Allusions

178 times something from outside the channel was evoked without being named — a quoted line, a lyric sung, a catchphrase or a riff on it — in 166 videos. Each item: the words used → what they point to, the sentence they were said in, who said it, the video and timestamp. Puns and parodies that also allude are on Puns on names; references by description ("Melville's preacher") are on Described, not named.

Years: 2007 (20) · 2008 (10) · 2009 (18) · 2010 (11) · 2011 (12) · 2012 (13) · 2013 (18) · 2014 (8) · 2015 (10) · 2016 (9) · 2017 (3) · 2018 (5) · 2019 (2) · 2020 (27) · 2021 (2) · 2022 (3) · 2023 (2) · 2025 (2) · 2026 (3)

2007

“the answer to the question of life, the universe, and everything is 42” → The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy — “Well, the answer to the question of life, the universe, and everything is 42, right?” — Hank, Brotherhood 2.0: January 15th (00:03:02)
“In 2000” → United States presidential election — “In 2000, even though I could have voted in Florida.” — John, Week 1 Condensed! (00:03:34)
“you eat the exact number of points you're supposed to eat” → Weight Watchers — “It's about learning to come to terms with the fact that even though sometimes you eat the exact number of points you're supposed to eat, you still don't get less fat.” — John, Brotherhood 2.0: February 9, 2007 (00:01:52)
“I know Kung Fu” → The Matrix — “In your brain, I know Kung Fu.” — Hank, Brotherhood 2.0: February 20th: Computer Trouble (00:00:59)
“Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys” → Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys — Hank, March 30th: Manliness! (00:00:48)
“Mama Padama rolled out of bed” → Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard — “Mama Padama rolled out of bed and she went to the police station.” — a guest, Brotherhood 2.0: May 4: The Top Secret Project (00:01:14)
“Brit's baby” → Britney Spears — “What's wrong with Brit's baby is not a sentence that ends in an exclamation point.” — John, Brotherhood 2.0: May 8th: House Hunters (00:01:41)
“We got each other, sharin' the laughter and love” → As Long as We Got Each Other — “… givin' We can take anything that comes our way Maybe rain or shine, all the time We got each other, sharin' the laughter and love” — both, June 11: SURPRISE (00:00:03)
“Some things you do for money and some you do for love, love, love” → Love Love Love — “… down the river for a song And Sonny Liston rubbed some tiger balm into his glove Some things you do for money and some you do for love, love, love Raskolnikov felt sick, but he couldn't say why When he saw his face reflected in his …” — John, June 18th: Leaving New York City (00:00:50)
“all those women who were having their graduation ceremony” → microfinance organization visited in the Dominican Republic — “… I think is really important to share, is that after we stood up in front of all those women who were having their graduation ceremony that day, we started to ask them questions.” — Hank, How to be a Microfinancier Part 2 (00:00:57)
“see Harry Potter at the 5 o'clock matinee showing” → Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) — “We're going to see Harry Potter at the 5 o'clock matinee showing, because that is the only time we go to see movies anymore.” — Hank, July 12: Pizza, Punishments and Potter (00:01:36)
“My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump.” → My Humps — Hank, July 16: Goth (00:02:46)
“I can has cheeseburger?” → Lolcat — “I can has cheeseburger? And I looked around to see if her boss was looking, and then she was like, …” — Hank, August 3: The Retail Dance (00:01:31)
“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Zum Geburtstag, lieber John!” → Happy Birthday to You — a guest, August 24th: John's Secret Project Part 2 (00:03:34)
“It's just a jump to the left.” → Time Warp — a guest, August 23rd: John's Secret Project Part 1 (00:00:42)
“a frank and lonely girl” → Ze Frank — “Well, you started out obsessed with a frank and lonely girl.” — Hank, August 29th: Goodbye 29 Year Old John (00:00:29)
“scorpion's fatality” → Mortal Kombat — “I'll do scorpion's fatality and rip out your spine.” — Hank, September 5th: I'm Gonna Kill You (00:01:23)
“Scorpion's fatality” → Mortal Kombat — “Scorpion's fatality was clearly taking off his ma-” — John, September 6th: The Book Club Returns (00:00:00)
“September 12th, 2001” → September 11 attacks — “And then on September 12th, 2001, all of a sudden, Pervez Musharraf, good friend of ours.” — John, November 7: Discussing the Political Situation in Pakistan (00:01:42)
“things fall apart and the center cannot hold” → The Second Coming (poem) — “In the contemporary world where things fall apart and the center cannot hold, you have to imagine a community where there is” — John, Dec. 28th: John's Last Brotherhood 2.0 Video (00:03:04)

2008

“starts with 'PW'” → pwned — “What's the only word in the English language that starts with 'PW'?” — John, People Who Love Giraffes Who Love Giraffes (00:02:48)
“shorty got low” → Low — “Next thing you know, shorty got low.” — Hank, Shawty Got Low, Tritube and Blurbing (00:00:04)
“I'm a World Wide Web girl in a World Wide Web world” → song (ToyBox, 'World Wide Web girl') — “… But when we're together online I wanna tell the world I'm so happy that you're mine I'm a World Wide Web girl in a World Wide Web world There is something I must confess I need a World Wide Web boy with a World …” — Hank, Hank's Punishment (ugh...I don't believe uploading this...) (00:00:59)
“I'm definitely on team ninja, a pirate puppy would be pretty awesome.” → Pirates versus Ninjas — “Because while, you know, I'm definitely on team ninja, a pirate puppy would be pretty awesome.” — Hank, Adorable Puppy Injury!!!! (00:01:45)
“the epilogue” → Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — “Rowling to say that the epilogue was crap, cause we all know it was crap.” — Hank, Book Eight...Another Harry Potter Song (00:01:42)
“Tobian” → