Brad Degroot

Brad Degroot is a character in Luann. He is the older brother of Luann, and the son of Nancy and Frank. At the start of the comic strip, he is 17 years old. He debuted in the March 25, 1985, strip (voice only).

Personality
In earlier strips, Brad is depicted as being lazy, unmotivated, and slobby. He is sarcastic and considers himself a "ladies-man".

Biography
In the March 28, 1988 strip, Brad and Luann decide to answer a mailing offer saying they "won" a prize, a perfect opportunity for Brad to get his mom a birthday gift. Brad and Luann decide to go, even though Brad knows it's a ploy to get information about condos. Brad is distracted by the blonde sales rep and he signs a contract, buying a condo for $150,000. Frank calls and sorts out the situation - the contract is voided because Brad is still a minor.

In the July 10, 1989 strip, neighbors move in next door, a couple with a daughter around Brad's age. Brad, seemingly uncaring, takes out his telescope and begins spying on the daughter. He soon becomes obsessed with her - losing sleep, dressing up fancy, and memorizing her daily walking routine. The daughter looks out the window, talking to her mom about the guy that keeps walking back and forth from his car to his house. She eventually goes over and introduces herself as Diane. He takes her to the mall where a serious of unfortunate events causes her to get upset with him and leave. Since then, he is occasionally seen trying to meet her outside by mowing the lawn, getting the mail, and otherwise making himself more available outside.

In the October 23, 1990 strip, Luann mentions to brad that Diane was seen cozying up to Dick Lafave. Brad heard that Dick has a mustache, so he decides to grow one to impress Diane. After weeks of trying to get it to grow, he finally shows Diane, who believes it was just toast crumbs on his upper lip. Brad becomes angry and decides to shave it off, and his family attempts to make him feel better, but everyone finds it funny.

In the March 04, 1991, Diane calls Brad and asks him to go see "Madame Butterfly" with her (which he mistakes as a music group called Man Made Butterfly). He excitedly agrees, but things start to take a bad turn when he ends up being several minutes late and his car won't start and has to borrow his parent's. Diane reassures him that it's not a date, she just wanted to do some research for her "The Effects of Opera on the Average Couch Potato" thesis. Although he is disappointed about it being an opera, he goes and actually has a good time, impressing Diane enough to start another thesis.

After talking to Diane and finding out she has a summer job, Brad is convinced to get one himself. He applies for a job at Weenieworld, and is officially hired in the July 20, 1991 strip. On his first day of work, his employer introduces him to Brad's supervisor: Delta James! Brad enjoys his cleaning duties at Weenieworld, however, the cleaning stops when he gets home and reverts to his normal sloppy ways.

In the June 09, 1992, Delta asks Mr. Howard for more help at the counter during the lunch rush. Mr. Howard suggests moving Brad up, but questions if he can handle it. Brad begins training on the register and ends up short everyday, each day worse than the previous. Any money he is short comes out of his pocket. Delta mentions that if it happens again, Mr. Howard will fire him. Brad and Delta switch registers, and Brad's comes up balances but Delta's is off 55 dollars. Brad notices something about the money that Mr. Howard handed him, it was a twenty dollar bill that should of gone to the bank from the previous week. As Brad thinks to himself about this issue, a man in a suit approaches him from the other side of the counter. His man introduces himself as Frank Caruso, an employee of the Weenieworld headquarters. Delta called about the shortages, and they planted as customers. Mr. Howard gets fired and Frank replaces him with Delta.

In the October 09, 1992 strip, a nervous Brad asks Diane on a date to the movies. When she accepts, he goes to Frank with questions about sex - a topic Frank was unprepared to discuss, because his own father didn't mention anything about it, nor was it taught in school. Brad reveals that he had a condom in his pocket, saying it was better to not need it and have it than need it and not have it. While Brad and Diane are at the movies, the condom falls out of Brad's pocket and Diane sees it. She gets angry and assumes Brad sees her as nothing more than a trivial plaything and he isn't as normal as she thought, but Brad confesses his true feelings for her in the car, and she believes he is being sincere and they go see the movie, with the condom falling out of his shirt pocket this time.

In the August 09, 1993 strip, Brad excitedly grabs the lawnmower from the garage, telling Nancy and Frank that Diane asked him to mow her law. After struggling to start the mower, Brad accidently ruins Diane's flowerbed, hose, and gardening gloves.

