care of him and his son. Kthxbye” Stupid, stupid, stupid. And the ending I was like “What?”
Also…that Carol Channing photo will now be haunting my nightmares…