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John's canon

Everything John recommends, criticizes or cites in earnest, grouped by medium (culture first, then politics and organizations); the most-mentioned first. Items said by both brothers together are on both pages. Back to the canon overview.

Recommended: 898 · Criticized: 212 · Cited as evidence: 262 — not counted: mocked 301, in jest 14 (below)

Books & writing (289)

  • An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (own work (self-plug); recommended 6, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2018-01-16 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John has just read an amazing, properly brilliant book by first novelist Hank Green, but won't say more until it is available for pre-order. — My Hollywood Star, Brexit Pears, and Hank's Book: It's QUESTION TUESDAY (00:00:06)
    • 2018-01-30 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — The book is An Absolutely Remarkable Thing; it comes out September 25th and is available for pre-order now. — Hank, I Have Some Advice (00:00:42)
    • 2018-06-19 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Hank is signing 40,000 sheets to be bound into his first novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, which comes out September 25 and is available for pre-order now. — My Signature Move (00:00:51)
    • 2018-07-24 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — In September and October Hank tours for his first novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, out September 25th and available for pre-order now; ticket info is in the description. — Other John Greens (00:03:14)
    • 2018-09-18 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Hank's An Absolutely Remarkable Thing comes out one week from today, and John is proud of him because he knows how hard Hank worked. — On the Participation Trophy (00:03:24)
    • 2019-07-16 · cited as evidence (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John says part of what Hank explored so beautifully in An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is how weird fame is. — star struck (00:00:29)
    • 2021-06-22 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug), playful) — John jokingly points to Hank's book An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, which Hank wants viewers to know is available at bookstores, as it has been since 2018. — Mindblowers with Hank and John (00:00:00)
  • Behind the Beautiful Forevers (outside the channel; recommended 5)
    • 2012-06-05 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — In a lightning round John names favorites: Behind the Beautiful Forevers (book of the year so far), Harvey (movie), the White Album, Charlie (YouTuber) and, this time, Macbeth over Hamlet. — The Dangling Rope of Terror: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:45)
    • 2012-11-27 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For people interested in decreasing world suck, John recommends Behind the Beautiful Forevers, the most interesting and complex book about poverty he has read, and says it is great rather than merely sad. — Nerdfighter Book Recommendations: A Gift Giving Guide for Nerdfightastic Readers (00:00:29)
    • 2014-04-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — From an airport, John announces the relaunch of the Nerdfighter Book Club with Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers, a nuanced look at poverty in one Indian community. — Walking the Red Carpet: Thoughts from Los Angeles (00:02:56)
    • 2014-04-29 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says this summer the Nerdfighter Book Club is reading Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers, which he calls a fascinating book. — Influence, Airports, and the Nerdfighter Book Club (00:01:23)
    • 2014-07-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Meanwhile John will make a video on Behind the Beautiful Forevers, the Nerdfighter Book Club summer pick, and schedule it to upload next Tuesday (22 July 2014) so he doesn't get punished. — Exciting Announcements and Mosquito-Borne Illnesses (00:02:34)
  • Paper Towns (own work (self-plug); recommended 3, cited as evidence 2)
    • 2009-03-22 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John urges Nerdfighters who read Dutch to buy Paper Towns in Dutch so his publisher Lemniscaat brings him back to Holland for more bitterballen. — John Loves Amsterdam (00:02:46)
    • 2009-09-08 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John announces the Paper Towns paperback comes out September 22 and asks those who haven't read it to pick it up or pre-order it via the sidebar. — My Puppy's SECRET SHAME (and Paper Towns) (00:01:36)
    • 2010-06-11 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Paper Towns has just been published in the United Kingdom. — Mmmm....PARTS (00:02:17)
    • 2011-06-06 · cited as evidence (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Without Julie, John says, Paper Towns would be largely a boring history of the US Postal Service instead of being about Whitman's Song of Myself. — Men Running on Tanks and the Truth about Book Editors (00:02:54)
    • 2025-07-01 · cited as evidence (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John first reached the list with his third novel, Paper Towns, which spent three weeks on the young adult hardcover list, selling about 20,000 copies in that time. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means (00:02:26)
  • This Star Won't Go Out (book) (friends & collaborators; recommended 5)
    • 2014-01-07 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John presents Esther's actual story as a book: he wrote the introduction and other people wrote other parts. — Warm Things for Cold Times (00:00:47)
    • 2014-01-28 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — Esther Earl's book comes out today; John is 'so flipping excited' and calls the book wonderful. — Question Tuesday! TFIOS Movie Trailer, Penguin Knees, and Backflips (00:01:15)
    • 2015-08-03 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John points viewers to Esther's book and to DFTBA.com or TSWGO.org to support This Star Won't Go Out, the charity Esther's family created to support families of children with cancer. — I Love You, Hank. Esther Day 2015 (00:01:19)
    • 2017-08-03 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John highly recommends Esther's memoir This Star Won't Go Out, a beautiful book available wherever books are sold. — HAPPY ESTHER DAY!!! (00:01:53)
    • 2021-08-03 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — Esther died a few weeks after the first Esther Day in 2010, aged 16; her parents then founded This Star Won't Go Out, which gives direct financial support to families of kids with cancer. — I L*** Hank (00:00:58)
  • You Are an Artist (family & team; recommended 4, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2019-09-10 · recommended (books & writing, family & team) — John announces that Sarah is publishing a book called You Are an Artist, so many more people are about to learn from her. — Another Contender in the Room (00:01:56)
    • 2020-01-07 · recommended (books & writing, family & team) — John says Sarah's book You Are an Artist, a collection of art assignments and creativity prompts with lots of art history, comes out in April; the galleys are here and it is available for pre-order. — Endings · Beginnings (00:02:16)
    • 2020-03-03 · recommended (books & writing, family & team) — In a P.S., John says Sarah's book You Are an Artist comes out in April, is wonderful, and is available for pre-order now. — Consciously Experiencing Human Dignity (00:03:24)
    • 2021-10-14 · recommended (books & writing, family & team) — John uses many assignments from Sarah's book, most often Never Seen, Never Will: articulating something you know exists but will never see, his way into realizing he doesn't know almost everything. — Pizza Sized Johns or John Sized Pizza? It's Question Thursday (00:02:29)
    • 2021-11-16 · cited as evidence (books & writing, family & team) — Recalling a passage from You Are an Artist, John says Dürer's 1515 rhinoceros etching shows plates of armor with rivets; Dürer had never seen a rhinoceros, only a description and a small sketch. — Orbital Sunrise: The First Art Made in Space (00:00:00)
  • A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor (own work (self-plug); recommended 4)
    • 2020-01-07 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John says Hank's book A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, such a good title, comes out in July. — Endings · Beginnings (00:02:29)
    • 2020-01-10 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John cuts in: Hank made a whole video about his book without naming it, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, out July 7 and available for pre-order now. — The Thing I would Like to End (00:03:40)
    • 2020-03-10 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John has just finished A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor and says it is so great that, like the last book, it seems impossible it was written by his brother, who is kind of a doofus. — A Strong but Fleeting Flavor: A Reunion Video (00:02:10)
    • 2020-06-30 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John reread Hank's A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor over the weekend and thinks it is the rare sequel that improves upon the original. — i like it (00:00:41)
  • Gates Foundation annual letter (outside the channel; recommended 4)
    • 2017-02-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says the letter also focuses on access to contraception, another case where what is good for families has positive impacts on the community. — Human Life Is Getting Better. Faster Than Ever Before. (00:03:01)
    • 2018-02-13 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says the letter's question whether saving kids' lives will lead to overpopulation is easy to answer: no, it won't. — What Can't a Billion Dollars Buy? (00:01:25)
    • 2019-02-12 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Bill and Melinda Gates's annual letter this year (2019) covers surprises from sexist data to slow toilet innovation, and says textbooks are becoming obsolete. — Are Textbooks Obsolete? (00:00:58)
    • 2021-02-02 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Melinda and Bill Gates's annual letter, which articulates things about COVID he hadn't seen written so clearly before. — I Predicted the Pandemic (over and over and over again) (00:00:58)
  • The Great Gatsby (outside the channel; recommended 2, criticized 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-06-06 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John notes that The Great Gatsby and The Sun Also Rises were edited by the same man. — Men Running on Tanks and the Truth about Book Editors (00:03:29)
    • 2011-06-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John points to a purchase link (outside the US the book is probably public domain and free) and asks readers, first-time or returning, even past haters, to read Gatsby with him. — Question Tuesday! Paula Deen Riding Me (and critical reading) (00:01:32)
    • 2011-07-08 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John reminds viewers to read the first six chapters of The Great Gatsby by Wednesday (13 July 2011): homework from YouTube. — Kill the Dollar Bill! (00:03:05)
    • 2016-07-12 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John reviews 'man's capacity for wonder', a phrase from a line in The Great Gatsby where the narrator imagines Europeans first arriving in the Americas. — Our Capacity for Wonder: A Review (00:00:03)
  • We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families (outside the channel; recommended 3, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-01-08 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's first book-club suggestion: either What Is the What by Dave Eggers or We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families by Philip Gourevitch. — Brotherhood 2.0: January 8, 2007 (00:02:34)
    • 2007-01-27 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John proposes a Brotherhood 2.0 book club: each reads a book the other suggests; his first suggestion is What Is the What or We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families. — Week 2 Condensed Highlight Reel (00:00:40)
    • 2007-03-15 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says the worst thing one can do is not try to decrease suck levels, which he says is what the first Brotherhood 2.0 book club book was about. — Brotherhood 2.0: March 15: Decreasing Suck (00:02:15)
    • 2009-03-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Rather than recounting the genocide, John tells Nerdfighters to read the first Brotherhood 2.0 book club book, 'We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families'. — Lighting a candle for Rwanda (00:00:24)
  • Maureen Johnson (friends & collaborators; recommended 3)
    • 2009-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John recommends Maureen Johnson's brilliant Suite Scarlett, out in paperback in a few days, as a way to get her to like you (or become a puppy). — Question Tuesday (00:02:04)
    • 2011-09-30 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John says secret sister Maureen Johnson, 'aka Actual John Green', had her best book ever, The Name of the Star, come out yesterday, and everybody is going to love it. — YouTube Survey: Balls and First Kisses (00:00:13)
    • 2025-07-01 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John found Paul Beatty's Tuff and Maureen Johnson's early books not as bestsellers but through recommendations from librarians and booksellers. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means (00:04:22)
  • One of Us: Conjoined Twins and the Future of Normal (outside the channel; recommended 3)
    • 2008-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John, who owns many books on conjoined twins, recommends One of Us by Alice Dreger (nonfiction) and God's Fool by Mark Slouka (fiction). — Belated Book-tacular Questions (00:01:22)
    • 2010-04-12 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John calls Alice Dreger's book One of Us great. — On the Separation of Conjoined Twins (00:00:58)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Alice Dreger's One of Us, by far the best nonfiction about conjoined twins, also about disability and how the powerful essentialize and marginalize the other. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:30)
  • Round Ireland with a Fridge (outside the channel; recommended 3)
  • Suite Scarlett (friends & collaborators; recommended 3)
    • 2007-12-14 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators, playful) — John shows Hank a gigantic poster of Maureen Johnson's new book, Suite Scarlett. — Dec. 14th: John and Maureen Johnson: LIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY (00:00:31)
    • 2008-03-04 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John recommends Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson and Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. — SETTING THE QUESTION TUESDAY WORLD RECORD (00:01:56)
    • 2009-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John recommends Maureen Johnson's brilliant Suite Scarlett, out in paperback in a few days, as a way to get her to like you (or become a puppy). — Question Tuesday (00:02:04)
  • The Anthropocene Reviewed (book) (own work (self-plug); recommended 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2021-11-30 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Asked about holiday gifts, John recommends signed copies of The Anthropocene Reviewed, sold with a special zine holding his all-new review and pieces by many others. — Vlogbrothers REUNITED AT LAST (00:00:00)
    • 2023-12-24 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John recommends signed copies of The Anthropocene Reviewed with a special zine at DFTBA.com as 2021 holiday gifts, all proceeds to charity. — John and Hank Hanging Out but they Keep Getting Younger and More Pixelated (00:23:15)
    • 2025-01-21 · cited as evidence (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John says The Anthropocene Reviewed audiobook has sold almost as well as the paperback. — Do Audiobooks Count As Reading? (00:03:56)
  • The Body in Pain (outside the channel; recommended 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2015-05-19 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John cites Elaine Scarry's great book The Body in Pain: pain doesn't just defy language, it destroys language. — Pain Destroys Language: John after the Dentist (00:00:45)
    • 2016-05-10 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John calls Elaine Scarry's The Body in Pain brilliant and says Mike Rugnetta first recommended it to him. — On Pain (00:01:51)
    • 2020-01-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — A few years ago Mike Rugnetta gave John Elaine Scarry's The Body in Pain, which he would never otherwise have read and which totally changed how he thinks about pain and language. — Gifts That Changed My Life (00:00:58)
  • The Fault in Our Stars (own work (self-plug); recommended 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2013-10-15 · cited as evidence (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John now regularly gets all-caps emails from 80-year-old grandmothers whose retirement-home book clubs read his book, asking what happens to Anna's mom; he welcomes more old people in Nerdfighteria. — Thoughts for Nerdfighteria (00:01:01)
    • 2014-01-14 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug), playful) — In a mock-unsubtle plug, John says everyone should read his book The Fault in Our Stars before the movie adaptation comes out on June 6th. — Giving Away Over $700,000 (00:00:18)
    • 2014-06-03 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John says he loves the movie and finds it amazingly faithful to the book, powerful, funny and moving; its makers cared about the story and each other. — The Fault in Our Stars Movie Premiere (00:02:41)
  • An Abundance of Katherines (own work (self-plug); recommended 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2008-07-08 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John asks whether viewers like the paperback cover of An Abundance of Katherines, out August 8 for $3.99. — Hank Tried to Kill Me With a Hammer (00:03:51)
    • 2011-06-06 · cited as evidence (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Without Julie, An Abundance of Katherines would have had a 75-page guide to tanning a roadkill raccoon's hide instead of Colin and Hassan hunting feral hogs; in 2005 he was into hide tanning. — Men Running on Tanks and the Truth about Book Editors (00:03:02)
  • Between the World and Me (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2015-08-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Ta-Nehisi Coates's book Between the World and Me, which he cannot stop thinking about. — The Cold War of Nerdfighteria (00:00:14)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favorite book of the year is Ta-Nehisi Coates's Between the World and Me, a short, relentless and brilliant meditation on race and history in the United States. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:00:18)
  • Bible (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2007-10-22 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says that in the 17th century Archbishop James Ussher calculated from the Bible that the world was created on October 22, 4004 BC, just after nightfall, making today the universe's 6012th birthday by some accounts. — October 22nd: The Anniversary of Young Earth Creationism (00:00:00)
    • 2012-05-15 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says 'traditional marriage' as one man and one woman is inaccurate: in the Bible King David married 18 women and Solomon 700, plus 300 concubines. — Religion and Gay Marriage (00:00:17)
  • Counting Descent (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2017-08-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Clint Smith's Counting Descent: small but packing a punch, with funny poems like 'When They Tell You the Brontosaurus Never Existed' and gut-wrenching, sad ones; just brilliant. — Very Hard to Desclibe (00:02:09)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Instead of summarising, John recommends three poetry books by quoting a line from each: Nicole Sealey's Ordinary Beasts, Kaveh Akbar's Calling a Wolf a Wolf and Clint Smith's Counting Descent. — Let's Talk about Books (00:01:36)
  • Death Comes for the Archbishop (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop may be the most important novel about American religion and asks why it isn't required reading for every American high-school student. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:26)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For readers who think they hate classics, John recommends Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop and Alice Walker's The Color Purple as captivating and moving despite being taught in schools. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:00:39)
  • Divergent (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • God's Fool (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2008-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John, who owns many books on conjoined twins, recommends One of Us by Alice Dreger (nonfiction) and God's Fool by Mark Slouka (fiction). — Belated Book-tacular Questions (00:01:22)
    • 2011-01-12 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John calls God's Fool, starring Chang and Eng, a great book. — Top Six Conjoined Twin Pairs in History (00:02:22)
  • Harry Potter (book series) (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • Jacqueline Woodson (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2018-10-16 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — The first book, if they pull it off, will be Jacqueline Woodson's If You Come Softly, published 20 years ago but still blisteringly contemporary; Woodson is one of John's favorite writers. — Life's Library (00:02:26)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Jacqueline Woodson's Miracle's Boys makes John sob and feel hopeful: nominally for kids 10 and up, loved by 44-year-old John too, it is about impoverishment, grief and surviving loss, above all about brothers. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:29)
  • Kaveh Akbar (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2019-04-23 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Still off Twitter, John says he wanted it only a few times in the last month, mostly to fret over football and to share Kaveh Akbar's new poem. — untitled (00:03:21)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John loves Pilgrim Bell, Kaveh Akbar's new poetry book: poems that get richer the more time you spend with them; he has reread it over the last month and it keeps giving him new gifts. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:55)
  • Lord of the Flies (outside the channel; criticized 2)
    • 2013-11-19 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John argues we decide collectively what behavior is acceptable; contrary to Lord of the Flies, he has found kids often capable of tremendous kindness and generosity. — On Middle School Misery (00:02:07)
    • 2016-03-01 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John hates Lord of the Flies and openly reviles it, yet has to teach it this year (2016) in Crash Course Literature, which will be very challenging. — Question Tuesday: The Potato Edition (00:02:07)
  • Midnight Robber (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2015-11-12 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — On becoming well-read, John says he doesn't know; he mostly reads books recommended by people he trusts, and recommends the amazing, weird sci-fi book Midnight Robber. — Cheez Doodles Guy, Ringo Silver, and Dad Jokes (Pizzamas Day 4) (00:01:53)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For science-fiction fans John recommends Nalo Hopkinson's Midnight Robber, set in a world colonized by Caribbean people; he has just started her story collection Falling in Love with Hominids. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:01:56)
  • Miracle's Boys (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For kids aged 10 to 14 John recommends Jacqueline Woodson's Miracle's Boys. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:03:29)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Jacqueline Woodson's Miracle's Boys makes John sob and feel hopeful: nominally for kids 10 and up, loved by 44-year-old John too, it is about impoverishment, grief and surviving loss, above all about brothers. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:29)
  • No god but God (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2008-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favorite reference book about Islam is No God But God by Reza Aslan. — Belated Book-tacular Questions (00:00:53)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For understanding Islamic history and contemporary Islamic thought, John recommends Reza Aslan's No god but God, his favorite of the dozens of introductions he has read and reviewed. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:02:20)
  • Ordinary Beasts (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Instead of summarising, John recommends three poetry books by quoting a line from each: Nicole Sealey's Ordinary Beasts, Kaveh Akbar's Calling a Wolf a Wolf and Clint Smith's Counting Descent. — Let's Talk about Books (00:01:36)
    • 2020-04-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says he really needs poetry now, like Nicole Sealey's beautiful Ordinary Beast, and quotes its line about a name for the animal love makes of us. — books that help (00:02:50)
  • Parable of the Sower (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2016-02-16 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John calls Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower the best book he has read in years. — Kindness (00:00:05)
    • 2019-11-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Year-two subscriptions for the Life's Library book club have just opened: in 2020 it will read nine more books, beginning with Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. (00:03:10)
  • Paul Beatty (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For belly laughs and linguistic acrobatics John recommends Paul Beatty's Tuff; Beatty is better known for The White Boy Shuffle and the Booker-winning The Sellout, but John read Tuff 20 years ago and still thinks about it. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:29)
    • 2025-07-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John found Paul Beatty's Tuff and Maureen Johnson's early books not as bestsellers but through recommendations from librarians and booksellers. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means (00:04:22)
  • Phosphorescence (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2021-07-27 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John has just read Julia Baird's wonderful book Phosphorescence, which is about the importance of savoring experiences, like really tasting an Oreo or watching a sunset. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns (00:00:00)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Julia Baird's Phosphorescence also treats us as participants in reality, not observers: it is about living with cancer, creatures that make their own light and the science of human joy. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:01:56)
  • Regarding the Pain of Others (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2010-11-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says discussing those questions with any complexity would require reading Susan Sontag's brilliant book Regarding the Pain of Others, and more than four minutes allow. — Consider the Lemming (00:01:47)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Susan Sontag's Regarding the Pain of Others: it made him think about representing versus exploiting pain in art, and is required reading on the unreliability of the image. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:14)
  • Somebody's Daughter (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • Space Struck (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2020-04-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Paige Lewis's Space Struck gives language to his overwhelming anxiety, as in 'I'm the vice president of panic, and the president is missing'; he calls himself the Vice President of Panic. — books that help (00:03:02)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — The club is now reading Paige Lewis's Space Struck, an exploration of anxiety and dread among other things, which makes John feel less alone. — never get bored (00:02:34)
  • Sula (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2012-11-27 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For fans of The Catcher in the Rye, John recommends Toni Morrison's Sula: if Catcher is the great American novel of growing up without a friend, Sula is the one about friendship in adolescence. — Nerdfighter Book Recommendations: A Gift Giving Guide for Nerdfightastic Readers (00:00:58)
    • 2020-04-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recently reread Sula and The General in His Labyrinth, which improve every reading and take him back to past selves: pretentious sophomore, terrified 24-year-old, bleary-eyed new father. — books that help (00:02:02)
  • Susan Sontag (outside the channel; recommended 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-11-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says discussing those questions with any complexity would require reading Susan Sontag's brilliant book Regarding the Pain of Others, and more than four minutes allow. — Consider the Lemming (00:01:47)
    • 2022-01-11 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — Citing Susan Sontag's Illness as Metaphor, John says it was commonly believed as late as the 1970s that cancer came from not being loved enough or from immoral behavior; the same was true of cholera and epilepsy. — The Fault in Our Stars - Ten Years Later (00:01:56)
  • Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal (friends & collaborators; recommended 2)
    • 2016-08-02 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — Amy has finished Textbook, a companion to Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life ('not a prequel or a sequel; hopefully an equal'), out next Tuesday (9 August 2016). — Beckoning Lovely (00:02:09)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — For a quirky, delightful, fascinating friend John recommends Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, a wonderfully eccentric memoir enhanced by texting. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:03:15)
  • The Art of Fielding (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2012-02-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Chad Harbach's The Art of Fielding: a book for so-called grown-ups, but he can't remember enjoying a story more; it is beautiful and made him feel all the things. — Things I Can Do (00:00:29)
    • 2012-11-27 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For a novel whose characters you care about without knowing why, John recommends Chad Harbach's The Art of Fielding or Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. — Nerdfighter Book Recommendations: A Gift Giving Guide for Nerdfightastic Readers (00:01:56)
  • The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • The Blood of the Lamb (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • The Book Thief (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • The Catcher in the Rye (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2008-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John thinks The Catcher in the Rye is excellent and that anyone who disagrees is, respectfully, wrong. — Belated Book-tacular Questions (00:03:45)
    • 2008-06-26 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For thing six, John brings back the Nerdfighter Blurbing Book Club; its new book is The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. — Don't Suck on That Bone (00:01:47)
  • The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2012-11-27 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For Looking for Alaska fans, John recommends E. Lockhart's The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks for the boarding-school parts, and A.S. King's Everybody Sees the Ants and Gayle Forman's If I Stay for the other parts. — Nerdfighter Book Recommendations: A Gift Giving Guide for Nerdfightastic Readers (00:02:26)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John also reread E. Lockhart's The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, maybe his favorite boarding school novel ever. — never get bored (00:02:34)
  • The Golden Rule (friends & collaborators; recommended 2)
    • 2007-07-31 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John also recommends Ilene Cooper's 32-page The Golden Rule, the cutest book ever written about the Golden Rule. — July 31: HP, Secret Siblings, and Books (00:01:23)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John recommends The Golden Rule by his mentor Ilene Cooper: children don't inherently excel at empathy, and the book has helped his family talk with Henry about others' feelings. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:01:45)
  • The Hate U Give (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2017-02-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give, out later this month (February 2017), which he truly believes will be a classic that even people who don't love books will love. — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:56)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Repeating his blurb, John says he truly believes The Hate U Give will be remembered as a classic of our time. — Let's Talk about Books (00:00:00)
  • Tuff (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For belly laughs and linguistic acrobatics John recommends Paul Beatty's Tuff; Beatty is better known for The White Boy Shuffle and the Booker-winning The Sellout, but John read Tuff 20 years ago and still thinks about it. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:29)
    • 2025-07-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John found Paul Beatty's Tuff and Maureen Johnson's early books not as bestsellers but through recommendations from librarians and booksellers. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means (00:04:22)
  • Turtles All the Way Down (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2017-08-01 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John says Amazon will soon run out of its signed Turtles All the Way Down copies, though bookstores across the US and Canada will have many, with updates at probablysignedturtles.com; Amazon buyers should buy now. — Death and How to Avoid It (...for a while) (00:03:28)
    • 2017-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug), playful) — In a mock-casual aside, John notes that Turtles All the Way Down is in bookstores everywhere and the New York Times just named it one of its favorite books of the year. — Let's Talk about Money (00:00:40)
  • What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2016-11-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says that twenty years later great books are still being written, and he has recently been completely astonished by What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours. — Good News/Bad News: A Pizzamas Video in Nine Slices (00:02:38)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Helen Oyeyemi's What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours, a transfixing book of fairy-tale-like short stories unlike anything readers have read. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:01:54)
  • What Is the What (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2007-01-08 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's first book-club suggestion: either What Is the What by Dave Eggers or We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families by Philip Gourevitch. — Brotherhood 2.0: January 8, 2007 (00:02:34)
    • 2007-01-27 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John proposes a Brotherhood 2.0 book club: each reads a book the other suggests; his first suggestion is What Is the What or We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families. — Week 2 Condensed Highlight Reel (00:00:40)
  • Will Grayson, Will Grayson (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2010-05-14 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug), playful) — To a viewer hurt by a friend's fake online boy persona, John half-jokingly recommends his new book Will Grayson, Will Grayson, written with David Levithan. — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More (00:01:19)
    • 2011-04-06 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John says Will Grayson, Will Grayson came out in paperback yesterday, with a buying link in the description. — Tales of Nerd Love! (00:02:56)
  • William Shakespeare (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-06-29 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel, hedged) — The title comes from Julius Caesar's 'the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars'; John says that's easy for Shakespeare or a Roman nobleman to say, and he doesn't fully agree. — THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (00:00:00)
    • 2020-09-15 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Chaucer wrote a version two centuries before Shakespeare, and Aesop made a similar observation 2,600 years ago. — All That Glitters Is Gold (00:00:29)
  • A Brief History of Seven Killings (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Marlon James's A Brief History of Seven Killings, an oral-history-format novel revolving around the 1976 shooting of Bob Marley in Jamaica. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:01:46)
  • A Little Life (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For literary-fiction readers John recommends Hanya Yanagihara: her strange first novel is excellent, but A Little Life is better, and sadder than The Fault in Our Stars. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:01:20)
  • A Thousand Mornings (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For poetry John recommends Mary Oliver's A Thousand Mornings and Louise Glück's Faithful and Virtuous Night (unsure how to say her name): precise, profound, never pretentious. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:02:38)
  • All My Rage (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favorite young adult novel of the year is probably All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir, her first standalone and first contemporary novel, which he calls beautiful. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:00:57)
  • All Together Now (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Admitting bias, John recommends All Together Now by longtime AFC Wimbledon CEO Erik Samuelson: the greatest underdog sports story of all time, told by one who made it happen. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:26)
  • Amy Krouse Rosenthal (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2011-10-05 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John says viewers can be part of a feature film by his longtime collaborator Amy Krouse Rosenthal for the Beckoning of Lovely: she wants people worldwide to design their own greeting based on a Beckoning of Lovely anagram (wording unclear). — SIGNING MADNESS (00:02:27)
  • An Ember in the Ashes (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Among young adult books John recommends An Ember in the Ashes, a thrilling and politically astute dystopian series. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:02:27)
  • An Immense World (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For science and animal nerds John recommends Ed Yong's An Immense World, which radically deepened his appreciation and understanding of non-human animals. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:03:21)
  • An Introduction to Global Health Delivery (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Angel in My Pocket (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2011-08-31 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John says Booklist colleague Ilene Cooper, author of 20+ children's books, agreed over lunch at the Cheesecake Factory that his vague boarding-school novel idea sounded great. — How to Become An Adult (00:02:03)
  • Anna and the French Kiss (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2010-12-13 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John loves Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: made of sweetness, funny and smart, and one of the most genuinely romantic stories he has read. — 8 Things I Love (00:00:15)
  • Are You My Mother? (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For graphic-novel fans John jokingly calls Alison Bechdel's Are You My Mother? the perfect gift for your mother, provided you have a very, very dysfunctional relationship. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:00:52)
  • Armed Services Editions (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2023-03-07 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says paperback publishing barely existed until 1935 and became big only when Armed Services Editions were distributed by the million to World War II soldiers. — What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? (00:01:27)
  • Article about Partners In Health (linked) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-01-23 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Hank mentioned the New Yorker profile of Partners In Health co-founder Ophelia Dahl last week (week of 15 January 2018), and since reading it John has been thinking about Ebola. — On Emergencies (00:00:01)
  • Bad with Money (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-05-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Though aggressively bad at math, John recommends learning personal finance from Gaby Dunn's book Bad with Money, the Planet Money podcast, and the YouTube shows Two Cents and The Financial Diet. — An Open Letter to Professional YouTubers (00:00:58)
  • Ball Don't Lie (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For a new generation of YA readers John recommends four books over ten years old: Valiant, Ball Don't Lie, The Truth About Forever and Speak, and likes bundling different kinds of books as gifts. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:03:05)
  • Beauty From Ashes (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-25 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John gives Chris a book he thinks he will enjoy, Beauty from Ashes by Eugenia Price, whom Chris hasn't heard of; John affirms it is a good book. — John and Chris Meet in the Middle (00:03:01)
  • Beauty Queens (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-03-09 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says he is friends with Libba Bray and has read all her books, including the not-yet-released Beauty Queens, which is amazing; viewers should pre-order it. — DANDY LIONS! It's Question Day (00:01:32)
  • Behind You (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John reread young adult novels he loves, including Jacqueline Woodson's Behind You, which made him cry so hard he could not see the page. — never get bored (00:02:00)
  • Beloved (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2025-10-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says for about $7 you can get Toni Morrison's Beloved and have your life rocked; its lines, characters, plot and symbols stay with you for decades. — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective (00:04:21)
  • Berryman (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-10-13 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says his favorite poem right now is Berryman by W.S. Merwin, which ends with the advice that a writer can never be sure the work is any good and dies without knowing: if you have to be sure, do not write; better to be unsure than to not write. — My Lungs Are on the Outside of the Body (00:05:19)
  • Binti (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Nnedi Okorafor's Binti, about a girl who travels across the galaxy to attend university: page-turny, exciting and ultimately really moving. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:02:13)
  • Blonde Roots (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — The book club just read Bernardine Evaristo's novel Blonde Roots, which John calls brilliant. — never get bored (00:02:34)
  • Boot and Shoe (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's son's two favorite books this year (2015) were Last Stop on Market Street (Christian Robinson and Matt de la Peña) and Marla Frazee's Boot and Shoe. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:03:32)
  • Bossypants (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Boy Proof (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Cecil Castellucci's YA novel Boy Proof (2005), whose haunting story of an outcast girl named Egg has stayed with him. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:01:19)
  • Breathless (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2024-08-20 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John woke up over the Irish Sea, started reading a great book about tuberculosis called Breathless, and landed in London, taking a cab when his train was cancelled. — Thoughts from Places: BROMLEY! (00:00:00)
  • Buffering (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — Among the many books by YouTubers, John highlights Hannah Hart's Buffering as a beautifully written, extraordinarily touching memoir. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:02:39)
  • Calling a Wolf a Wolf (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Instead of summarising, John recommends three poetry books by quoting a line from each: Nicole Sealey's Ordinary Beasts, Kaveh Akbar's Calling a Wolf a Wolf and Clint Smith's Counting Descent. — Let's Talk about Books (00:01:36)
  • Chang and Eng (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Charlotte's Web (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — To someone who thinks spiders are a big problem, John says a lack of spiders would be a bigger one and prescribes Charlotte's Web, 192 beautiful pages. — Solving Your Problems! (00:00:18)
  • City of Clowns (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John also recommends City of Clowns, written by Daniel Alarcón and illustrated by Sheila Alvarado, calling it a brilliant story about a young journalist in Peru grieving his father. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:01:00)
  • City of Light, City of Poison (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — City of Light, City of Poison is a history that reads like a thriller about Paris's first police chief investigating poisonings possibly involving aristocrats close to Louis XIV; John found it bonkers and loved its portrait of ordinary 17th-century Parisian life. — Let's Talk about Books (00:01:57)
  • City of Thorns (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence follows refugees in Dadaab camp over many years; a difficult book without easy answers, it shows that refugee stories are human stories. — Let's Talk about Books (00:01:57)
  • Corinne (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For a friend who might enjoy a super steamy exvangelical romance, John recommends Corinne by Rebecca Morrow. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:00:57)
  • Dactyl Hill Squad (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-06-05 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Dactyl Hill Squad, out in September, which he has been reading in an advance copy with Henry: it is about orphans in the Civil War who ride dinosaurs, and it is amazing. — WHERE IS MY NORTON ANTHOLOGY OF POETRY (00:01:19)
  • Dandelion (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says he thought Danielle Bainbridge's memoir Dandelion an incredible, vulnerable book; he blurbed it, and he does not blurb things lightly. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (07:30:54)
  • David Foster Wallace (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • E. E. Cummings (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2013-03-26 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Though he says he does not believe magical thinking works, John shares his favourite spring poem, by E.E. Cummings, in the hope that spring will happen. — A Poem for Spring (00:00:29)
  • Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2016-08-02 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John says his friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal has written many amazing picture books, which he'll send Hank, and the brilliant Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, and gave him an early big break. — Beckoning Lovely (00:00:00)
  • Epidemics and Society (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Frank Snowden's Epidemics and Society helped John see that infectious disease has always been among history's most important forces: we think of Alexander the Great and Cleopatra, but it's mostly microbes. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:58)
  • Escape into Meaning (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-09-13 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John calls Evan Puschak's Escape Into Meaning a great book, from which he learned that writing is the way he has thoughts. — A Million Things at Once (00:02:04)
  • Everybody Sees the Ants (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Everything Is Tuberculosis (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2024-11-01 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Hank points to the description for P4A art, the Vlogbrothers grant and the New York Times article; John adds a link to pre-order his new book. — Working Through a Crisis with My Brother (00:09:20)
  • Everything Leads to You (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-05-20 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends two books he really likes: Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour and The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson, both excellent. — Deserving (00:03:26)
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2016-07-12 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John reviews 'man's capacity for wonder', a phrase from a line in The Great Gatsby where the narrator imagines Europeans first arriving in the Americas. — Our Capacity for Wonder: A Review (00:00:03)
  • Fahrenheit 451 (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says participating is more fun than watching and gives three easy ways to be nerdfightastic: a free first Kiva loan, reading Fahrenheit 451, and replying to comments with niceness, which is surprisingly entertaining. — Solving Your Problems! (00:02:39)
  • Faithful and Virtuous Night (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For poetry John recommends Mary Oliver's A Thousand Mornings and Louise Glück's Faithful and Virtuous Night (unsure how to say her name): precise, profound, never pretentious. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:02:38)
  • Falling in Love with Hominids (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For science-fiction fans John recommends Nalo Hopkinson's Midnight Robber, set in a world colonized by Caribbean people; he has just started her story collection Falling in Love with Hominids. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:01:56)
  • Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Sabrina Strings' Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, which Sarah gave him: it was fascinating and taught him much he had no idea about. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (07:47:19)
  • Feed (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2020-08-25 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says you need not be from the future to predict microchips in humans: M. T. Anderson's novel Feed did it almost 20 years ago, and he praises its first sentence. — Somebody once told me… (00:02:26)
  • Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-01-12 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Under 'read books, not tweets', John says reading Annie Dillard, Terry Tempest Williams or even Paul Farmer's upsetting book on Sierra Leone and Ebola leaves him informed and engaged, without Twitter's panicky dopamine rush. — My 2021 Vision Board (00:02:45)
  • First and Then (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Admitting he read little YA this year (2015), John recommends Emma Mills's (elmify) First and Then and Jason Reynolds's The Boy in the Black Suit. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:02:52)
  • Fly on the Wall (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Gaby Dunn (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-05-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Though aggressively bad at math, John recommends learning personal finance from Gaby Dunn's book Bad with Money, the Planet Money podcast, and the YouTube shows Two Cents and The Financial Diet. — An Open Letter to Professional YouTubers (00:00:58)
  • Geoffrey Chaucer (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2020-09-15 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Chaucer wrote a version two centuries before Shakespeare, and Aesop made a similar observation 2,600 years ago. — All That Glitters Is Gold (00:00:29)
  • Gilead (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Marilynne Robinson's Gilead, both an excellent novel and a religious one, a combination he finds very rare. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:01:38)
  • God Help the Child (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Gratitude Journal (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2020-05-12 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John says a gratitude journal made by Kurzgesagt is a rare single book that has made a lasting and significant change in his life. — We Could All Use a Little Change (00:00:00)
  • Hafez (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Hank's book about cancer and cancer biology (untitled here) (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-15 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — Offering two chapters of Hank's new book about cancer as a $10 perk, John says the book, which he has read, is brilliant, an exploration of the disease's biology that is also immensely personal. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! (02:46:32)
  • Hanya Yanagihara (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For literary-fiction readers John recommends Hanya Yanagihara: her strange first novel is excellent, but A Little Life is better, and sadder than The Fault in Our Stars. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:01:20)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-10-10 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John says Hank will never win the zombies-versus-unicorns part of the feud, and offers a 'foolproof' argument against unicorns only for those who have read Harry Potter 7. — October 10th: A Spoilerific Attack on Unicorns (00:01:24)
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Harry, A History (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Heated Rivalry (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John thought Heated Rivalry was great, and wonders whether he may say he liked the book better. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (02:27:22)
  • Herman Melville (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2020-09-22 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John contrasts earlier views of nature's indifference, like Moby-Dick, where the white whale's demonic indifference shadows forth the heartless voids and immensities of the universe. — the world is gonna roll me (00:01:21)
  • Hidden Potential (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For people into business or unlocking their professional potential John recommends Adam Grant's Hidden Potential, though it is not the kind of book he usually likes. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:02:52)
  • Hilary Mantel (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Hold Me Closer (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2015-03-17 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John says today is publication day for Hold Me Closer, David Levithan's musical novel companion to their co-written Will Grayson, Will Grayson: the actual Tiny Cooper musical, and fantastic. — What Are Paper Towns? (00:00:11)
  • How the Word Is Passed (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-06-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — How the Word Is Passed, by Clint Smith of Crash Course Black American History, is about how the US does and doesn't reckon with the history of slavery. — My Two Favorite Books of the Year (00:00:20)
  • How to Cook and Eat in Chinese (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Lastly John recommends the 1945 cookbook How to Cook and Eat in Chinese by Buwei Yang Chao, a Chinese physician who emigrated to the US in the 1920s: out of print for decades, wonderfully postmodern. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:55)
  • How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2013-05-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Asked for one book to recommend, John says it changes weekly; for now he recommends The End Games by T. Michael Martin (zombie) and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (non-zombie). — Puppies, Pegasi, and TFiOS Casting: It's Question Tuesday (00:02:08)
  • I Am Legend (novel) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-11-16 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — At No. 1, John picks Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend, which he says invented everything awesome about zombie apocalypses; Shaun of the Dead is his No. 6. — Top 5 Zombie Apocalypses OF ALL TIME (00:02:52)
  • I Am Still Alive (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall, a YA survival novel about a girl alone in the Arctic wilderness that he reread to ease his anxiety. — books that help (00:02:20)
  • I Contain Multitudes (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — In nonfiction John recommends I Contain Multitudes, a fascinating history of microbes and humanity's relationship with them. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:02:48)
  • I Have Some Questions for You (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favorite novel of the year is Rebecca Makkai's I Have Some Questions for You: crimey and podcasty but brilliant, with some of the best sentences around. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:00:29)
  • If I Stay (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • If You Come Softly (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-10-16 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — The first book, if they pull it off, will be Jacqueline Woodson's If You Come Softly, published 20 years ago but still blisteringly contemporary; Woodson is one of John's favorite writers. — Life's Library (00:02:26)
  • Illness as Metaphor (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2022-01-11 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — Citing Susan Sontag's Illness as Metaphor, John says it was commonly believed as late as the 1970s that cancer came from not being loved enough or from immoral behavior; the same was true of cholera and epilepsy. — The Fault in Our Stars - Ten Years Later (00:01:56)
  • Invincible Microbe (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Invisible Rulers (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2024-08-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Answering a patron, John says he still reads mostly about tuberculosis because he is in the last edit of his book. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! (00:28:39)
  • J. D. Salinger (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2008-07-22 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says that soon afterwards Salinger left his wife for a 19-year-old and has not been a particularly good father to his children. — OMFG CATCHER IN THE RYE!!! (00:00:46)
  • James Joyce (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-08-30 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — In quick literary picks John chooses Joyce over Yeats and Whitman over Faulkner, names Hamlet his favorite play, and says he liked The Hunger Games. — 100 QUESTIONS ANSWERED!!!!!!! (00:01:20)
  • Jane Austen (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Jane Wong (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-03-17 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John has found YouTube videos helpful, such as Grant at 3Blue1Brown explaining exponential growth and Jane Wong reading a poem on Ours Poetica. — together. (00:02:55)
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favorite German writer is Goethe, whose individual sentences, he says, outclass his entire body of work. — Belated Book-tacular Questions (00:01:22)
  • John Keats (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favourite poem short enough to recite is John Keats's last poem, also his will: one line of perfect iambic pentameter. — Question Tuesday (00:01:08)
  • Jurassic Park (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2014-04-01 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says the velociraptor wasn't famous until Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park and Spielberg's film, which show smart, people-sized, scaly pack hunters dug up in Montana. — VELOCIRAPTORS (00:00:11)
  • Just Kids (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Kendra (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Kindred (graphic novel) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-05-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — The graphic novel adaptation of Kindred has kept John thinking about the past's omnipresence. — How I Read and Why (00:02:58)
  • Kurt Vonnegut (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2007-01-26 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — On science fiction, John says he really likes Kurt Vonnegut and is a big fan of Margo Lanagan's short stories. — Brotherhood 2.0: January 26, 2007 (00:01:16)
  • Last Stop on Market Street (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's son's two favorite books this year (2015) were Last Stop on Market Street (Christian Robinson and Matt de la Peña) and Marla Frazee's Boot and Shoe. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:03:32)
  • Leslie F*cking Jones (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Contrasting ghostwritten-seeming celebrity memoirs with ones like Matthew McConaughey's that the star clearly wrote, John recommends Leslie Jones's memoir: she wrote it, and it's great. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:01:27)
  • Libba Bray (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-03-09 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says he is friends with Libba Bray and has read all her books, including the not-yet-released Beauty Queens, which is amazing; viewers should pre-order it. — DANDY LIONS! It's Question Day (00:01:32)
  • Life on the Mississippi (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Lincoln Bible (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Little Fires Everywhere (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favourite 2017 literary novel is Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere: brilliant, and rightly much talked about. — Let's Talk about Books (00:00:37)
  • Living in the Shadow of Death (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2023-08-22 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's current favorite tuberculosis fact comes from rereading the book Living in the Shadow of Death; he admits it can seem he only thinks about tuberculosis. — The Panera Phenomenon (00:00:58)
  • Looking for Alaska (novel) (own work (self-plug); cited as evidence 1)
  • Lost City Radio (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-10 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Daniel became a very successful writer: he wrote Lost City Radio, one of John's favourite novels, co-founded the Spanish-language podcast Radio Ambulante and won a MacArthur Genius Grant. — I Was a Teenage Dirtbag (00:01:38)
  • Mansfield Park (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Mantel Pieces (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Having just written one, John thinks essay collections make great gifts, recommending Toni Morrison's The Source of Self-Regard and Hilary Mantel's Mantel Pieces. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:01:27)
  • Margo Lanagan (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2007-01-26 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — On science fiction, John says he really likes Kurt Vonnegut and is a big fan of Margo Lanagan's short stories. — Brotherhood 2.0: January 26, 2007 (00:01:16)
  • Mary Oliver (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Mary Oliver is famous for poems, but John loves her essays, especially those in Upstream: he dog-eared almost every page, and her line about reading as one swims to save one's life stuck with him. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:26)
  • Matched (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Maus (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Maximum City (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — Against the popular view that gender differences are inborn ('men are from Mars'), John says intersex and transsexual people have existed since the species began. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:01:34)
  • Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-02-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says Randy, now going by his real name Ransom Riggs, wrote a novel based on thousands of found photographs he collected, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which John found weird, wonderful and unlike anything he had read. — Life is Weird. Also beautiful. (00:01:48)
  • Moonglow (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Michael Chabon's Moonglow: a proper genius risks having another nearly perfect novel taken for granted, but this is an amazing book about war, memory and mental illness. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:01:38)
  • Mother Night (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-05-20 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Asked for favourites, John names The Mountain Goats as his band, Mother Night as his favourite Vonnegut novel and Song of Solomon as his favourite Toni Morrison book. — Guys Love Giraffe Love (00:00:00)
  • My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Amy's husband Jason's new memoir about their marriage, Amy's illness and his life afterwards, My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me: wonderful, highly recommended. — get your game on (00:03:53)
  • New York Times article about a 14-year-old boy in solitary confinement (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-08-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends another New York Times article, about a 14-year-old boy locked in solitary confinement, which he found chilling and deeply upsetting. — The Cold War of Nerdfighteria (00:00:26)
  • Nineteen Eighty-Four (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Not the End of the World (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For doomers who feel the world is collapsing, John recommends Hannah Ritchie's Not the End of the World; he loves Ritchie, Our World in Data and the book, which left him hopeful. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:00:00)
  • O sweet spontaneous earth (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2013-03-26 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Though he says he does not believe magical thinking works, John shares his favourite spring poem, by E.E. Cummings, in the hope that spring will happen. — A Poem for Spring (00:00:29)
  • Ode on a Grecian Urn (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-03-17 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For World TB Day Keats & Co. has an unusual giveaway: subscribers before World TB Day receive John reading Ode on a Grecian Urn and explaining why it is important and poignant. — Tuberculosis and Hank's Shingles (00:05:13)
  • Odyssey (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • On Immunity (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-11-10 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John calls Eula Biss's On Immunity, chosen for Life's Library by guest curator Celeste Ng, brilliant; it really deepened his understanding of immunity and inoculation. — On Immunity, Inoculation, and Individuals (00:00:00)
  • On Photography (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2017-04-18 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John cites Sontag's On Photography: 1930s Farm Security Administration photographers took dozens of pictures of sharecroppers until one matched their own notions about poverty, dignity and exploitation. — Framing (00:01:29)
  • On the Night I Consider Coming Out to My Parents (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-09-24 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John plays Julian Randall's poem from the previous day's episode for those who think they don't like poetry. — I, Too, Dislike It (00:02:10)
  • P. D. James (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Patrick Rothfuss (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2018-09-11 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — Patrick Rothfuss, Ashley Ford, Catherynne Valente and several other writers have blurbed the book. — Surprise . . . (00:02:55)
  • Persuasion (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Phantom Plague (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-03-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recounts Shreya Tripathi's story: a teenager with multidrug-resistant TB who had to sue her government for treatment, won too late and died of TB at 19. — My Tuberculosis Reading List (00:01:27)
  • Piecing Me Together (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Renée Watson's Piecing Me Together genuinely changed how John thinks about the role art plays in human life; he read it in two days and has thought about it for six months. — Let's Talk about Books (00:00:37)
  • Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2025-07-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John calls a sentence from Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek one of his all-time favourites, admiring the necessary 'really', the word 'intricate' and the comma placement. — At Least There Are Trees (00:02:11)
  • Pilgrim Bell (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John loves Pilgrim Bell, Kaveh Akbar's new poetry book: poems that get richer the more time you spend with them; he has reread it over the last month and it keeps giving him new gifts. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:55)
  • Pizza John Forever Coloring Book (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-09-29 · recommended (books & writing, own work (self-plug)) — John shows a subtler item, a Pizza John cutting board made in Montana, plus a Pizzamas fidget and the Pizza John Forever Coloring Book. — PIZZAMAS IS UPON US! (00:04:01)
  • Playing the Moldovans at Tennis (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John also recommends Hawks's follow-up, Playing the Moldovans at Tennis, in which he plays tennis against every member of the Moldovan national soccer team. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:53)
  • Popular (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-04-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John met Rainbow Rowell, then went to USC for the LA Times book festival, where his editor Julie Strauss-Gabel talked with 15-year-old Maya Van Wagenen, author of the memoir Popular. — Walking the Red Carpet: Thoughts from Los Angeles (00:00:17)
  • Pride and Prejudice (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-07-11 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — While signing John mostly listens to podcasts, and also Pride and Prejudice on audiobook, which is still great. — Signing 200,000 Autographs (00:02:50)
  • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-11-16 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — At No. 5, John praises Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: it still feels like a Jane Austen novel, never becomes a shtick and is very readable, but is short on zombies. — Top 5 Zombie Apocalypses OF ALL TIME (00:00:29)
  • Quran (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Rachel Syme (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-09-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John praises New Yorker writer Rachel Syme, whose writing about smell lets readers actually smell it, which he calls borderline magic that almost no one else can do. — You Can't Go Home Again, but I Tried (00:01:45)
  • Sampson Levingston (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John suggests a walking tour, like those Indianapolis public historian Sampson Levingston gives of neighborhoods, especially historically Black ones; John loves learning from him. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:01:56)
  • Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Sapiens, a sweeping history of the last 250,000 or so years exploring how humans became the dominant species and what life was like when we were, in the author's phrase, 'an animal of no significance'. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:03:02)
  • Show Way (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Slaughterhouse-Five (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-02-26 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — The next Blurbing Book Club book is Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, chosen because it's really good, John hasn't read it in a long time, and it's published worldwide so international Nerdfighters can join. — Best Wishes! (00:02:32)
  • Social Scientists and the New Tuberculosis (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-03-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends a paper by another of his heroes, Paul Farmer: Social Scientists and the New Tuberculosis. — My Tuberculosis Reading List (00:01:56)
  • Solo (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-08-15 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess: he has long been a fan of Alexander, and this book is really special. — Very Hard to Desclibe (00:02:26)
  • Song of Solomon (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-05-20 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Asked for favourites, John names The Mountain Goats as his band, Mother Night as his favourite Vonnegut novel and Song of Solomon as his favourite Toni Morrison book. — Guys Love Giraffe Love (00:00:00)
  • Speak (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For a new generation of YA readers John recommends four books over ten years old: Valiant, Ball Don't Lie, The Truth About Forever and Speak, and likes bundling different kinds of books as gifts. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:03:05)
  • Spontaneous (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Stigmatized (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-03-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Stigmatized by Handaa Enkh-Amgalan, a memoir of a young woman from a poor Mongolian community whose TB diagnosis brings dehumanization and stigmatization; he loved it. — My Tuberculosis Reading List (00:00:29)
  • Stories of Your Life and Others (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For sci-fi fans John recommends Ted Chiang's Stories of Your Life and Others: one story was the basis for the wonderful film Arrival, and all are mind-blowingly good. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:02:03)
  • Teen Boat (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-07-24 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John Green the artist, maybe John's favourite, co-created the graphic novel series Teen Boat, about a teenager who occasionally turns into a yacht, and does art for comics and video games. — Other John Greens (00:01:10)
  • Telegraph Avenue (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Baby's Cross (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-08-25 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — Researching Everything Is Tuberculosis, John read Gail Perkins's memoir The Baby's Cross: infected by raw milk at three, she spent over 13 years in a sanatorium and came home unaccustomed to touch. — The Great Thing about Infectious Disease (00:03:24)
  • The Bail Trap (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-08-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends The Bail Trap, a New York Times article exploring one reason people in poverty are disproportionately imprisoned in the US. — The Cold War of Nerdfighteria (00:00:19)
  • The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Bell Jar (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — In hard times John returns to books he loved; he reread The Bell Jar in Sarah's high-school copy and loved seeing her underlinings and margin notes. — never get bored (00:02:00)
  • The Black Angels (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Maria Smilios's The Black Angels for history lovers: the story of Black nurses on Staten Island, many from the American South, who helped cure tuberculosis; untold before, phenomenally written. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:00:58)
  • The Black Death (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Turning to infectious disease, where his brain always goes, John loves Rosemary Horrox's The Black Death, a collection of first-person accounts of the plague. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:58)
  • The Bookseller's Tale (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For peaceful hours with a great mystery series, John recommends Ann Swinfen's novels, introduced by Stan Muller: The Bookseller's Tale, first of his favorite series, set in Oxford in 1353 amid medieval bookmaking. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:00)
  • The Boss Baby (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-03-20 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says the book the Boss Baby film is adapted from is excellent. — The Russian Reversal (00:02:11)
  • The Boy in the Black Suit (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Admitting he read little YA this year (2015), John recommends Emma Mills's (elmify) First and Then and Jason Reynolds's The Boy in the Black Suit. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:02:52)
  • The Cholera Years (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends The Cholera Years, an analysis of the 19th-century cholera pandemics in New York City, a book almost 60 years old. — books that help (00:01:30)
  • The Color Purple (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For readers who think they hate classics, John recommends Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop and Alice Walker's The Color Purple as captivating and moving despite being taught in schools. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:00:39)
  • The Constant Gardener (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2024-08-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends John le Carré's The Constant Gardener, a spy novel about tuberculosis: very good. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! (00:28:39)
  • The Crack-Up (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Disordered Cosmos (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Emperor of All Maladies (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Emperor's New Clothes (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The End Games (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2013-05-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Asked for one book to recommend, John says it changes weekly; for now he recommends The End Games by T. Michael Martin (zombie) and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (non-zombie). — Puppies, Pegasi, and TFiOS Casting: It's Question Tuesday (00:02:08)
  • The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2024-04-23 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John loved astrophysicist Katie Mack's book The End of Everything and wrote to tell her; she replied, they became friends, and they have worked on the podcast with a team for a couple of years. — Full Hank (00:02:31)
  • The Enormous Room (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends E. E. Cummings's first book The Enormous Room, his memoir of being imprisoned and falsely accused of treason in World War I, and a study of individual versus collective. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:02)
  • The Fight of Our Lives (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John recommends The Fight of Our Lives (as heard) by his friend and co-author David Levithan, a brilliant, comprehensive history of HIV and HIV activism in 1980s and early-1990s America. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (01:36:23)
  • The Flamethrowers (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Fountainhead (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • The General in His Labyrinth (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recently reread Sula and The General in His Labyrinth, which improve every reading and take him back to past selves: pretentious sophomore, terrified 24-year-old, bleary-eyed new father. — books that help (00:02:02)
  • The Great Greene Heist (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-05-20 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends two books he really likes: Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour and The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson, both excellent. — Deserving (00:03:26)
  • The House of the Spirits (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-04-23 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Life's Library has slots open for its new book, Isabel Allende's House of the Spirits; sign up at lifeslibrarybookclub.com, with all proceeds going to Partners In Health's work in Sierra Leone. — untitled (00:02:26)
  • The Hunger Games (book series) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-08-30 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — In quick literary picks John chooses Joyce over Yeats and Whitman over Faulkner, names Hamlet his favorite play, and says he liked The Hunger Games. — 100 QUESTIONS ANSWERED!!!!!!! (00:01:20)
  • The Inexplicable Logic of My Life (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, whose books are always tender and generous to the reader; it might be his favourite of them. — Let's Talk about Books (00:00:00)
  • The Infirmities of Genius (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2023-02-07 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recently came across an 1833 book, The Infirmities of Genius, which says authors have a personality that makes them unusually susceptible to tuberculosis. — Mid-Morning Existential Crisis: The Format Returns (00:00:00)
  • The Invention of Hugo Cabret (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-03-20 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says The Fault in Our Stars is currently number 2 on the New York Times bestseller list, behind only Hugo Cabret, a book he really liked. — Sharpie Face Question Tuesday (00:01:41)
  • The King Is Always Above the People (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Daniel Alarcón's The King Is Always Above the People: his stories still astonish John with their precision and power. — Let's Talk about Books (00:01:06)
  • The Last Summer of Reason (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Finally, John recommends The Last Summer of Reason, a novel about a bookstore owner in a country overtaken by extremists who believe art is evil. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:03:11)
  • The Lover's Dictionary (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2011-01-07 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John may write another book with David Levithan; meanwhile he recommends Levithan's 'amazing' new solo book The Lover's Dictionary. — CONCUSSED Question Friday (00:01:27)
  • The Magic Mountain (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Magicians (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Man Who Couldn't Stop (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John loved David Adam's The Man Who Couldn't Stop, a good starting place for Turtles readers who want to learn more about OCD. — Let's Talk about Books (00:02:27)
  • The Moment of Lift (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-05-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Melinda Gates's The Moment of Lift changed how John thinks about gender discrimination and its role in poverty. — How I Read and Why (00:02:54)
  • The Name of the Star (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2011-09-30 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John says secret sister Maureen Johnson, 'aka Actual John Green', had her best book ever, The Name of the Star, come out yesterday, and everybody is going to love it. — YouTube Survey: Balls and First Kisses (00:00:13)
  • The Optimist's Daughter (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Eudora Welty's The Optimist's Daughter: out of fashion, but in his view the best book by one of the best 20th-century writers. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:55)
  • The Palace (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-04-23 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Kaveh Akbar's new poem 'The Palace' (linked): a great title, and even people who don't like poetry will like it. — untitled (00:03:21)
  • The Pink Swastika (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2012-07-17 · criticized (books & writing, outside the channel) — John rejects The Pink Swastika's case that Hitler was secretly gay and Nazism a homosexual agenda: 100,000 were arrested for being gay, many killed in camps, and prominent gay Nazis executed. — Hitler and Sex! (00:00:52)
  • The Raven Cycle (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — John recommends Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle to fantasy fans: it's just amazing. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:02:31)
  • The Song of the Cell (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For nonfiction lovers John recommends Siddhartha Mukherjee's new The Song of the Cell: he didn't think he liked biology, but it turns out he loves it, and is biology. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:00:29)
  • The Source of Self-Regard (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Having just written one, John thinks essay collections make great gifts, recommending Toni Morrison's The Source of Self-Regard and Hilary Mantel's Mantel Pieces. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:01:27)
  • The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-02-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by longtime Nerdfighter Jennifer Smith: beautifully written, super romantic and extremely thoughtful. — Things I Can Do (00:00:29)
  • The Stormlight Archive (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2024-08-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Answering a patron, John says he still reads mostly about tuberculosis because he is in the last edit of his book. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! (00:28:39)
  • The Sun Also Rises (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • The Sun Is Also a Star (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Truth About Forever (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For a new generation of YA readers John recommends four books over ten years old: Valiant, Ball Don't Lie, The Truth About Forever and Speak, and likes bundling different kinds of books as gifts. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:03:05)
  • The Underground Railroad (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad, which just won the National Book Award: a haunting, brilliant novel about American slavery imagining the Underground Railroad as an actual railroad. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:01:27)
  • The Untelling (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Tayari Jones's The Untelling, which captures the precariousness of working-class life; she is best known for Leaving Atlanta. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:01:37)
  • The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green by Joshua Braff, Zach Braff's brother: a great coming-of-age novel, worth it for the bar mitzvah thank-you notes. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:01:00)
  • The Walking Dead (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-11-16 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — At No. 4, John picks The Walking Dead comic over the TV show: small-town cop, brilliant illustrations and the right kind of zombies. — Top 5 Zombie Apocalypses OF ALL TIME (00:00:55)
  • The Water Will Come (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — The Water Will Come, about climate change and humanity's future, is a rare page-turning science book: a thriller in which the hero in peril is us. — Let's Talk about Books (00:02:27)
  • The White Boy Shuffle (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Paul Beatty's The White Boy Shuffle to everyone: almost 20 years old, still hilarious and heartbreaking; it should be a classic and everyone he has recommended it to loved it. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:00:26)
  • The Writing Life (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's probably favorite book about writing is Annie Dillard's The Writing Life, with its observation that how we spend our days is how we spend our lives. — how we spend our days (00:00:00)
  • The Yiddish Policemen's Union (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-03-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — Playing the potato-title game, John says he is quite fond of 'Their Eyes Were Watching Potatoes'. — Question Tuesday: The Potato Edition (00:02:21)
  • Thirsty (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends M. T. Anderson's surprisingly brilliant vampire novel Thirsty, less read than his Octavian Nothing, one of the decade's best novels. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:01:09)
  • This Blinding Absence of Light (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Tahar Ben Jelloun's This Blinding Absence of Light, a fictionalised story of real political prisoners: a little intense but really good. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:33)
  • This Bloody Mary Is the Last Thing I Own (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Jonathan Rendall's This Bloody Mary Is the Last Thing I Own: the best book title ever and his favourite boxing book. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:23)
  • This Boy (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (books & writing, friends & collaborators) — For fans of music and rock-and-roll history John recommends This Boy by his mentor Ilene Cooper, a children's book about the childhoods of John Lennon and Paul McCartney that he loved. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:01:27)
  • Three Little Words (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • To His Coy Mistress (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-04-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John's favorite personification of death in literature is in Andrew Marvell's poem To His Coy Mistress. — Belated Book-tacular Questions (00:02:30)
  • To Say Nothing of the Dog (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Tommy Orange (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-08-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John is geeking out about a novel by Tommy Orange, DoctorBenjyFM's YouTube series managing a fictional football team (never so invested in pixels), and the new season of the podcast In the Dark. — Question Tuesday: Secrets & Primes (00:00:55)
  • Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For lovers of video games or great novels John recommends Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow; he has given it to a dozen people and all fell in love with it. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:00:57)
  • Tony Hawks (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Toussaint L'Ouverture: The Fight for Haiti's Freedom (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Tuberculosis: The Greatest Story Never Told (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2025-02-25 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John cites an estimate from Frank Ryan's book that TB has killed around one in seven people who have ever lived. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS (00:04:58)
  • Uglies (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Upstream: Selected Essays (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — Mary Oliver is famous for poems, but John loves her essays, especially those in Upstream: he dog-eared almost every page, and her line about reading as one swims to save one's life stuck with him. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:26)
  • Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-01 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — For a new generation of YA readers John recommends four books over ten years old: Valiant, Ball Don't Lie, The Truth About Forever and Speak, and likes bundling different kinds of books as gifts. — John's Book Giving Guide for the Holidays! (00:03:05)
  • Walt Whitman (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-08-30 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — In quick literary picks John chooses Joyce over Yeats and Whitman over Faulkner, names Hamlet his favorite play, and says he liked The Hunger Games. — 100 QUESTIONS ANSWERED!!!!!!! (00:01:20)
  • We Are Okay (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-03 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Nina LaCour's We Are Okay, a poetic meditation on loss that took him back to the last days of adolescence. — Let's Talk about Books (00:00:37)
  • Weetzie Bat (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • When People Say We Have Made It through Worse Before (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-07-21 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Clint Smith's poem 'When People Say We Have Made It Through Worse Before', linked below, which opens on the graves of those who did not make it. — Somebody Once Asked . . . (00:00:29)
  • Why Fish Don't Exist (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-14 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John loves Lulu Miller's Why Fish Don't Exist, also out today: what The Anthropocene Reviewed wants to be when it grows up, a personal search for meaning, history of taxonomy and life of David Starr Jordan. — books that help (00:01:03)
  • Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone? The Carter Family and Their Legacy in American Music (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2014-02-18 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John recommends Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone? The Carter Family and Their Legacy in American Music, which inspired an early Vlogbrothers video and is excellent. — 18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:03:01)
  • Wolf Hall (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Year of the Sasquatch (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-07-24 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John owns the Bigfoot researcher's book Year of the Sasquatch and says it's not bad. — Other John Greens (00:00:40)
  • You Will Get Through This Night (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-05-11 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John is also doing an event with Dan Howell about Dan's book You Will Get Through This Night; info and tickets are in the description. — I am a small boat. It's Question Tuesday. (00:03:42)
  • You've Been Pooping All Wrong (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-04-07 · recommended (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says the book You've Been Pooping All Wrong permanently changed his life and stresses that this is not an ad. — I've Been Pooping All Wrong (00:00:00)
  • Yours, Isaac Asimov (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2025-08-05 · cited as evidence (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says he feels more like the same person he has always been than Hank does. — ONE TAKE JOHNNY (00:13:13)

