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Secret sibling

An honorary sibling of the brothers, such as Maureen Johnson.

Origin on the channel: Right after mentioning the video surveys, Hank asks who Tom is and says he did not know they had a secret brother; Tom introduces himself as their third brother. — Brotherhood 2.0: February 20th: Computer Trouble 00:01:48

in-group term (coinage) · in 43 videos, 2007–2023 · peak 2007 (22 videos) · last heard 2023

Videos per year: 2007: 22 · 2008: 7 · 2009: 6 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2023: 1

Forms heard

How the speakers say this one item, as transcribed from the videos, in order of first appearance.

form videos first heard last heard
“secret brother” 9 2007-02-20 · Brotherhood 2.0: February 20th: Computer Trouble 00:01:48 2017-10-17 · Look at Tiny Baby Hank 00:00:46
“secret sister” 9 2007-05-02 · Brotherhood 2.0: May 2: Book Banning 00:00:10 2016-12-02 · Logging Off 00:00:02
“secret siblings” 13 2007-07-31 · July 31: HP, Secret Siblings, and Books 00:00:31 2023-12-24 · John and Hank Hanging Out but they Keep Getting Younger and More Pixelated 02:18:41
“secret sibling” 5 2007-08-16 · Re: Vlog 6: Secret Siblinghood! 00:00:03 2009-11-17 · Question Tuesday: The Free Money Edition 00:00:00
“secret sisters” 1 2007-08-16 · August 16th: Finding — and Licking — a Cat 00:00:57

Every video

2007

date video use what is said
2007-02-20 Brotherhood 2.0: February 20th: Computer Trouble 00:01:48 origin Right after mentioning the video surveys, Hank asks who Tom is and says he did not know they had a secret brother; Tom introduces himself as their third brother.
2007-05-02 Brotherhood 2.0: May 2: Book Banning 00:00:10 callback John calls Maureen Johnson a 'future secret sister'.
2007-07-31 July 31: HP, Secret Siblings, and Books 00:00:31 callback John recalls secret brother Tom's February 21 prophecy of more secret siblings, notes secret sister Maureen has since emerged, and wonders whether nerdfighters will become more.
2007-08-03 August 3: The Retail Dance 00:03:28 callback Hank mentions a 'secret sister' who was kicked out of her house.
2007-08-16 August 16th: Finding — and Licking — a Cat 00:00:57 mention 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. · “secret sisters”
2007-08-16 Re: Vlog 6: Secret Siblinghood! 00:00:03 callback Hank welcomes Melissa as a new secret sibling, a high-profile YouTube user.
2007-08-20 August 20th: Winner, South Dakota 00:00:09 callback John credits 'our secret brother Tom' with the midpoint calculation and mentions an intro made for all the secret siblings.
2007-08-24 August 23rd: John's Secret Project Part 1 00:00:03 callback A radio dedication comes 'from all your secret siblings and nerd fighters in Atlanta'.
2007-08-29 August 29th: Goodbye 29 Year Old John 00:02:29 callback Hank calls Maureen Johnson 'our secret sister Maureen'.
2007-08-30 August 30th: A Secret Project for Nerdfighters 00:01:14 callback They say a secret sibling is anyone who makes video responses to their videos, preferably daily.
2007-09-18 September 18: In Defense of Chris Crocker 00:02:03 mention 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.
2007-09-20 Sept. 20th: Wacky String 00:02:19 mention John says watching the videos of their 'secret Australian niece and nephew' makes him want a kid: all the awesome of a person compacted into a tiny package.
2007-10-10 October 10th: A Spoilerific Attack on Unicorns 00:03:17 callback John asks viewers to send positive thoughts to two secret siblings and their cat.
2007-10-19 October 19th: Missoula to Seattle 00:00:03 callback Hank credits 'our Australian secret siblings' as the cue for his travelogue.
2007-10-24 October 24th: RANDOM NERDFIGHTING 00:03:12 callback John refers to two viewers who made a film as 'Secret Siblings' and asks viewers to watch it and vote.
2007-11-01 November 1st: When Nerdfighters Fall in Nerdfighter-Like 00:01:19 callback John says one of the brothers' secret siblings has just started seeing a somewhat prominent Nerdfighter.
2007-11-02 November 2nd: John Green at the Young Author's Award 00:00:43 callback Hank replies he is not sure which secret sibling John means by the one dating a prominent Nerdfighter.
2007-11-05 November 5th: John's Not Happy about Pakistan 00:01:53 callback John again calls the funded woman 'our secret sibling'.
2007-11-15 Nov 15: Jay-Z, the Inkys, Nerdfighteria, and Venn Diagrams! 00:01:30 callback John calls two children in Australia 'our secret niece and nephew'; the niece made him a toilet-paper-king crown.
2007-11-26 Nov. 26th: Writing Advice (And Notes on Surnameless Tiffany) 00:01:08 mention John gives two clues (excellent penmanship at 10, likes horses) and says there will be a very handsome reward if Nerdfighters track Tiffany down. → John asks Nerdfighters to find 'Tiffany with no last name' (2007) (reported back, 2007-11-29) → John: give a handsome reward to whoever finds Tiffany (2007) (said in jest (not tracked), 2007-11-28)
2007-11-29 November 29th: sXePhil, Leaky Brains and a Secret Project 00:00:10 callback For newcomers Hank explains that Nerdfighters and 'secret siblings in my pants' have teamed up to decrease world suck with a scavenger hunt; he calls it 'pretty jokes' and apologises for the terminology.
2007-12-14 Dec. 14th: John and Maureen Johnson: LIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY 00:01:52 callback John mentions 'secret brother Tom', who proposed putting a ferret inside John's pillowcase.