In the September 20, 1993 strip, Brad mentions his best friend T.J. is moving back to town. Brad and the family reminisce about all the bad things he has done, which reminds Frank how much he didn't like T.J. and was glad they moved. When T.J. arrives in the September 26, 1993 strip, he is quick to return to his old ways, plotting and scheming. Brad and T.J. go to the mall, where T.J. convinces Brad to earn money from a soda machine by uplugging it, and plugging it back in real fast. Brad is caught by a security officer and is taken to the security office where the officer tells him that is untrue. He lets Brad off with a warning, and suggests he find a new friend because T.J. doesn't sound like good news.

In the mid-late August strips of 1994, Brad confides in his parents about Diane and how he should approach it. Nancy gives him practical advice, that maybe she's waiting for him to show her how he feels, whereas Frank believes you just have to fumble around until you do something right.

T.J. convinces Brad to pierce his ears, which he does in the September 01, 1994 strip. After leaving the piercing shop, Brad realizes that he never asked his parents for permission. When he gets home, he does his best to cover it up. Eventually, Nancy finds out and Brad blames it on T.J., but Nancy tells him he should be more responsible, which causes Frank to get into the mix and Nancy and Frank begin arguing. Luann tells Brad to show off his pierced ear to Diane. When Diane sees it, she thinks it doesn't look good on him because he's trying too hard to be a macho, rebellious type, which is not his style.

While shopping for a Christmas gift for Diane in December of 1994, he stumbles upon an expensive perfume he would love to buy her. The perfume, however, is extremely expensive, so T.J. convinces him to steal it. When they get home, Brad feels very guilty about what he has done, but decides to give the perfume to Diane anyway. Diane appreciates the gift, but wonders where he got the money to pay for it, which causes him to blurt out that it was stolen. She berates him, and they go to the mall to return it. Since it was used, Brad had to pay for the perfume. After leaving the store, he gives it to Tiffany who declines it, lecturing him that stealing and then paying for it doesn't impress her. If he really wanted to impress her, he would spend an afternoon working on a Christmas card. When he arrives home, his parents are confused as to why he would buy a $267 bottle of perfume for Diane, and he ends up giving it to Luann as an early Christmas gift.

In the May 08, 1995 strip, Diane gives Brad two tickets to see a Shakespeare play, which he mistakes for her asking him on a date. In reality, Diane was just giving Brad the tickets so he can take a friend, but Diane realizes she wasn't clear, so she comes over to apologize and they decide to go to the monster truck rally. Luann and Bernice discuss the event and laugh that anyone finding Brad likeable must have a very odd personality.

In the December 18, 1995 strip, Brad is seen wearing a new shirt, cologne, and hair care products, which he tells Frank is a gift from Nancy. T.J. makes fun of his outfit new look. The two head to the mall where Brad looks for a gift for Diane. T.J. shows lingerie to Brad, who decides to buy it for her, alongside a silk gown. He then has a change of heart and decides to get Diane a pack of hair clips instead. He believes that she didn't like the gift, and all he can think about is why he didn't buy the lingerie for her. The day after Christmas, Brad catches up with Diane to tell her that the hair clips was merely an "appetizer" and the main course will be given tomorrow. Brad heads to the mall and buys the outfit (again). When Diane opens the gift, she is appalled that he would buy something like that for her. She berates him, telling him it's a gift you would give a fiancée or a wife, not a friend next door. Brad shows the lingerie set to the family, and Luann says that it's pretty hot stuff, no wonder she was upset. Brad doesn't know what to do it with, and Frank quickly swipes it and gives it to Nancy. Brad calls T.J. and tells him that the gift was a bust, but T.J. turns the tables when asks Brad where he gave her the gift: on the sidewalk. T.J. laughs and tells Brad that he was supposed to take her to a romantic dinner, get her in the mood, and then give her the gift. After T.J. hangs up, Brad looks out the window and thinks to himself, "Why do I always end up being the idiot?".