Music (53)

  • The Mountain Goats (outside the channel; recommended 13)
  • Strange Charm (own work (self-plug); recommended 3, cited as evidence 1)
  • Incongruent (own work (self-plug); recommended 3)
  • A Song About an Anglerfish (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2009-08-30 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John names The Mountain Goats his favorite, second and fourth favorite band, with Hank third, and Hank's anglerfish song as his favorite Hank song. — 100 QUESTIONS ANSWERED!!!!!!! (00:00:50)
    • 2009-11-03 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John uses the album's first single to start the first event of the 2009 Nerdfighter Fitness Challenge: how many circuits of Jumping Jack Push-Up Dance Move during the anglerfish song. — This Machine Pwns n00bs! (00:00:47)
  • Helen Hunt (song) (own work (self-plug); recommended 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2008-08-06 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John names "Helen Hunt" as his favourite Hank song, with "I Sold Your Dog on eBay" as his dark-horse pick because you can rock out to it. — Question Tuesday Returns (on a Wednesday) (00:02:38)
    • 2011-07-27 · cited as evidence (music, own work (self-plug)) — John lists other Nerdfighter feats: getting Hank's album on the Billboard charts, chartering airplanes of medical supplies to Haiti, and getting Helen Hunt to hear the Helen Hunt song. — 150,000 Autographs (00:01:15)
  • Love Love Love (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • New Partner (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • Phineas Gage (song) (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
  • Shake a Booty (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
  • This Machine Pwns n00bs (album) (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2009-11-03 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John announces Hank's second album, This Machine Pwns n00bs ('best album title ever'), out November 16 and available for pre-order. — This Machine Pwns n00bs! (00:00:00)
    • 2009-11-17 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John says Hank's album is already on iTunes but recommends buying the physical CD because it comes with a poster. — Question Tuesday: The Free Money Edition (00:01:05)
  • Up the Wolves (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2008-03-04 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — John names favourites: 'Left on the Right Side of the Road' by Songs from a Hat, Juno as last year's (2007) best movie, Rushmore as his one movie, and the Mountain Goats' 'Up the Wolves'. — SETTING THE QUESTION TUESDAY WORLD RECORD (00:00:28)
    • 2009-04-25 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — John's favourite Mountain Goats song is 'Up the Wolves'. — Saturday Video?!?!?! (00:01:04)
  • A Love Supreme (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-02-21 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — For a trip to the Evil Baby Orphanage John would take A Love Supreme by John Coltrane and something by the Mountain Goats, though evil baby Stalin would steal them. — People Who Love Giraffes Who Love Giraffes (00:01:14)
  • Afasi & Filthy (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-03-20 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — John recommends the Swedish hip-hop of Afasi och Filthy, best enjoyed if you don't speak Swedish, and Snook. — Sharpie Face Question Tuesday (00:02:29)
  • All Hail West Texas (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Alvin and the Chipmunks (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Baby I Sold Your Dog on eBay (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2008-08-06 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John names "Helen Hunt" as his favourite Hank song, with "I Sold Your Dog on eBay" as his dark-horse pick because you can rock out to it. — Question Tuesday Returns (on a Wednesday) (00:02:38)
  • Beyoncé (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Blanche (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-07-30 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — John says Dan John Miller is in Blanche, one of John's favorite bands, and played Luther Perkins in the movie Walk the Line. — Audiobooks and 8 8 08 (00:02:23)
  • Blank Space (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Bread (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2010-12-13 · recommended (music, friends & collaborators) — John says he has listened to 'Bread' on repeat 621 times, which raises the possibility that he is technically a fangirl. — 8 Things I Love (00:01:55)
  • Circle in the Sand (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2015-07-14 · criticized (music, outside the channel, playful) — John hates the song 'Circle in the Sand', which plays from speakers everywhere in the airport, and hunts for the spot farthest from a speaker. — On Exhaustion (00:00:59)
  • Earl Sweatshirt (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Edward Spoonhands (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2011-05-23 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John calls 'Edward Spoonhands' the most underappreciated Hank song. — Eating the Unicorn (00:03:13)
  • Ellen Hardcastle (own work (self-plug); cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-07-27 · cited as evidence (music, own work (self-plug)) — John lists other Nerdfighter feats: getting Hank's album on the Billboard charts, chartering airplanes of medical supplies to Haiti, and getting Helen Hunt to hear the Helen Hunt song. — 150,000 Autographs (00:01:15)
  • Fermi Paradox (song by Hank Green) (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • Fireflies of Montreal (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2011-10-14 · recommended (music, nerdfighter community) — Laurena Segura, Nerd Factor winner for her song 'Permafrost', has an EP out on iTunes through DFTBA Records by popular demand, with 'Permafrost', a song in French and 'Fireflies of Montreal', which John plays. — Defying Wadsworth! (00:01:01)
  • Forever Yours (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
  • Goths (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Hamilton (musical) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Hank Green and the Perfect Strangers (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • Hank's Chewbacca for President song (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • Harry and the Potters (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2009-06-30 · recommended (music, friends & collaborators) — John says Paul DeGeorge, half of Harry and the Potters, was in his house, and tells Nerdfighters who do not know the band that their lives are about to get better. — Nerdfighter MARRIAGE PROPOSAL (00:00:00)
  • I Think We're Alone Now (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Immigrants (We Get the Job Done) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • James Lord Pierpont (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Laurena Segura (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2011-10-14 · recommended (music, nerdfighter community) — Laurena Segura, Nerd Factor winner for her song 'Permafrost', has an EP out on iTunes through DFTBA Records by popular demand, with 'Permafrost', a song in French and 'Fireflies of Montreal', which John plays. — Defying Wadsworth! (00:01:01)
  • Left on the Right Side of the Road (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2008-03-04 · recommended (music, nerdfighter community) — John names favourites: 'Left on the Right Side of the Road' by Songs from a Hat, Juno as last year's (2007) best movie, Rushmore as his one movie, and the Mountain Goats' 'Up the Wolves'. — SETTING THE QUESTION TUESDAY WORLD RECORD (00:00:28)
  • Niall Horan (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Permafrost (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2011-10-14 · recommended (music, nerdfighter community) — Laurena Segura, Nerd Factor winner for her song 'Permafrost', has an EP out on iTunes through DFTBA Records by popular demand, with 'Permafrost', a song in French and 'Fireflies of Montreal', which John plays. — Defying Wadsworth! (00:01:01)
  • Re: Your Brains (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-11-16 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — At No. 2, John picks Left 4 Dead 2 as the only zombie video game featuring Jonathan Coulton's 'Re: Your Brains', which he calls the best zombie apocalypse song. — Top 5 Zombie Apocalypses OF ALL TIME (00:02:22)
  • Rent (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-02-23 · cited as evidence (music, outside the channel, playful) — Guessing that partial viewing and other Nerdfighter activity average out to 3.5 minutes per view, John gets 427 million minutes, which at 525,600 minutes a year (from Rent) is more than 812 years. — WE ARE 812 YEARS OLD (00:00:52)
  • Snook (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-03-20 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — John recommends the Swedish hip-hop of Afasi och Filthy, best enjoyed if you don't speak Swedish, and Snook. — Sharpie Face Question Tuesday (00:02:29)
  • So Jokes (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2009-05-03 · recommended (music, own work (self-plug)) — John suggests Nerdfighters get Hank something: buy his CD, bake him a Hank cake, or wish him happy birthday on YouTube. — Important (Temporary) Video (00:00:29)
  • Songs from Across the Lake and Sea (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2018-07-24 · recommended (music, nerdfighter community) — Katie, an acclaimed singer of Irish music, has just released her album Songs from Across the Lake and Sea, which John calls beautiful, haunting and wonderful; link in the description. — Other John Greens (00:03:43)
  • The Avett Brothers (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-09-29 · criticized (music, outside the channel, playful) — John says 'who' describes a person and 'that' everything else, so the Avett Brothers, one of his favorite bands, infuriate him by singing 'friends that I can trust'. — MY FRIEND CHESTER (00:01:51)
  • The Beatles (album) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-05 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — In a lightning round John names favorites: Behind the Beautiful Forevers (book of the year so far), Harvey (movie), the White Album, Charlie (YouTuber) and, this time, Macbeth over Hamlet. — The Dangling Rope of Terror: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:45)
  • The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Man Who Throws the Tetris Piece (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • The Whomping Willows (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2011-02-04 · recommended (music, friends & collaborators) — John points Hank, and viewers, to an awesome gold eagle shirt from 'our friend' the Whomping Willows, linked in the description. — QUESTION FRIDAY: Spelling is Hard Edition (00:03:32)
  • This Is Me (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2010-12-13 · recommended (music, friends & collaborators) — John praises Charlie McDonnell, whom he met as a young lad and thought a genius, especially his new album This Is Me, which he can't stop listening to. — 8 Things I Love (00:01:33)
  • This Isn't Hogwarts (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • Weekend in Western Illinois (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-08-14 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — John's favorite Mountain Goats song keeps changing; at the moment it is 'Weekend in Western Illinois'. — Question Tuesday: Secrets & Primes (00:00:45)
  • You Were Cool (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-12-17 · recommended (music, outside the channel) — The Mountain Goats played one of John's favorite songs, 'You Were Cool': it's good to be young, but better to come through those years with hearts still beating. — The Best Days of My Decade (00:00:48)

Film & TV (66)