2008

date video use what is said
2008-02-26 Best Wishes! 00:03:20 mention The Vloglovers YouTube channel is back, and the two 'secret siblings' behind it are in nerdfighter-like.
2008-03-07 Shawty Got Low, Tritube and Blurbing 00:00:50 callback The rubbing is by 'Secret Brother Tom' and says 'P.S. You're my favorite brother.'
2008-06-26 Don't Suck on That Bone 00:02:16 mention John calls 'Mummy, How Do I Know If I'm a Nerdfighter?' by Debbie, 'the queen of Australian nerdfighting', the great work of Nerdfighter literature, of which only about five copies exist. → John asks viewers to support Debbie's auction of 'Mummy, How Do I Know If I'm a Nerdfighter?' for an orphanage in Lebanon (2008)
2008-07-30 Audiobooks and 8 8 08 00:00:25 mention Because the day coincides with the Harry Potter conference Terminus, John says special guests will come: Secret Brother Adam, Secret Sister Rosianna, some of the Five Awesome Girls and Guys, and a surprise guest.
2008-08-06 Question Tuesday Returns (on a Wednesday) 00:02:09 mention Asked which superhero he would be, John names Pants Power, the superhero with power pants created by his "secret sister" Debbie.
2008-09-04 Paper Towns Tour Dates! 00:01:43 mention John announces the Paper Towns tour stops from October 17 to 30: Boston, Indianapolis, Columbus, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Chicago suburbs and city, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, and a Nerdfighter Halloween party in Los Angeles.
2008-09-11 A Video about Videos 00:02:24 callback John says his secret siblings introduced their new baby in a funny birthday video for him, and suggests viewers go and welcome the baby to the world.

2009

date video use what is said
2009-05-19 Question Tuesday! 00:00:00 mention Asked about the hand sign, John says those who can't make it can use a workaround invented by the brothers' 'secret niece and nephew' in Australia, whom he'll meet soon.
2009-06-07 I Will Call Him Louis: Australia Rocks! 00:02:32 callback John calls the Australian family he meets "our secret Australian family, the kiddos".
2009-09-12 Special Friday Video! (On Saturday) 00:02:22 callback John calls Tom 'our original secret brother Tom'. → John asks Cambridge, Massachusetts Nerdfighters to work for and vote for secret brother Tom (2009)
2009-11-17 Question Tuesday: The Free Money Edition 00:00:00 mention John says it is still possible to be a secret sibling: everyone who makes video responses is one.
2009-12-06 LOSERS!!!! 00:01:54 callback John calls Dan Brown 'our secret brother, whose last name comes from a different color'.
2009-12-27 How To Be a Nerdfighter: A Vlogbrothers FAQ 00:02:31 callback Hank defines secret siblings as anyone who makes video responses to their videos.

2010

date video use what is said
2010-08-16 Lust and Folly in London and Edinburgh 00:01:12 mention With his secret sister Rosianna, John went to an East End basement club to read while three musicians, including Tom Milsom and Alex Day, played.

2011

date video use what is said
2011-09-30 YouTube Survey: Balls and First Kisses 00:00:13 callback John calls Maureen Johnson 'our secret sister'.

2013

date video use what is said
2013-07-02 The Perks of Being John's Assistant 00:00:03 mention Rosianna introduces herself as John's assistant and, 'as of way back when', John and Hank's secret London sister.
2013-07-19 TFiOS Movie, Bees, Babies, and More! 00:03:32 callback John calls Maureen Johnson his secret sister, adding that she might be him.
2013-07-23 Watermelon Internet Trolls 00:00:00 callback The description introduces the guest host as 'secret sister Maureen Johnson'.

2016

date video use what is said
2016-12-02 Logging Off 00:00:02 callback Rosianna introduces herself as John's producing partner, John and Hank's secret sister, a YouTuber and an avid user of the internet.

2017

date video use what is said
2017-10-17 Look at Tiny Baby Hank 00:00:46 mention The students got Hank's high school yearbook; John shows 'tiny baby Hank' and a caption of Hank and a classmate surfing the 'net who believe all seniors should get internet privileges ('Hank, I agree!').

2023

date video use what is said
2023-12-24 John and Hank Hanging Out but they Keep Getting Younger and More Pixelated 02:18:41 callback A Nerdfighter dictionary lightning round defines puppy-sized elephants, stuff on heads, French the llama, puff levels, Decepticons, the Giant Squid of Anger, tiny chicken disease, secret siblings, in your pants and the gang sign.