In the June 24, 1996 strip T.J. and Brad convince Frank to let them go on a road trip. As Brad and T.J. are driving, the car begins to sputter and eventually stops completely because Brad forgot to fill the gas tank. In addition to that, T.J. forgot to pack essential provisions, and Brad left his wallet at home, so T.J. has to drive. As they arrive at the campground, it begins to rain, just as T.J. notices he forgot to pack a tent. The boys enter a convenience store to find food for $2. T.J. convinces Brad to use the money and play the slot machine, which is illegal because they're minors. Brad pulls the lever and ultimately wins a jackpot of $80. They decide to go buy food, but end up playing the slot machines. Brad decides to quit while he's ahead, and as T.J. and Brad walk away, the machine spits out more money, Brad winning $120. They head back on the road and soon find themselves in Las Vegas. Brad tells T.J. he will only do one pull, which ends up causing him to win the million dollar jackpot. The manager brings them into the back to fill out paper work and show valid ID. T.J. attempts to bluff the manager, but Brad can't handle the guilt and admits to everything. Frank and Nancy receive a phone call from Brad, who explains the entire situation. Nancy is happy that they won't go to jail, but Frank is more upset at the fact that if they had Brad four years earlier, they would of been rich. Brad and T.J. return from their trip on July 22, 1996, to a very angry Nancy and Frank. T.J. leaves when he senses trouble, leaving Brad to suffer alone. Frank mentions that T.J. is a bad influence, and Brad needs to learn to say "no". Brad brings up the point that Frank was the one that OK'd the trip, so Frank sends him to his room.

In the July 29, 1996 strip, Diane invites Luann and a date of her choice, Gunther, to see an Alanis Morisette concert with Brad. Diane and Luann go to the bathroom and agree that they only date Brad and Gunther because they're filling the spot until "Mr. Right" comes along. Diane and Luann bond really well and even start planning a day out by themselves. During the car ride home, Diane and Luann gossip and talk in the back seat, ignoring the guys. While at a gas station, Gunther and Brad plan goodnight kisses for the girls. While the guys say goodbye, the girls quickly leave. As Brad and Luann enter the house, a knock on the door is heard. Luann's opens it and Gunther quickly kisses her on the lips before leaving. She tells Brad "How can that boy be both boring and interesting at the same time?".

In the October 21, 1996 strip, Diane questions why Brad's hair is always unkempt. Brad confesses that he's tried everything to fix it, but nothing helps. Diane suggests him getting a buzzcut, which he is unsure about getting. Although once he's finished, Diane feels his head, enjoying how comfortable it is, so he decides to keep it.

In the April 7, 1997 strip, Diane asks if Brad wants to donate blood, which he reluctantly agrees to, but only to impress Diane. While at the donation center, he gets frustrated when he noticed Diane walking with a football player. Come to find out, the football player fainted before he even signed in, giving Brad encouragement. Diane thanks him for helping out and kisses him on the lips which causes him to faint.

In the June 16, 1997 strip, Brad catches Diane practicing golf in her yard. He suggest she goes to a driving range to practice and she invites him along. Brad struggles to hit the ball and Diane tells him just to relax and that it's not a competition. Brad continues to struggle and his frustration with golf reaches a climax and he storms home mumbling about the game. Diane has asked him to play a round of 18, but he doesn't want to embarrass himself. Frank attempts to calm him down, explaining that Diane will like him if he just acts like himself instead of trying to be a "golf champion" - although the message gets mixed up about whether it was a conversation about girls or golf. Frank teaches Brad how to properly play golf. While on the golf course, Diane tells Brad to think of pleasant thoughts and he manages to play well as all his thoughts were about kissing Diane.

Interests and hobbies
Brad loves to eat, read comic books, and lounge around on the sofa. He is very sloppy, lazy and unkempt. He works on his car all the time, although has trouble getting it to run. He's very interested in girls. His favorite genre of music is heavy metal.

Luann Degroot
Brad and Luann have a normal sibling rivalry which includes arguing, insults, the occasional fistfight, among other things. Brad would occasionally give Luann advice, but most of the time he would make fun of whatever problem she was facing.

Diane
Brad is obsessed with the daughter of their new neighbors, Diane. He constantly looks out his window, stalking her with the help of a telescope or binoculars. She doesn't seem interested in him, but this doesn't stop him fantasizing about her (similar to Luann's situation with Aaron Hill).

Delta James
Brad and Delta work at Weenieworld together.

T.J.

 * "Man, bein' friends with TJ is like skydiving - it' exciting, but you never know where you're gonna land". - Brad Degroot (from the December 6, 1997 strip)

Brad and T.J. are best friends. They've caused a lot of mischief when they were younger.