  • Harvey (film) (outside the channel; recommended 4)
    • 2012-06-05 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — In a lightning round John names favorites: Behind the Beautiful Forevers (book of the year so far), Harvey (movie), the White Album, Charlie (YouTuber) and, this time, Macbeth over Hamlet. — The Dangling Rope of Terror: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:45)
    • 2013-10-29 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John's dad drove up to Chicago and they drove back to Orlando; John got into daily therapy, started a much better medication for him, and watched Harvey. — Perspective (00:01:51)
    • 2019-02-19 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says his favorite movie forever is Harvey. — Battling Apathy and Searching for Meaning on Question Tuesday (00:01:27)
    • 2023-04-18 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says Bill wanted him to see Harvey for a reason: it is about someone living with serious mental illness who is nonetheless valuable, important and worthy. — goodbye to my friend (00:01:27)
  • The Beckoning of Lovely (friends & collaborators; recommended 4)
    • 2008-09-11 · recommended (film & tv, friends & collaborators) — John says Rosenthal made a film, The Beckoning of Lovely, starring many Nerdfighters including him; it is only the first part of her project. — A Video about Videos (00:01:55)
    • 2009-10-06 · recommended (film & tv, friends & collaborators) — John recommends The Beckoning of Lovely, a profoundly moving community-based project his friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal is doing with many people, including many Nerdfighters. — Victoria Beckham In Your Pants (00:01:59)
    • 2010-12-13 · recommended (film & tv, friends & collaborators) — John recommends his friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal's Beckoning of Lovely project and a link to what happened on 10/10/10 in Chicago, which might make you cry. — 8 Things I Love (00:00:59)
    • 2011-10-05 · recommended (film & tv, friends & collaborators) — John shows examples by Amy and by him and his friend Stan, points to a how-to video, and calls the Beckoning of Lovely an amazing project going on for three years. — SIGNING MADNESS (00:02:58)
  • The Americans (outside the channel; recommended 2)
  • A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • AFC Wimbledon documentary series (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-04-22 · recommended (film & tv, own work (self-plug)) — John announces that a documentary about AFC Wimbledon, made over the last couple of years by him and Rosianna with longtime nerdfighter Jonathan Vogler, who helped make The Last Dance, premiered on YouTube last week (April 2025). — The Unimportant Things (00:01:56)
  • American Gladiators (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2007-12-10 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John sarcastically praises the moguls' 'generosity of spirit', mocks their TV programming such as the revived American Gladiators, and tells them to get back to the table. — Dec. 10: MY BOOK IS GONNA BE A MOVIE!!! (someday) (00:02:40)
  • Avatar (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-12-20 · cited as evidence (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says #P4A trended above the movie Avatar for most of the P4A; Avatar cost $250 million to make, the P4A zero dollars. — Awesome Project Is Awesome (00:00:27)
  • Back to the Future (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-02-21 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John's favourite fictional depiction of time travel is probably Back to the Future, which has had an outsized influence on his life. — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? (00:01:50)
  • Battlestar Galactica (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2007-02-15 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John says Nerdfighters needs a theme song and sings one about calculators, trombones, D&D and Star Wars, fighting with brains and a Battlestar Galactica reference. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 17, 2007 (00:02:08)
  • Bending the Arc (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-11-17 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John recommends the Netflix documentary Bending the Arc, on how PIH proved that treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in poor countries was possible when the global health community thought it impossible. — Our Biggest Project Yet: A One Year Update (00:00:58)
  • Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-05-16 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John names favourite documentaries missing from Netflix: the 7 Up series, Herb & Dorothy, Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter and Slavery by Another Name, each briefly described. — The Introducer, My Childhood Dream Job (00:01:33)
  • Connected (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John loves the Netflix show hosted by Radiolab's Latif Nasser (he calls it Connections): whether on sewage or dust, it gives him wonder and models how inquiry happens for him. — never get bored (00:01:30)
  • Coraline (film) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-02-18 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — Hank and Hank Sock agree movies this year (2009) mostly stink, with two exceptions: Coraline and Slumdog Millionaire. — Fake Movie Talk With A Sock (00:00:00)
  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-09-12 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John and the Yeti, who rarely watch TV, like to follow an episode of CSI with The First 48, A&E's show about real detectives and real crimes. — Special Friday Video! (On Saturday) (00:00:40)
  • Dave (character, “Penguins of Madagascar”) (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2015-04-07 · cited as evidence (film & tv, outside the channel) — John summarizes the plot: the penguins break into Fort Knox for Cheezy Dibbles, and Dave, an octopus mistreated by humans for not being cute, makes a serum to turn penguins ugly so humans stop protecting them. — John Reviews Kids Movies (00:02:24)
  • Degrassi: The Next Generation (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • documentary (Thought Bubble Kickstarter) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-02-14 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says Thought Bubble, who animate Crash Course, are kickstarting a documentary; if enough Nerdfighters help fund it, Nerdfighteria will be its executive producers. Link in the description. — Things I Can Do (00:02:55)
  • Dope (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Emotional Furniture (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • Firefly (tv series) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-09-15 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John has just seen the TV series Firefly for the first time, calls it excellent and asks why it was cancelled. — John Gets a Tattoo (00:00:15)
  • Foosballers (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John has been watching documentaries and enjoyed Foosballers and Sue Kim's short film The Speedcubers, both about people obsessed with niche sports, his genre. — never get bored (00:01:01)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Heathers (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Herb & Dorothy (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-05-16 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John names favourite documentaries missing from Netflix: the 7 Up series, Herb & Dorothy, Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter and Slavery by Another Name, each briefly described. — The Introducer, My Childhood Dream Job (00:01:33)
  • Hidden Figures (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Juno (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-03-04 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John names favourites: 'Left on the Right Side of the Road' by Songs from a Hat, Juno as last year's (2007) best movie, Rushmore as his one movie, and the Mountain Goats' 'Up the Wolves'. — SETTING THE QUESTION TUESDAY WORLD RECORD (00:00:28)
  • Jurassic Park (film) (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2014-04-01 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says the velociraptor wasn't famous until Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park and Spielberg's film, which show smart, people-sized, scaly pack hunters dug up in Montana. — VELOCIRAPTORS (00:00:11)
  • Kedi (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-05-16 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — That is why John loves Kedi and wanted them to help distribute it: it uses nature-documentary conventions but includes humans, showing how a city, its people and its cats connect. — The Introducer, My Childhood Dream Job (00:02:24)
  • Kevin Feige (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-01-12 · cited as evidence (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has said all Phase Two Marvel films feature an arm amputation because of Star Wars: Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Man 3 and, kind of, Ant-Man. — Zero Severed Hands: On Star Wars and Making Things (00:01:43)
  • Let It Snow (film) (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2019-10-15 · recommended (film & tv, own work (self-plug)) — John has just seen Netflix's adaptation of Let It Snow, the book he wrote with Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson about 11 years ago, and finds it sweet, heartwarming and lovely. — I'm Having a Lot of Feelings (00:00:58)
  • Little Women (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-01-14 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says every movie makes him cry; he hasn't seen Cats yet but is sure it will. — Foolish · Beautiful (00:03:39)
  • Moana (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Moonlight (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-01-10 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John asks viewers to say in comments which Oscar-contending movies they like best; his favourites are Hidden Figures and Moonlight. — What Is the Real Unemployment Rate? (00:05:11)
  • Night of the Living Dead (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-11-16 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says George Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead basically invented modern zombies, though it never uses the word; zombies originally come from Haitian folklore. — Top 5 Zombie Apocalypses OF ALL TIME (00:01:53)
  • Paper Towns (film) (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2015-06-08 · recommended (film & tv, own work (self-plug)) — John tells German Nerdfighters he will post on Twitter if more Berlin tickets become available and hopes they enjoy 'Margos Spuren'. — Monday Bonus Video! (00:00:17)
  • Phineas and Ferb (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Recipes from a Hat (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
  • Renate Müller (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-07-17 · cited as evidence (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says Hitler was controlling, possessive and domineering, with all the hallmarks of an abusive relationship; four of the six women he most likely had sex with killed themselves, including Eva Braun, married 40 hours before. — Hitler and Sex! (00:01:59)
  • Rookie of the Year (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-07-24 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — After a mock ranking of the cinematographer's films, John insists that Rookie of the Year really is a phenomenal movie. — Other John Greens (00:02:38)
  • RuPaul's Drag Race (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Rushmore (film) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-03-04 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John names favourites: 'Left on the Right Side of the Road' by Songs from a Hat, Juno as last year's (2007) best movie, Rushmore as his one movie, and the Mountain Goats' 'Up the Wolves'. — SETTING THE QUESTION TUESDAY WORLD RECORD (00:00:28)
  • Seascapes (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-07-05 · cited as evidence (film & tv, outside the channel) — One of John's favourite artists is Hiroshi Sugimoto, whose Seascapes series photographs water horizons around the world, from the Tasman Sea to Lake Superior. — The Horizon Line (00:00:34)
  • Selma (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-01-20 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — Asked what should win the Best Picture Oscar, John picks Whiplash or Selma, both of which he thought excellent. — REUNION MINIGOLF (00:02:19)
  • Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Sherlock (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-08-17 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — Asked about the modernised Sherlock Holmes, John gives the Cumberbatch version two thumbs up and the Downey Jr. version one thumb; Hank, who has seen both, agrees. — Hank's Question Tuesday DEBUT! (00:01:48)
  • Sherlock Holmes (2009) (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2011-08-17 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — Asked about the modernised Sherlock Holmes, John gives the Cumberbatch version two thumbs up and the Downey Jr. version one thumb; Hank, who has seen both, agrees. — Hank's Question Tuesday DEBUT! (00:01:48)
  • Slavery by Another Name (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-05-16 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John names favourite documentaries missing from Netflix: the 7 Up series, Herb & Dorothy, Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter and Slavery by Another Name, each briefly described. — The Introducer, My Childhood Dream Job (00:01:33)
  • Slumdog Millionaire (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-02-18 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — Hank and Hank Sock agree movies this year (2009) mostly stink, with two exceptions: Coraline and Slumdog Millionaire. — Fake Movie Talk With A Sock (00:00:00)
  • Snooki (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-07-24 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — After Hank's video on Wednesday about meeting Snooki, a reality TV star John only half knew, John checked her Twitter, and what he found troubled him. — Grammar School with Snooki (00:00:19)
  • Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2015-12-22 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says the prequels lacked mythic resonance, were for many just movies and not great ones, and made him think Star Wars had given the common myth all it could. — The Myth Reawakens (00:02:38)
  • Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2015-12-22 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says the prequels lacked mythic resonance, were for many just movies and not great ones, and made him think Star Wars had given the common myth all it could. — The Myth Reawakens (00:02:38)
  • Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2015-12-22 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says the prequels lacked mythic resonance, were for many just movies and not great ones, and made him think Star Wars had given the common myth all it could. — The Myth Reawakens (00:02:38)
  • The End of the Tour (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Lego Movie (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2015-04-07 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says The Lego Movie is a story about overcoming the creativity-stifling power of big business, itself made by a big business and a movie-length commercial for another. — John Reviews Kids Movies (00:00:10)
  • The Marriage Ref (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-03-01 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says that while he watched the Olympic closing ceremonies the day before, Bob Costas cut away from the giant inflatable beavers to introduce The Marriage Ref. — The Marriage Ref SUCKS (00:00:33)
  • The Muppet Christmas Carol (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • The Spectacular Now (film) (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • The Speed Cubers (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John has been watching documentaries and enjoyed Foosballers and Sue Kim's short film The Speedcubers, both about people obsessed with niche sports, his genre. — never get bored (00:01:01)
  • The Twilight Saga: New Moon (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-11-29 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John saw the New Moon film and found it kind of stupid, but it reminded him what he likes about Twilight: fun, escape from the world's pain, and the argument that true love triumphs, true or not. — John Reviews Twilight and New Moon (00:02:18)
  • Up series (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-05-16 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John names favourite documentaries missing from Netflix: the 7 Up series, Herb & Dorothy, Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter and Slavery by Another Name, each briefly described. — The Introducer, My Childhood Dream Job (00:01:33)
  • Walt Disney (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2017-01-24 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John calls the line 'if you can dream it, you can do it', attributed to Walt Disney and on countless posters, manifestly untrue. — On Motivation (00:00:47)
  • Welcome to Wrexham (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-09-13 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — John appears in the next episode of Ryan Reynolds and his friend Rob's show about buying and running Wrexham AFC, teaching a crash course on the history of Wales. — A Million Things at Once (00:01:16)
  • Whiplash (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-01-20 · recommended (film & tv, outside the channel) — Asked what should win the Best Picture Oscar, John picks Whiplash or Selma, both of which he thought excellent. — REUNION MINIGOLF (00:02:19)
  • White Wilderness (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-11-01 · criticized (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says the 1958 Academy Award-winning Disney documentary White Wilderness shows lemmings committing mass suicide and is mostly famous for staging it. — Consider the Lemming (00:00:29)
  • Wife Swap (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-10-18 · cited as evidence (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says the family had been on Wife Swap twice and the father believes Hillary Clinton is a shape-shifting reptilian and that a secret cabal of reptilians runs the world. — The Balloon Boy Hoax (00:01:34)
  • Yo Gabba Gabba! (outside the channel; recommended 1)

Online video & web (35)

  • Harry Potter and the Sacred Text (outside the channel; recommended 3)
    • 2018-04-24 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John has been listening a lot to Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, in which two scholars of religion read Harry Potter as a sacred text; it is just brilliant, whatever you think of religion or Harry Potter. — This Video is about Red Eyed Tree Frogs? (00:00:04)
    • 2018-09-11 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John also got Hank sponsorships on a podcast they both love, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. — Surprise . . . (00:02:26)
    • 2019-04-16 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John attended a live recording of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, one of his favorite podcasts, a lovely evening that left him feeling more hopeful about the human enterprise. — Doing Somethings (00:00:00)
  • 3Blue1Brown (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2019-02-12 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John recommends 3Blue1Brown videos, which help visualize complicated mathematical concepts. — Are Textbooks Obsolete? (00:00:29)
    • 2020-03-17 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John has found YouTube videos helpful, such as Grant at 3Blue1Brown explaining exponential growth and Jane Wong reading a poem on Ours Poetica. — together. (00:02:55)
  • Charlie McDonnell (friends & collaborators; recommended 2)
    • 2010-12-13 · recommended (online video & web, friends & collaborators) — John praises Charlie McDonnell, whom he met as a young lad and thought a genius, especially his new album This Is Me, which he can't stop listening to. — 8 Things I Love (00:01:33)
    • 2012-06-05 · recommended (online video & web, friends & collaborators) — In a lightning round John names favorites: Behind the Beautiful Forevers (book of the year so far), Harvey (movie), the White Album, Charlie (YouTuber) and, this time, Macbeth over Hamlet. — The Dangling Rope of Terror: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:45)
  • Dear Sarah and Catherine (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2018-12-07 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John says Sarah and Catherine are hosting a version of Dear Hank and John called Dear Sarah and Catherine. — BABIES! The 2018 Project for Awesome is here… (00:03:17)
    • 2019-12-03 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John's favorite perk is his and Hank's spouses' spinoff podcast, Dear Katherine and Sarah. — We Are Cats Now, I Guess? (00:01:17)
  • DoctorBenjyFM (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2018-08-14 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John is geeking out about a novel by Tommy Orange, DoctorBenjyFM's YouTube series managing a fictional football team (never so invested in pixels), and the new season of the podcast In the Dark. — Question Tuesday: Secrets & Primes (00:00:55)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John's favourite channel is DoctorBenjyFM, where Ben plays Football Manager as fictional AFC Thames rise through English football: a profound window into fandom. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:00:00)
  • Planet Money (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2019-05-14 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — Though aggressively bad at math, John recommends learning personal finance from Gaby Dunn's book Bad with Money, the Planet Money podcast, and the YouTube shows Two Cents and The Financial Diet. — An Open Letter to Professional YouTubers (00:00:58)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John has found Planet Money really helpful for understanding the knock-on effects of the pandemic. — never get bored (00:02:00)
  • 99% Invisible (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-12-08 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John says he joined the Awesome Socks Club after hearing an ad on his favorite podcast, 99% Invisible. — A Love Letter to My Brother, Basically (00:02:55)
  • Ask a Pirate (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • CGP Grey (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-02-14 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John says he has become obsessed with the brilliant YouTuber CGP Grey, who hates pennies and loves Britain, 'just like me except smarter', and tells viewers to watch him. — Things I Can Do (00:01:27)
  • Craig Benzine (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2009-03-10 · recommended (online video & web, friends & collaborators) — John names Ransriggs and Wheezy Waiter as recent favourite new YouTubers, linked in the sidebar. — How to Get Girls to Like You (00:02:51)
  • Crash Course Lectures (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2024-03-19 · recommended (online video & web, own work (self-plug)) — John says the first lecture, written and hosted by him, comes out Monday at noon Eastern, teasing that viewers will never guess its topic. — Our $80,000,000 Bet (00:04:23)
  • Emma Approved (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • frezned (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Grant Sanderson (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-03-17 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John has found YouTube videos helpful, such as Grant at 3Blue1Brown explaining exponential growth and Jane Wong reading a poem on Ours Poetica. — together. (00:02:55)
  • Heavyweight (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John listens to the podcasts Invisibilia and Heavyweight when he needs to cry, which is often. — never get bored (00:02:00)
  • Henry Reich (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • In the Dark (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-08-14 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John is geeking out about a novel by Tommy Orange, DoctorBenjyFM's YouTube series managing a fictional football team (never so invested in pixels), and the new season of the podcast In the Dark. — Question Tuesday: Secrets & Primes (00:00:55)
  • Invisibilia (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John listens to the podcasts Invisibilia and Heavyweight when he needs to cry, which is often. — never get bored (00:02:00)
  • It Doesn't Get Better Than These It Gets Better Videos (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2010-10-13 · recommended (online video & web, own work (self-plug)) — John asks viewers to check out the playlist in the doobly-doo, even if they aren't wondering whether it gets better, which it does. — On Hope and Chile (00:02:03)
  • Lauren McLaughlin's blog post on Caster Semenya (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-09-13 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John relays his friend Lauren McLaughlin's blog argument that sports is an attempt to remove ambiguity from the human condition. — Sex, Sports, and Caster Semenya (00:01:10)
  • Like Letters (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-14 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John plugs Like Letters, the podcast he makes every year with Sarah, reading the letters they wrote each other before they started dating. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! (02:04:12)
  • Marbula One (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-28 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John says Jelle's Marble Runs' Marbula One season has been an absolute joy; he started with the Marblelympics as somewhat sublime and somewhat ridiculous, and is now all in. — get your game on (00:00:29)
  • MrBeast (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2025-11-24 · criticized (online video & web, outside the channel, playful) — John recalls a college gig in Binghamton where a man who had received his brother's sock subscription for three years asked when he could assume they were his; John said that time had passed. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:27:33)
  • Musecast (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-03-15 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John recommends the YouTube channel Musecast, a year-long conversation between five friends trying to break into the entertainment industry. — Ruins, LOLBooks, and the Blurbing Book Club (00:02:35)
  • Perez Hilton (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Ransom Riggs (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-03-10 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John names Ransriggs and Wheezy Waiter as recent favourite new YouTubers, linked in the sidebar. — How to Get Girls to Like You (00:02:51)
  • The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2011-11-30 · criticized (online video & web, outside the channel) — Like most of the internet, John is fascinated by honey badgers, but says Randall's famous narration does nothing to capture their glory. — Honey Badgers: The Crazy Truth (00:00:01)
  • The Good Whale (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-10 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John calls Daniel's recent podcast with Serial, The Good Whale, about the whale from Free Willy, flat-out brilliant. — I Was a Teenage Dirtbag (00:01:50)
  • The Mountain Goats Will Cure Your Bieber Fever (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2010-05-10 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel, playful) — For Justin Bieber songs stuck in your head ('Bieber fever'), John prescribes a heavy dose of the Mountain Goats and the website themountaingoatswillcureyourbieberfever.com. — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More (00:02:54)
  • The Other Latif (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John highly recommends Latif Nasser's Radiolab series The Other Latif as brilliant. — never get bored (00:02:00)
  • The Statue Got Me High (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • TJ's blog (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2011-04-06 · recommended (online video & web, nerdfighter community) — John recommends TJ's blog chronicling her pregnancy, with diagrams of her fetus eating its feet, as one of the funniest on the internet, warning it contains frank language. — Tales of Nerd Love! (00:00:44)
  • Tuataria (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2020-03-17 · recommended (online video & web, nerdfighter community) — John recommends Tuataria, a Discord for Nerdfighters, to anyone looking for social connection. — together. (00:02:55)
  • Two Cents (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-05-14 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — Though aggressively bad at math, John recommends learning personal finance from Gaby Dunn's book Bad with Money, the Planet Money podcast, and the YouTube shows Two Cents and The Financial Diet. — An Open Letter to Professional YouTubers (00:00:58)
  • Vi Hart (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2010-12-13 · recommended (online video & web, outside the channel) — John says Vi Hart has been a Nerdfighter since 2007 and designed the original Nerdfighter pirate logo. — 8 Things I Love (00:02:30)

Games (11)

  • Monopoly (game) (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2013-08-13 · cited as evidence (games, outside the channel) — John points readers to an article on the rigged-Monopoly research and to a study on how power changes the brain to decrease empathy and generosity, which he calls crazy stuff. — Shailene's Hair, Unfair Monopoly, and the Just World Fallacy (00:00:00)
    • 2016-04-05 · criticized (games, outside the channel) — John reviews the mobile version of the board game Monopoly; the description calls it part of a series of long looks at his mobile gaming habits. — What's Wrong with Monopoly? (00:00:00)
  • Pizzamas one-shot (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2024-09-23 · recommended (games, own work (self-plug)) — John reads the game's intro: Pizzamas is an age-old holiday of togetherness, and seeing Pizza John's startled face in the grease of empty boxes is an omen of good fortune. — IT'S HERE! (00:01:30)
    • 2025-09-29 · recommended (games, own work (self-plug)) — John shows a Pizzamas D&D Dungeon Master screen that goes with the Pizzamas RPG, a digital download this year (2025). — PIZZAMAS IS UPON US! (00:03:18)
  • Bananagrams (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (games, outside the channel) — John says that somehow, since 2008, he has been on Bananagrams' celebrity mailing list; this is his 11th edition of the game. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:00:00)
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Leaning Tower of Pisa game (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-09-29 · recommended (games, own work (self-plug)) — John presents the Leaning Tower of Pisa game, similar to Jenga except with rules, such as pulling another piece for a tuberculosis factor. — PIZZAMAS IS UPON US! (00:02:32)
  • Left 4 Dead 2 (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2011-11-16 · recommended (games, outside the channel) — At No. 2, John picks Left 4 Dead 2 as the only zombie video game featuring Jonathan Coulton's 'Re: Your Brains', which he calls the best zombie apocalypse song. — Top 5 Zombie Apocalypses OF ALL TIME (00:02:22)
  • Monopoly mobile app reviewed by John (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2016-04-05 · criticized (games, outside the channel) — John reviews the mobile version of the board game Monopoly; the description calls it part of a series of long looks at his mobile gaming habits. — What's Wrong with Monopoly? (00:00:00)
  • No Man's Sky (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Super Mario Kart (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Tetris (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-28 · recommended (games, outside the channel) — John says every month a classic Tetris tournament pits the world's best players of a 36-year-old video game against each other. — get your game on (00:01:27)
  • Zwift (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-28 · recommended (games, outside the channel) — John explains Zwift, a video game connected to a bike trainer: pedalling moves your avatar, so you can climb the Alps, sprint through Central Park and draft off other riders. — get your game on (00:00:58)

Art & other works (73)

  • Crash Course coin (outside the channel; recommended 5)
    • 2022-05-31 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — The 2022 Crash Course coin is on sale for two weeks: a $100 coin sponsors 2,000 learners and a $500 coin 10,000; its design draws on the Lascaux cave paintings. Coin funding helped launch three series last year (2021). — A Casting Announcement (00:03:07)
    • 2023-05-30 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John announces this year's (2023) Crash Course Coins, available only for the next 11 days and minted in Arkansas from hand-engraved dies; he finds them beautiful. — How Does He Do It? (00:01:58)
    • 2024-05-28 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John announces the Crash Course coin, on sale from today for one week only at CrashCourseCoin.com; buyers sponsor 2,000, 5,000 or 10,000 Crash Course learners and help keep it free. — A Midlife Crisis (00:04:02)
    • 2024-06-04 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says the podcast was made with funds from last year's (2023) Crash Course Coin. — how it all ends (00:04:52)
    • 2026-05-26 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says that although he doesn't work at Complexly, he got a Crash Course coin this year (2026). — Hank Green Is a Fool (00:06:00)
  • AFC Wimbledon scarf (own work (self-plug); recommended 4)
    • 2015-01-04 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John says the AFC Wimbledon scarves with DFTBA on them are back in stock at dftba.com, with all royalties going to the club. — The Best Worst Thing (00:00:45)
    • 2015-05-26 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John says Nerdfighteria Wimbledon scarves are still available at DFTBA.com. — Sixteen Parts (00:01:41)
    • 2016-11-15 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John asks viewers buying a Pizza John hoodie at DFTBA.com to also buy an AFC Wimbledon Nerdfighteria scarf; all proceeds go to the club, which might help them back to the playoffs and Wembley. — Good News/Bad News: A Pizzamas Video in Nine Slices (00:01:42)
    • 2019-04-30 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John tells Hank and viewers they can support AFC Wimbledon with the scarf that says DFTBA Nerdfighteria, linked in the doobly-doo. — The Thing with Feathers (00:03:23)
  • Byron Kim (outside the channel; recommended 3)
    • 2022-10-18 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John was drawn to landscapes: Lucas Arruda's paintings, Byron Kim's abstracted landscape, Didier William's underseascape, Yoan Capote's plaster-and-metal landscape and Sam Moyer's stones-and-canvas painting. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London (00:01:49)
    • 2026-02-13 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John shows paintings by the Korean-American artist Byron Kim, who paints the sky every Sunday and writes a diary entry on it; John loves them and calls Kim brilliant. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (07:05:13)
    • 2026-02-14 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John shows Byron Kim's Sunday paintings: every Sunday the artist paints the sky wherever he is and writes a diary entry on the painting. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 4! (00:29:01)
  • Constitution of the United States (outside the channel; cited as evidence 3)
    • 2009-07-11 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says the US Constitution requires a president to be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a US resident for at least 14 years. — Chewbacca for President! Let the Wookie Win! (00:00:00)
    • 2013-01-01 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John explains that the first US government under the Articles of Confederation could do almost nothing, so the Constitution replaced it with a Congress that could do a little. — Why Does Congress Suck? (00:01:06)
    • 2016-01-05 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says the Constitution explicitly gives Congress power over US territory and property, and the Supreme Court has consistently upheld federally owned and managed land. — Who Owns Oregon? Some Historical Context on the so-called Militia Occupation of Public Lands (00:04:06)
  • endTB trial (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2024-09-27 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says Partners In Health helped fund the endTB trials, which found shorter, less toxic regimens that cure MDR-TB, and last week (week of 16 September 2024) the WHO adopted them as recommended regimens. — Is It 2010? IT'S A PARTS VIDEO (00:00:13)
    • 2025-05-06 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — PIH helped fund the endTB trials in Peru, which showed shorter drug regimens can cure drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB; the Ministry of Health adopted them, so treatment means fewer pills for less time. — Health CARE: Thoughts from Lima (00:01:56)
  • Octavia Blend (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2025-09-09 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John says he needs no chill vibes in 2025: in the morning he needs a rocket ship, coffee, specifically Keats & Co.'s Octavia Blend, available at good.store. — Sorry, Hank, but Coffee Is Just Better (00:02:26)
    • 2025-11-24 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John presents Keats & Co., a coffee and tea company supporting comprehensive TB care in Lesotho: peppermint and Blooming Wild Black teas, Octavia and Calypso coffees, Paradoxica decaf, teacups and a tea strainer. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:02:03)
  • Paradoxica (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2025-09-09 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John says he has drunk his coffee black for about the last 10 years but is starting on decaf, enjoying the occasional cup of Paradoxica, their decaf. — Sorry, Hank, but Coffee Is Just Better (00:03:24)
    • 2025-11-24 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John presents Keats & Co., a coffee and tea company supporting comprehensive TB care in Lesotho: peppermint and Blooming Wild Black teas, Octavia and Calypso coffees, Paradoxica decaf, teacups and a tea strainer. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:02:03)
  • Pizzamas app (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2023-09-25 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John says all the shirts and Pizzamas items are only available during Pizzamas, for the next two weeks, at Pizzamas.com or the new Pizzamas app. — PIZZAMAS IS HERE!!! (00:01:41)
    • 2024-09-23 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John points viewers to buy the Pizzamas items at pizzamas.com or in the Pizzamas app, linked in the doobly-doo. — IT'S HERE! (00:03:48)
  • This Star Won't Go Out bracelet (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2010-11-01 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — Reminded by the pumpkin, John tells Nerdfighters to get their Esther bracelets. — Consider the Lemming (00:03:15)
    • 2011-02-04 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John wears an Esther bracelet and tells viewers to get one, since they make the world suck less; link in the description. — QUESTION FRIDAY: Spelling is Hard Edition (00:02:49)
  • 2004 University of Chicago resume study (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-12-30 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John describes a large 2004 University of Chicago study: thousands of identical resumes differing only by name; 'Lakisha' and 'Jamal' got 50% fewer callbacks than 'Emily' and 'Brendan'. — Racism in the United States: By the Numbers (00:01:42)
  • Articles of Confederation (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2013-01-01 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John explains that the first US government under the Articles of Confederation could do almost nothing, so the Constitution replaced it with a Congress that could do a little. — Why Does Congress Suck? (00:01:06)
  • At Least There Are Trees shirt (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-07-22 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John says the video was inspired by a Bluesky thread, after which DFTBA made an At Least There Are Trees t-shirt, sold only for the next two weeks at DFTBA.com. — At Least There Are Trees (00:05:01)
  • Augustus Waters shirt (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2012-09-25 · recommended (art & other works, nerdfighter community) — John announces posters from work by Erin, a 19-year-old student in California, and two shirts by college student Marina: 'Daisy Buchanan Thinks You're a Beautiful Fool' and Augustus Waters' first t-shirt. — Do Businesses Need to Suck? (00:02:26)
  • Cicada Plushie (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (art & other works, friends & collaborators) — John praises DFTBA merch: Nathan Zed's Good Enough Hoodies, Ariel Bissett's I'm Thinking About Books shirt, Tyler Thrasher's Cicada Plushie and Kurzgesagt's Timeline of Complex Life. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:02:45)
  • Constitution of Oregon (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • corndog shirt (own work (self-plug); cited as evidence 1)
    • 2021-03-09 · cited as evidence (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — As proof of Hank's rebrand, John recalls the Corndog Hank t-shirt made to go with the Pizza John t-shirt: Pizza John is still here, Corndog Hank forgotten to history. — Hank Rebranded Without Any of Us Noticing (00:02:26)
  • Cymbeline (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-12-05 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says the name Imogen comes from Shakespeare's Cymbeline and is probably a transcription error for Innogen, so Imogen Heap's name rests on a typo. — 5 Worst Typos of History (00:00:51)
  • Daisy Buchanan Thinks You're a Beautiful Fool shirt (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2012-09-25 · recommended (art & other works, nerdfighter community) — John announces posters from work by Erin, a 19-year-old student in California, and two shirts by college student Marina: 'Daisy Buchanan Thinks You're a Beautiful Fool' and Augustus Waters' first t-shirt. — Do Businesses Need to Suck? (00:02:26)
  • Dave (artist, mentioned from 2022) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • DFTBA shirt (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2010-11-29 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John tells Nerdfighters the Giant Squid of Anger shirt by Vondell Swain and a DFTBA shirt are in stock at DFTBA.com and ship immediately. — Giant Tortoise Coitus (00:02:54)
  • Didier William (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-10-18 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John was drawn to landscapes: Lucas Arruda's paintings, Byron Kim's abstracted landscape, Didier William's underseascape, Yoan Capote's plaster-and-metal landscape and Sam Moyer's stones-and-canvas painting. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London (00:01:49)
  • Eleanor & Park t-shirt (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
  • Far Lands or Bust (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-11-02 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John praises Kurt J. Mac's beautiful project Far Lands or Bust: for seven and a half years a Minecraft player has walked one direction with his dog toward the distant Far Lands. — Let Us Now Praise the Panda Person (00:02:58)
  • GBD Compare (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2015-11-24 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — On a chart of US causes of death, interpersonal violence (war, terrorism, murder) is small; measured in disability-adjusted life years it grows because victims are disproportionately young, but stays smaller than suicide, drug overdoses, asthma, preterm-birth complications or traffic accidents. — Crime and Outrage (00:00:32)
  • Giant Squid of Anger shirt (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2010-11-29 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John tells Nerdfighters the Giant Squid of Anger shirt by Vondell Swain and a DFTBA shirt are in stock at DFTBA.com and ship immediately. — Giant Tortoise Coitus (00:02:54)
  • Giraffe love shirt (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2010-10-22 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John tells Nerdfighters there is only one week left to pre-order Hank's shirt celebrating giraffes who love giraffes, with the link in the doobly-doo. — Making Adorable Music (00:02:04)
  • Global Tuberculosis Report (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Good Enough Hoodie (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (art & other works, friends & collaborators) — John praises DFTBA merch: Nathan Zed's Good Enough Hoodies, Ariel Bissett's I'm Thinking About Books shirt, Tyler Thrasher's Cicada Plushie and Kurzgesagt's Timeline of Complex Life. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:02:45)
  • Gospel of Matthew (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2022-05-03 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says that in his faith tradition the Gospel of Matthew calls them to treat all others, not just friends, neighbors or the like-minded, as they would want to be treated. — My Religion and My Banned Books (00:02:57)
  • Hamlet (play) (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-08-30 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — In quick literary picks John chooses Joyce over Yeats and Whitman over Faulkner, names Hamlet his favorite play, and says he liked The Hunger Games. — 100 QUESTIONS ANSWERED!!!!!!! (00:01:20)
  • hand-dryer study (2008) (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-01-08 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John cites a 2008 study (linked in the sidebar) that he says shows using a hand dryer after washing leaves far more bacteria on your hands than not washing at all. — GUS HAS NO FUZZ! (00:00:29)
  • Hank Green's stand-up comedy special on Dropout (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2024-06-25 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John congratulates Hank on his comedy special: it is so good and John is so proud of him. — taking a break (00:00:00)
  • Hank's Cancer Socks (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John's first non-book recommendation is Hank's Cancer Socks: great designs, super comfortable, with 100% of the profit going to expand access to cancer care worldwide. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:00:58)
  • Hiroshi Sugimoto (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-07-05 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — One of John's favourite artists is Hiroshi Sugimoto, whose Seascapes series photographs water horizons around the world, from the Tasman Sea to Lake Superior. — The Horizon Line (00:00:34)
  • I'm Thinking About Books shirt (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (art & other works, friends & collaborators) — John praises DFTBA merch: Nathan Zed's Good Enough Hoodies, Ariel Bissett's I'm Thinking About Books shirt, Tyler Thrasher's Cicada Plushie and Kurzgesagt's Timeline of Complex Life. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:02:45)
  • Imprint Highlights (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • John's digital cookbook (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • John's Important Songs Playlist (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2017-02-07 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John made a playlist of the songs the question brought to mind and asks Nerdfighters to share the songs or art that have been important to them, so they can discover cool stuff from each other. — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday (00:03:06)
  • Lo Fi Lang Syne Beats to Sign Your Name 250000 Times To (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (art & other works, nerdfighter community) — Last week (week of 1 February 2021) nerdfighter Julia, inspired by one of John's signing livestreams, made an animated video, Lo-Fi Lang Syne Beats to Sign Your Name 250,000 Times To; John closes with part of it. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:02:52)
  • Lucas Arruda (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-10-18 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John was drawn to landscapes: Lucas Arruda's paintings, Byron Kim's abstracted landscape, Didier William's underseascape, Yoan Capote's plaster-and-metal landscape and Sam Moyer's stones-and-canvas painting. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London (00:01:49)
  • Macbeth (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-05 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — In a lightning round John names favorites: Behind the Beautiful Forevers (book of the year so far), Harvey (movie), the White Album, Charlie (YouTuber) and, this time, Macbeth over Hamlet. — The Dangling Rope of Terror: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:45)
  • Michelle Grabner (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-08-30 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — Art auctions are not only for the rich: eBay and Artsy.net run them all the time; a fundraiser auction now offers a work by Michelle Grabner, one of John's favorite artists, for $300. — How to Buy Good Art for Less Than $100,000,000 (00:00:58)
  • Mission AmyKR (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2010-09-15 · recommended (art & other works, friends & collaborators) — John recommends Amy Krouse Rosenthal's original positive pranking video and her Mission AmyKR project. — Positive Pranking: The TP Edition (00:02:07)
  • Mystic Pizza by John and Sarah (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2019-10-28 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John says a few pizza-slice-shaped watercolors, called Mystic Pizza by John and Sarah, are also available. — PIZZAMAS IS HERE!!!! (00:03:15)
  • Nathaniel Russell (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-08-30 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — One of John's favorite artworks at home is Nathaniel Russell's print demanding snake poems now; he loves that, unlike political or consumer posters, it just wants snake poetry. — How to Buy Good Art for Less Than $100,000,000 (00:00:00)
  • Neisser and Harsch's Challenger flashbulb memory study (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-06-30 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John introduces Neisser and Harsch's late-1980s work on flashbulb memories, the famous classic 1989 Challenger flashbulb memory study. — Poopy Nintendo Mystery SOLVED WITH SCIENCE (00:00:30)
  • Nine Hours of the Low Hum of an Industrial Air Handler (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-12-16 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John recommends Nine Hours of the Low Hum of an Industrial Air Handler: unlike YouTube clickbait it delivers exactly what its title promises, and it is another Hank project that improves his life. — John Green's Brother (00:02:55)
  • Pizza John Halloween mask (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2019-10-15 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug), playful) — John was anxious TSA would ask about the Pizza John Halloween masks in his backpack, but got through with no problem. — I'm Having a Lot of Feelings (00:00:00)
  • Pizza John zine (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • Pizzamas pin subscription (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-10-01 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John plugs the 2025 Pizzamas pin subscription: monthly bookplates featuring John and his mustache as a different literary character each month, beginning with Frankenstein. — Real Reasons for Hope (00:02:26)
  • Playlist of videos by Black creators (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-06-02 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — With input from friends and colleagues, John made a playlist of videos by Black creators on the long history of African American experience, from the Red Summer to poetry and vlogs. — --- (00:01:57)
  • Raymond Pettibon (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Requiem (Mozart) (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2021-11-16 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — When the mission was in jeopardy, transmissions stopped and state radio played Mozart's Requiem, the Soviet custom after a senior figure died but before the death was announced. — Orbital Sunrise: The First Art Made in Space (00:04:32)
  • Robert Hughes (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Sam Moyer (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-10-18 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John was drawn to landscapes: Lucas Arruda's paintings, Byron Kim's abstracted landscape, Didier William's underseascape, Yoan Capote's plaster-and-metal landscape and Sam Moyer's stones-and-canvas painting. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London (00:01:49)
  • Snake Poems Now (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-08-30 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — One of John's favorite artworks at home is Nathaniel Russell's print demanding snake poems now; he loves that, unlike political or consumer posters, it just wants snake poetry. — How to Buy Good Art for Less Than $100,000,000 (00:00:00)
  • Stories from Refugees (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2017-01-31 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John has put together a playlist of refugees telling their stories and asks viewers to listen to them, believe them and see them as people, not merely threats. — Understanding Trump's Executive Order on Immigration (00:07:07)
  • The Case for Kanye West (family & team; recommended 1)
    • 2016-07-19 · recommended (art & other works, family & team) — John calls Sarah's Art Assignment video The Case for Kanye West brilliant; since watching it he has listened more carefully to Kanye's music. — Pretty Bad Ways to Start a Conversation (00:00:02)
  • The Case for Video Games (family & team; recommended 1)
    • 2020-03-03 · recommended (art & other works, family & team) — John says Sarah and Complexly producer Brandon Brungard made a brilliant Art Assignment video last week (week of 24 February 2020), The Case for Video Games, and viewers should watch it. — Consciously Experiencing Human Dignity (00:00:00)
  • The Cone Life (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2020-05-05 · recommended (art & other works, nerdfighter community) — John recommends Rebecca's beautiful Instagram art project about traffic cones, Cone Life, and says he loves Nerdfighteria. — YOU'RE AN ALL STAR! (00:00:50)
  • The Merchant of Venice (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2020-09-15 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says the observation is old: in The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare writes 'All that glisters is not gold' and adds 'Often you have heard that told', so it was already a cliché. — All That Glitters Is Gold (00:00:00)
  • This Is Water (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • This Star Won't Go Out shirt (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2012-09-25 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John announces that 19-year-old Tatyana from Kazakhstan designed the winning This Star Won't Go Out contest shirt, now on pre-order at DFTBA.com. — Do Businesses Need to Suck? (00:03:24)
  • Timeline of Complex Life (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (art & other works, friends & collaborators) — John praises DFTBA merch: Nathan Zed's Good Enough Hoodies, Ariel Bissett's I'm Thinking About Books shirt, Tyler Thrasher's Cicada Plushie and Kurzgesagt's Timeline of Complex Life. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:02:45)
  • United States Declaration of Independence (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2017-05-09 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — John finds this deeply wrong: the Declaration of Independence names three inalienable rights, and before liberty and the pursuit of happiness comes life. — Your Neighborhood, Your Life Expectancy (00:03:18)
  • viral TikTok about time traveler Noah (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2020-08-25 · criticized (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says he keeps being tagged in a viral TikTok about a time traveler named Noah from 2030 with over 2 million likes, an obvious example of misinformation he will analyze. — Somebody once told me… (00:00:29)
  • Viridian Sun Bath Box (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — For people who love getting clean John recommends the Viridian Sun bath box he designed for Sun Basin Soap: a Pacific Northwest candle, his three favorite soaps, a bath bomb and bath salts. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:02:26)
  • Vlogbrothers shirt (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2010-09-06 · recommended (art & other works, own work (self-plug)) — John reminds Nerdfighteria that a vlogbrothers shirt designed by Nerdfighter Vondell Swain is on pre-order at DFTBA.com for one more week: get it now. — I HATE PENNIES!!!! (Also Nickels.) (00:03:37)
  • We Must Live In Joy Through the Sorrows of This World (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-29 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John shares a New Year's card by his and Hank's mother's artist friend Connie Bostic, 'We Must Live In Joy Through the Sorrows of this World', calling it the greatest of all time. — How to Give Away Over a Million Dollars (00:01:57)
  • Webb's First Deep Field (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2023-05-30 · cited as evidence (art & other works, outside the channel) — The coin's engraving was inspired by a JWST photograph showing a patch of sky the size of a grain of sand at arm's length, vast and teeming with galaxies. — How Does He Do It? (00:02:15)
  • William Kentridge (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Yoan Capote (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-10-18 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John was drawn to landscapes: Lucas Arruda's paintings, Byron Kim's abstracted landscape, Didier William's underseascape, Yoan Capote's plaster-and-metal landscape and Sam Moyer's stones-and-canvas painting. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London (00:01:49)
  • Young Farmers (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-07-09 · recommended (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says the photograph of three farmers on their way to a dance never gets old, nor do Nina Katchadourian's airplane-bathroom recreations of Renaissance portraits. — Life Hacks My Wife Taught Me (00:02:26)

Projects & channels (51)

  • DFTBA Records (own work (self-plug); recommended 16, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-11-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John tells Nerdfighters the Giant Squid of Anger shirt by Vondell Swain and a DFTBA shirt are in stock at DFTBA.com and ship immediately. — Giant Tortoise Coitus (00:02:54)
    • 2011-09-26 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a PS John says the Keep Calm and DFTBA posters are not just a rhetorical gambit but actually for sale at DFTBA.com. — Awesome Bankers? (00:03:24)
    • 2013-01-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John announces the poster is available for pre-order at DFTBA.com and says he will sign the first however many are pre-ordered. — Across Three Continents: A Tale of Tumblr, Copyright, and Excellent Posters (00:02:48)
    • 2013-12-03 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says royalties from Nerdfighter merchandise at DFTBA.com are always shared with the Nerdfighters who design it. — Who Owns DFTBA? An Introduction to Trademarks (00:02:27)
    • 2014-02-04 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says that, though hard to quantify, paying a living wage has let VidCon and DFTBA Records keep employees for years and grow sustainably. — Should We Raise the Minimum Wage? (00:03:12)
    • 2014-09-05 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John points viewers to dftba.com, with a link in the doobly-doo, to buy the signed posters. — REUNION TUESDAY! FRIDAY! WHATEVER! (00:02:02)
    • 2015-10-13 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John points out his Eleanor & Park t-shirt, which he got at DFTBA.com. — John Green's Fiery Race Car Disaster (00:01:01)
    • 2015-11-18 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Asked whether there will be Dear Hank and John merch, John instead plugs the Pizza John merch available now at DFTBA.com. — SUIT UP! A Very Fancy Reunion Video (Pizzamas Day 8) (00:00:45)
    • 2016-11-08 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says each year brings limited-edition Pizza John merch (this year (2016) a LaCroix Pizza John, a hoodie, shirts by Hank's favourite designers) at DFTBA.com, available only during Pizzamas. — A PIZZAMAS MIRACLE (00:00:52)
    • 2016-11-15 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says only a few days are left to order Pizzamas items, such as Pizza John shirts and PJs, from DFTBA.com before Pizzamas ends. — Good News/Bad News: A Pizzamas Video in Nine Slices (00:00:10)
    • 2016-11-17 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug), playful) — John reminds viewers that Pizzamas ends tomorrow and its items are available for only one more day at dftba.com. — Decathlons, Pretension, and the Weirdest Animal I've Met: It's Question Thursday (00:03:24)
    • 2017-11-01 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug), playful) — John tells a tipsy Hank that pitching DFTBA merch during Pizzamas is incredibly important. — Pizza Cocktails with John and Hank! (00:03:08)
    • 2017-11-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Granting a viewer's request, John announces the discount code 'Pizza' for one percent off anything at DFTBA.com for the next 24 hours. — Definitely Not A Pecan Orchard: A Pizzamas Question Tuesday (00:03:36)
    • 2019-01-15 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John recommends Valentines by Nerdfighter Sharon, available at DFTBA.com. — On Burning Resentment (00:03:24)
    • 2019-10-28 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Hank once made a video on Pizzamas' backstory; every year DFTBA.com commissions items themed on his mustachioed face, sold only during Pizzamas, which he unboxes unseen. — PIZZAMAS IS HERE!!!! (00:00:29)
    • 2019-10-30 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says the pineapple-pizza opinion pins, like all the merch, are available only during Pizzamas at DFTBA.com. — this is a video about pineapples. (00:03:24)
    • 2025-07-15 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — The description asks viewers to get the shirt Hank is wearing, on sale only for the next week. — LLAMAS Are NOT What You Think (00:00:00)
  • Crash Course (own work (self-plug); recommended 12, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-02-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John plugs the brothers' new show Crash Course, which teaches 'stuff', and plays a preview. — 10 Misconceptions Debunked! (00:03:08)
    • 2012-03-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John lets the Crash Course theme play the video out and asks Nerdfighters who haven't checked out the show to do so. — Sharpie Face Question Tuesday (00:03:20)
    • 2012-05-08 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John and Hank will hang out via Google+ on the Crash Course channel tomorrow (9 May 2012) at 3 p.m. Eastern; viewers should subscribe to watch. — Tiny Chickens Invade, But Still I Vote (00:01:59)
    • 2012-07-10 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says the new Crash Course World History episode is about the complicated story of slavery, and last week (week of 2 July 2012) he did the cinnamon challenge while discussing the Columbian Exchange. — Feeling More Alive: Fahrenheit 451's The Hearth and the Salamander (00:04:29)
    • 2012-08-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a postscript John asks viewers interested in education outside class to check out Crash Course and SciShow, the brothers' educational initiatives. — An Open Letter to Students Returning to School (00:03:34)
    • 2013-01-22 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Answering questions on Romeo ('if he were named Paris he wouldn't be nearly so hot') and Holden Caulfield, John points to Crash Course episodes and tells viewers they should subscribe. — How to Be More Than Friends: Question Tuesday (00:02:07)
    • 2013-10-15 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Crash Course, SciShow and Mental Floss all have large and growing audiences. — Thoughts for Nerdfighteria (00:01:20)
    • 2014-09-16 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — To pass AP Chemistry, John suggests Crash Course might help. — It's Question Tuesday! Cheesy Jokes, Paper Towns Movie, and Dinosaur Butt Brains (00:01:19)
    • 2016-03-01 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — When Hank bets there is a Crash Course video on it, John points to the Columbian Exchange Crash Course video, shown on screen over Hank's head. — Question Tuesday: The Potato Edition (00:01:20)
    • 2018-02-13 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Adriene Hill has just started hosting a new Crash Course series on statistics, whose episode Mathematical Thinking helped him understand differences between big numbers. — What Can't a Billion Dollars Buy? (00:00:01)
    • 2019-01-08 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — For the next 10 weeks John hosts a Crash Course series on navigating digital information, with an evidence-based approach to judging online information and spotting misinformation. — I Quit Social Media. Here's How It's Going (00:02:58)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John loves the people they work with and what they make (Eons, Journey to the Microcosmos, Crash Course, SciShow), which he watches daily and now understands a little. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:02:29)
    • 2024-03-19 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John invites viewers to the premiere to watch live together and chat, Monday at noon Eastern on the Crash Course channel. — Our $80,000,000 Bet (00:04:23)
  • Pizzamas (own work (self-plug); recommended 12)
    • 2016-11-17 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug), playful) — John reminds viewers that Pizzamas ends tomorrow and its items are available for only one more day at dftba.com. — Decathlons, Pretension, and the Weirdest Animal I've Met: It's Question Thursday (00:03:24)
    • 2019-11-01 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug), playful) — John shows the Pizzamas sweatshirt and scarf, available only during Pizzamas, then reads his note about pretending supplies are limited. — On Looking Up to Your Little Brother (00:03:37)
    • 2020-10-13 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John announces his mustache is back, a Pizzamas miracle, adding that not all miracles are good. — Me from the Past: A Pizzamas Miracle (00:00:00)
    • 2020-10-15 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a channel comment John highly recommends the Pizzamas hoodie, which is swaddling him as he types. — Civilization and the Lies We Love (00:00:00)
    • 2021-10-08 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — As October 2021 John he wears a shirt available only during Pizzamas at pizzamas.com; as February 2020 John, a hoodie. — On February 3rd, 2020, I Wrote a Video I Didn't Make. Here It Is. (00:00:22)
    • 2021-10-12 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says without the internet there would be no Pizzamas; the Pizzamas items, including his hoodie, are available only for a few more days at pizzamas.com, with all proceeds to charity. — Fine, I'll take the bait. (00:03:53)
    • 2022-10-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says that earlier in the day he and Hank saw art at a gallery and a fashion show at the IMA, and now they are in a treehouse. — Planets Don't Exist (00:01:00)
    • 2023-10-03 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says it is the last week of Pizzamas, with only a few days left to get Pizzamas t-shirts, a snuggly blanket and a color-changing mug at pizzamas.com. — Nourished by Leaving (00:00:00)
    • 2024-10-01 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he can use fame to connect with people and make their days better, and even to do silly and wondrous things like Pizzamas. — On Fame and Chappell Roan (00:04:44)
    • 2025-10-03 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Pizzamas rolls on, with only one week left to get Pizzamas stuff at pizzamas.com. — Is It Time to Retire? (00:00:00)
    • 2025-10-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John jokes that he doesn't deserve to have people buy a Pizzamas keychain featuring his mustachioed face as a cat, available only for the next few days. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege (00:05:16)
    • 2026-10-08 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John shows his Pizzamas hoodie, which made it into the meager supplies of the carry-on suitcase he has lived out of for almost a month: it has "pizza" on the aglets and Pizza Johns inside the hood; he praises DFTBA for committing to the weirdest bit. — The Test of a First Rate Intelligence (00:00:59)
  • Life's Library (own work (self-plug); recommended 10)
    • 2018-10-23 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — That idea is one reason John and Rosianna started the Life's Library Book Club, which thanks to viewers' overwhelming response is now open for enrollment. — Why Are Humans Suddenly Getting Better at Tetris? (00:03:01)
    • 2019-01-01 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John wants to read at least two books per month and be a productive member of the Life's Library Book Club community. — How to Make Goals, Not Resolutions (00:02:58)
    • 2019-01-15 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — The Life's Library book club's Q&A with author Jacqueline Woodson will be January 31st at noon Eastern. — On Burning Resentment (00:03:24)
    • 2019-01-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John tells viewers who missed signing up for the Life's Library book club that a few slots are open now at lifeslibrarybookclub.com. — Do You Believe in Miracles? (00:03:23)
    • 2019-03-05 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a P.S. John says more slots are opening in the Life's Library Book Club, to read with him, Rosianna and a community that includes many from Tuataria; more at lifeslibrarybookclub.com. — Way, Way Down the Rabbit Hole (00:03:24)
    • 2019-04-23 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Rosianna, who is great at titles, pointed John to the Julius Caesar line about the fault in our stars and came up with the title Life's Library for the book club. — untitled (00:02:26)
    • 2019-11-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Year-two subscriptions for the Life's Library book club have just opened: in 2020 it will read nine more books, beginning with Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. (00:03:10)
    • 2020-03-17 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John invites viewers to join Life's Library Book Club for free, with links in the description. — together. (00:02:55)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John always loved the Life's Library Book Club, where Nerdfighteria reads together while raising money to fight maternal mortality, but really loves it right now. — never get bored (00:02:34)
    • 2020-11-10 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Life's Library's annual membership enrollment begins this Friday (13 November 2020) and asks viewers to become members or gift a subscription to a friend, links in the description. — On Immunity, Inoculation, and Individuals (00:00:00)
  • The Art Assignment (friends & collaborators; recommended 9)
    • 2014-05-27 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — Sarah's new show The Art Assignment is going great, with a new assignment from artist Kate Gilmore and a thriving community making everything from gifs to sculptures. — ALL THE SHIRTS (and some paths to community) (00:02:11)
    • 2016-07-19 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John calls Sarah's Art Assignment video The Case for Kanye West brilliant; since watching it he has listened more carefully to Kanye's music. — Pretty Bad Ways to Start a Conversation (00:00:02)
    • 2016-10-04 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John says Mark was filming the day for The Art Assignment, so an 'Art Trip: London' video like this one, but much better, is coming soon. — Drowzees and Masterpieces: Thoughts from London (00:00:27)
    • 2018-01-02 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John praises Art Cooking, a series on Sarah's PBS Digital channel The Art Assignment (e.g. Salvador Dali's crawfish tower), for teaching food and cooking together with art. — BRING IT IN 2018 (00:00:27)
    • 2018-04-10 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John says Sarah made a brilliant Art Assignment video last week (week of 2 April 2018) on how extremely wealthy people sometimes use art collecting to avoid taxation, which prompted this video. — Who Do Tax Breaks Benefit? (00:00:00)
    • 2019-03-26 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John's favorite Catholic saint is probably St. Francis, but Sister Corita Kent would be his favorite if canonized, as a recent Art Assignment video explains. — Optimism and Spider People: Question Tuesday from the Looking for Alaska Set (00:01:57)
    • 2019-07-09 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John recommends decorating your walls, which he once thought an unnecessary expense: album art, prints made with an Art Assignment video, or student art shows; it enriches indoor life. — Life Hacks My Wife Taught Me (00:02:26)
    • 2021-12-01 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John notes Sarah made a fascinating Art Assignment video about that painting and why it is art-historically significant. — Loving the Loves of Your Loves (00:01:27)
    • 2026-02-14 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John says he found out about Alexei Leonov's art through an Art Assignment video called Art in Space, and that The Art Assignment remains maybe his all-time favorite YouTube channel. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! (06:48:20)
  • Awesome Coffee Club (own work (self-plug); recommended 6)
    • 2022-07-19 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a P.S. John jokes it is probably illegal to market to Orin, who doesn't drink coffee anyway, and points viewers to AwesomeCoffeeClub.com, their new coffee subscription. — Why Do Things Exist? (00:03:40)
    • 2022-11-15 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says the other really important revenue source for the project is socks and coffee. — 3 Years In: What Happened, Why, and What's Next (00:03:24)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — For coffee lovers John suggests an Awesome Coffee Club membership: carefully sourced, perfectly roasted beans, with 100% of profits supporting better maternal health in Sierra Leone. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:02:54)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John announces the Awesome Coffee Club is accepting new members now, calling it the best coffee in the world. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:03:05)
    • 2023-08-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he wasn't very good at the job and is thrilled to be demoted back to his natural role as unpaid social media intern making memes about the coffee. — Breaking News: CEO Demoted (00:01:57)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — For coffee lovers John recommends the Awesome Coffee gift boxes. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:03:21)
  • Good Store (own work (self-plug); recommended 6)
    • 2024-11-05 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John plugs Good Store for holiday gifts (soap, socks, undies, coffee, tea, gift bundles), noting 100% of profit goes to charity, and jokes he feels obligated to say so. — Why Do I Still Make YouTube Videos? (00:03:53)
    • 2024-11-12 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a mid-roll Good Store did not pay for, John recommends Good Store, which gives all its profit to charity, for holiday gifts: boxes of tea, coffee, socks and soap. — BELIEVE: The Jimmy Glass Story (00:01:56)
    • 2025-05-13 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Good.Store's Awesome Socks Club and Sun Basin Soap together have raised $10 million for the Maternal Center of Excellence project. — I Have the BEST News (00:00:58)
    • 2025-09-09 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he needs no chill vibes in 2025: in the morning he needs a rocket ship, coffee, specifically Keats & Co.'s Octavia Blend, available at good.store. — Sorry, Hank, but Coffee Is Just Better (00:02:26)
    • 2025-11-11 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Good Store, another way to support Partners In Health and the Coral Reef Alliance, raised about $10 million over the last five years to fight maternal and child mortality in Sierra Leone. — John's Annual Psychophysical Decline (00:03:04)
    • 2026-04-14 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Good Store, Hank's idea for a store giving 100% of profit to charity, has donated over $11.5 million, supporting everything from ambulance services to the NICU. — Babies. Babies. Babies. (00:03:53)
  • Healthcare Triage (friends & collaborators; recommended 6)
  • Awesome Socks Club (own work (self-plug); recommended 5)
    • 2022-11-01 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a mock ad, John says the Awesome Socks Club is taking subscribers again: Hank's idea of great socks with 100% of proceeds to charity has exploded. — Is This Painting Upside Down? (00:00:29)
    • 2022-11-08 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Ranking socks like the sodas, John calls Awesome Socks the Dr Pepper of socks: perfect, with 100% of proceeds going to charity, unlike Dr Pepper. — Dr Pepper Enthusiast John Green Taste Tests Dr Pepper and Its Misbegotten Pretenders (00:05:54)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John jokes that Hank kept working anyway: making ads for the Socks Club and Crash Course Coin, shooting SciShow, pitching business ideas daily and making Vlogbrothers videos while in pain. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:00:29)
    • 2023-06-27 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — After a day packing socks at the DFTBA warehouse and learning how the coffee and socks are shipped, John believes more than ever in the company and its people. — Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion (00:00:00)
    • 2023-08-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — The description says all the clubs are now part of the brothers' new project Good Store, where you can subscribe to a better world. — Breaking News: CEO Demoted (00:00:00)
  • How to Vote in Every State (own work (self-plug); recommended 4)
    • 2016-08-09 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John thanks Hank for the brilliant, astonishingly comprehensive youtube.com/howtovoteineverystate. — Why I Didn't Vote (And Six Reasons You Might Not) (00:00:01)
    • 2016-10-11 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John urges viewers who are unregistered or unsure to check at youtube.com/howtovoteineverystate, since many states' registration deadline is today, and to vote. — Understanding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's Tax Plans (00:10:18)
    • 2016-11-08 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John asks eligible American voters to look up their polling place in the doobly-doo, check youtube.com/howtovoteineverystate for what to bring, and go vote. — A PIZZAMAS MIRACLE (00:02:27)
    • 2018-10-02 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Asked how to vote in every state, John says to look at Hank's 'amazing project' How to Vote in Every State. — How Much Do You Love Each Other? It's Question Tuesday (00:00:34)
  • Nerdfighteria Census (nerdfighter community; recommended 2, cited as evidence 2)
    • 2016-11-09 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John says Nerdfighteria is also an echo chamber: just 4% of Nerdfighters who filled out this year's (2016) census said they would vote for Donald Trump. — My Post-Election Thoughts (00:01:17)
    • 2020-01-07 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John hopes viewers will begin the year with the Nerdfighteria Census, which helps the brothers set the community's priorities; links are in the description and comments. — Endings · Beginnings (00:03:32)
    • 2021-12-14 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John filled out the semi-annual Nerdfighteria Census and tells Hank it was unusually wonderful, and not only because it included a playful question about Waluigi. — MAKE. BELIEVE. (00:02:55)
    • 2026-02-03 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John says the video won't reach a representative sample of America: a recent Nerdfighteria Census found more community members voted for Jill Stein than for Donald Trump. — Does the truth still matter? (00:00:29)
  • Sun Basin Soap (own work (self-plug); recommended 4)
    • 2023-08-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a comment John says the soap is cheaper than other luxury brands at $6 a bar for six bars, but competes on quality, not price. — Breaking News: CEO Demoted (00:00:00)
    • 2023-11-28 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — For people who love getting clean John recommends the Viridian Sun bath box he designed for Sun Basin Soap: a Pacific Northwest candle, his three favorite soaps, a bath bomb and bath salts. — John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations (00:02:26)
    • 2025-11-11 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John presents Good Store's holiday bundles in three categories: socks and Sun Basin soap, candles and bath bombs fund the MCOE; coffee and tea fight TB; EcoGeek products fund the Coral Reef Alliance. — John's Annual Psychophysical Decline (00:03:34)
    • 2026-05-05 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — For Hank's birthday John offers the year's best deal on Sun Basin Soap, all profit going to the Maternal Center of Excellence, with deals linked in the description. — Noted Brother Hank Green (00:04:02)
  • The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast) (own work (self-plug); recommended 4)
    • 2018-04-24 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John's new podcast The Anthropocene Reviewed tries to look at the world this way; a new episode is out on Thursday, details in the doobly-doo. — This Video is about Red Eyed Tree Frogs? (00:03:17)
    • 2019-01-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John wrote a lot about Wimbledon and penalty shootouts in the latest episode of The Anthropocene Reviewed; a new episode comes out in two days. — Do You Believe in Miracles? (00:03:23)
    • 2019-10-30 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Summarizing his Anthropocene Reviewed episode, John says pineapple pizza was invented in 1962 in Canada by a Greek immigrant inspired by Chinese cuisine to put a South American food on an Italian dish. — this is a video about pineapples. (00:00:29)
    • 2019-12-03 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — A limited-edition signed vinyl of The Anthropocene Reviewed is also a P4A perk. — We Are Cats Now, I Guess? (00:01:26)
  • 100 Days (own work (self-plug); recommended 3)
    • 2016-11-22 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he and his best friend Chris have just started filming their new health and fitness show 100 Days, starting January 1 at youtube.com/100days; they exercise six days a week. — On Not Seeing Hamilton (00:02:26)
    • 2017-03-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a P.S., John says he and his best friend Chris are on a health and fitness journey on 100 Days and will run a 10K race on day 100, with all proceeds to Exodus. — Hoping for an Airport Reunion: One Refugee Family's Story (00:04:39)
    • 2017-04-18 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John points viewers to a video on the 100 Days channel where he talks about his OCD in much more detail, linked below. — Framing (00:02:22)
  • John's Channel (own work (self-plug); recommended 3)
    • 2024-09-23 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he will try to livestream for at least an hour or two every day on his new channel, John's Channel. — IT'S HERE! (00:03:19)
    • 2024-10-22 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he has been livestreaming signing sessions on John's Channel and invites viewers to hang out with him in a low-stress way, link below. — My New Book: Everything Is Tuberculosis (00:03:20)
    • 2025-11-24 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John invites viewers to his livestreams on John's Channel, where he will keep talking about Good Store, play FIFA, answer questions and hang out with Stan. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:43:13)
  • Keats & Co. (own work (self-plug); recommended 3)
    • 2025-09-09 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he needs no chill vibes in 2025: in the morning he needs a rocket ship, coffee, specifically Keats & Co.'s Octavia Blend, available at good.store. — Sorry, Hank, but Coffee Is Just Better (00:02:26)
    • 2025-11-24 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John presents Keats & Co., a coffee and tea company supporting comprehensive TB care in Lesotho: peppermint and Blooming Wild Black teas, Octavia and Calypso coffees, Paradoxica decaf, teacups and a tea strainer. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:02:03)
    • 2026-03-17 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Keats & Co. delivers coffee and tea to your home and donates 100% of the profit to fight tuberculosis in impoverished communities. — Tuberculosis and Hank's Shingles (00:04:44)
  • Project for Awesome (own work (self-plug); recommended 1, cited as evidence 2)
    • 2011-07-27 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Nerdfighters raised $150,000 in 48 hours during the Project for Awesome. — 150,000 Autographs (00:01:08)
    • 2014-09-30 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says the community just raised $300,000 for Water.org in Ethiopia, more than the first six Projects for Awesome raised combined. — Keeping it EVEN REALER (00:02:02)
    • 2026-01-13 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John tells viewers they can nominate a charity to receive P4A funds by making a video before February 8th; the description asks them to make one. — why we make art (00:00:58)
  • SciShow (own work (self-plug); recommended 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-08-07 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — In a postscript John asks viewers interested in education outside class to check out Crash Course and SciShow, the brothers' educational initiatives. — An Open Letter to Students Returning to School (00:03:34)
    • 2013-10-15 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says Crash Course, SciShow and Mental Floss all have large and growing audiences. — Thoughts for Nerdfighteria (00:01:20)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John jokes that Hank kept working anyway: making ads for the Socks Club and Crash Course Coin, shooting SciShow, pitching business ideas daily and making Vlogbrothers videos while in pain. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:00:29)
  • TBFighters (nerdfighter community; recommended 3)
    • 2024-03-12 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John asks viewers interested in upcoming efforts to fight tuberculosis to check out the new TB Fighters newsletter, available at the link in the description. — How We End TB (00:04:49)
    • 2024-09-27 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John says the TB Fighters community asks viewers to call their congressperson about the act, with info in the description: a rare phone call that could save lives. — Is It 2010? IT'S A PARTS VIDEO (00:01:13)
    • 2025-06-10 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John says he has seen TB Fighters win bipartisan support for anti-tuberculosis efforts. — 90,000,000 Lives for $20 (00:03:24)
  • VidCon (own work (self-plug); recommended 1, cited as evidence 2)
    • 2014-02-04 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says that, though hard to quantify, paying a living wage has let VidCon and DFTBA Records keep employees for years and grow sustainably. — Should We Raise the Minimum Wage? (00:03:12)
    • 2016-05-03 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John tells Nerdfighters that to take part in VidCon signings and meet-and-greets they must register by May 13. — No Fumar (00:02:58)
    • 2024-01-30 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says most successful creators of their moment move on from YouTube: of the featured creators at the first VidCon in 2010, almost none make their living on YouTube today. — How Vlogbrothers Will End (00:01:05)
  • Dear Hank and John (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2025-08-05 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says viewers who like this will love Dear Hank and John, which is basically this conversation plus listener questions. — ONE TAKE JOHNNY (00:15:36)
    • 2026-01-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says this is partly how his mind works and partly the result of things that happened around 2014, which he and Hank discuss in this week's (week of 19 January 2026) Dear Hank and John. — Am I ... Good? (00:00:58)
  • Foundation to Decrease World Suck (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2007-03-09 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says there is now a link at Brotherhood2.com for contributing to the Brotherhood 2.0 fund for decreasing suck levels worldwide and asks viewers to contribute. — Brotherhood 2.0: March 9, 2007: Peeptastic! (00:02:57)
    • 2018-10-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — This year (2018) all Pizzamas profits and royalties go to the Foundation to Decrease World Suck, to be used as matching funds during the Project for Awesome. — PIZZAMAS IS HERE! (00:00:31)
  • HankGames (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2013-11-05 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John asks Nerdfighters who want to help to subscribe to HankGames and watch the videos, via his face or the link in the description. — Our Strangest Project Yet? (00:03:22)
    • 2015-12-29 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says he is off to play FIFA as the AFC Wimbledon Wimbly-Womblies, which can be found on HankGames. — How to Give Away Over a Million Dollars (00:02:33)
  • Journey to the Microcosmos (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2019-08-27 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John tells Hank that Journey to the Microcosmos helped him grasp the diversity and ubiquity of life on Earth and is maybe his favorite YouTube channel of all time. — Are Viruses Necessary? (00:02:26)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John loves the people they work with and what they make (Eons, Journey to the Microcosmos, Crash Course, SciShow), which he watches daily and now understands a little. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:02:29)
  • Nerdfighter Ning (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2008-03-04 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — To a 17-year-old whom no one at school talks to, John says he wishes he had an answer, but lots of people will talk to them at the Ning. — SETTING THE QUESTION TUESDAY WORLD RECORD (00:02:51)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — To find local Nerdfighters, John points to Facebook, the Ning and Your Pants, where there are many location-specific Nerdfighter groups. — Solving Your Problems! (00:03:16)
  • Sports with John (own work (self-plug); recommended 2)
    • 2014-06-17 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John invites viewers to follow the World Cup with him on his sports Twitter, @sportswithjohn. — Old. (00:02:38)
    • 2018-06-12 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John will live-tweet every game of this year's (2018) World Cup from his sports Twitter, @sportswithjohn. — Your 4-Minute Guide to ALL 32 TEAMS at the 2018 World Cup (00:03:50)
  • The Road to Nerdfighteria (nerdfighter community; recommended 2)
  • Bank of Nerdfighteria (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2011-09-26 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John encourages Nerdfighters to check out and join the Kiva.org Nerdfighter group and lend, from as little as $25, saying they can do even better. — Awesome Bankers? (00:02:55)
  • Brotherhood 2.0 forum (own work (self-plug); cited as evidence 1)
  • EcoGeek (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-11-11 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says EcoGeek sells dish soap, laundry sheets and a new dishwasher powder designed in part by Alec from Technology Connections. — John's Annual Psychophysical Decline (00:04:03)
  • Eff Yeah Nerdfighters (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2011-05-23 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — After years as fans of the Eff Yeah Nerdfighters Tumblr, John and Hank both got Tumblrs earlier this month (May 2011), on the same day. — Eating the Unicorn (00:02:34)
  • Eons (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2023-06-20 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John loves the people they work with and what they make (Eons, Journey to the Microcosmos, Crash Course, SciShow), which he watches daily and now understands a little. — Reflections from a Terrible CEO (00:02:29)
  • Friends of Esther Fund (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2010-08-27 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John asks those so inclined to give to the Friends of Esther Fund, which goes directly to her family for expenses incurred during her care; link in the doobly-doo. — Rest In Awesome, Esther (00:02:01)
  • Guide to Nerdfighting (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2010-08-20 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John reports that made-of-awesome Nerdfighters are making a crowdsourced book, a guide to nerdfighting, with Nerdfighter language definitions, stories from Nerdfighteria and artwork. — The Fox Hat IS REAL, but Are Zombies People? (00:00:58)
  • Nerdcrafteria (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2014-05-27 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John points gamers to Nerdcrafteria, an amazing Nerdfighter Minecraft server that also raises money to decrease world suck: check it out. — ALL THE SHIRTS (and some paths to community) (00:02:02)
  • Nerdfighter Book Club (nerdfighter community; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-03-15 · cited as evidence (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John says the worst thing one can do is not try to decrease suck levels, which he says is what the first Brotherhood 2.0 book club book was about. — Brotherhood 2.0: March 15: Decreasing Suck (00:02:15)
  • Our Pants (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2013-11-19 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — John says there are always Nerdfighters in Our Pants (linked in the description) who will listen to you if you listen back. — On Middle School Misery (00:02:34)
  • Ours Poetica (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2020-03-17 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John has found YouTube videos helpful, such as Grant at 3Blue1Brown explaining exponential growth and Jane Wong reading a poem on Ours Poetica. — together. (00:02:55)
  • Podcast Because Awesome (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2015-05-26 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — Meanwhile John recommends Hank's podcast with his friends, called on air the 'Tour Because Awesome Podcast'. — Sixteen Parts (00:00:42)
  • SciShow Space (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • Study Hall (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2023-01-31 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John calls Hank's newly announced Study Hall, a Complexly, ASU and Google partnership linking educational YouTube videos to college credit, brilliant. — I'm Going Back to College? (00:02:35)
  • TATWD spoilers subreddit (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2017-10-10 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John has created a spoiler subreddit for the book where readers can discuss it with each other and ask him questions directly; the link is in the description. — Turtles All the Way Down!!! A Reunion Video (00:00:27)
  • The Away End (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
  • The Brain Scoop (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2013-03-20 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — John plugs Brain Scoop merchandise, saying he has no involvement with the Brain Scoop except loving it. — Ads Work...but for Whom? (00:03:03)
  • The Financial Diet (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2019-05-14 · recommended (projects & channels, friends & collaborators) — Though aggressively bad at math, John recommends learning personal finance from Gaby Dunn's book Bad with Money, the Planet Money podcast, and the YouTube shows Two Cents and The Financial Diet. — An Open Letter to Professional YouTubers (00:00:58)
  • theanthropocenereviewed.com (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2021-05-18 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community) — In response, Nerdfighters Jim and Rhett made theanthropocenereviewed.com, where people share their book's approximate location and review that location; John is glad he never bought the domain. — Saying What I've Needed to Say to Hank for a While (00:00:24)
  • Truth or Fail (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2011-02-14 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — P.S.: Hank has just made a very funny Valentine's Day Truth or Fail; viewers can click the screen to see it. — CHUBBY BUNNY...blergh! (00:02:14)
  • Tuatara Discord (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
  • We're Here newsletter (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-14 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John says the 2026 Project for Awesome has raised over $2.1 million with some 24 hours and 30 minutes left. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! (01:39:12)
  • Your Pants (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (projects & channels, nerdfighter community, playful) — To find local Nerdfighters, John points to Facebook, the Ning and Your Pants, where there are many location-specific Nerdfighter groups. — Solving Your Problems! (00:03:16)
  • Zonderia (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2025-12-16 · recommended (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John congratulates Hank on launching Zonderia, his ridiculous and beautiful channel that uses white noise to make money for charity, and says he uses it to sleep and focus. — John Green's Brother (00:02:26)

Characters (12)

  • Edward Cullen (outside the channel; criticized 2)
    • 2008-05-20 · criticized (characters, outside the channel) — On Edward or Jacob, John calls Edward Cullen a beautiful but empty vessel for our hopes; people who are mostly ideas attract more, but loving one is not sustainable, so he picks Jacob. — Guys Love Giraffe Love (00:00:41)
    • 2009-11-29 · criticized (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John comically summarises Twilight: Edward Cullen looks 17 but is a 107-year-old sparkly vampire who dates a 16-year-old girl, "which for some reason isn't wrong". — John Reviews Twilight and New Moon (00:00:15)
  • Tom Buchanan (outside the channel; criticized 2)
  • Batman (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2014-10-07 · criticized (characters, outside the channel) — Riding with Sarah Fisher felt like her driving the Batmobile with John as Robin, which reminded him that though he is a big Sarah Fisher fan, he kind of hates Batman. — I Kind of Hate Batman (00:00:10)
  • Bella Swan (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-11-29 · criticized (characters, outside the channel) — John says the books suggest Bella can't be whole without a man to take care of her, whereas a woman needs a man "like a fish needs a bicycle". — John Reviews Twilight and New Moon (00:01:13)
  • Colin Singleton (own work (self-plug); cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-03-29 · cited as evidence (characters, own work (self-plug)) — John says the line ('what is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable') was meant as a joke: it is what Colin Singleton believes at the start and spends the book learning is bull. — Quotations (And Holden Hats) (00:01:17)
  • Jean-Luc Picard (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-08-30 · recommended (characters, outside the channel) — John picks Picard over Kirk, Mario over Link, Canon over Nikon, Final Cut as best editing software, Amsterdam as favorite city and Fantasia as favorite Disney movie. — 100 QUESTIONS ANSWERED!!!!!!! (00:02:55)
  • Ms. Marvel (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Scorpion (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2007-09-06 · criticized (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John corrects the song's lyric: Scorpion's fatality was taking off his mask and breathing fire to reduce the victim to bones; ripping off the spine was Sub-Zero's. — September 6th: The Book Club Returns (00:00:00)
  • Self-Care Bunny (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2017-04-04 · recommended (characters, nerdfighter community) — In the end screen John says Rosianna's Self-Care Bunny is now available as a poster at DFTBA.com. — Why I Won't Run for Office (00:03:23)
  • Splinter (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Sub-Zero (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2007-09-06 · criticized (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John corrects the song's lyric: Scorpion's fatality was taking off his mask and breathing fire to reduce the victim to bones; ripping off the spine was Sub-Zero's. — September 6th: The Book Club Returns (00:00:00)
  • Uncle Sam (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2007-11-30 · criticized (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John says Santa Claus was invented by the same man who invented Uncle Sam. — Nov. 30th: A CHRISTMAS RANT (00:00:39)

Other people & groups (82)

  • Ann Swinfen (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — For peaceful hours with a great mystery series, John recommends Ann Swinfen's novels, introduced by Stan Muller: The Bookseller's Tale, first of his favorite series, set in Oxford in 1353 amid medieval bookmaking. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:00)
    • 2025-10-21 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says one of his favorite writers, Ann Swinfen, self-published her books. — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective (00:01:30)
  • Annie Dillard (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2021-01-12 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Under 'read books, not tweets', John says reading Annie Dillard, Terry Tempest Williams or even Paul Farmer's upsetting book on Sierra Leone and Ebola leaves him informed and engaged, without Twitter's panicky dopamine rush. — My 2021 Vision Board (00:02:45)
    • 2021-09-21 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John's probably favorite book about writing is Annie Dillard's The Writing Life, with its observation that how we spend our days is how we spend our lives. — how we spend our days (00:00:00)
  • Clint Smith (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2020-06-02 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John points to reading and non-YouTube video below that helped him, including a beautiful and wrenching essay by Clint Smith. — --- (00:02:26)
    • 2020-07-21 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John recommends Clint Smith's poem 'When People Say We Have Made It Through Worse Before', linked below, which opens on the graves of those who did not make it. — Somebody Once Asked . . . (00:00:29)
  • Joseph Stalin (outside the channel; criticized 2)
    • 2014-03-04 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says that after Ukraine joined the USSR, as many as 10 million Ukrainians starved in 1932-33 because of Stalin's 'stupid' and 'actively evil' agricultural policies, in what is now the world's third-largest grain exporter. — Understanding Ukraine: The Problems Today and Some Historical Context (00:01:10)
    • 2022-03-15 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says that in the Holodomor of 1932-33 millions of Ukrainians starved because Stalin's policies took food from Ukrainian homes and fields and sent it elsewhere in the Soviet Union. — Ukraine and Russia: What Caused the War? (00:01:27)
  • Julia Baird (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2021-07-27 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Baird cites several studies linking savoring to well-being, which John says aligns with his own experience. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns (00:00:29)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Julia Baird's Phosphorescence also treats us as participants in reality, not observers: it is about living with cancer, creatures that make their own light and the science of human joy. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:01:56)
  • Aaron Burr (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Aaron Carroll (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2020-03-17 · recommended (other people & groups, friends & collaborators) — For the health and systemic risks of the pandemic, John watches Dr. Aaron Carroll on Healthcare Triage because he is an expert, and links other resources. — together. (00:01:56)
  • Aesop (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2020-09-15 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Chaucer wrote a version two centuries before Shakespeare, and Aesop made a similar observation 2,600 years ago. — All That Glitters Is Gold (00:00:29)
  • Agnes Martin (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Asked for his current favorite artwork, John says he is a big fan of Agnes Martin, an artist who painted with her back to the world. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (07:22:25)
  • Alan Krueger (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-02-04 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John reports Card and Krueger's study: New Jersey raised its minimum wage in 1992 while neighbouring Pennsylvania did not, and restaurant employment in New Jersey actually increased. — Should We Raise the Minimum Wage? (00:01:19)
  • Alan Kurdi (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Alaska Natives (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2024-09-10 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Up to 35% of Native Alaskans could expect to die of TB, John says, a rate higher than at the peak of Europe's 18th-century epidemic. — The world will change. (00:00:00)
  • Alex Pretti (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-02-03 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Alex Pretti had both hands on the ground and was disarmed when he was shot ten times, yet to some of John's family it doesn't look like murder. — Does the truth still matter? (00:00:58)
  • Ashley C. Ford (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2018-09-11 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Patrick Rothfuss, Ashley Ford, Catherynne Valente and several other writers have blurbed the book. — Surprise . . . (00:02:55)
  • Bailor Barrie (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2021-12-21 · recommended (other people & groups, friends & collaborators) — John calls the letter from PIH Sierra Leone Executive Director Dr. Bailor Barrie beautiful, with a link to read it. — NOW I AM THE SCIENCE ONE… (00:02:55)
  • Bampett Muhammad (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Bill Gates (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-10-21 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Citing Bill Gates, John says the collapse of public health care in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea has probably caused more non-Ebola deaths than Ebola has. — Ebola: What IS Terrifying (00:02:00)
  • Bolsheviks (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2022-03-15 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Joseph Stalin was one of the generals who led the Bolshevik invasion of Ukraine and cemented himself as Soviet leader in 1929. — Ukraine and Russia: What Caused the War? (00:00:58)
  • Buwei Yang Chao (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Lastly John recommends the 1945 cookbook How to Cook and Eat in Chinese by Buwei Yang Chao, a Chinese physician who emigrated to the US in the 1920s: out of print for decades, wonderfully postmodern. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:55)
  • Catherynne M. Valente (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2018-09-11 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Patrick Rothfuss, Ashley Ford, Catherynne Valente and several other writers have blurbed the book. — Surprise . . . (00:02:55)
  • Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Charles Darrow (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2016-04-05 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says in 1935 door-to-door salesman Charles Darrow sold Monopoly to Parker Brothers; it became hugely successful and Darrow was the first board game millionaire. — What's Wrong with Monopoly? (00:01:44)
  • Dan Howell (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-05-11 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John is also doing an event with Dan Howell about Dan's book You Will Get Through This Night; info and tickets are in the description. — I am a small boat. It's Question Tuesday. (00:03:42)
  • David Card (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-02-04 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John reports Card and Krueger's study: New Jersey raised its minimum wage in 1992 while neighbouring Pennsylvania did not, and restaurant employment in New Jersey actually increased. — Should We Raise the Minimum Wage? (00:01:19)
  • Donna Seaman (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-09-22 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Donna Seaman, another of John's all-time favorite reviewers, called the book spellbinding, tender, funny and compassionate. — I Want You to Know Nothing About This (00:00:32)
  • Erik Samuelson (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Admitting bias, John recommends All Together Now by longtime AFC Wimbledon CEO Erik Samuelson: the greatest underdog sports story of all time, told by one who made it happen. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:02:26)
  • Erna Hanfstaengl (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-07-17 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says of the other two likely lovers, Maria Reiter attempted suicide during her break-up with Hitler, and Erna Hanfstaengl tried to kill or overthrow him in 1943. — Hitler and Sex! (00:02:22)
  • Eugène Boudin (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-08-30 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Not everything costs like a Monet: works on paper by Eugène Boudin, Monet's teacher and one of John's favorite Impressionists, sometimes sell for a couple thousand dollars, 1/100,000th the cost of a Monet. — How to Buy Good Art for Less Than $100,000,000 (00:01:56)
  • Eva Braun (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-07-17 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Hitler was controlling, possessive and domineering, with all the hallmarks of an abusive relationship; four of the six women he most likely had sex with killed themselves, including Eva Braun, married 40 hours before. — Hitler and Sex! (00:01:59)
  • Frank Ryan (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2025-02-25 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John cites an estimate from Frank Ryan's book that TB has killed around one in seven people who have ever lived. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS (00:04:58)
  • Frank Snowden (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Frank Snowden's Epidemics and Society helped John see that infectious disease has always been among history's most important forces: we think of Alexander the Great and Cleopatra, but it's mostly microbes. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:58)
  • Gail Perkins (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-08-25 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Researching Everything Is Tuberculosis, John read Gail Perkins's memoir The Baby's Cross: infected by raw milk at three, she spent over 13 years in a sanatorium and came home unaccustomed to touch. — The Great Thing about Infectious Disease (00:03:24)
  • Geli Raubal (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-07-17 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Hitler was controlling, possessive and domineering, with all the hallmarks of an abusive relationship; four of the six women he most likely had sex with killed themselves, including Eva Braun, married 40 hours before. — Hitler and Sex! (00:01:59)
  • George Washington (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Henry Reider (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2025-03-18 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says readers will want to follow Henry and his mother Isatu in Sierra Leone, and asks viewers to subscribe to Henry's YouTube channel, linked in the description. — ITS ALL HAPPENING (00:02:58)
  • Herodotus (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2021-01-26 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Herodotus wrote 2,400 years ago that the Persian emperor Xerxes, marching through a sycamore grove, found one so beautiful he decorated it with gold and left a soldier to guard it. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed (00:08:55)
  • Isata Dumbuya (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-04-14 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says that seven years ago Isata Dumbuya told him decision-to-incision time averaged 12 hours; now it is much faster thanks to safe, clean, well-staffed operating suites. — Babies. Babies. Babies. (00:02:26)
  • James Buchanan (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • James Wilkinson (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Jill Stein (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-02-03 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says the video won't reach a representative sample of America: a recent Nerdfighteria Census found more community members voted for Jill Stein than for Donald Trump. — Does the truth still matter? (00:00:29)
  • John Podesta (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Joseph Conrad (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-06-05 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John has really enjoyed an extraordinarily engrossing biography of Joseph Conrad, words he never thought he would say. — WHERE IS MY NORTON ANTHOLOGY OF POETRY (00:01:14)
  • Karen Kavett (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2010-12-13 · recommended (other people & groups, nerdfighter community) — John is grateful for Karen Kavett, a longtime Nerdfighter who designed this year's (2010) Project for Awesome thumbnail and did all the French Revolution videos. — 8 Things I Love (00:00:49)
  • Laura Miller (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-09-22 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Laura Miller of Slate, John's all-time favorite book reviewer, called the book hilariously frank and profane in an exceptionally generous review. — I Want You to Know Nothing About This (00:00:32)
  • Lieutenant governor of Indiana (unnamed) (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2026-08-18 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Last week (week of 10 August 2026) John made an Instagram video praising the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles that also criticized Indiana's lieutenant governor. — My Nemeses (00:02:28)
  • Lindsey Graham (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Maria Reiter (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-07-17 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says of the other two likely lovers, Maria Reiter attempted suicide during her break-up with Hitler, and Erna Hanfstaengl tried to kill or overthrow him in 1943. — Hitler and Sex! (00:02:22)
  • Militia occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Nandita Venkatesan (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says access to bedaquiline took Phumeza Tisile and her friend Nandita suing the Indian government, which ruled Johnson & Johnson's attempt to extend its patent was not meaningful innovation. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (01:40:08)
  • Nate Silver (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2013-01-01 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Citing Nate Silver's analysis, John says the number of swing districts, where either party has about an equal chance, fell from 103 to 35 over the last 20 years. — Why Does Congress Suck? (00:02:05)
  • Ne Win (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-05-17 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Ne Win, the first military ruler, bathed in dolphin blood to stay young and tried to switch Burma's currency to base 9, his lucky number. — Burma! Myanmar? BURMA! (00:01:22)
  • Nicole Harsch (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-06-30 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John introduces Neisser and Harsch's late-1980s work on flashbulb memories, the famous classic 1989 Challenger flashbulb memory study. — Poopy Nintendo Mystery SOLVED WITH SCIENCE (00:00:30)
  • Nina Katchadourian (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-07-09 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says the photograph of three farmers on their way to a dance never gets old, nor do Nina Katchadourian's airplane-bathroom recreations of Renaissance portraits. — Life Hacks My Wife Taught Me (00:02:26)
  • Padre Pio (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2010-04-16 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John recommends Padre Pio, a relatively recent saint whom many consider a bit nutty, as patron saint of YouTube, and shows he keeps him in his wallet. — The Patron Saint of Youtube (00:02:00)
  • Pat Robertson (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-01-13 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Pat Robertson, explaining why an active God allowed the earthquake in the worst possible place, claimed Haitians made a deal with the devil and were getting payback; John calls that stupid. — Froghoppin' with Gatsby (00:02:47)
  • Phumeza Tisile (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says access to bedaquiline took Phumeza Tisile and her friend Nandita suing the Indian government, which ruled Johnson & Johnson's attempt to extend its patent was not meaningful innovation. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (01:40:08)
  • Rashid Buttar (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-11-08 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John says the doctor credited with curing her, Dr. Rashid Buttar, believes in urine injection therapy (filtered urine reinjected to boost immunity), which doesn't work. — H1N1 Vaccine Fears (00:01:49)
  • Richard Heene (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-10-18 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says the family had been on Wife Swap twice and the father believes Hillary Clinton is a shape-shifting reptilian and that a secret cabal of reptilians runs the world. — The Balloon Boy Hoax (00:01:34)
  • Richard Williamson (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-02-08 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John calls Richard Williamson a crazy person and jokes that his craziness is why he had been excommunicated from the Catholic Church. — All Aboard the Fail Boat (00:00:36)
  • Robert C. Allen (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2015-06-08 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John notes the graph only goes back to 1947; going back to the Industrial Revolution shows a similar decoupling, which economist Robert Allen calls the Engels pause, lasting several decades until wages shot up. — Monday Bonus Video! (00:02:28)
  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2026-08-25 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says misinformation sown by very high-level government figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has left many people concerned or confused about vaccines. — The Great Thing about Infectious Disease (00:04:23)
  • Robert Koch (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2023-05-16 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says that after Robert Koch proved in 1882 that a bacterium causes TB, it came to be seen as an illness of contamination, filth and poverty, and people with it were hugely and unjustly stigmatized, a tradition he says would continue. — Did TB Cause World War I? (00:02:26)
  • Robert L. May (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-12-23 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Correcting Hank's claim that Woolworth invented Rudolph, John says Montgomery Ward did in the late 1930s: copywriter Robert May, a nerdy small guy, wrote a story about a nerdy small reindeer that became massive. — Amazing Christmas Facts With John and Hank (00:02:06)
  • Rosalind Franklin (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Rosemary Horrox (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Turning to infectious disease, where his brain always goes, John loves Rosemary Horrox's The Black Death, a collection of first-person accounts of the plague. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:00:58)
  • Rosianna Halse Rojas (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (other people & groups, own work (self-plug)) — John loves Rosianna's videos, especially her unhurried travel vlogs, such as bicycling across England. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:02:23)
  • Rudolf Otto (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2024-01-09 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John notes this is how Rudolf Otto described the sacred, the mysterium tremendum; a great view is supposed to evoke that tremendous mystery, but it never quite worked for him. — Views (00:01:27)
  • Salmaan Keshavjee (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2024-03-12 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John recommends a TED talk, linked below, in which Dr. Salmaan Keshavjee argues that the key to ending TB boils down to the acronym STP. — How We End TB (00:00:58)
  • Sappho (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2024-02-13 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says the heart has long been tied to love, as in Sappho's heart quaking with love some 2,700 years ago, since it flutters in love and longing. — Why Doesn't ❤️ Look Like a Heart? (00:01:27)
  • Sarah Urist Green (own work (self-plug); recommended 1)
    • 2018-04-10 · recommended (other people & groups, own work (self-plug)) — John says Sarah made a brilliant Art Assignment video last week (week of 2 April 2018) on how extremely wealthy people sometimes use art collecting to avoid taxation, which prompted this video. — Who Do Tax Breaks Benefit? (00:00:00)
  • Stanage (nerdfighter community; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-12-03 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, nerdfighter community) — John notes a Nerdfighter named Stanage found space pasta might beat Earth beef if the space shuttle rather than Apollo 11 picked it up, provided pasta were already on the Moon, which as far as we know it isn't. — Giant Squids OF LOVE (00:02:56)
  • Steve Bannon (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2025-04-15 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John notes that on the day of the conversation the Supreme Court said the president may legally fire 16,000 federal workers. — Chatting with ... a U.S. Senator? (00:02:31)
  • Terry Tempest Williams (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-01-12 · recommended (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Under 'read books, not tweets', John says reading Annie Dillard, Terry Tempest Williams or even Paul Farmer's upsetting book on Sierra Leone and Ebola leaves him informed and engaged, without Twitter's panicky dopamine rush. — My 2021 Vision Board (00:02:45)
  • Thierry Henry (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-11-22 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John recounts that in a closely fought match Thierry Henry handled the ball and passed to a teammate who scored, so France went to the World Cup by cheating. — Hank in FAMY (00:01:28)
  • Tom Lum (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Tony Hawk (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2024-10-01 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says the top of a mountain can be quite lonely and there's not much oxygen up there. — On Fame and Chappell Roan (00:01:19)
  • Ulric Neisser (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-06-30 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John introduces Neisser and Harsch's late-1980s work on flashbulb memories, the famous classic 1989 Challenger flashbulb memory study. — Poopy Nintendo Mystery SOLVED WITH SCIENCE (00:00:30)
  • Unity Mitford (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-07-17 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says Hitler was controlling, possessive and domineering, with all the hallmarks of an abusive relationship; four of the six women he most likely had sex with killed themselves, including Eva Braun, married 40 hours before. — Hitler and Sex! (00:01:59)
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2022-03-15 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says the war is not about denazification of Ukraine, a nation with a democratically elected Jewish president. — Ukraine and Russia: What Caused the War? (00:06:19)
  • White Americans (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2020-06-02 · criticized (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John says people who think racism is over or minor may feel so because white people's context for understanding racism is often hugely inadequate: education, benefiting from injustice, and information feeds. — --- (00:00:58)
  • Xerxes I (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2021-01-26 · cited as evidence (other people & groups, outside the channel) — Herodotus wrote 2,400 years ago that the Persian emperor Xerxes, marching through a sycamore grove, found one so beautiful he decorated it with gold and left a soldier to guard it. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed (00:08:55)
  • Yusuf ben Ali (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)

Politics & public life (17)

  • Donald Trump (outside the channel; criticized 8, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-03-29 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — Asked his honest opinion of Donald Trump, John quotes Cyrus Ching: never wrestle with a pig; you get filthy, and the pig likes it. — My New Book, Marriage Advice, and Hamilton: 50 Snapchat Questions Answered! (00:02:00)
    • 2016-04-19 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says all the presidential candidates have name-called, but, not wanting a false equivalence, that Donald Trump does it by far the most. — Literally Hitler (00:02:36)
    • 2016-10-25 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says one major-party candidate loudly claims the election will be rigged, with widespread fraud, people voting ten times and undocumented immigrants voting, and that these are all simply lies. — Will the U.S. Presidential Election Be Rigged? (00:06:03)
    • 2016-11-09 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says more Americans appear to have voted for Hillary Clinton than Donald Trump, but Trump won most Electoral College votes and is president-elect. — My Post-Election Thoughts (00:00:05)
    • 2017-01-31 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John reports that on Friday afternoon President Trump signed an executive order reshaping US immigration law, causing confusion, even within government, about whom it affects. — Understanding Trump's Executive Order on Immigration (00:00:01)
    • 2020-10-27 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says the Trump administration has no comprehensive responses because its idea of governance is populism, not policy: a clear us and them, with only a Trump vote stopping them. — The time I met Joe Biden (00:02:26)
    • 2025-06-10 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says the Trump administration's latest budget proposal would cut US funding for the Global Fund by 50% and change how that funding works. — 90,000,000 Lives for $20 (00:01:56)
    • 2025-11-25 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says it is impossible for Henry and Isatu to visit him in the US because the Trump administration has imposed a total travel ban on people from Sierra Leone. — Poverty Is Expensive (00:02:26)
    • 2026-02-03 · cited as evidence (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says the video won't reach a representative sample of America: a recent Nerdfighteria Census found more community members voted for Jill Stein than for Donald Trump. — Does the truth still matter? (00:00:29)
  • George W. Bush (outside the channel; criticized 3)
    • 2007-02-07 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — In a comic jab, John's story calls George W. Bush so incompetent he failed to poop in Hank's pants, then denied intending to, as did his administration. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 7, 2007 (00:01:37)
    • 2007-10-10 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John's example of a politician whose promised cards (avoid nation building, no preemptive war) turn out to be the Joker ends with George Bush as a belligerent, anti-intellectual, mean-headed Decepticon. — October 10th: A Spoilerific Attack on Unicorns (00:00:39)
    • 2007-11-05 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John sarcastically faults George W. Bush's judgment of foreign leaders: he claimed to see Putin's good soul and praised Musharraf. — November 5th: John's Not Happy about Pakistan (00:02:15)
  • Pervez Musharraf (outside the channel; criticized 3)
    • 2007-11-05 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John tells General Musharraf, as if he watched the show, that he is angering John and to stop it. — November 5th: John's Not Happy about Pakistan (00:00:54)
    • 2007-11-07 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John recounts that Sharif fired army chief Musharraf while he was abroad and barred his plane from landing at Karachi; the army seized the airport and the plane landed with minutes of fuel left. — November 7: Discussing the Political Situation in Pakistan (00:01:02)
    • 2008-01-04 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says Musharraf, the dictatorial president of Pakistan, has used Bhutto's death to delay the parliamentary elections that were due this month (January 2008). — Nerdfighting in 2008, Pakistan, and Hillary Clinton (00:01:34)
  • Vladimir Putin (outside the channel; criticized 3)
  • Barack Obama (outside the channel; recommended 1, cited as evidence 1)
  • Bashar al-Assad (outside the channel; criticized 2)
  • John McCain (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2008-10-07 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John says Barack Obama was the debate's second winner, sounding smart, ready and fired up, while John McCain wandered the stage as if lost. — John Green on the Debate (00:00:49)
    • 2017-01-31 · cited as evidence (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John McCain and Lindsey Graham said in a statement that the ban may be remembered as a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism. — Understanding Trump's Executive Order on Immigration (00:03:00)
  • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (outside the channel; criticized 2)
    • 2009-06-14 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John calls the incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 'a bit of a douche-nozzle'. — Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results (00:00:57)
    • 2009-07-12 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says it still matters who Iran's president is, despite the Supreme Leader: Ahmadinejad ruined Iran's economy and unleashed morality police, and relations were better under his less crazy predecessor. — On Iran, Islam, and Amazingly Stupid Comments (00:01:27)
  • Ali Khamenei (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-06-14 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John explains that Iran is an Islamic Republic whose president matters less because its domestic and foreign affairs are decided by a council of religious leaders led by the Ayatollah. — Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results (00:00:23)
  • Bruce Rauner (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2015-10-20 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says neither Illinois's Republican governor nor the Democratic legislative leaders are serious about the reform needed to end decades of fiscal mismanagement. — Nerdfighteria's Resident Comptroller? (00:02:24)
  • Daniel Biss (friends & collaborators; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-02-09 · cited as evidence (politics & public life, friends & collaborators) — Citing mathematician Daniel Biss, John says Hank's theorem is flawed: a 70-year-old may live on average to 83, but most people die closer to 82 than to 70. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 9, 2007 (00:00:33)
  • Dick Cheney (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2007-04-06 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — Among the things that never rest John lists Dick Cheney, whom he accuses of intentionally misleading Americans about a relationship between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. — Brotherhood 2.0: April 6: Nerdfighters Never Surrender (00:00:56)
  • Dmitry Medvedev (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Elon Musk (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2025-04-15 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says he made the mistake of going on Twitter that day and saw things Elon Musk said that nobody should say. — Chatting with ... a U.S. Senator? (00:12:12)
  • Hillary Clinton (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Jeff Zucker (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-03-01 · criticized (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says NBC Universal head Jeff Zucker likes to say YouTube is for squirrels on trampolines and that advertisers don't want ads next to cats on skateboards. — The Marriage Ref SUCKS (00:01:43)
  • Viktor Orbán (outside the channel; criticized 1)

Organizations & sites (184)

  • Partners In Health (friends & collaborators; recommended 20, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-12-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John announces a trial: day-one donations are split between Save the Children and Partners in Health, longtime Nerdfighteria partners highly rated for efficient work on poverty and disease. — I'm Home! Time to Get Ready for the 2014 Project for Awesome (00:01:39)
    • 2016-11-01 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the first half of the P4A raises money for pre-selected charities, this year (2016) Save the Children and Partners in Health, long-time partners of the community. — BABY! BABY! BABY! (And the 10th Annual Project for Awesome) (00:02:28)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says all money raised in the first half of the P4A will be split between Save the Children and Partners In Health, which do amazing work helping the most vulnerable children and families. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:00:42)
    • 2016-12-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the first half of P4A raises money for Save the Children and Partners In Health, two of the most highly regarded and efficient nonprofits in global health and education. — The Difference A Decade Makes: The 10th Annual Project for Awesome Is Here! (00:00:16)
    • 2018-08-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John admires Partners In Health because it is systems-focused: it does not drop in with solutions but listens to and invests in communities. — SYSTEMS!!!! (00:03:15)
    • 2018-10-16 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — All profits from Life's Library go to Partners In Health, which they have worked with for over a decade and which provides health care to the poor. — Life's Library (00:02:16)
    • 2018-12-07 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the community has worked with Partners In Health and Save the Children for over ten years, supporting Save the Children's work in refugee camps and its health, education and nutrition help for children. — BABIES! The 2018 Project for Awesome is here… (00:02:26)
    • 2019-11-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the first half of the P4A raises money for pre-selected Save the Children and Partners In Health, which the community has worked with for over a decade and which reach the most vulnerable. — old fashioned parts video (00:01:48)
    • 2020-03-24 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John has virtual therapy and medication, but found most helpful this week (week of 23 March 2020) mental health tips from Partners In Health, informed by people who lived and worked through big outbreaks. — Mental Health Tips from People Who've Been There (00:00:00)
    • 2021-01-19 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — The first half raises unrestricted funds for pre-selected charities, this year (2021) Partners In Health and Save the Children, long-time community partners; the second half funds charities chosen by viewers. — let's go on a parts adventure (00:00:29)
    • 2021-12-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John recommends reading Partners In Health Sierra Leone's new annual report, or watching a video on improved maternal and child care at Koidu Government Hospital and what the Maternal Center of Excellence will mean. — NOW I AM THE SCIENCE ONE… (00:02:26)
    • 2022-02-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says half the money went to the brothers' Partners In Health project to reduce maternal mortality in Sierra Leone; the rest was split between a Complexly educational fund and a fund for emerging educational creators. — How Much Money Vlogbrothers Makes from YouTube (...and where it goes) (00:00:58)
    • 2022-05-17 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John asks viewers who want to donate to the project to radically reduce maternal mortality in Sierra Leone to give at pih.org/hankandjohn, and thanks everyone for caring. — Reasons Not to Care (00:03:24)
    • 2022-10-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says that is what the brothers are trying to do at pih.org/hankandjohn; the description invites one-time or monthly donations for maternal and child health in Sierra Leone. — Most People Have Never Been 20 (00:03:24)
    • 2023-03-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John asks viewers who can to donate to Partners In Health or other organizations working to make TB history. — My Tuberculosis Reading List (00:03:24)
    • 2023-09-12 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says since 2019 PIH, Doctors Without Borders and others have urged Danaher to cut prices to $5 per cartridge, through letters and public lobbying, with no response. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid (00:05:26)
    • 2024-09-23 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says all the money made at pizzamas.com this Pizzamas goes to Partners In Health; keeping it would be morally repugnant. — IT'S HERE! (00:01:46)
    • 2025-02-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says he is proud that half the money raised during the Project for Awesome will go to Save the Children and Partners In Health. — What's at Stake (00:04:22)
    • 2025-09-29 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says they donate 100% of their Pizzamas proceeds to Partners In Health. — PIZZAMAS IS UPON US! (00:04:31)
    • 2025-11-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — Asked how best to support Partners In Health, John says by far the best way is a monthly or one-time donation at pih.org, or pih.org/hankandjohn for the MCOE specifically. — John's Annual Psychophysical Decline (00:02:35)
    • 2026-05-05 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — In Sierra Leone last week (week of 27 April 2026) John kept thinking of Hank and the thousands who donate monthly at pih.org/hankandjohn, most of whom have never been there. — Noted Brother Hank Green (00:02:14)
  • Save the Children (friends & collaborators; recommended 18)
    • 2008-04-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John is a big believer in giving to charities like Save the Children and Oxfam, which do amazing work with impressive efficiency. — Nerdfighting in Bangladesh (00:00:48)
    • 2008-12-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John's five: Save the Children of Bangladesh, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, MS research and Save Darfur. — Skoodilypooping (00:00:40)
    • 2013-12-17 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says schools in the Central African Republic are closed and growing numbers of children are conscripted into militias, while Save the Children treats children injured by machetes and gunshots and offers basic health services. — THE PROJECT FOR AWESOME 2013 IS UPON US! (00:01:21)
    • 2014-12-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John announces a trial: day-one donations are split between Save the Children and Partners in Health, longtime Nerdfighteria partners highly rated for efficient work on poverty and disease. — I'm Home! Time to Get Ready for the 2014 Project for Awesome (00:01:39)
    • 2015-05-19 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says this led him to start a fundraiser at Save the Children for its work with Syrian refugees. — Pain Destroys Language: John after the Dentist (00:01:38)
    • 2015-09-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John has put links below to donate to the UN's refugee work and to Save the Children's refugee work. — Understanding the Refugee Crisis in Europe, Syria, and around the World (00:09:13)
    • 2015-12-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the P4A's first half raises money for Save the Children and the UNHCR, matched by $350,000 from Save the Children donors plus $250,000 from Hank and John. — The Bank of Nerdfighteria's Semiannual Report (00:01:41)
    • 2015-12-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the first half of P4A 2015 raises money for Save the Children and the UN High Commission on Refugees. — The Refugee Crises: Project for Awesome 2015 (00:00:15)
    • 2016-11-01 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the first half of the P4A raises money for pre-selected charities, this year (2016) Save the Children and Partners in Health, long-time partners of the community. — BABY! BABY! BABY! (And the 10th Annual Project for Awesome) (00:02:28)
    • 2016-12-06 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says all money raised in the first half of the P4A will be split between Save the Children and Partners In Health, which do amazing work helping the most vulnerable children and families. — Exactly Like the Human Sternum (00:00:42)
    • 2016-12-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the first half of P4A raises money for Save the Children and Partners In Health, two of the most highly regarded and efficient nonprofits in global health and education. — The Difference A Decade Makes: The 10th Annual Project for Awesome Is Here! (00:00:16)
    • 2017-11-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — In P4A's first half money goes to pre-selected charities: this year (2017) Save the Children, a partner for a decade, and Last Mile Health, which trains and pays community health workers in Liberia. — Let's Talk about Money (00:01:26)
    • 2017-12-12 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — Of the many organizations keeping progress going, John highlights Save the Children, helping kids and families from refugee camps to remote villages, and Last Mile Health, which trains and employs community health workers in Liberia. — 2017 is the Best? (00:02:55)
    • 2018-12-07 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the community has worked with Partners In Health and Save the Children for over ten years, supporting Save the Children's work in refugee camps and its health, education and nutrition help for children. — BABIES! The 2018 Project for Awesome is here… (00:02:26)
    • 2019-11-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says the first half of the P4A raises money for pre-selected Save the Children and Partners In Health, which the community has worked with for over a decade and which reach the most vulnerable. — old fashioned parts video (00:01:48)
    • 2021-01-19 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — The first half raises unrestricted funds for pre-selected charities, this year (2021) Partners In Health and Save the Children, long-time community partners; the second half funds charities chosen by viewers. — let's go on a parts adventure (00:00:29)
    • 2022-02-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — In the P4A's first half they raise unrestricted funds for pre-selected charities, this year (2022) Partners In Health and Save the Children, long-time partners, not for a particular project. — How Much Money Vlogbrothers Makes from YouTube (...and where it goes) (00:02:26)
    • 2025-02-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says he is proud that half the money raised during the Project for Awesome will go to Save the Children and Partners In Health. — What's at Stake (00:04:22)
  • Twitter (outside the channel; recommended 1, criticized 13, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-06-14 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John links to the Twitter feeds of young Iranians tweeting through the crisis, saying they show 140 characters can say something interesting, e.g. 'If Iran sleeps tonight, it will sleep forever.' — Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results (00:03:41)
    • 2010-06-02 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — To test Hank's theory, John asked on Twitter for miniature dachshund owners to measure the dogs' anus height; several dozen nerdfighters did. — The Case of the Poopy Nintendo (00:00:50)
    • 2017-03-21 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recalls that at VidCon, while he scrolled his Twitter feed checking everyone was having a good time, a friend said he seemed stressed and he answered 'Twitter'. — My Information Diet (00:00:00)
    • 2018-01-09 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John thinks that is true not only of Twitter but of YouTube, Facebook, Reddit and so on. — Your Attention (00:00:28)
    • 2018-05-08 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John doesn't think the internet used to be amazing (1994 AOL chat rooms make 2018 Twitter look civil and sophisticated); he thinks he has changed. — Old Man Yells at Cloud (00:02:13)
    • 2018-11-06 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John spends something like 20 hours a week on Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and Twitter, mostly scrolling and skimming, and his attention has become extremely fractured. — Taking a Year Off (00:00:00)
    • 2019-02-19 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Off social media, John says he treated Instagram and Twitter like first love, as if an experience's realness depended on its sharedness; he enjoys looking at things outside the frame of shareability. — Battling Apathy and Searching for Meaning on Question Tuesday (00:00:29)
    • 2020-01-07 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John also wants to continue not losing large swaths of his life scrolling through Twitter as dread washes over him. — Endings · Beginnings (00:03:09)
    • 2020-10-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — On 5 October 2020, among vague predictions that are always accurate, John predicts Twitter, Reddit and Facebook will be dumpster fires he can't stop refreshing unless he physically leaves the internet. — Me from the Past: A Pizzamas Miracle (00:02:26)
    • 2020-12-29 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Not losing large swaths of his life scrolling through Twitter as dread washed over him was not an unambiguous success. — Looking Back at My 2020 Goals (00:02:28)
    • 2021-01-12 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Under 'read books, not tweets', John says reading Annie Dillard, Terry Tempest Williams or even Paul Farmer's upsetting book on Sierra Leone and Ebola leaves him informed and engaged, without Twitter's panicky dopamine rush. — My 2021 Vision Board (00:02:45)
    • 2024-06-25 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recently spoke with Brotherhood 2.0's resident mathematician Daniel Biss, now mayor of Evanston, Illinois, who explained why he left Twitter. — taking a break (00:01:27)
    • 2024-08-07 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John agrees YouTube is probably the only social platform with that solidity; he feels Facebook, Twitter and especially TikTok crumbling, Instagram maybe more solid. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! (00:15:05)
    • 2025-04-15 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says he made the mistake of going on Twitter that day and saw things Elon Musk said that nobody should say. — Chatting with ... a U.S. Senator? (00:12:12)
    • 2026-02-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says he is not convinced Twitter raises much money for the P4A, but knows it makes Hank really unhappy, and would rather see Hank happy. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (03:16:29)
  • YouTube (outside the channel; recommended 2, criticized 4, cited as evidence 4)
    • 2007-04-20 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — According to YouTube, Brotherhood 2.0 has received 116,419 views. — Brotherhood 2.0: Carbon Neutralizing Youtube (00:00:09)
    • 2007-10-12 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says that, according to YouTube, the brothers' videos have been viewed 3,030,337 times. — October 12th: Carbon Re-Neutralizing Brotherhood 2.0 (00:01:03)
    • 2011-02-23 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says YouTube's carbon emissions amount to trillions of pounds of carbon. — WE ARE 812 YEARS OLD (00:02:53)
    • 2011-11-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the legislation before Congress would increase that inequality: YouTube, Google and Tumblr can afford lawyers against Viacom, he can't, and it won't stop already-illegal wholesale piracy. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl (00:02:54)
    • 2014-07-01 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The experience has made John a big fan of makeup and of YouTube makeup tutorials; he links his favorites in the doobly-doo. — Why I Love Makeup (00:02:19)
    • 2018-01-09 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John thinks that is true not only of Twitter but of YouTube, Facebook, Reddit and so on. — Your Attention (00:00:28)
    • 2020-04-07 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John films in front of a new temporary background: the new temporary headquarters of The Art Assignment, Sarah's YouTube channel with PBS Digital Studios. — I am an artist. (00:00:00)
    • 2021-07-27 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Slow time is not YouTube's strength: for years John has edited nearly every breath out of his videos, since in a hyper-distracted landscape a half-second pause sends viewers to other tabs; here he leaves a breath. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns (00:01:27)
    • 2025-11-24 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Asked about new books, John says a new book is coming but not this year (2025) and probably not next; that morning he emailed Julie asking what publication target a second draft by January 1 would allow. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:07:43)
    • 2025-12-16 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recommends Nine Hours of the Low Hum of an Industrial Air Handler: unlike YouTube clickbait it delivers exactly what its title promises, and it is another Hank project that improves his life. — John Green's Brother (00:02:55)
  • Google (outside the channel; criticized 3, cited as evidence 6)
    • 2009-02-01 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Google's top autocomplete for 'is Edward Cullen' is 'is Edward Cullen real?', found while checking if Edward is a virgin; John answers that he is not real. — Super Bowl Analysis from an Idiot (00:02:34)
    • 2009-08-06 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Within two days, typing 'Paige' into Google gave Paige Railstone as the first suggestion. — Robert Pattinson and DJ Railstone (00:01:49)
    • 2011-11-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the legislation before Congress would increase that inequality: YouTube, Google and Tumblr can afford lawyers against Viacom, he can't, and it won't stop already-illegal wholesale piracy. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl (00:02:54)
    • 2013-12-03 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the brothers popularized the phrase: it had almost no Google hits or searches before Nerdfighters began using it. — Who Owns DFTBA? An Introduction to Trademarks (00:00:39)
    • 2020-03-10 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The brothers joke that Google pronounces the Brontë name correctly, as it was probably pronounced, while they say it as it is spelled. — A Strong but Fleeting Flavor: A Reunion Video (00:03:05)
    • 2021-01-05 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the prediction is so weird that, according to Google, no one in the history of the web had used the phrase before. — SUPERIOR FISH BEINGS (00:00:00)
    • 2021-08-17 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — That 45% share seems a little bit high to John. — Who Owns Nerdfighteria? (00:02:26)
    • 2024-08-27 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John tells Hank he loved his video about Google and other large companies stealing from independent creators to train generative AI. — How The Internet Is Rigged (00:00:00)
    • 2025-12-09 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Trying to recall the name of Hank's 1990s Mars website, John scrolled past a completely wrong Google AI response and learned from Wikipedia it was Hank Green's Mars Exploration Page. — Hank Green, from A to Z (00:00:00)
  • Kiva (outside the channel; recommended 8, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-06-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recommends Kiva.org, which lets anyone be a microfinancier: you give money directly to someone in extreme poverty and they pay you back. — June 28: How to Be a Microfinancier (00:02:36)
    • 2009-10-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says this is why microfinance works: through Kiva, people like him lend to developing-world entrepreneurs, who start small businesses and repay from the revenue. — Puppy Elephant Defends Capitalism (00:02:34)
    • 2011-09-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John presents Kiva.org as letting anyone be a banker for developing-world entrepreneurs they choose, with a 98.5% chance of repayment; lenders can relend or withdraw, and earn no interest (as with banks these days). — Awesome Bankers? (00:02:26)
    • 2011-11-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that the lending arm of the Bank of Nerdfighteria works across six continents: Nerdfighters have loaned more than $75,000 through Kiva.org. — The Bank of Nerdfighteria (00:01:47)
    • 2012-03-13 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John explains Kiva.org lets regular people lend to developing-world entrepreneurs (he lent to a farmer in Peru and a shopkeeper in South Sudan), who repay, giving them cheap credit others take for granted. — Actually Free Money! (Really.) The Bank of Nerdfighteria's Quarterly Report (00:01:24)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says participating is more fun than watching and gives three easy ways to be nerdfightastic: a free first Kiva loan, reading Fahrenheit 451, and replying to comments with niceness, which is surprisingly entertaining. — Solving Your Problems! (00:02:39)
    • 2012-08-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John's deal: if the Nerdfighter Kiva group reaches $1 million before the brothers reach 1,000 videos, Nerdfighteria can challenge both; they will do the challenges and the slate is cleared. — In Which the Candle Dies (00:01:56)
    • 2014-05-27 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — On Kiva you choose a business person, lend as little as $25 and are repaid over time; a first loan is free. — ALL THE SHIRTS (and some paths to community) (00:02:34)
    • 2014-06-10 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John tells Nerdfighters who lend through Kiva that this is why Kiva did not work in India until very recently and now operates there only with many restrictions. — Our Old Friend Complexity: Behind the Beautiful Forevers (00:01:34)
  • United States Congress (outside the channel; criticized 8, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-08-02 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recalls that in 2003 some members of the US Congress, angry that France saw no link between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, renamed French fries and French toast 'Freedom' in the congressional cafeteria. — I Love Hank: Esther Day 2010 (00:00:58)
    • 2011-08-10 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says the US is well above the 90% alarm threshold and Congress, in "the stupidest game of chicken ever," only barely avoided defaulting. — Understanding America's Debt Problem (00:02:13)
    • 2011-11-21 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Hank, in his last video, correctly called the copyright measures before Congress 'a steaming hot slice of crazy'. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl (00:01:24)
    • 2012-04-03 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the last five years have seen 23 short-term extensions of the FAA ticket tax, mostly because Congress fights about unions, which helps members raise money. — Idiotic Governance: How Our Political Discourse Hurts Our Economy (00:00:47)
    • 2013-01-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the last two years saw the least effective Congress since at least the 1850s: it passed only 219 bills, almost all naming federal buildings after war heroes. — Why Does Congress Suck? (00:00:30)
    • 2013-03-12 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says in 2011 the US nearly defaulted, not because it could not pay but because Congress refused to raise the debt ceiling it was hitting because of its own budgets. — Understand the Sequester (Spoiler: It's Bananas.) (00:02:25)
    • 2015-08-11 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says for most of American history the president wasn't really elected democratically: most people (women, non-white people) couldn't vote, and Congress or party powers chose the candidates. — 454 Days: Understanding America's Ridiculous Political Campaigns (00:01:28)
    • 2022-10-25 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — His most notable example is his long crusade against the US penny: he gets engagement from the idea that pennies are minted because Congress cares mostly about divisive, re-election issues. — Instantly Debateable (00:01:56)
    • 2024-09-27 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says the act must now pass the House, and Congress struggles to pass a law these days. — Is It 2010? IT'S A PARTS VIDEO (00:01:02)
  • The New York Times (outside the channel; recommended 1, criticized 1, cited as evidence 6)
    • 2012-02-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says he kept lowering Ransom's expectations: of John's four novels a couple made the New York Times bestseller list, but two sold fewer than a hundred copies in their first weeks. — Life is Weird. Also beautiful. (00:02:04)
    • 2012-03-20 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says The Fault in Our Stars is currently number 2 on the New York Times bestseller list, behind only Hugo Cabret, a book he really liked. — Sharpie Face Question Tuesday (00:01:41)
    • 2017-03-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says in the last couple of weeks he has scaled way back on the social internet for an information diet: an hour or two each morning reading mostly The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Indianapolis Star. — My Information Diet (00:02:28)
    • 2017-09-26 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The meeting stayed secret for over a year until The New York Times reported it in July 2017. — Trump and Russia: An Introduction to What We Know (and What We Don't) (00:06:39)
    • 2017-11-28 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — In a mock-casual aside, John notes that Turtles All the Way Down is in bookstores everywhere and the New York Times just named it one of its favorite books of the year. — Let's Talk about Money (00:00:40)
    • 2017-12-05 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John thanks everyone who has made Turtles All the Way Down a No. 1 New York Times bestseller for seven weeks straight. — On the Movies (00:03:28)
    • 2025-07-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Everything Is Tuberculosis has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 14 consecutive weeks, twice as long as The Anthropocene Reviewed, which astonishes him. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means (00:00:00)
    • 2026-09-22 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says there have been many lovely reviews; The New York Times was kind, saying he writes with radiant empathy and devastatingly apt metaphors. — I Want You to Know Nothing About This (00:00:32)
  • Republican Party (outside the channel; criticized 5, cited as evidence 2)
    • 2008-03-04 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Asked whether he'd rather drink his own pee or vote for a current Republican candidate, John says it depends on how much pee: a few drops, sure. — SETTING THE QUESTION TUESDAY WORLD RECORD (00:00:57)
    • 2010-09-06 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Second, John says coinage reform isn't partisan: about half its major advocates in the last ten years were Republicans and half Democrats, so it fires up no base. — I HATE PENNIES!!!! (Also Nickels.) (00:03:10)
    • 2012-04-03 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says long-term highway deals fail because they involve big numbers: Tea Party-backed Republicans oppose big spending, so rather than, say, one $250 billion bill, Congress votes for ten $30 billion bills. — Idiotic Governance: How Our Political Discourse Hurts Our Economy (00:02:05)
    • 2013-03-12 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says news coverage focuses on blame, with congressional Republicans calling it Obama's idea and Obama asking whether he passes legislation, which distracts from the sequester being a disaster. — Understand the Sequester (Spoiler: It's Bananas.) (00:05:09)
    • 2017-01-31 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Many, though by no means all, Republican members of Congress and senators agree. — Understanding Trump's Executive Order on Immigration (00:02:56)
    • 2020-10-27 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says that for the first time in over 120 years the Republican Party released no new platform this election cycle, no plan on issues from taxation to COVID. — The time I met Joe Biden (00:02:26)
    • 2025-04-15 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says most people he talks to are scared, freaked out and overwhelmed by a social media fire hose, and frustrated with both Democrats and Republicans in Congress. — Chatting with ... a U.S. Senator? (00:07:27)
  • Wikipedia (outside the channel; cited as evidence 7)
    • 2007-08-20 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Citing Wikipedia, John says Winner has a population of just over 3,000 and lies in south-central South Dakota. — August 20th: Winner, South Dakota (00:00:54)
    • 2012-11-20 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reads Wikipedia's first sentence on Jenkins: an American amateur operatic soprano known and ridiculed for her lack of rhythm, pitch and tone and her poor singing. — Great at Being Terrible: The Florence Foster Jenkins Story (00:00:04)
    • 2013-04-23 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says he looked on Wikipedia and found that, as an honorary doctor, he cannot call himself a doctor. — DOCTOR GREEN (00:01:23)
    • 2014-10-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Smallpox was eradicated, so no one will die of it again; Wikipedia's smallpox page begins 'Smallpox was an infectious disease.' — Ebola: What IS Terrifying (00:00:11)
    • 2019-07-02 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John notes Wikipedia's long list of solar deities: Egypt's Ra, Greece's Helios and the Aztec Nanahuatzin, who leapt into a bonfire to become the sun. — On Sunlight (00:01:27)
    • 2020-03-10 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John calls 'a strong but fleeting flavor' perhaps the most succinct description of Fruit Stripe gum he has ever heard. — A Strong but Fleeting Flavor: A Reunion Video (00:02:00)
    • 2026-05-12 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Talking on the livestream about giving Rice University's commencement address, John named Giamatti as his speaker; someone marvelled that Paul Giamatti's dad spoke, so John checked Wikipedia. — Lies, Damn Lies, and Bart Giamatti (00:00:20)
  • World Health Organization (outside the channel; criticized 2, cited as evidence 5)
    • 2014-10-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Nigeria, which had 20 Ebola infections, was just declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization; John congratulates Nigeria. — Ebola: What IS Terrifying (00:00:30)
    • 2015-11-12 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports the World Health Organization announced that day that maternal death worldwide has fallen 44% over the last 25 years. — Cheez Doodles Guy, Ringo Silver, and Dad Jokes (Pizzamas Day 4) (00:00:26)
    • 2017-08-22 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John cites the World Health Organization's estimate that over 500,000 people in Yemen have been infected, about half of them children. — The Causes of Cholera (00:01:56)
    • 2023-09-14 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Dr. Mitnick helped prove in Peru in the early 1990s that MDR-TB could be treated in poor countries; she described the earlier WHO approach as leaving people by the road to die. — Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES (00:32:16)
    • 2024-03-12 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John cites the WHO estimate that of the 10 million people who will get sick with TB this year (2024), about 4 million will never be diagnosed. — How We End TB (00:00:58)
    • 2025-10-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — In the 1990s the WHO-recommended therapy for MDR-TB was supportive care, meaning waiting for patients to die; curing it in poor communities was seen as impossible and too costly at about $30,000. — Real Reasons for Hope (00:00:29)
    • 2025-11-13 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the cause of tuberculosis has been known for about 140 years, yet there is still no great test for kids. — Fighting TB in Kids: A Discussion with Doctors without Borders (00:00:00)
  • Facebook (outside the channel; recommended 1, criticized 5)
    • 2010-09-11 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Facebook does not understand the internet. — Giant Baby Attack (00:02:03)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John, also an older Nerdfighter, says he has created a Facebook group for older Nerdfighters so they feel less alone. — Solving Your Problems! (00:03:10)
    • 2018-01-09 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John thinks that is true not only of Twitter but of YouTube, Facebook, Reddit and so on. — Your Attention (00:00:28)
    • 2018-11-06 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John spends something like 20 hours a week on Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and Twitter, mostly scrolling and skimming, and his attention has become extremely fractured. — Taking a Year Off (00:00:00)
    • 2020-10-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — On 5 October 2020, among vague predictions that are always accurate, John predicts Twitter, Reddit and Facebook will be dumpster fires he can't stop refreshing unless he physically leaves the internet. — Me from the Past: A Pizzamas Miracle (00:02:26)
    • 2024-08-07 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John agrees YouTube is probably the only social platform with that solidity; he feels Facebook, Twitter and especially TikTok crumbling, Instagram maybe more solid. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! (00:15:05)
  • Reddit (outside the channel; recommended 1, criticized 5)
    • 2016-08-23 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John points to a subreddit called The Ocho with highlights of lesser-known sports, from remote-controlled truck racing to tug-of-oars, which he finds incredibly entertaining. — The Ocho! Sports I Want on TV (00:01:10)
    • 2018-01-09 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John thinks that is true not only of Twitter but of YouTube, Facebook, Reddit and so on. — Your Attention (00:00:28)
    • 2018-05-08 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Without a sense of obligation John doesn't think he would be on Twitter, Reddit and the rest, and maybe he shouldn't feel obliged to be in virtual spaces that make his life worse. — Old Man Yells at Cloud (00:02:21)
    • 2018-11-06 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John spends something like 20 hours a week on Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and Twitter, mostly scrolling and skimming, and his attention has become extremely fractured. — Taking a Year Off (00:00:00)
    • 2019-11-19 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John saw a Reddit post with 129,000 upvotes titled 'Kylie Jenner thinks she owns the phrase rise and shine'. — Kylie Jenner Shows Me What's Wrong with Reddit (00:00:09)
    • 2020-10-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — On 5 October 2020, among vague predictions that are always accurate, John predicts Twitter, Reddit and Facebook will be dumpster fires he can't stop refreshing unless he physically leaves the internet. — Me from the Past: A Pizzamas Miracle (00:02:26)
  • This Star Won't Go Out (charity) (friends & collaborators; recommended 6)
    • 2012-09-25 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John announces that 19-year-old Tatyana from Kazakhstan designed the winning This Star Won't Go Out contest shirt, now on pre-order at DFTBA.com. — Do Businesses Need to Suck? (00:03:24)
    • 2015-08-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John points viewers to Esther's book and to DFTBA.com or TSWGO.org to support This Star Won't Go Out, the charity Esther's family created to support families of children with cancer. — I Love You, Hank. Esther Day 2015 (00:01:19)
    • 2020-08-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — Esther's family started This Star Won't Go Out in her memory; it gives direct relief to families with sick kids and grants to young creative people. — you're bundled up now? wait till you get older. (00:00:52)
    • 2021-08-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — Esther died a few weeks after the first Esther Day in 2010, aged 16; her parents then founded This Star Won't Go Out, which gives direct financial support to families of kids with cancer. — I L*** Hank (00:00:58)
    • 2023-08-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says Esther's family set up This Star Won't Go Out, giving direct financial support to families of kids with cancer, and he understands better than ever how much it helps. — I love you, Hank. Happy Esther Day. (00:02:46)
    • 2024-08-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — The celebration will also discuss This Star Won't Go Out, the charity Esther's family founded in her memory, which financially supports kids with cancer and their families. — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) (00:02:45)
  • United Nations (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 5)
    • 2009-03-15 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says that 15 years ago the US, the UN and Europe got almost all of 'our people' out of Rwanda unharmed, leaving the hundreds of thousands killed to conclude they were 'a them'. — Lighting a candle for Rwanda (00:00:54)
    • 2009-04-26 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the UN estimates that more than 6,000 civilians have been killed in the last three months, by the government or the Tamil Tigers. — Peanut Butter Face Discusses Sri Lanka (00:03:07)
    • 2012-03-06 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Assad responded to the pro-democracy Arab Spring protests of early 2011 by executing soldiers who would not fire, bombing towns, torture and mass arrests; the UN estimates over 10,000 killed in a year, mostly unarmed civilians. — Know Your News! Understanding the Syrian Revolution in Under 4 Minutes (00:02:26)
    • 2013-12-31 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says absolute poverty is down worldwide; the UN estimates poverty fell more in the last 50 years than in the previous 500. — GOOD NEWS: 14 Reasons 2014 May Be the Best Year Ever (00:01:07)
    • 2015-09-08 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Eritrea has one of the worst human rights records on Earth; the UN has cited its government for executions, torture, forced labor and systemic rape by officials. — Understanding the Refugee Crisis in Europe, Syria, and around the World (00:04:59)
    • 2016-11-15 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that the UN says 2016 will almost certainly be the hottest year in recorded human history. — Good News/Bad News: A Pizzamas Video in Nine Slices (00:01:00)
  • Danaher Corporation (outside the channel; criticized 4, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2023-09-12 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Danaher, a company most have never heard of, could save hundreds of thousands of lives over the next 10 years, and wants everyone to encourage it to do so. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid (00:00:13)
    • 2023-09-14 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the core disagreement with Danaher and Cepheid is that a tool the neediest can't use is not useful; citing Dr. Peter Mugyenyi on HIV drugs, he says medicine fails unless it both invents and distributes treatments. — Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES (00:20:05)
    • 2023-09-29 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says his 2007 self had no idea what it was like to have kids, to live in one town for 17 years, or to be part of an online community that convinced a multinational not to profit from TB tests in poor countries. — Like Apocalyptic Horsemen (00:03:33)
    • 2024-03-26 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The description asks viewers to join TBFighters and its Discord organizing work, and to tell Danaher, @danahercorporation on most social media, that this is not okay. — I Own Danaher (00:00:00)
    • 2024-09-27 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Danaher promised, as part of that deal, to pay for and release an independent audit of its TB test costs, but a year on has not, which is frustrating. — Is It 2010? IT'S A PARTS VIDEO (00:03:20)
  • Johnson & Johnson (outside the channel; criticized 5)
    • 2023-07-11 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John tells Nerdfighteria that if they understand the problem together and convince J&J it is pursuing a bad business strategy, they can save many lives. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson (00:00:29)
    • 2023-09-05 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recalls that a couple of months ago Nerdfighteria helped raise the alarm about Johnson & Johnson trying to extend the patent on its antibiotic bedaquiline. — I Ain't Even Here, Sergeant. I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming. (00:00:31)
    • 2023-09-14 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that today South Africa's government announced it will investigate J&J's attempts to keep enforcing its secondary bedaquiline patents there and keep prices high. — Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES (00:10:40)
    • 2025-10-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says advocates, including many viewers, kept pressuring governments and drug companies to lower the price, famously pressing Johnson & Johnson to abandon evergreening its bedaquiline patent. — Real Reasons for Hope (00:01:27)
    • 2026-02-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says access to bedaquiline took Phumeza Tisile and her friend Nandita suing the Indian government, which ruled Johnson & Johnson's attempt to extend its patent was not meaningful innovation. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (01:40:08)
  • UNHCR (outside the channel; recommended 5)
  • Federal government of the United States (outside the channel; criticized 3, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2012-10-23 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the largest single holder of US government debt is the federal government itself, via trust funds like Social Security; without that about $11 trillion remains. — Understanding the National Debt and Budget Deficit (00:00:45)
    • 2025-01-28 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John is heartbroken that the new US administration has completely frozen PEPFAR, Global Fund funding and almost all other foreign aid. — This Is Not Normal (00:03:24)
    • 2025-02-11 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John sets out to explain what is likely to happen when TB medication and diagnostics that are already paid for rot in warehouses because of US government stop-work orders. — What's at Stake (00:00:29)
    • 2026-02-03 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says that about two weeks ago a two-year-old child was kidnapped by the federal government despite a court order not to do so. — Does the truth still matter? (00:00:00)
  • Booklist (outside the channel; cited as evidence 3)
    • 2018-09-11 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Hank's book does not need the sponsorships to excite people: it has glowing starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and Kirkus. — Surprise . . . (00:02:26)
    • 2020-07-07 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John quotes Booklist's starred review, which calls it a raucous, boldly inventive tale of alien technology, social media and influencers, the limits of the mind and what humans will do to get what they want. — You're a Rock Star (00:00:58)
    • 2025-02-25 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the book got starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ and Kirkus. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS (00:09:56)
  • Cepheid (outside the channel; criticized 3)
    • 2023-09-12 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the fast, accurate test exists: the GeneXpert machine, made by Cepheid, owned by Danaher, which tests for TB and drug response and also HIV, COVID and other diseases. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid (00:01:27)
    • 2023-09-14 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the core disagreement with Danaher and Cepheid is that a tool the neediest can't use is not useful; citing Dr. Peter Mugyenyi on HIV drugs, he says medicine fails unless it both invents and distributes treatments. — Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES (00:20:05)
    • 2024-03-26 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John explains that Cepheid, owned by the conglomerate Danaher, makes GeneXpert tests, the best available TB tests; similar cartridges test for HIV, hepatitis or extensively drug-resistant TB. — I Own Danaher (00:00:00)
  • Democratic Party (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 2)
    • 2010-09-06 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Second, John says coinage reform isn't partisan: about half its major advocates in the last ten years were Republicans and half Democrats, so it fires up no base. — I HATE PENNIES!!!! (Also Nickels.) (00:03:10)
    • 2012-04-03 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Republicans have proposed interesting Medicare reforms, but Democrats refuse them as cutting seniors' care, since seniors tend to vote for Democrats. — Idiotic Governance: How Our Political Discourse Hurts Our Economy (00:02:41)
    • 2016-10-25 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John cites the Democratic Party's own investigation, which found no evidence from its survey that Kerry won Ohio, though it came months later. — Will the U.S. Presidential Election Be Rigged? (00:03:25)
  • Discord (outside the channel; recommended 3)
    • 2018-09-25 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John tells Nerdfighteria the book is in libraries and bookstores everywhere, with a Discord for discussing it while reading. — You Did It! (00:02:55)
    • 2021-05-18 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — There is also a Discord channel for discussing the book with others in the community, linked in the description. — Saying What I've Needed to Say to Hank for a While (00:01:09)
    • 2026-09-22 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Hollywood, Ending has stayed mostly under wraps until today, so tens of thousands can read it together, alone or in community at the Discord linked in the doobly-doo. — I Want You to Know Nothing About This (00:03:43)
  • Instagram (outside the channel; criticized 3)
    • 2018-11-06 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John spends something like 20 hours a week on Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and Twitter, mostly scrolling and skimming, and his attention has become extremely fractured. — Taking a Year Off (00:00:00)
    • 2019-02-19 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Off social media, John says he treated Instagram and Twitter like first love, as if an experience's realness depended on its sharedness; he enjoys looking at things outside the frame of shareability. — Battling Apathy and Searching for Meaning on Question Tuesday (00:00:29)
    • 2025-10-21 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says hardcover books can now cost $27 or $30, while TikTok and Instagram are free unless you count the cost of your attention. — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective (00:03:52)
  • Kirkus Reviews (outside the channel; cited as evidence 3)
    • 2018-09-11 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Hank's book does not need the sponsorships to excite people: it has glowing starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and Kirkus. — Surprise . . . (00:02:26)
    • 2025-02-25 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the book got starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ and Kirkus. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS (00:09:56)
    • 2025-03-18 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the reviews have been good, with Kirkus calling the book a highly readable call to action that could not be more timely. — ITS ALL HAPPENING (00:01:52)
  • Kurzgesagt (friends & collaborators; recommended 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2017-02-14 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — Citing an In a Nutshell video, John says that when child mortality falls, families choose to have fewer children, which ultimately slows population growth. — Human Life Is Getting Better. Faster Than Ever Before. (00:01:49)
    • 2020-05-12 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says a gratitude journal made by Kurzgesagt is a rare single book that has made a lasting and significant change in his life. — We Could All Use a Little Change (00:00:00)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — Liking gifts that do double good, John is buying Kurzgesagt calendars for Kurzgesagt fans: they are impossibly beautiful and help Kurzgesagt's mission to reach more people with educational videos. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:02:25)
  • Our World in Data (outside the channel; recommended 1, cited as evidence 2)
    • 2016-08-16 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says we hear about bad news a lot because it happens suddenly and is often dramatic, whereas good news usually happens slowly. — Some Good News: 16 Ways 2016 Is Not a Total Dumpster Fire (00:00:09)
    • 2018-05-15 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Our World in Data maps of average years of schooling over six decades show that, despite huge gaps between rich and poor, kids all around the world are getting more educational opportunities. — Seven Maps to Better Understand the World (00:00:58)
    • 2018-07-10 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John became intensely interested in the most recent year global population declined; deep Googling and the library failed, Max Roser of Our World in Data didn't know, but his colleague Hannah Ritchie found an answer. — The General Crisis (00:00:01)
  • Patreon (outside the channel; recommended 3)
    • 2015-10-27 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says supporting creators directly, through Patreon or buying merch, is vastly ('a thousand times') more valuable than YouTube Red or ads; direct support remains best. — Understanding YouTube Red: Paid Subscriptions and the Future of Online Video (00:01:43)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Maybe the vibe this year (2022) isn't physical goods, John says: give a one-year Patreon membership to someone's favorite podcast or YouTube channel. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:01:56)
    • 2024-08-07 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John explains that every few weeks they do a livestream like this for their Dear Hank and John patrons, and this one promotes the Patreon. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! (00:01:24)
  • The Economist (outside the channel; recommended 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-12-14 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recalls an Economist cover on Silvio Berlusconi headlined 'The Man Who Screwed an Entire Country'. — Greek Phallic Disco Golf Balls: A Free Association Game (00:03:25)
    • 2017-03-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says in the last couple of weeks he has scaled way back on the social internet for an information diet: an hour or two each morning reading mostly The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Indianapolis Star. — My Information Diet (00:02:28)
    • 2019-11-07 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — He feels better informed than a year ago: he misses watching news unfold live online, but learns a lot from his local newspaper, podcasts and outlets like The Economist. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. (00:01:44)
  • TikTok (outside the channel; criticized 3)
    • 2024-06-25 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says that is how he feels about making stuff now, especially on Twitter or TikTok but also everywhere. — taking a break (00:01:56)
    • 2024-08-07 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John agrees YouTube is probably the only social platform with that solidity; he feels Facebook, Twitter and especially TikTok crumbling, Instagram maybe more solid. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! (00:15:05)
    • 2025-10-21 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the idea that TikTok is making reading impossible is a little off base, though, as he will explain, also a little on base. — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective (00:01:01)
  • Viacom (outside the channel; criticized 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-06-07 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John casts singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton (who once bought him a beer) as, for today's purposes, a small media company, set against the somewhat larger Viacom. — Viacom PWNED on Piracy (00:00:00)
    • 2010-06-11 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — As far as John can tell, what Viacom did to him and hundreds of others is exactly what it is suing YouTube for purportedly doing to Viacom. — Mmmm....PARTS (00:00:00)
    • 2011-11-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the legislation before Congress would increase that inequality: YouTube, Google and Tumblr can afford lawyers against Viacom, he can't, and it won't stop already-illegal wholesale piracy. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl (00:02:54)
  • AFC Wimbledon (friends & collaborators; recommended 2)
    • 2018-09-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John reveals that his call months ago, saying sponsoring AFC Wimbledon made him want to sponsor other things, was a trick: he was buying sponsorships for An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. — Surprise . . . (00:00:29)
    • 2024-09-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators, playful) — John playfully tells London visitors to go to an AFC Wimbledon game, calling the Tate Modern's 20th and 21st century art boring. — Which is Correct? — or – ? (00:02:26)
  • Amazon (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2024-11-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says they started Good Store to raise money for charity, and so far in 2024 it has donated $1.25 million. — Some New Things… (00:24:40)
    • 2024-12-31 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — On Amazon the signed edition of Everything Is Tuberculosis currently costs $7 less than the unsigned one, so, John jokes, his signature is technically worth negative $7. — I Just Can't Do It Anymore (00:03:05)
  • Book Wish Foundation (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2009-06-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says real-life volunteering is important, but now there are volunteer opportunities for 'obsessive agoraphobes who love to edit video' like the brothers. — The World Sucks: Help it Suck Less (00:01:31)
    • 2009-07-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John has made his first video volunteer video, for the Book Wish Foundation. — Volunteering (In Your Pants) (00:00:00)
  • Bookshop.org (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2021-09-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John made a Bookshop.org list with all these books plus a couple of other recommendations, linked below. — 11 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read (00:03:24)
    • 2025-10-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says there are more independent bookstores in the US now than when Looking for Alaska came out in 2005, and more ways to support them online, such as Bookshop.org. — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective (00:01:59)
  • Coral Reef Alliance (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2025-03-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says EcoGeek launches today and 100% of its profits go to the Coral Reef Alliance in support of its Maui Watershed Project. — Hank Green's Brother (00:02:08)
    • 2025-11-11 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Good Store, another way to support Partners In Health and the Coral Reef Alliance, raised about $10 million over the last five years to fight maternal and child mortality in Sierra Leone. — John's Annual Psychophysical Decline (00:03:04)
  • Curious Tangents (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2020-08-25 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John again recommends the channel Curious Tangents, which he thinks has only 8,000 subscribers, and points to a link in the doobly-doo. — Somebody once told me… (00:03:24)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John loves Curious Tangents, where Travis Gilbert models inquiry-based learning, exploring e.g. which kinds of stress are productive or the history of dragons. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:00:29)
  • Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2024-01-16 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The Global Fund recently estimated that Danaher's price reduction alone will save $32 million over the next three years, letting millions more people get accurate, fast tuberculosis tests. — The Bank of Nerdfighteria (00:04:15)
    • 2025-01-28 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the Global Fund has also saved literally millions of lives. — This Is Not Normal (00:03:24)
  • Goodreads (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2015-02-17 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the Paper Towns line 'I'm in love with cities I've never been to and people I've never met' has been quoted a lot, pops up all the time on Tumblr and has over 1,700 likes on Goodreads. — Places I've Never Been (00:00:15)
    • 2026-09-22 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says all those reviews contain what are, to him at least, spoilers; the only spoiler-free review he has seen is on Goodreads. — I Want You to Know Nothing About This (00:01:02)
  • Heifer International (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2008-12-18 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John presents Heifer International, a featured P4A charity, as a way to buy animals for someone else that actually go to people who need them. — Introducing...The Awesome (00:00:42)
    • 2009-12-13 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recalls that every Christmas he gives Hank a goat from Heifer.org that goes to someone in need; an ark is a whole set of animals for people who need them. — Eyelash Malaria (00:02:35)
  • Last Mile Health (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2017-11-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — In P4A's first half money goes to pre-selected charities: this year (2017) Save the Children, a partner for a decade, and Last Mile Health, which trains and pays community health workers in Liberia. — Let's Talk about Money (00:01:26)
    • 2017-12-12 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Of the many organizations keeping progress going, John highlights Save the Children, helping kids and families from refugee camps to remote villages, and Last Mile Health, which trains and employs community health workers in Liberia. — 2017 is the Best? (00:02:55)
  • Library Journal (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2018-09-11 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Hank's book does not need the sponsorships to excite people: it has glowing starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and Kirkus. — Surprise . . . (00:02:26)
    • 2020-07-07 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Hank's first book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, was the main reason John quit using the social internet in 2018. — You're a Rock Star (00:01:56)
  • Médecins Sans Frontières (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
  • National Institutes of Health (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 1)
  • PEN America (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2024-12-17 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says that according to PEN America, Looking for Alaska, which he wrote, is the second most banned book in the United States. — About THAT Scene in Looking for Alaska (00:00:00)
    • 2025-12-16 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that PEN America announced Looking for Alaska, his quiet young adult novel about grief, is the most banned book in the US over the last four years. — John Green's Brother (00:00:58)
  • Rotten Tomatoes (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2014-06-10 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says reviews of the TFiOS film have been amazing and, per Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of viewers liked it. — Our Old Friend Complexity: Behind the Beautiful Forevers (00:00:19)
    • 2019-11-01 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the TV adaptation of Looking for Alaska has just come out and is really wonderful; per Rotten Tomatoes it is the freshest adaptation of his work. — On Looking Up to Your Little Brother (00:01:41)
  • Stop TB Partnership (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2023-09-05 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports the Stop TB Partnership has announced that in most high-tuberculosis countries generic competition will cut the price of bedaquiline by over 50%, which he calls amazing news. — I Ain't Even Here, Sergeant. I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming. (00:00:40)
    • 2025-10-01 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — A couple of weeks ago the Stop TB Partnership announced that curing MDR-TB now costs less than $300, a price drop of over 99% since PIH began proving it curable in poor communities. — Real Reasons for Hope (00:01:56)
  • Supreme Court of the United States (outside the channel; criticized 1, cited as evidence 1)
  • Tax Foundation (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
  • Tax Policy Center (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2016-04-26 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center calculates Cruz's plan would reduce federal revenue by $8.6 trillion over ten years. — Understanding the Tax Plans of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz (00:04:34)
    • 2016-10-11 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Trump proposes about $1 trillion in budget cuts but $500 billion more for the military; even rosy projections add about $2 trillion to the debt (10x Clinton), the Tax Policy Center $7.2 trillion (36x). — Understanding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's Tax Plans (00:07:40)
  • The Football Association (outside the channel; criticized 2)
    • 2023-10-05 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says AFC Wimbledon reformed 21 years ago after the English FA told the community there was no place for a football club there. — America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team (00:03:48)
    • 2024-08-20 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says he was there for the hope that kept Wimbledon alive when the Football Association said it shouldn't exist, that brought Bromley into the league, and that kept him here in hard times. — Thoughts from Places: BROMLEY! (00:02:55)
  • The Washington Post (outside the channel; recommended 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-07-26 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says El Chapo is the imprisoned alleged leader of the Sinaloa cartel, per the Post the world's most notorious drug lord, known for ruthlessness and daring prison escapes. — El Chapo and Me (00:00:15)
    • 2022-05-17 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Last week (week of 9 May 2022) the Washington Post published a story about 17-year-old Susan facing an unexpected high-risk pregnancy in Sierra Leone; her mother died in childbirth. — Reasons Not to Care (00:00:00)
  • Uncultured Project (outside the channel; recommended 2)
    • 2009-03-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John announces his half of the Pwning Google Challenge: for every $10 raised for the Uncultured Project by March 22 he will eat one Peep on March 23. — PEEPS for Bangladesh (00:01:45)
    • 2009-09-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John urges Nerdfighters in or around the Bay Area to attend an October 10 gathering raising money for Shawn Ahmed's Uncultured Project, where Wheezy Waiter's Driftless Pony Club will play. — Paper Towns Winners and Ningmasters (00:01:11)
  • United States Agency for International Development (outside the channel; criticized 2)
    • 2022-02-22 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — In 2001 the head of USAID told Congress he opposed extending antiretroviral therapy to impoverished countries, saying it would fail because the drugs need a schedule and 'these people' don't know clocks. — On the Death of My Hero (00:00:29)
    • 2025-10-28 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says USAID abandoned its commitment to fund part of the project, but PIH, Sarah and John stayed committed because the Philippine government did. — Elon Cancelled This...Let's Do it Anyway (00:01:27)
  • United States Sentencing Commission (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2014-04-08 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports a 2013 US Sentencing Commission study finding African Americans on average receive sentences 20% longer than white people for similar crimes. — I Don't Even Know (00:00:55)
    • 2014-12-30 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John cites a US Sentencing Commission report from last year (2013): African American men's prison sentences averaged 20% longer than white men's for similar crimes, and the gap has widened over the past decade. — Racism in the United States: By the Numbers (00:00:37)
  • USA Today (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2020-07-07 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The description asks viewers to register for tonight's free livestream launch or attend other virtual tour events, and to order the book via bookshop.org to support local bookstores. — You're a Rock Star (00:00:00)
    • 2025-07-01 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the USA Today list, combining all books, better shows overall sales: Everything Is Tuberculosis is number 80 there but number 6 on the NYT nonfiction list. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means (00:03:24)
  • Vulture (organization) (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2019-01-22 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John agrees with Vulture that it is a very charming cast and shares the headline's anticipation for the film. — Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle's Let It Snow (00:00:12)
    • 2019-10-15 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that Vulture called the Looking for Alaska show the rare adaptation that improves upon the original. — I'm Having a Lot of Feelings (00:00:29)
  • Warner Chilcott (outside the channel; criticized 2)
    • 2011-01-26 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recaps Hank's Monday video: Warner Chilcott, maker of Asacol HD, the drug that keeps Hank well enough to work, raised its price overnight and without warning by more than 1200%. — I OWN WARNER CHILCOTT! (00:00:00)
    • 2011-04-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recalls buying Warner Chilcott stock after the company 'Warner Chilcotted' Hank and others with ulcerative colitis; he sold it today for a $26 profit and can't recall feeling worse about making $26. — Many Truths, 1 Lie! (00:01:39)
  • Water.org (friends & collaborators; recommended 1, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-09-23 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says Water.org set up a Nerdfighter fundraiser for sustainable water in Ethiopia; if $100,000 is raised in 10 days, Bill Gates will match it, bringing safe water to 8,000 people. — Looking Away (00:02:40)
    • 2016-09-06 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says Water.org told him Nerdfighteria has just funded a capped spring water well in northern Ethiopia that serves over 2,000 people. — How We're Spending Your Money: The Bank of Nerdfighteria's Quarterly Report (00:00:46)
  • Wellbody Clinic (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2020-01-28 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the PIH-supported Wellbody Clinic saw zero maternal deaths in 2019, the third year in a row. — Looking Away (Again) (00:03:48)
    • 2020-11-17 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — At the large, successful Wellbody clinic PIH runs, there has not been a single maternal death in years. — Our Biggest Project Yet: A One Year Update (00:01:56)
  • 80th United States Congress (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2013-01-01 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John contrasts this with the famous 'Do-Nothing Congress' of the Harry Truman era, which passed more than 900 bills. — Why Does Congress Suck? (00:00:56)
  • American Red Cross (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Artsy (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-08-30 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Art auctions are not only for the rich: eBay and Artsy.net run them all the time; a fundraiser auction now offers a work by Michelle Grabner, one of John's favorite artists, for $300. — How to Buy Good Art for Less Than $100,000,000 (00:00:58)
  • Associated Press (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2018-09-25 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The Associated Press called the book a thrilling journey that takes a hard look at the power of fame, which John agrees it is. — You Did It! (00:00:00)
  • Ballotpedia (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-08-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recommends finding your state's sample ballot at youtube.com/howtovoteineverystate, then candidates' websites, and Ballotpedia for US Senate or Congress races (link in the doobly-doo). — Why I Didn't Vote (And Six Reasons You Might Not) (00:01:03)
  • BallotReady (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2018-11-02 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John highly recommends ballotready.org for researching every candidate and referendum on your ballot, adding that it is not sponsored. — Let Us Now Praise the Panda Person (00:00:52)
  • Bartlesville Mid-High School (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2007-05-02 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John has posted the email addresses of the committee members, most of whom he says haven't read the book, and asks those who agree to email them that 'we won't stand for this'. — Brotherhood 2.0: May 2: Book Banning (00:01:38)
  • Billboard (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-07-27 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John lists other Nerdfighter feats: getting Hank's album on the Billboard charts, chartering airplanes of medical supplies to Haiti, and getting Helen Hunt to hear the Helen Hunt song. — 150,000 Autographs (00:01:15)
  • Book Riot (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2020-07-07 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John quotes Book Riot: in plot and form the book warns against consolidating human power, argues for collaboration in storytelling and problem solving, and offers escapism, stinging social commentary and cautious optimism. — You're a Rock Star (00:02:53)
  • Books-A-Million (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-08-15 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Amazon has sold out its allotment of probably signed copies of Turtles All the Way Down, but many remain, for instance at Books-A-Million; more at ProbablySignedTurtles.com. — Very Hard to Desclibe (00:01:47)
  • Bright Trip (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-11-22 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John suggests online courses, like Sarah's new Bright Trip course on art appreciation, which he enjoyed so much he bought other Bright Trips. — John's 2022 Gift Guide (00:01:56)
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2017-01-10 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced last week (week of 2 January 2017) that US unemployment in December was 4.7%, near its lowest in nine years and fairly near its lowest since the early 1970s. — What Is the Real Unemployment Rate? (00:00:01)
  • Carbonfund.org (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Cato Institute (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Celestial Seasonings (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2024-10-30 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says America has a lot of bad, artificially flavored tea, so a first good tea is a game changer. — Sipping the Tea with Hank (00:40:59)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-07-15 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says some of his anxiety centers on physical health; when giving him vaccines for the trip, his doctor told him to read the CDC pages on the places he'll visit, which was a terrible idea. — Exciting Announcements and Mosquito-Borne Illnesses (00:01:06)
  • Children With Hair Loss (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • CNN (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-08-22 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John asks the Drudge Report, Huffington Post, CNN and Fox News to find something else to talk about. — Is Obama a Muslim? Examine the Evidence! (00:02:47)
  • Comcast (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2024-11-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Good Store works with local Missoula-based companies for its soap and tea, and with Sucafina and directly with farmers in Colombia for its coffee. — Some New Things… (00:18:41)
  • Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-10-11 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says a US debt spiral is very unlikely whoever wins, but the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projects Trump's plan raising debt to 105% of GDP in ten years, a very scary level. — Understanding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's Tax Plans (00:09:18)
  • Congressional Budget Office (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-12-29 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Citing the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, John says the bill will cut the national deficit; whether that cuts the debt depends on whether the money is spent elsewhere. — Adorable Puppy Explains Health Care Bill (00:02:40)
  • Creative Commons (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2011-11-21 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John doesn't think Creative Commons bypasses these problems: he is a fan and both brothers have released songs and zombie novellas under it, but it isn't practical for everything. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl (00:01:47)
  • Democratic National Committee (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Dimensions Magazine (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-04-20 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Citing Dimensions Magazine, John says only 21 people in all of human history have weighed more than Brotherhood 2.0's carbon emissions. — Brotherhood 2.0: Carbon Neutralizing Youtube (00:02:33)
  • Dons Trust (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-01-29 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John invites viewers to become part owners of AFC Wimbledon by joining the Dons Trust, which owns the club, for 25 pounds (about $30). — Do You Believe in Miracles? (00:03:23)
  • Drudge Report (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-08-22 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John asks the Drudge Report, Huffington Post, CNN and Fox News to find something else to talk about. — Is Obama a Muslim? Examine the Evidence! (00:02:47)
  • Drugs.com (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2021-05-25 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The medication John takes for his obsessive-compulsive disorder has more than 1,100 ratings on Drugs.com, averaging 3.8. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated (00:09:30)
  • Epic Games (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2026-02-14 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the other players should ask why they let Epic put them in a battle royale: they have no beef with each other and have just been told to hate each other. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! (00:22:23)
  • ESPN (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-08-23 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the 2004 film Dodgeball shows its championships on a fictional network, ESPN8: The Ocho; in reality they aren't televised and there's no ESPN8, though ESPN owns eight cable networks. — The Ocho! Sports I Want on TV (00:00:53)
  • Etsy (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2022-05-10 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Noting Cincinnati has an art school and many local artists, John advises everyone with undecorated walls to hang something particular to them: go to student art shows, browse Etsy, support artists. — An Attempt at Exhausting an Artwork in Cincinnati (00:02:55)
  • Eventful (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2008-10-06 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — With Hank's help, all Paper Towns and Nerdfighting Tour events are now on Facebook with up-to-date information; Eventful.com, now their 'mortal enemy', is dropped. — Berlin and Let it Snow (in Your Pants) (00:02:20)
  • Exodus Refugee Immigration (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Farmer Jane Soap (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2018-10-29 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — There is Pizzamas soap from Farmer Jane Soap, the goat-milk soap company John's mom founded, handmade with real goat's milk in Western North Carolina. — PIZZAMAS IS HERE! (00:02:07)
  • Federal Government of Nigeria (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2015-02-10 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says not knowing is problematic: a great tragedy is that Boko Haram grew for ten years because Nigeria's government and the world community didn't notice how terrible it was. — Understanding Boko Haram (00:05:39)
  • FIFA (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2026-02-13 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John always feels weird about supporting FIFA, a wildly corrupt organization, yet loves the World Cup: it is how he measures time and his greatest joy every four years. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! (02:27:22)
  • Figment (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — For beginning writers who lack a community, John recommends figment.com. — Solving Your Problems! (00:02:32)
  • Fox Entertainment Group (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Fox News (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-08-22 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John asks the Drudge Report, Huffington Post, CNN and Fox News to find something else to talk about. — Is Obama a Muslim? Examine the Evidence! (00:02:47)
  • Global Citizen (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-01-27 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John thinks the Global Citizen idea, that becoming more informed makes us more engaged, is brilliant, and hopes it helps him at least to listen better. — Will Life Get Better for the Poor? (00:03:37)
  • Global Polio Eradication Initiative (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-01-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says 25 years ago there were 350,000 new polio cases a year; today, thanks to the aid-funded polio eradication initiative, there are fewer than 400. — Are Poor Countries Doomed? (00:01:58)
  • Gold Coast Bulletin (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2019-11-19 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the Gold Coast Bulletin published a story claiming a small Australian Rise and Shine t-shirt company got a cease and desist letter from Jenner. — Kylie Jenner Shows Me What's Wrong with Reddit (00:01:44)
  • Government Accountability Office (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-07-08 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office reported to Congress that replacing the $1 bill with $1 and $2 coins would save $5.5 billion over 30 years. — Kill the Dollar Bill! (00:01:30)
  • Government of China (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Government of Ethiopia (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Government of India (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2023-09-27 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Shreya was a teenager who sued her own government in India for access to bedaquiline for herself and others; her fight reached India's highest court, where she won. — John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? (00:02:05)
  • Government of Pakistan (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-12-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the Pakistani government is bad at roads and policing, and a big problem is that laws can be passed but not enforced. — Shaving for Pakistan (00:01:50)
  • Gumroad (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-02-14 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says both brothers are obsessed with the new website Gumroad, which connects makers directly to fans without PayPal, Amazon or iTunes, taking a smaller cut than PayPal; he invites viewers to upload and sell their stuff. — Things I Can Do (00:02:55)
  • HuffPost (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-08-22 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John asks the Drudge Report, Huffington Post, CNN and Fox News to find something else to talk about. — Is Obama a Muslim? Examine the Evidence! (00:02:47)
  • Hulu (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-04-12 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says that for the number of views it takes YouTube to make a dollar, a site like Hulu that features television shows can make ten dollars. — The Death of Youtube?? Redesign Coming (00:01:49)
  • Human Rights Watch (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-04-22 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Séléka militias committed atrocities, per Human Rights Watch burning dozens of towns and shooting fleeing civilians; a huge share of people are displaced, tens of thousands of Christians at Bangui airport. — Understanding the Central African Republic (00:03:42)
  • Hypable (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2019-10-15 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that Hypable said the show's commitment to the heart of the book makes it a wonderful experience for Green fans and newcomers alike. — I'm Having a Lot of Feelings (00:00:58)
  • Indiana State Department of Health (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-07-15 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — His doctor then sent him to the Indiana State Department of Health webpage, which added warnings about arbovirus and chikungunya besides West Nile, leaving John more anxious, not less. — Exciting Announcements and Mosquito-Borne Illnesses (00:01:40)
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-12-20 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says a new report finds giraffe populations have fallen around 40% since the 1980s, to about 98,000, and the IUCN has just moved them to threatened status. — How Giraffes Mate, and Why It Matters (00:01:55)
  • Internet Archive (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2017-05-30 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Via the Internet Archive John sees the Vlogbrothers channel at the end of 2007 (237 videos, 9,000 subscribers) and in July 2009 (90,000 subscribers), but finds holes. — What Should We Keep? (00:02:40)
  • Islamic State (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • It's Radish Time (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — It's Radish Time's 2021 video postcards are stunning, poetic, brilliantly edited and unlike anything John has seen on YouTube. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:02:23)
  • Jelle's Marble Runs (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-04-28 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Jelle's Marble Runs' Marbula One season has been an absolute joy; he started with the Marblelympics as somewhat sublime and somewhat ridiculous, and is now all in. — get your game on (00:00:29)
  • Karen Puzzles (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John is a massive fan of Karen Puzzles, a beautifully shot, satisfying jigsaw puzzle channel by Karen Kavett, part of Nerdfighteria since 2007. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:01:54)
  • Khan Academy (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-02-12 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recommends Khan Academy's series on geometry. — Are Textbooks Obsolete? (00:00:58)
  • Malaria No More (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-12-17 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John is auctioning his nerd glasses, worn in almost every 2008 Vlogbrothers video; the auction is linked in the sidebar and all proceeds go to Malaria No More. — THE 2009 PROJECT FOR AWESOME!!! (00:02:03)
  • Maternal Center of Excellence (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2026-10-27 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Looking at the Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone, John is sure it is worth whatever the minor cost of a public life is. — Should I Salinger… (00:03:02)
  • Mathigon (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2019-02-12 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John recommends Mathigon, an extraordinarily intuitive series of online courses with interactive elements to help you understand and confirm what you're learning. — Are Textbooks Obsolete? (00:00:29)
  • Mental Floss (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2013-10-15 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Crash Course, SciShow and Mental Floss all have large and growing audiences. — Thoughts for Nerdfighteria (00:01:20)
  • microfinance organization visited in the Dominican Republic (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-06-28 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the microfinance organization they met has a loan payback rate above 98%, higher than most American banks. — June 28: How to Be a Microfinancier (00:01:43)
  • Milton Keynes Dons F.C. (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2020-09-08 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says with that model AFC Wimbledon rose from the bottom rungs of amateur football to a full-time professional team now in the same division as the Milton Keynes franchise. — That's the way. (00:02:46)
  • Ministry of Interior (Iran) (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2009-06-14 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says a couple of hours after polls closed the interior ministry announced Ahmadinejad was winning with 63% of the vote, which he calls nearly impossible. — Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results (00:01:20)
  • Missouri Democratic Party (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Moms for Liberty (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2024-12-17 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the book is taught in fewer classes because groups like Moms for Liberty have very successfully challenged it out of curricula and often out of libraries. — About THAT Scene in Looking for Alaska (00:00:29)
  • Montgomery Ward (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-12-23 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Correcting Hank's claim that Woolworth invented Rudolph, John says Montgomery Ward did in the late 1930s: copywriter Robert May, a nerdy small guy, wrote a story about a nerdy small reindeer that became massive. — Amazing Christmas Facts With John and Hank (00:02:06)
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • NBC (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-03-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says unlike NBC, Nerdfighteria is not in the advertiser business but in pond sand filters, Haitian relief and the pizza shirt, and above all in taking care of each other. — The Marriage Ref SUCKS (00:02:14)
  • Office of the Director of National Intelligence (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Oxfam (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-04-08 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John is a big believer in giving to charities like Save the Children and Oxfam, which do amazing work with impressive efficiency. — Nerdfighting in Bangladesh (00:00:48)
  • PBS (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-05-16 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Fulfilling his dream of being an introducer, John tells US viewers that PBS has excellent documentaries available for free. — The Introducer, My Childhood Dream Job (00:03:18)
  • PC Magazine (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2007-10-24 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that PC Magazine named Hank's EcoGeek.org one of the 100 best websites on the internet. — October 24th: RANDOM NERDFIGHTING (00:03:12)
  • Penguin Books (friends & collaborators; recommended 1)
    • 2015-05-12 · recommended (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — In a P.S., John says Penguin UK has a Fault in Our Stars-themed project raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and asks UK and Ireland viewers to check it out. — Becoming Someone Else (00:03:31)
  • Population Reference Bureau (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2022-10-11 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — According to the Population Reference Bureau, the median human ever born, the 58.5 billionth, was probably born between 10 and 100 CE, about 2,000 years ago. — Most People Have Never Been 20 (00:00:58)
  • Publishers Weekly (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2025-10-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says publishing is in a bit of a decline: per Publishers Weekly, year-over-year sales for the most recent month are down around 10%, which he calls pretty dramatic. — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective (00:02:28)
  • Pulitzer Prize (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • RAND Corporation (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Rolling Stone (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-10-25 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says many on the left, reportedly including Kerry himself, believe voter suppression and possible ballot fraud rigged that election, as a Rolling Stone cover story argued. — Will the U.S. Presidential Election Be Rigged? (00:02:03)
  • Rwinkwavu Hospital (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • San Francisco Chronicle (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2021-05-18 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Early reviews are very nice: the San Francisco Chronicle calls the book perfect to read over lunch or keep on the nightstand as a reminder of feeling small and human. — Saying What I've Needed to Say to Hank for a While (00:01:13)
  • Save Darfur Coalition (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-12-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John's five: Save the Children of Bangladesh, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, MS research and Save Darfur. — Skoodilypooping (00:00:40)
  • School Library Journal (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2025-02-25 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the book got starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ and Kirkus. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS (00:09:56)
  • Second Story (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-03-10 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reminds viewers he is doing a fundraiser this Friday (13 March 2009) for The Second Story, a charity in Indianapolis: $5 for students, $8 otherwise. — How to Get Girls to Like You (00:00:32)
  • Soph's Notes (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Recent grantee Soph's Notes makes hilarious but deeply informational videos (room for dessert, hangover science, the best planet to party on) that John remembers. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:00:56)
  • SoulPancake (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-08-13 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John thanks Rainn and asks viewers to check out SoulPancake at soulpancake.com and on YouTube, welcoming it as an important voice on YouTube. — John and Rainn Wilson Talk Romance (00:02:49)
  • Spike.com (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-06-07 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Following Hank's mention of Spike.com, John found Coulton's Flickr video there behind a cell-phone pre-roll, with ads for Mountain Dew, American Express and Guitar Hero alongside. — Viacom PWNED on Piracy (00:01:58)
  • Stedelijk Museum (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Susan G. Komen (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-12-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John's five: Save the Children of Bangladesh, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, MS research and Save Darfur. — Skoodilypooping (00:00:40)
  • Tab for a Cause (nerdfighter community; recommended 1)
    • 2015-05-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, nerdfighter community) — The foundation also got money from Tab for a Cause, a browser extension built by Nerdfighters that raises money for charity as you surf; John says it really works and links it. — Sixteen Parts (00:02:29)
  • Tea Party movement (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2012-04-03 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says long-term highway deals fail because they involve big numbers: Tea Party-backed Republicans oppose big spending, so rather than, say, one $250 billion bill, Congress votes for ten $30 billion bills. — Idiotic Governance: How Our Political Discourse Hurts Our Economy (00:02:05)
  • Technology Connections (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2026-02-14 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Technology Connections' videos about dishwashers changed his life: he now loads his dishwasher differently. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! (01:59:56)
  • Teenage Cancer Trust (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-05-12 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — In a P.S., John says Penguin UK has a Fault in Our Stars-themed project raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and asks UK and Ireland viewers to check it out. — Becoming Someone Else (00:03:31)
  • The Harry Potter Alliance (friends & collaborators; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2010-08-27 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, friends & collaborators) — John says that with Esther the Nerdfighter community came together and helped the Harry Potter Alliance win $250,000. — Rest In Awesome, Esther (00:01:02)
  • The Indianapolis Star (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-03-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says in the last couple of weeks he has scaled way back on the social internet for an information diet: an hour or two each morning reading mostly The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Indianapolis Star. — My Information Diet (00:02:28)
  • The Lancet (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2025-10-01 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Partners In Health treated MDR-TB in Peru, proving it curable in a famous Lancet study; costs then fell to about $3,000, since none of the drugs were under patent, and the WHO began recommending treatment. — Real Reasons for Hope (00:00:58)
  • The Nature Conservancy (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2025-07-22 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says all his proceeds from the shirt will go to the Nature Conservancy in honor of his dad. — At Least There Are Trees (00:05:10)
  • The Sunday Times (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2019-05-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Keanu turned down $11 million for Speed 2 to play Hamlet in Winnipeg, and the Sunday Times critic called it one of the top three Hamlets he had seen. — Keanu Reeves: A Love Letter (00:00:58)
  • The Wall Street Journal (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2017-03-21 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says in the last couple of weeks he has scaled way back on the social internet for an information diet: an hour or two each morning reading mostly The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Indianapolis Star. — My Information Diet (00:02:28)
  • The Walt Disney Company (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-11-01 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Disney's staged lemming suicide is an interesting, informational fact but not educational; the internet is very good at providing information and has proven less good at education. — Consider the Lemming (00:01:47)
  • This Glorious Clockwork (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2021-02-09 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Recent grantee This Glorious Clockwork makes beautiful biochemistry animations (such as on ATP synthase); John found he is interested, being himself a series of chemical reactions. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love (00:01:24)
  • TLC (TV channel) (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2009-10-18 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the father had been on Wife Swap twice and pitched a show to TLC, which passed. — The Balloon Boy Hoax (00:02:33)
  • TMZ (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2019-11-19 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says TMZ reported that Jenner's company had filed to trademark 'rise and shine' for cosmetics and clothing, and people got upset. — Kylie Jenner Shows Me What's Wrong with Reddit (00:00:46)
  • Tumblr (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2011-11-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the legislation before Congress would increase that inequality: YouTube, Google and Tumblr can afford lawyers against Viacom, he can't, and it won't stop already-illegal wholesale piracy. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl (00:02:54)
  • U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2026-02-03 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says 67% of this year's (2026) homicides in Minneapolis have been committed by ICE, yet his family members feel the streets are unsafe and need to be made safer. — Does the truth still matter? (00:01:27)
  • United Nations Security Council (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • United States Armed Forces (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • United States Census Bureau (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2017-01-10 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the US Census Bureau surveys 60,000 households monthly and releases six unemployment rates on the first Friday of each month, four of which matter here. — What Is the Real Unemployment Rate? (00:02:17)
  • United States Department of Defense (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2025-04-08 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says the US spends about 21% of federal money on Social Security, 15% on Medicare, 13% on national defense and 13% on Medicaid. — DOGE Is Not Cutting Government Spending (00:01:27)
  • United States Department of Homeland Security (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • United States Mint (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2010-09-06 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says it costs the US Mint 1.7 cents to make a penny, so every year $70 million of federal tax money subsidizes the penny. — I HATE PENNIES!!!! (Also Nickels.) (00:00:45)
  • Universal Postal Union (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2019-10-30 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says this is partly because international shipping rates are set by a secret cabal independent of actual transportation costs. — this is a video about pineapples. (00:00:00)
  • University Hospital of Mirebalais (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2022-04-19 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John credits Partners In Health's long-term investment in Haiti's health system for the University Hospital in Mirebalais, stressing he wasn't responsible: he was all about short-term thinking. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? (00:00:58)
  • University of Chicago (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-12-30 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John describes a large 2004 University of Chicago study: thousands of identical resumes differing only by name; 'Lakisha' and 'Jamal' got 50% fewer callbacks than 'Emily' and 'Brendan'. — Racism in the United States: By the Numbers (00:01:42)
  • Urban Outfitters (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2013-12-03 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Nerdfighters ask about the 'Don't Forget to Be Awesome' rug at Urban Outfitters: the brothers didn't license it, aren't paid, aren't happy, could stop it but won't. — Who Owns DFTBA? An Introduction to Trademarks (00:00:00)
  • Variety (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2015-07-21 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Correcting himself, John says the movie is already out in Brazil, Australia and elsewhere, critics have seen it and reviews are great; Variety said it was better than The Fault in Our Stars. — PAPER TOWNS IS HERE AND JOHN IS A BALL OF ANXIETY (00:01:27)
  • Vice Sports (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-05-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Vice Sports made a great documentary about the team and his relationship with it, and suggests checking it out. — No Fumar (00:02:46)
  • Vote.org (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-11-03 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — On election day John asks those eligible to vote in the United States to do so, and points to vote.org to find their polling place. — Alaska for Looking (00:00:00)
  • Walmart (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2008-10-28 · criticized (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Asked to get Walmart to stock Paper Towns, John argues buying books at Walmart is a bad idea: if everyone did, only about 30 to 50 books would be published a year, chilling American cultural discourse. — The Unzipped Zipper (Of Your Pants) (00:03:05)
  • Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-04-05 · cited as evidence (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Magie patented her game and offered it to Parker Brothers, who passed; it spread in progressive circles, was taught at Wharton, and was changed by players for decades. — What's Wrong with Monopoly? (00:02:32)
  • WikiLeaks (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Wounded Warrior Project (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-12-26 · recommended (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John's five: Save the Children of Bangladesh, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, MS research and Save Darfur. — Skoodilypooping (00:00:40)

Products (23)

  • YouTube comments (outside the channel; criticized 2, cited as evidence 1)
    • 2016-07-19 · criticized (products, outside the channel) — John says that is why most YouTube comment sections show the most controversial comments first, not the most interesting, generous or nuanced. — Pretty Bad Ways to Start a Conversation (00:02:34)
    • 2020-10-07 · criticized (products, outside the channel) — John says he always liked and was grateful to the audience, but a constant influx of vile comments made the comments less pleasant and, for him, decreased the sense of community. — The Golden Age of Vlogbrothers (00:01:27)
    • 2021-05-04 · cited as evidence (products, outside the channel) — John feared leaving trending would destroy the community, but it grew stronger: the comments became far more pleasant and Nerdfighter groups such as Tuataria and other Discord communities emerged. — What the Most-Viewed Vlogbrothers Videos Say about YouTube (and about us) (00:00:29)
  • Bedaquiline (outside the channel; cited as evidence 2)
    • 2023-09-27 · cited as evidence (products, outside the channel) — John says Shreya was a teenager who sued her own government in India for access to bedaquiline for herself and others; her fight reached India's highest court, where she won. — John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? (00:02:05)
    • 2026-10-20 · cited as evidence (products, outside the channel) — John says there are already better drugs than a couple of decades ago, such as bedaquiline, which has proven hugely powerful against tuberculosis, especially drug-resistant TB; better versions of bedaquiline are in development because the cell wall is better understood. — Correcting a Mistake in Everything Is Tuberculosis · 50 x 50 Science (00:06:19)
  • Bud Light Seltzer (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2020-06-16 · criticized (products, outside the channel, playful) — Finding a Bud Light Seltzer can, John says drinking it is bad enough, but throwing it in the river is classless. — a cool place (00:02:20)
  • Budweiser (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2011-09-12 · criticized (products, outside the channel) — John found Hank's video much less offensive than Budweiser's 9/11 commercials, but something about it was weird, and he kept thinking about it on his walk. — Adorable Baby and Insufficient Cartography (00:01:10)
  • Chloraseptic (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2016-03-25 · recommended (products, outside the channel, playful) — John, who has strep throat, says his favorite food when sick is Chloraseptic Max, which numbs the back of the throat where the strep is. — Snapchat Question Time! (00:02:37)
  • Cub Scout popcorn (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-11-01 · recommended (products, outside the channel, playful) — John adds that novelists also need an adequate supply of snacks and recommends Cub Scout popcorn. — NaNoWriMo!!! (00:02:45)
  • Diet Dr Pepper (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • Fiji Water (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
  • Final Cut Express (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2009-08-30 · recommended (products, outside the channel) — John picks Picard over Kirk, Mario over Link, Canon over Nikon, Final Cut as best editing software, Amsterdam as favorite city and Fantasia as favorite Disney movie. — 100 QUESTIONS ANSWERED!!!!!!! (00:02:55)
  • GeneXpert (outside the channel; criticized 1)
  • Google donation card (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2015-12-11 · recommended (products, outside the channel) — John says donations can go straight to the Foundation via a new fee-free card made by Google, which matches every dollar up to $100,000. — The Refugee Crises: Project for Awesome 2015 (00:03:54)
  • Google Maps (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (products, outside the channel) — For people who never know what to do, John says the easiest thing is what we are already doing, usually nothing, and suggests visiting an art museum alone, reading poetry, and birdwatching in a park while inventing bird names. — Solving Your Problems! (00:01:21)
  • KeyTweak (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2012-06-19 · recommended (products, outside the channel) — For a broken caps lock key John suggests disabling it in Mac system preferences or with the free PC application KeyTweak. — Solving Your Problems! (00:01:41)
  • Lipitor (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2013-08-20 · cited as evidence (products, outside the channel) — John compares prices: a hip replacement costs $13,000 in Belgium but often over $100,000 in the US; a colonoscopy over $1,100 in the US vs $655 in Switzerland; a month of Lipitor $124 in the US vs $7 in New Zealand. — Why Are American Health Care Costs So High? (00:01:20)
  • Pedialyte (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2014-12-02 · cited as evidence (products, outside the channel) — John says his daughter got Pedialyte, and that is the only difference between a funny family Thanksgiving story and the greatest personal disaster he can imagine. — What You Eat Of Those You Love (00:01:50)
  • Prime (drink) (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2025-11-24 · criticized (products, outside the channel, playful) — John recalls a college gig in Binghamton where a man who had received his brother's sock subscription for three years asked when he could assume they were his; John said that time had passed. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:27:33)
  • Purell (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2008-10-21 · recommended (products, outside the channel, playful) — Asked for travel tips, John's first is never to underestimate Purell; he playfully says he is now a Purell addict who puts it on his face. — Travel Tips, Delivered Hoarsely (00:01:42)
  • Robux (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2025-07-29 · criticized (products, outside the channel) — When Alice can't remember what a Robux costs in dollars, John says that's how they get you: a currency that isn't real makes you forget how much things cost. — Dad and Daughter Play Dress to Impress (00:03:31)
  • Rubik's Cube (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2020-08-11 · recommended (products, outside the channel) — John finds it helpful to take up an activity that occupies part of his mind; Rubik's Cubes, like Tetris or trail running, put him in a calm flow state he needs now. — never get bored (00:01:30)
  • Tide (outside the channel; criticized 1)
    • 2025-03-11 · criticized (products, outside the channel) — John says that instead of enriching billionaires by buying something like Tide, he is fighting coral reef devastation. — Hank Green's Brother (00:02:50)
  • Uncrustables (outside the channel; recommended 1)
    • 2025-05-27 · recommended (products, outside the channel, playful) — John's key to a great race day: put Uncrustables in your backpack frozen; they thaw by lunch. — The Longest (and best) Day (00:00:00)
  • Wilshire 5000 (outside the channel; recommended 1)
  • YouTube Insight (outside the channel; cited as evidence 1)
    • 2008-05-20 · cited as evidence (products, outside the channel) — Asked the key to YouTube popularity, John says YouTube's new demographics feature shows Nerdfighters are extremely loyal, which he thinks is because nerdfighting is something they all do together. — Guys Love Giraffe Love (00:01:10)

Mockery and jokes

315 mentions that mock their target or recommend, criticize or cite it in jest — kept out of the counts above; the delivery is tagged on each line.

  • Happy Meal (outside the channel; mocked 4)
    • 2007-08-10 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John says it looks like he will eat a blenderized Happy Meal while waxing two of his legs, or, if Hank is kind, two of his arms. — August 10th: Bears!!!! (00:01:11)
    • 2007-08-14 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — Presenting it as 'cooking with John Green', John blends a Happy Meal (orange drink, French fries, hamburger), keeping some drink to wash it down. — August 14th: The Blenderized Happy Meal (and Leg Waxing) (00:00:56)
    • 2009-06-10 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John opens 'Cooking with John', the show where they make and eat disgusting things; the last episode was a blenderized McDonald's Happy Meal. — Eating a FAT SANDWICH (00:00:00)
    • 2009-06-21 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John says their back-and-forth videos spawned a community of Nerdfighters who fight for awesome and raise a lot of money for charity, sometimes via the brothers' horrible stunts, like his blenderized Happy Meal. — The World Sucks: Help it Suck Less (00:00:33)
  • Wikipedia (outside the channel; mocked 4)
    • 2007-05-18 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John grants that Hank has fact-based evidence on how to pronounce Wikipedia but says he still thinks he is right, calling that 'the American way'. — Brotherhood 2.0: May 18: How to Write a Book Proposal (00:00:43)
    • 2007-08-20 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John reads Winner's Wikipedia history - a French fur trader and magician hunting a non-existent giant beaver, later rich in canned chicken - and asks whether Wikipedia will ever tell him true facts. — August 20th: Winner, South Dakota (00:01:24)
    • 2009-02-21 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — He named the book's wiki Omnictionary not for fear of a Wikipedia lawsuit but for literary reasons: the name means it contains all knowledge. — Paper Towns and PUPPY (00:01:00)
    • 2009-02-22 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John says he will let Hank know how the Exxon letter goes. — Big Oil RIPS YOU OFF — via Unfair Mathematics (00:01:56)
  • Google (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2009-07-14 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John says ads on their videos have been hilarious or humiliating before, including one that seems to mock Hank and one selling a test to tell if your husband is gay. — Sell Outs! (00:00:46)
    • 2011-01-03 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John sets out to answer some of Google autocomplete's common questions beginning with 'is b' (he calls it auto-correct). — Is bronchitis contagious? Is black a color? (00:00:06)
    • 2011-02-09 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John announces that some Nerdfighters are building Your Pants, like the old forum My Pants but yours; hopefully live within a week at yourpants.org, for friendships and decreasing world suck. — NERDFIGHTERS UNITE! (in your pants) (00:02:23)
  • Justin Bieber (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2010-05-10 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — For Justin Bieber songs stuck in your head ('Bieber fever'), John prescribes a heavy dose of the Mountain Goats and the website themountaingoatswillcureyourbieberfever.com. — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More (00:02:54)
    • 2011-01-03 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — After the 'is Bieber' autocompletes (gay, in jail, a girl, really 51, dead, going to North Korea…), John says the answer to all is either no or 'ahhh', and that in 2007 they did not imagine a world where Google thinks we want to know such things. — Is bronchitis contagious? Is black a color? (00:01:51)
    • 2012-05-29 · mocked (music, outside the channel, joke) — John tells Hank that, though he is the younger brother, his marriage continues to be an inspiration to John. — Nerds at the Beach: A REUNION VIDEO! (00:02:12)
  • Kim Jong Il (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2009-02-08 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — Dressed as Hank (or as John in a Hank costume), John sends best wishes to cheer up Australian Nerdfighters, then shows a Nerdfighter-made John disguise. — All Aboard the Fail Boat (00:03:04)
    • 2009-04-05 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John notes two differences from himself: North Korea is run by 'a crazy dude', Kim Jong-il, and has nuclear weapons. — The EVIL BABY ORPHANAGE Returns for North Korea (00:01:37)
    • 2011-07-22 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John says there is three times more irrigated turf grass in the US than corn. — Your Yard Is EVIL (00:00:21)
  • Lindsay Lohan (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2007-07-27 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — Anticipating flamers calling him a nerd, John asks why being a nerd is bad: it means preferring intelligence and thoughtfulness to stupidity and vapidity. — July 27: How Nerdfighters Drop Insults (00:01:01)
    • 2009-04-26 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John says he can follow about six news stories at once and lists them: the economic crisis, Iraq, Pakistan, the Craigslist killer, North Korea and Lindsay Lohan's breakup. — Peanut Butter Face Discusses Sri Lanka (00:00:07)
    • 2009-10-25 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John asks whose respect you want, the 'silverback gorilla' of your life's jungle: Ellen DeGeneres, Shakespeare or Jay-Z is fine; Lindsay Lohan calls for a hard look at yourself. — Fame: The Road Trip (00:03:05)
  • My Little Pony (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2007-10-08 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John says something matters a little more than the presidential debate they have had for months on the forum ('in my pants'): he is appalled that Hank prefers unicorns to zombies. — October 8th: Zombies v. Unicorns (00:01:35)
    • 2009-09-20 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John says not every hardship of Hank's is his to fix, joking about Hank's childhood love of My Little Ponies. — Health Care Reform: The Hank Factor (00:01:35)
    • 2009-09-28 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — Reading a lolspeak comment built on a Woody Guthrie line he used in Paper Towns, John says Guthrie could not have imagined it. — Paper Towns Winners and Ningmasters (00:02:18)
  • Oprah Winfrey (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2008-09-21 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John reads YouTube's most-subscribed directors list: the Vlogbrothers have 41,818 subscribers and Oprah 41,365, so they have 'pwned' Oprah. — The Pwning of Oprah (00:00:50)
    • 2008-10-31 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John shows a page from a fictional National Enquirer in which Oprah is pwned, with a headline 'Margo flips out over Tell All Book'. — Show 'n Tell Thursday (00:01:54)
    • 2008-12-18 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — They say they featured none of their own videos and no best friends, except a video their parents made. — Introducing...The Awesome (00:01:35)
  • Paris Hilton (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2008-12-15 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John notes W.C. Fields's last words were addressed to Carlotta, his mistress, not his wife Hattie; he says he tones the quote down for young nerdfighters. — Famous Last Words (00:02:37)
    • 2009-02-24 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John tells boys that nerd girls are the world's greatest underutilized romantic resource, and that denying they are hot is a Paris Hilton-esque failure to understand hotness. — How to Make Guys Like You (00:02:52)
    • 2011-09-07 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John jokes that Tom Buchanan, who has what everyone else wants, is such an unbearable ass-face that he makes Paris Hilton look charming and grounded. — The Great Gatsby: Living the Dream in the Valley of Ashes (00:01:25)
  • Republican Party (outside the channel; mocked 2, in jest 1)
    • 2007-02-07 · in jest (as mockery in character) (organizations & sites, outside the channel, fiction) — Mostly the narrator dislikes it, but everyone has a cross to bear (chronic back pain, Team Karen, being Republican); it could be worse. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 7, 2007 (00:02:20)
    • 2007-06-22 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John claims hair indicates political position: right-wing Republicans have the senator haircut, big-time lefty hippies long hair. — Brotherhood 2.0: June 22: The Senator (00:01:13)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — On Joe Biden: the best grasp of foreign policy in the Senate and knows Sunnis from Shias, unlike certain Republican nominees; but he is too 'Joe Biden-y'. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:01:15)
  • Twilight (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2009-02-24 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John advises Katie to consider nerd boys: they don't sparkle, but they are sensitive, caring and sweet, if a little needy. — How to Make Guys Like You (00:02:37)
    • 2009-05-24 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — In a mock open letter, John tells the Twilight fandom to call him when it can rock like that. — WROCK! (00:00:50)
    • 2012-06-19 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — When someone takes the last bus seat, John advises assuming, however improbably, that they need it more than you; it may not be true but it helps keep you sane. — Solving Your Problems! (00:00:57)
  • United States Congress (outside the channel; mocked 2, in jest 1)
  • Warner Chilcott (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2011-02-04 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John is down $32 on his Warner Chilcott stock and tells the company to do a better job of 'Warner Chilcott-ing' sick people so he gets his money back. — QUESTION FRIDAY: Spelling is Hard Edition (00:03:17)
    • 2011-04-01 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John wants to use the $26 to decrease worldsuck, preferably in a way that hurts Warner Chilcott, and asks Nerdfighters for ideas in comments. — Many Truths, 1 Lie! (00:01:50)
    • 2011-05-18 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John says that in his opinion the soft-hard continuum is complete nonsense, using 'Warner Chilcott' in place of a swear word. — The Education Continuum WARNER CHILCOTTED (00:00:49)
  • YouTube (outside the channel; mocked 3)
    • 2009-09-27 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes that angry YouTube commenters need to watch more TV to wash off their aggression. — TV For Chickens (00:01:38)
    • 2022-10-04 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John jokes that YouTube is now just TikToks but horizontal. — Hank and John Reunited at Last (00:00:00)
    • 2023-05-23 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Less intentionally funny: the brothers' YouTube account effectively said sorry about the cancer but congratulations on the views, with confetti. — Rough Week (00:00:58)
  • Al Gore (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2007-01-10 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes that paying Al Gore $96 would clear his name of global warming; the exchange that follows (voices unclear) has Gore eating the carbon and pooping political gold. — Brotherhood 2.0: January 10, 2007 (00:02:18)
    • 2007-01-27 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes that paying Al Gore $96 would clear his name of global warming; the exchange ends with Gore eating the carbon and pooping out 'political gold'. — Week 2 Condensed Highlight Reel (00:02:45)
  • Ashley Olsen (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2009-05-10 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John answers 'What could you do with a Poe bust?' with a run of comic uses: on his head, playing Wii, sunglasses, a talking 'nevermore', waterboarding, fitness equipment, a garden gnome. — What Could You Do with a Poe Bust?! (00:00:13)
    • 2011-11-30 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — Honey badgers are hard to kill because their loose skin lets them twist round and bite back, and their thick skin resists machetes and arrows. — Honey Badgers: The Crazy Truth (00:01:45)
  • Britney Spears (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John says he cares very little about Britney Spears; he pities her as a 'narcissistic drug addict' but saves that pity for addicts without her money. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:00:35)
    • 2007-11-21 · mocked (music, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes he would like to write a paper, 'Does the Awesomeness of a Body Depend Upon Its Nerd Content?', proving that accumulating knowledge increases worldwide awesome (except knowledge about Britney Spears). — November 21st: What I'm Grateful For (00:00:09)
  • Cats (2019 film) (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2020-03-10 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel) — The other brother wants only one thing: for there not to be a Cats 2. — A Strong but Fleeting Flavor: A Reunion Video (00:00:25)
    • 2021-12-21 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel) — John won't say good riddance to 2021, as that would imply confidence in 2022; he gives 2021 two stars, like a Cats sequel: probably not as bad, but still a Cats movie. — NOW I AM THE SCIENCE ONE… (00:03:24)
  • Donald Trump (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2010-04-30 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — After telling Hank to stop watching, John tells Nerdfighters there is still time to participate in 'our secret project' and to click for more info. — The Greek Debt Crisis Explained in Four Minutes (00:03:38)
    • 2015-08-11 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John's pledge: he will begin caring about the US presidential election 100 days before Indiana's May 3rd primary; if Donald Trump is still a candidate on January 23rd, 2016, he will think about Trump for the first time. — 454 Days: Understanding America's Ridiculous Political Campaigns (00:03:03)
  • Edward Cullen (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2008-10-21 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John, on the Paper Towns tour, is in Columbus, Ohio, super tired after a long day of touring. — Travel Tips, Delivered Hoarsely (00:00:00)
    • 2009-02-01 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, joke) — John offers a final name, the Arizona blood-drinking silver-haired virgins, saying the NFL, for all its success, has almost completely failed to reach the Twilight fan demographic. — Super Bowl Analysis from an Idiot (00:02:08)
  • ExxonMobil (outside the channel; mocked 2)
  • FIFA (outside the channel; mocked 1, in jest 1)
  • Fifty Shades of Grey (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2012-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says he long argued that books, which resist multitasking, are the solution to a superficially distracted life, but now thinks he was wrong: the medium doesn't matter. — Existential Airport Anxiety (00:01:30)
    • 2012-11-27 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says he and the Yeti keep several thousand books in their house and even two-year-old Henry has a sizeable collection, so he feels qualified to recommend books. — Nerdfighter Book Recommendations: A Gift Giving Guide for Nerdfightastic Readers (00:00:00)
  • Joseph Stalin (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2007-06-08 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John's 'clue in my pants' turns out to be evil-baby drawings: evil baby Stalin and, he thinks, evil baby Hitler. — Brotherhood 2.0: June 8: Studying the Clues (00:00:43)
    • 2008-02-21 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — For a trip to the Evil Baby Orphanage John would take A Love Supreme by John Coltrane and something by the Mountain Goats, though evil baby Stalin would steal them. — People Who Love Giraffes Who Love Giraffes (00:01:14)
  • Lauren Conrad (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2009-10-25 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel) — John proposes that reality-show stars don't live on after death: Lauren Conrad is likely to be remembered less than a high school English teacher. — Fame: The Road Trip (00:01:08)
    • 2010-10-22 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John says Hank's song made him sad he isn't more talented, joking that writing books barely counts since Lauren Conrad writes books. — Making Adorable Music (00:00:00)
  • Mary-Kate Olsen (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2009-05-10 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John answers 'What could you do with a Poe bust?' with a run of comic uses: on his head, playing Wii, sunglasses, a talking 'nevermore', waterboarding, fitness equipment, a garden gnome. — What Could You Do with a Poe Bust?! (00:00:13)
    • 2011-11-30 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — Honey badgers are hard to kill because their loose skin lets them twist round and bite back, and their thick skin resists machetes and arrows. — Honey Badgers: The Crazy Truth (00:01:45)
  • Mickey Mouse (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2008-02-21 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, playful) — Given an hour with a Disney character, John would ask Mickey how it feels to be single-handedly responsible for the death of reasonable American copyright law. — People Who Love Giraffes Who Love Giraffes (00:01:24)
    • 2013-05-14 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, joke) — Asked for his favourite photograph, John picks 'Young Farmers' (also called 'Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance, August 1914'), noting they were also headed for World War I. — Puppies, Pegasi, and TFiOS Casting: It's Question Tuesday (00:00:24)
  • Milton Keynes Dons F.C. (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2016-11-15 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John reports AFC Wimbledon, the fan-owned club with DFTBA on their shorts, are three points from a playoff spot seventeen games into their first third-tier season, while the Milton Keynes franchise is in the relegation zone. — Good News/Bad News: A Pizzamas Video in Nine Slices (00:01:16)
    • 2023-10-05 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says Wimbledon currently sit narrowly ahead of Wrexham, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and several spots above the Milton Keynes club. — America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team (00:02:01)
  • Spice Girls (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
    • 2009-10-06 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John says a Nerdfighter may have found an even better example: Victoria Beckham's book 'That Extra Half an Inch', subtitled 'Hair, Heels, and Everything in Between'. — Victoria Beckham In Your Pants (00:00:32)
  • Star Wars (outside the channel; mocked 2)
  • Starbucks (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2007-05-10 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John calls it a great house in a great neighborhood and tells Hank it has a guest room just for him, so he will have to visit a lot. — Brotherhood 2.0: May 10: House Hunted? (00:02:31)
    • 2010-08-16 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Right afterwards John got Starbucks and, he says, felt waves of hypocrisy. — Lust and Folly in London and Edinburgh (00:00:02)
  • Tumblr (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2013-01-22 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John recalls once describing Tumblr as mostly homoerotic Wholock watercolors; Dutch friends Lotte and Lidewij wrote him a song about it, which he woke up singing, puzzling Henry's babysitter. — How to Be More Than Friends: Question Tuesday (00:00:08)
    • 2025-12-09 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John names Hank's Tumblr, Edward Spoonhands, which keeps the 2008 bit's name; Hank is on Tumblr much less than John. — Hank Green, from A to Z (00:00:58)
  • Vladimir Putin (outside the channel; mocked 2)
    • 2014-04-29 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John says he is delighted and honored to have been included anyway and gets to go to the party with others on the Time 100. — Influence, Airports, and the Nerdfighter Book Club (00:00:45)
    • 2016-05-03 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John, a big IndyCar fan, thought pace driving was ceremonial, but at practice found he must drive about 110 mph on the straightaways; he is very scared and asks TV viewers to remember he is doing his best. — No Fumar (00:01:06)
  • 2D Glasses (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
    • 2014-02-04 · mocked (art & other works, own work (self-plug), playful) — John lists the businesses Hank has started: Crash Course, SciShow, DFTBA Records, VidCon and, jokingly, 'the ceaseless juggernaut' 2D Glasses. — Should We Raise the Minimum Wage? (00:00:02)
  • 4chan (outside the channel; in jest 1)
    • 2012-12-04 · in jest (as mockery in character) (organizations & sites, outside the channel, hypothetical) — John says money raised for the Foundation to Decrease World Suck goes to the organizations in the five most-voted videos, at the discretion of an all-Nerdfighter P4A board, so a rigged vote cannot win. — Time for AWESOME (00:01:56)
  • Adolf Hitler (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Alanis Morissette (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Alberto Contador (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-11-05 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John warns that this week's (week of 5 November 2007) vlogs will be rushed, joking they will be like Alberto Contador at the Tour de France: very fast, maybe on steroids. — November 5th: John's Not Happy about Pakistan (00:01:13)
  • Alex Day (friends & collaborators; mocked 1)
    • 2012-09-25 · mocked (online video & web, friends & collaborators, joke) — John says DFTBA connecting creators with audiences has been a big part of how he has bought diapers for Henry (and, he jokes, Alex Day's tiny jeans). — Do Businesses Need to Suck? (00:02:55)
  • ALF (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-21 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John says their back-and-forth videos spawned a community of Nerdfighters who fight for awesome and raise a lot of money for charity, sometimes via the brothers' horrible stunts, like his blenderized Happy Meal. — The World Sucks: Help it Suck Less (00:00:33)
  • Amanda Bynes (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-02-15 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel) — John says Amanda Bynes tweeted that she hates being misquoted, then less than 24 hours later tweeted a line attributed to Albert Einstein, which he calls a misquotation. — Hello Baby!! (00:00:46)
  • Amy Winehouse (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Aristotle (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-02-07 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John offers a rule of thumb: Aristotle, though very famous, is almost always wrong. — 10 Misconceptions Debunked! (00:02:24)
  • Arizona Cardinals (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-02-01 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John mocks the Arizona Cardinals, trying to win their first Super Bowl, saying their nickname is the lamest since the Premier League's Bolton Wanderers. — Super Bowl Analysis from an Idiot (00:00:40)
  • Ashley Tisdale (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-12-20 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John says Nerdfighters get bloodthirsty at punishment time and reviews suggested punishments he had to dismiss. — December 20th: HANK SHALL BE PUNISHED! (00:01:28)
  • Asif Ali Zardari (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-12-01 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John says Pakistan lacks political leadership: its president, Bhutto's widower, is qualified mainly by having been married to her, and no one good is waiting in the wings. — Shaving for Pakistan (00:02:00)
  • Atlas Shrugged (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Batman (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Batmobile (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2014-10-07 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John doesn't think he'd be a particularly good or generous billionaire, but he wouldn't spend a gajillion dollars on a Batmobile only he may drive. — I Kind of Hate Batman (00:00:41)
  • Bella Swan (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-03-10 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John theorises girls (not named Bella) have a warning system against obsessive guys, which is helpful because no girl or other person will ever fill the holes inside you. — How to Get Girls to Like You (00:01:52)
  • Ben Nelson (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Bio-Poem (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
    • 2012-11-13 · mocked (books & writing, own work (self-plug), playful) — John reads his childhood 'Bio-Poem' from his 'book of peaceful and amusing poems', written at about ten (fourth grade, when he had a girlfriend); it centres on world peace. — I Was a Child Poet. And a Bad One. (00:01:48)
  • Bolton Wanderers FC (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-02-01 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John mocks the Arizona Cardinals, trying to win their first Super Bowl, saying their nickname is the lamest since the Premier League's Bolton Wanderers. — Super Bowl Analysis from an Idiot (00:00:40)
  • Boone's Farm (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-01-08 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John says Hank did not complete the Strawberry Hill Challenge: drinking Sutter Home instead is like slow dancing with Teddy Ruxpin when challenged to wrestle a grizzly bear. — Brotherhood 2.0: January 8, 2007 (00:00:10)
  • Bridge to Terabithia (soundtrack) (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-12-17 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John microwaves a Bridge to Terabithia soundtrack CD, panics and turns off the camera, then stands in his kitchen with steel wool and a 9-volt battery. — Project for Awesome: DonorsChoose.org (00:00:29)
  • Brotherhood 2.0 (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
    • 2007-08-30 · mocked (projects & channels, own work (self-plug), playful) — Asked about the compilation they said in January they would make, they admit they didn't; John jokes there are '70 million' abandoned Brotherhood 2.0 projects, like Question Tuesdays and his tote-bag giveaway. — August 30th: A Secret Project for Nerdfighters (00:01:43)
  • Bubble Guppies (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Call of Duty (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-01-26 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John says Hank would probably choose a pill curing malaria over one curing male pattern baldness, malaria being possibly the biggest drag on world economic productivity; the market sees only baldness riches. — I OWN WARNER CHILCOTT! (00:01:23)
  • Captain Ahab (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-11-08 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John says he has dreamed of a Chevy Volt since Hank's January 2007 Detroit Auto Show video, where it emerged as a concept car, and waited six years, partly for lack of money. — VOLT! A Dream Comes True. (00:00:29)
  • Care Bears (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-10-08 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John argues unicorns are worse: the worst parts of horses and rhinoceri, and in all of fiction they have accomplished nothing but carrying the Care Bears. — October 8th: Zombies v. Unicorns (00:02:33)
  • Carl's Jr. (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-10 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John explains the challenge: eat the nutritional equivalent of a Carl's Jr. specialty burger as its constituent parts - fat, corn syrup, salt and protein - plus a bun. — Eating a FAT SANDWICH (00:00:16)
  • Carl's Jr. portobello mushroom burger (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-10 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John explains the challenge: eat the nutritional equivalent of a Carl's Jr. specialty burger as its constituent parts - fat, corn syrup, salt and protein - plus a bun. — Eating a FAT SANDWICH (00:00:16)
  • Charles III (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2023-05-09 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John playfully describes seeing, over the weekend, an elderly man receive a very fancy hat encrusted with minerals from every corner of the earth except where he lives. — on hope (00:01:39)
  • Charlie Bit My Finger (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-21 · mocked (online video & web, outside the channel, joke) — John mockingly insists the charity pitch needs viral-video gimmicks - a hamster on a piano eating popcorn, a baby biting a finger, a drugged kid after the dentist. — The World Sucks: Help it Suck Less (00:00:03)
  • Charlie Sheen (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-03-04 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John announces a game, 'Sheen or Gaddafi?', a voyage into contemporary narcissistic megalomania: guess whether each quotation was said by Charlie Sheen or Muammar Gaddafi. — SHEEN or GADDAFI? (00:00:05)
  • Chatroulette (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-02-15 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John complains, calling it the internet's most common sin, that people keep misattributing quotations to Einstein, who was a physicist, not a quotation-generation machine. — Hello Baby!! (00:00:59)
  • Chicago (rock band) (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
  • Chick-fil-A (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Chili's (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Chrysler (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-05-22 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — Unsure, John asks Nerdfighters whether Chrysler, super PACs and scammy online dating sites should fund Nerdfighteria and whether to be okay with being the product, to discuss in comments. — You ARE The Product (00:02:33)
  • Chuck E. Cheese (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-01-04 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — The roots of every war go back thousands of years, but an old argument is not necessarily intractable; the brothers' 20-year Chuck E. Cheese band argument never made John want to kill Hank. — Israel. Gaza. PUPPY! (00:00:32)
  • Church of Scientology (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-07-14 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John reports many Nerdfighters commented that almost all ads beside his Sunday video were for Scientology or mail-order brides. — Sell Outs! (00:00:00)
  • Comcast (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2017-02-21 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Asked whether rich people have better Wi-Fi, John says money can buy almost anything but not freedom from Comcast; Beyoncé surely resets her router like everyone. — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? (00:00:10)
  • Condoleezza Rice (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes that 'anybody' excludes the 54% of Americans under 35 and anyone who is non-white, non-Christian, non-male or indicted, leaving old white people and Condoleezza Rice. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:00:00)
  • Constitution of the United States (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-12-05 · mocked (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says the US Constitution's clause barring states from taxing imports and exports writes 'it's' where the possessive 'its' is meant. — 5 Worst Typos of History (00:01:37)
  • Craig Benzine (friends & collaborators; mocked 1)
    • 2010-08-20 · mocked (online video & web, friends & collaborators, playful) — Unlike WheezyWaiter, who 'cowardly' refuses to acknowledge that Explosion Wednesday is a thing, John says these videos are a thing. — The Fox Hat IS REAL, but Are Zombies People? (00:02:49)
  • Crisco (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-10 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John's recipe: a quarter cup of Crisco, one teaspoon of high fructose corn syrup (Mrs. Butterworth), one teaspoon of salt and two scoops of strawberry soy protein, blended, on a wheat bun. — Eating a FAT SANDWICH (00:00:44)
  • CSI: Miami (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-10-16 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John tells adults who say they are too busy to read anyway, rather than watching CSI: Miami. — October 16th: John's Library Pwns (00:00:09)
  • Dan Quayle (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2022-10-07 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John jokes that Dan Quayle, an Indiana boy now living in Arizona, could be a future Crown Hill Cemetery resident, and he thought of writing to suggest it. — Planets Don't Exist (00:09:12)
  • Dan Rather (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-10-07 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes about Dan Rather still being alive and working on HDNet, saying he would rather be in a home. — John Green on the Debate (00:00:15)
  • David After Dentist (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-21 · mocked (online video & web, outside the channel, joke) — John mockingly insists the charity pitch needs viral-video gimmicks - a hamster on a piano eating popcorn, a baby biting a finger, a drugged kid after the dentist. — The World Sucks: Help it Suck Less (00:00:03)
  • David Caruso (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-09-12 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John contrasts CSI, where David Caruso outwits master serial killers, with real murders, where detectives end up comforting a remorseful killer who got drunk and killed a friend. — Special Friday Video! (On Saturday) (00:01:07)
  • Death Eater (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-02-21 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, joke) — John says he went to Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, an undistinguished student who surrounded himself with smart people like Bruce (later a disastrous summer together in Moose Pass, Alaska) and Mary Fran. — Life is Weird. Also beautiful. (00:00:02)
  • Diane Keaton (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John introduces ten of the most likely running mates for Barack Obama in 2008, giving an upside and a downside for each. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:00:46)
  • Diet Dr Pepper (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Dogecoin (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2021-06-15 · mocked (products, outside the channel, joke) — Asked what they would say if they could tell their selves of 10 years ago everything, John thinks his past self would find it cool, awesome and a little scary. — VLOGBROTHERS REUNITED!!!! (00:01:16)
  • Dora the Explorer (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Dr Pepper (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Dr Pepper Ten (outside the channel; in jest 1)
  • EFL Championship (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2013-11-05 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — In English football, a Premier League team finishing in the bottom three is relegated to the league below, the Championship; every league promotes its top teams and relegates its bottom ones. — Our Strangest Project Yet? (00:00:31)
  • Elizabeth Báthory (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-08-28 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — In the description John notes he has clearly underestimated Nerdfighteria again, beside the link to the Nerdfighter Kiva group. — In Which the Candle Dies (00:00:00)
  • Epic Games (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2018-08-14 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John plays Fortnite as a pacifist on HankGames, refusing to let Epic make him violent, and will continue until he wins or people get bored of Fortnite, probably the latter. — Question Tuesday: Secrets & Primes (00:03:05)
  • Everything You Need to Know About the Goth Scene (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Facebook (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2014-09-09 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says Ethiopia's internet is very slow, making it hard to watch creators, comment, load Tumblr or join online communities; students' social media is mostly with people they know offline. — Going to College (in Ethiopia) (00:01:48)
  • Federal government of the United States (outside the channel; in jest 1)
    • 2007-03-15 · in jest (as mockery in character) (organizations & sites, outside the channel, satire) — John says he is grateful that so many in the American government are true nerdfighters, then catches himself ('Oh. Wait.'), implying they are not. — Brotherhood 2.0: March 15: Decreasing Suck (00:02:45)
  • Flava Flav (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-08-06 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — A Nerdfighter emailed that 20Q guessed Flava Flav for Holden Caulfield; John jokes that the two have a lot in common. — Robert Pattinson and DJ Railstone (00:00:40)
  • Free Hank movement (nerdfighter community; mocked 1)
    • 2007-03-05 · mocked (other people & groups, nerdfighter community, playful) — John mocks the 'Free Hank' movement in the comments, with its posters and t-shirts, as a vocal minority making it seem Hank did nothing wrong. — Brotherhood 2.0: March 5, 2007: Hank's Punishment (00:00:00)
  • Friedrich Nietzsche (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Friendster (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Gary Busey (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-08-25 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John argues the creator of the Gary Busey family portrait was not thinking of riches or fame but of doing a great idea well to make people happy. — The Gift of Gary Busey (00:01:40)
  • General Motors (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-04-02 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Options four and five: convince people in downtown Missoula to sing verses from the Nerdfighters song with him, or visit his local GM dealer and test-drive a Hummer. — Brotherhood 2.0: April 2nd: Punishments in the Ramble (00:01:30)
  • Genghis Khan (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-08-21 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John takes up long-time Nerdfighter roxinpunch's Tumblr question whether college, with its overpriced degrees, is even worth it, as relevant to students and to people still repaying loans. — Is College Worth It? (00:00:02)
  • George W. Bush (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-01-04 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John says he did not vote in 2000 even though he could have voted in Florida, and comically blames himself for George Bush. — Brotherhood 2.0: Eating Toilet Paper (00:00:40)
  • GLaDOS (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-08-15 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, joke) — Using what he calls a green screen, John 'transports' himself into Hank's Missoula home office to remove GLaDOS, who annoys him, and breaks things along the way. — HANKLERFISH! (00:00:00)
  • Go, Diego, Go! (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Google Autocomplete (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Google Translate (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2015-07-21 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John has been obsessively reading reviews, including Brazilian ones via Google Translate since he speaks no Portuguese, and thinks they are very positive. — PAPER TOWNS IS HERE AND JOHN IS A BALL OF ANXIETY (00:01:51)
  • Google+ (outside the channel; in jest 1)
    • 2017-06-20 · in jest (as mockery in character) (organizations & sites, outside the channel, satire) — John reveals Hank's first tweet, from June 2007 on his EcoGeek handle: writing up stories for EcoGeek and wondering when Google would buy Twitter. — FIRST! Green Brothers Reunited Again (00:03:06)
  • Grigori Rasputin (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Hamster on a Piano (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-21 · mocked (online video & web, outside the channel, joke) — John mockingly insists the charity pitch needs viral-video gimmicks - a hamster on a piano eating popcorn, a baby biting a finger, a drugged kid after the dentist. — The World Sucks: Help it Suck Less (00:00:03)
  • HankGames (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
    • 2013-08-06 · mocked (projects & channels, own work (self-plug), joke) — John: some of Hank's ideas were excellent (Project for Awesome, VidCon, DFTBA Records), some seemed terrible but turned out great (2D glasses), and most are actually terrible ('Hank Games times two'). — Million Dollar Ideas (00:01:02)
  • HDNet (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-10-07 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes about Dan Rather still being alive and working on HDNet, saying he would rather be in a home. — John Green on the Debate (00:00:15)
  • Helen Hunt (actor) (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-04-24 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John questions Hank's putting Helen Hunt on his 'guilt-free three' list, joking about hunting cougars. — Brotherhood 2.0: April 24: Moving (00:00:10)
  • Hotcakes Emporium Pancake House Restaurant (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-08-02 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — A restaurant near John's house, Hotcakes Emporium Pancake House Restaurant (he nicknames it 'Heifer'), still sells 'Freedom Fries' that look and taste like French fries. — I Love Hank: Esther Day 2010 (00:00:29)
  • Huey Lewis and the News (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
  • Hummer (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • IKEA (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-01-08 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — Rapid-fire answers: cookie dough over cake batter, supermodels 'all tied for last place', and a bookcase from 'a small family-owned' store called Ikea. — The Return of Question Tuesdays (00:03:02)
  • Indiana Economic Development Corporation (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2017-04-04 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John tells Hank that the governor of Indiana is at that moment attending a public meeting of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. — Why I Won't Run for Office (00:02:31)
  • Internal Revenue Service (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-01-27 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Growing up in Orlando, John believed as a child that being rich meant having stairs in your house, even imagining the IRS taxed households by their stairs. — Before Looking for Alaska… (00:00:34)
  • International Olympic Committee (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-07-31 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John says there is at least one known Olympian Nerdfighter, British gymnast Jennifer Pinches, who did the Nerdfighter sign in front of the world after her floor exercise. — Nerd Olympics (00:00:29)
  • iPhone 4S (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-10-05 · mocked (products, outside the channel, joke) — John praises Hank's joke: when the CERN physicist asked what keeps him from falling to the center of the earth, Hank said 'my chair'. — SIGNING MADNESS (00:02:27)
  • iPod (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-01-31 · mocked (products, outside the channel, joke) — Even before the protests began last week (week of 24 January 2011), Egypt held more than 10,000 political prisoners: a lot, but a drop in the bucket compared to China. — Revolution in Egypt: A 4-Minute Introduction (00:01:32)
  • Ironic (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Isabella I of Castile (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-09-04 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John says much of Paper Towns is set in Orlando, Florida. — Paper Towns Tour Dates! (00:02:13)
  • Jack Nicholson (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — On Tim Kaine: he could help turn Virginia blue and, as a very religious Catholic, help Obama with Catholics; but John finds him boring. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:02:13)
  • Jacob Black (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-12-15 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, joke) — Asked how long the Project for Awesome has been going on, John says this will be its third year. — In Which A Secret Is Revealed (00:00:05)
  • James Murdoch (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-07-22 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John says status quo bias is the only reason the US still has pennies: a new coin worth a thousandth of a dollar would seem insane, yet a hundredth is equally insane. — Your Yard Is EVIL (00:02:00)
  • James Ussher (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-10-22 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John says that in the 17th century Archbishop James Ussher calculated from the Bible that the world was created on October 22, 4004 BC, just after nightfall, making today the universe's 6012th birthday by some accounts. — October 22nd: The Anniversary of Young Earth Creationism (00:00:00)
  • Jarrod (nerdfighter community; mocked 1)
    • 2026-02-14 · mocked (characters, nerdfighter community) — John is relieved that a painter spells his name Jarid, because the Jared of Project for Awesome lore is very problematic and has gotten into AI big time. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 4! (00:34:34)
  • Jay Gatsby (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-11-08 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John says he has dreamed of a Chevy Volt since Hank's January 2007 Detroit Auto Show video, where it emerged as a concept car, and waited six years, partly for lack of money. — VOLT! A Dream Comes True. (00:00:29)
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-11-01 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John says Rousseau, whose philosophy deeply influenced the French Revolution, liked being spanked by girls so much he sometimes dropped his drawers in public hoping they'd smack him. — Consider the Lemming (00:02:46)
  • Jerry Seinfeld (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-03-01 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John says that while he watched the Olympic closing ceremonies the day before, Bob Costas cut away from the giant inflatable beavers to introduce The Marriage Ref. — The Marriage Ref SUCKS (00:00:33)
  • Jersey Shore (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-11-29 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John says a male tortoise's attractiveness is decided mostly by neck length, and the longest-necked male generally gets the most desirable mating situations. — Giant Tortoise Coitus (00:01:04)
  • Joel Waul (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-04-14 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — The world's largest rubber band ball, made by Joel Waul (as heard) in Florida, has more than 700,000 rubber bands weighing over 8,000 pounds and is named Megaton. — The World's Largest Balls (00:01:10)
  • John Cusack (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John introduces ten of the most likely running mates for Barack Obama in 2008, giving an upside and a downside for each. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:00:46)
  • John Green (bigfoot researcher) (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-03-29 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John recalls that after his Mental Floss article calling Bigfoot fictional, a namesake John Green, a famous Bigfoot apologist, wrote to say he was besmirching all John Greens. — Quotations (And Holden Hats) (00:00:38)
  • John McCain (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-08-29 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John expects the McCain camp to say her inexperience doesn't matter because McCain has plenty; he jokes that holds only while McCain is alive, which he thought was why one picks a vice president. — Sarah Palin: An Introduction (00:01:47)
  • John's high-school literary-journal story about an injured firefly (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
  • John's Stories (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
  • Joker (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, joke) — On Tim Kaine: he could help turn Virginia blue and, as a very religious Catholic, help Obama with Catholics; but John finds him boring. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:02:13)
  • Jonas Brothers (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-12-10 · mocked (music, outside the channel, joke) — John announces that, after a long time in the works, the deal was agreed over the weekend: the production company East of Doheny has optioned An Abundance of Katherines to make a movie. — Dec. 10: MY BOOK IS GONNA BE A MOVIE!!! (someday) (00:01:12)
  • Just Born (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-03-27 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John's gas-station sweatshirt from Kentucky, bought because only mediums were left, is far too tight; he says he is not a medium. — PEEPS Eating Contest Is Peepstacular, Painful (00:00:00)
  • Kardashian family (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-12-28 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes that lady goats love a good pee-stained goatee, then realises the pun on 'goatee'. — Goats Mating (00:01:27)
  • Kim Il Sung (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Kim Jong-un (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Kim Kardashian (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-11-08 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John says he has dreamed of a Chevy Volt since Hank's January 2007 Detroit Auto Show video, where it emerged as a concept car, and waited six years, partly for lack of money. — VOLT! A Dream Comes True. (00:00:29)
  • King James Version (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-12-05 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel) — John says that in 1631 two printers making a new King James Bible left 'not' out of the seventh commandment, so it read 'thou shalt commit adultery'. — 5 Worst Typos of History (00:02:18)
  • La Toya Jackson (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
  • Lady Gaga (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-01-13 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John rides the Frog Hopper, screaming; the ride's audio is cut because Lady Gaga music was playing; afterwards the operator says he was the biggest guy she'd seen on it. — Froghoppin' with Gatsby (00:00:29)
  • Larry Langford (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2019-04-16 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says a Birmingham, Alabama mayoral candidate's slogan, 'Larry Langford, let's do something', became a catchphrase in his family. — Doing Somethings (00:02:26)
  • Latisse (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-12-13 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John mockingly presents a new drug, Latisse, and many other eyelash products as treatments for the 'public health problem' of unluscious eyelashes. — Eyelash Malaria (00:00:01)
  • Lil Jon (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Limers (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2020-04-28 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, playful) — John says Marbula One taught him how fandom works: he picked the Green Ducks for their shared name, and two months later calls them the greatest team and hates the Limers. — get your game on (00:00:58)
  • Little Einsteins (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • lonelygirl15 (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Lucky Charms (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-04-12 · mocked (products, outside the channel, playful) — John explains that huge audiences watch user-made clips like water-skiing squirrels for free, but advertisers such as Lucky Charms won't associate their brand with them, preferring shows like American Dad and Bones. — The Death of Youtube?? Redesign Coming (00:01:32)
  • Mark Zuckerberg (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Matt Gaetz (outside the channel; in jest 1)
    • 2024-11-13 · in jest (as a critique) (other people & groups, outside the channel, satire) — After a bad eight days, John sarcastically calls Matt Gaetz becoming the next attorney general a huge relief, then flags the sarcasm. — Some New Things… (00:26:22)
  • Maureen Johnson (friends & collaborators; mocked 1)
  • Merriam-Webster (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Michael Carmichael (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-04-14 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — The world's largest ball of paint is in Alexandria, Indiana: in 1977 Michael Carmichael began painting a baseball and kept painting it for 30 years, so it now has tens of thousands of coats. — The World's Largest Balls (00:01:45)
  • Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Mike Green (own work (self-plug); in jest 1)
    • 2009-01-27 · in jest (as mockery in character) (other people & groups, own work (self-plug), fiction) — In the childhood book, each family member makes a New Year's resolution: Mom to clean the drawers, Dad to weigh under 600 pounds, Hank to bathe, John to try his hardest; only John's comes true. — Before Looking for Alaska… (00:00:21)
  • Mike Huckabee (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-02-21 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes he'd play Twister with Mike Huckabee, who doesn't look flexible, and that Ron Paul's Twister would drop every colour but yellow for freedom and cost; he expects Paul's supporters to attack. — People Who Love Giraffes Who Love Giraffes (00:03:07)
  • Miley Cyrus (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Mob Wives (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Muammar Gaddafi (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-03-04 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — To keep the game challenging, John says he will translate Gaddafi's quotations from Arabic, since otherwise the giveaway would be whether it is in Arabic. — SHEEN or GADDAFI? (00:00:20)
  • Must Love Dogs (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John introduces ten of the most likely running mates for Barack Obama in 2008, giving an upside and a downside for each. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:00:46)
  • My Great Mini Book It's Wonderful Amazing (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
  • Myspace (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2012-05-22 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says Facebook isn't actually worth $100 billion, but whatever it is worth is because of its users; it could 'MySpace' tomorrow and be worth nothing. — You ARE The Product (00:00:50)
  • Nancy Drew Mystery Stories (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • National Enquirer (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-10-31 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John shows a page from a fictional National Enquirer in which Oprah is pwned, with a headline 'Margo flips out over Tell All Book'. — Show 'n Tell Thursday (00:01:54)
  • New Kids on the Block (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
  • Nicolas Cage (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Norbit (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • NSYNC (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
  • Octonauts (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Passport to Danger (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • Paula Abdul (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
  • Peeps (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Perez Hilton (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-07-19 · mocked (online video & web, outside the channel, joke) — John says he answered 20Q honestly about Hank and it guessed Perez Hilton. — Harry Potter Nerds Win at Life (00:02:43)
  • Peter Van Houten (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
    • 2012-08-28 · mocked (books & writing, own work (self-plug), playful) — John says The Fault in Our Stars is out in many other languages, including Bulgarian, Danish, German, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan, both Portugueses, Hebrew and Swedish. — In Which the Candle Dies (00:00:58)
  • Pick Me Up (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-08-16 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John visited Alex Day and Charlie McDonnell at their flat: Charlie made tea, Alex read a quiz from Pick Me Up magazine, to which he has a two-year subscription, and they watched YouTube. — Lust and Folly in London and Edinburgh (00:00:02)
  • Pottery Barn (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Princess Leia (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-06-04 · mocked (characters, outside the channel, joke) — On Chris Dodd: John says he has no idea why Dodd is considered a first-tier vice-presidential candidate and doesn't understand why anyone would vote for him. — VEEPSTAKES! (00:01:44)
  • Ranavalona I (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-08-16 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John notes that yesterday was the anniversary of the death of 'noted evil lady baby' Queen Ranavalona, for which secret sisters made a happy death day cake. — August 16th: Finding — and Licking — a Cat (00:00:57)
  • ReadIt1st (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
    • 2025-12-09 · mocked (projects & channels, own work (self-plug)) — John calls Read It First one of Hank's many abandoned projects: a newsletter about new book-based movies so you could commit to read it first, meant to fund itself through affiliate sales, which never worked. — Hank Green, from A to Z (00:03:24)
  • Regions Bank (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-07-05 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John explains that during Indianapolis's official display a local radio station kind of plays a soundtrack, 'like an officially sanctioned thing'; the show is the Regions Bank Freedom Blast. — July 5th: The Regions Bank Freedom Blast (00:01:24)
  • Rich Dad Poor Dad (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-01-08 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John lists Shakespearean titles (Infinite Jest, The Dogs of War, Brave New World, In Cold Blood) and Bible titles (East of Eden, Song of Solomon), jokingly adding Rich Dad, Poor Dad. — Brotherhood 2.0: January 8, 2007 (00:01:56)
  • Rich Uncle Pennybags (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2016-04-05 · mocked (games, outside the channel) — John says the app adds new problems: Rich Uncle Pennybags introduces every game, and with no online play you face a weak AI that desperately proposes ludicrous trades. — What's Wrong with Monopoly? (00:00:28)
  • Ringo Starr (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Roger Boissonneault (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-01-26 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel) — As Hank asked, John emailed Warner Chilcott's CEO Roger Boissonneault, ironically to tell him he is doing a fantastic job. — I OWN WARNER CHILCOTT! (00:00:11)
  • Ron Paul (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-02-21 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes he'd play Twister with Mike Huckabee, who doesn't look flexible, and that Ron Paul's Twister would drop every colour but yellow for freedom and cost; he expects Paul's supporters to attack. — People Who Love Giraffes Who Love Giraffes (00:03:07)
  • Ross Perot (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-11-09 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, joke) — John notes that the Brotherhood 2.0 rules require a video every other weekday for all of 2007 but never require a long one. — Nov. 9th: Sick Day (00:00:00)
  • Rudy Giuliani (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-10-08 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel, playful) — John puts ten incredulous questions to supporters of Rudy Giuliani ('seriously?', 'as president?'), noting Giuliani lacks even the support of his own kids. — October 8th: Zombies v. Unicorns (00:00:39)
  • Rupert Murdoch (outside the channel; in jest 1)
    • 2007-09-28 · in jest (as mockery in character) (other people & groups, outside the channel, satire) — John says he usually avoids the Wall Street Journal because Rupert Murdoch is buying it, mocks Murdoch's empire-building, yet concedes the Journal is a good newspaper. — September 28th: Nerdfighting!!! (00:02:08)
  • Saint Clare Rescuing a Child Mauled by a Wolf (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-04-16 · mocked (art & other works, outside the channel, playful) — John stresses that choosing the right patron saint matters, joking that St. Clare, not a patron of children, arrives late in a famous painting of her saving a child from a wolf. — The Patron Saint of Youtube (00:01:02)
  • Samantha Ronson (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-04-26 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John says he can follow about six news stories at once and lists them: the economic crisis, Iraq, Pakistan, the Craigslist killer, North Korea and Lindsay Lohan's breakup. — Peanut Butter Face Discusses Sri Lanka (00:00:07)
  • Sarah Urist Green (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
  • Sarah's doctor (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2021-06-29 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel) — John wonders how the doctor explains their own sneezes: a fluke, a sneeze-adjacent phenomenon, or a moral weakness to hide from the public. — Sneezing is not normal. (00:01:07)
  • Sharpie (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Sigmund Freud (outside the channel; in jest 1)
    • 2010-11-01 · in jest (as a citation) (other people & groups, outside the channel, satire) — Voicing the popular belief, John says Sigmund Freud referenced lemmings' mass suicide in a lot of his work. — Consider the Lemming (00:00:29)
  • Slytherin (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Smush (own work (self-plug); mocked 1)
    • 2026-07-14 · mocked (games, own work (self-plug), playful) — Hank recently asked John to edit a word game he invented, Smush; John told him, with love, that he needs to stop. — On the Road Again (00:03:07)
  • Special Agent Oso (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Supreme Court of the United States (outside the channel; in jest 1)
  • Sydney Green (own work (self-plug); in jest 1)
    • 2009-01-27 · in jest (as mockery in character) (other people & groups, own work (self-plug), fiction) — In the childhood book, each family member makes a New Year's resolution: Mom to clean the drawers, Dad to weigh under 600 pounds, Hank to bathe, John to try his hardest; only John's comes true. — Before Looking for Alaska… (00:00:21)
  • T-Pain (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Tate Modern (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2024-09-03 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John playfully tells London visitors to go to an AFC Wimbledon game, calling the Tate Modern's 20th and 21st century art boring. — Which is Correct? — or – ? (00:02:26)
  • Team Umizoomi (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • That Extra Half an Inch (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-10-06 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John says a Nerdfighter may have found an even better example: Victoria Beckham's book 'That Extra Half an Inch', subtitled 'Hair, Heels, and Everything in Between'. — Victoria Beckham In Your Pants (00:00:32)
  • The Boss Baby (film) (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2018-03-20 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John cites 'the Oscar-nominated feature film Boss Baby', whose title character says either you run the day or the day runs you. — The Russian Reversal (00:02:04)
  • The Challenge (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-10-25 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John asks why, if Real World cast members got wealthy, they must do the Real World/Road Rules Challenge every year to support themselves. — Fame: The Road Trip (00:02:07)
  • The Clue in the Jewel Box (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Continuum History of Apocalypticism (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-01-27 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John's punishment ideas from the living room: the 1,100-page Continuum History of Apocalypticism, or the happy dance in 70 five-second clips in 70 locations. — Week 2 Condensed Highlight Reel (00:05:02)
  • The Fountainhead (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-08-11 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — As an afterthought, John advises not getting too excited about The Fountainhead. — College Advice From an Expert (00:03:53)
  • The Four-Headed Dragon (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Hardy Boys (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, playful) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Hills (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • The Hooded Hawk Mystery (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Invisible Intruder (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Masked Monkey (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Mystery of the Samurai Sword (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Oak Ridge Boys (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-19 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — John reads out viewers' first concerts (NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Chicago, Huey Lewis and the News, New Kids on the Block, the Spice Girls, the Oak Ridge Boys, LaToya Jackson) as proof of bad childhood taste, mocking LaToya Jackson. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 19, 2007 (00:00:39)
  • The Pasta Bible (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-12-05 · mocked (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says The Pasta Bible had a tagliatelle recipe calling for salt and ground black 'people' instead of pepper, so the publisher destroyed every copy it could find. — 5 Worst Typos of History (00:00:51)
  • The Real Housewives (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • The Real World (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-10-25 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John asks why, if Real World cast members got wealthy, they must do the Real World/Road Rules Challenge every year to support themselves. — Fame: The Road Trip (00:02:07)
  • The Shattered Helmet (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Silver Cobweb (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Stone Idol (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Swamp Monster (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Taming of the Shrew (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • The Tower of Treasure (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Twisted Claw (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • The Weather Channel (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-06-12 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, joke) — John reports Hank is as expected in most ways (enjoys breakfast, magazines, wistful sunset beach walks) but differs in one: Hank Green loves to sleep. — June 12th: Hank Green "In the Wild" (00:00:39)
  • The Women's Petition Against Coffee (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2022-07-12 · mocked (art & other works, outside the channel) — John says that in 17th-century England King Charles II, concerned about political talk in coffee houses, began a PR campaign against coffee that included an anonymously written petition, which says coffee leads men to waste their time and money on nauseous puddle water. — Nauseous Puddle Water (00:00:00)
  • Thierry Henry (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-06-11 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, playful) — Natalie Tran (Community Channel) can't come to VidCon all the way from Australia; John says they are bummed but understand. — Mmmm....PARTS (00:01:23)
  • Thomas Jefferson (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-10-04 · mocked (politics & public life, outside the channel) — John says John Adams's last words claimed Thomas Jefferson still survived, which was untrue: Jefferson had died earlier that same day, July 4, 1826. — NERD ALERT: Presidential Last Words (00:00:32)
  • Tiger Woods (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-12-13 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John argues real free-market economics calls for much more malaria research, since malaria drains the world economy more than Wall Street bankers or the foreclosure crisis. — Eyelash Malaria (00:01:13)
  • Tim Allen (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • TK Maxx (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2024-08-20 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John says a great joy of following AFC Wimbledon is visiting places tourists usually miss, like Bromley. — Thoughts from Places: BROMLEY! (00:00:29)
  • To Catch a Predator (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2010-06-25 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John talks with his editor, Julie Strauss-Gabel, about his new book on camera. — Book Nerd PARADISE (00:00:34)
  • Toad (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-02-15 · mocked (games, outside the channel, joke) — John imagines Nerdfighters as a video game mixing Mortal Kombat and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out: players pick nerd characters with special powers and fight popular people, with the high-school quarterback as the final opponent. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 17, 2007 (00:00:51)
  • Today (American TV program) (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-10-18 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, playful) — John notes the boy told his father 'you said we did this for a show', and the next day was made to go on the Today Show, where he vomited. — The Balloon Boy Hoax (00:02:04)
  • Toronto Raptors (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2014-04-01 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says even people who have not seen Jurassic Park know the terror of the velociraptor; Toronto even named its NBA team after raptors. — VELOCIRAPTORS (00:00:30)
  • Transformers (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2011-02-09 · mocked (film & tv, outside the channel, joke) — John piles up old in-jokes: pizza in the mustache, the singamajig, his puppy-sized elephant, the Dread Pirate Fireball Wilson Roberts and French the Llama, Tender Morsels in your pants. — NERDFIGHTERS UNITE! (in your pants) (00:00:18)
  • Transitional Federal Government (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-01-11 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — The US and Somalia's neighbours back the anti-Islamist side, putting their weight behind the Transitional Federal Government, which ostensibly runs the south. — SOMALI PIRATES! France Penetrates Chad! (00:02:35)
  • Transportation Security Administration (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2008-07-01 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — Live from LAX (00:00:46)
  • Trouble in the Pipeline (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-09-18 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John says a secret sibling's video pointed out that adding 'in your pants' to Hardy Boys titles is unusually often hilarious, and he does it to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys titles. — September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker (00:02:03)
  • Twitter (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Tycho Brahe (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-12-06 · mocked (other people & groups, outside the channel, joke) — John warns MIT that one day there will be a decisive contest for 'internerdial domination' and Nerdfighteria is coming for them. — LOSERS!!!! (00:03:19)
  • United States Department of Agriculture (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • United States Postal Service (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-12-20 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John says Hank and Katherine's Christmas presents might not arrive by Christmas although he bought them in time, jokingly blaming the Postal Service for not inventing instant delivery. — December 20th: HANK SHALL BE PUNISHED! (00:00:39)
  • United States Senate (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2013-01-01 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John reports that on New Year's Eve the US Senate reached a compromise to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff of tax increases and spending cuts, mainly by postponing the hard decisions a few months. — Why Does Congress Suck? (00:00:03)
  • Us Weekly (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-04-06 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John rejects the break: injustice, despair, global warming and suck don't take every eighth week off, and nor will the Nerdfighters, who fight all year except weekends and occasional holidays. — Brotherhood 2.0: April 6: Nerdfighters Never Surrender (00:00:56)
  • Valu Time Luncheon Loaf (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Vector Prime (outside the channel; in jest 1)
    • 2009-07-11 · in jest (as a citation) (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John jokes Chewbacca is ineligible: not natural-born (a galaxy far away), deceased as the 1999 Star Wars novel Vector Prime shows, and fictional. — Chewbacca for President! Let the Wookie Win! (00:00:45)
  • Victoria Beckham (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-10-06 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John says a Nerdfighter may have found an even better example: Victoria Beckham's book 'That Extra Half an Inch', subtitled 'Hair, Heels, and Everything in Between'. — Victoria Beckham In Your Pants (00:00:32)
  • Walmart (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2025-11-24 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel) — John urges viewers to do their holiday shopping at Good Store, where 100% of the profit goes to charity, instead of at Walmart, where the profit supports the Walton family. — Good Store Holiday Gift Guide LIVE with Hank and John (00:01:16)
  • Wannabe (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-10-06 · mocked (music, outside the channel, playful) — John says a Nerdfighter may have found an even better example: Victoria Beckham's book 'That Extra Half an Inch', subtitled 'Hair, Heels, and Everything in Between'. — Victoria Beckham In Your Pants (00:00:32)
  • Weight Watchers (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Wii Fit (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2009-06-17 · mocked (games, outside the channel, playful) — John says he is about 20% bigger than he used to be; the Wii Fit he and Sarah got calculated his BMI and made his Mii portly. — Half a Beard (00:01:05)
  • William Shakespeare (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2007-08-22 · mocked (books & writing, outside the channel, joke) — John declares that 'in your pants' jokes never get old, like the family in Tuck Everlasting, and runs through literary titles 'in your pants'. — August 22nd: Um. Uh. IN YOUR PANTS (00:02:37)
  • Wish (outside the channel; mocked 1)
    • 2024-05-07 · mocked (organizations & sites, outside the channel, playful) — John assembles a cheap step-and-repeat ordered for the film's Indianapolis premiere that didn't arrive in time, and feels like a reporter at the jankiest premiere ever. — A Secret about Art (00:00:00)
  • Wonder Pets! (outside the channel; mocked 1)
  • Yahoo Answers (outside the channel; mocked 1)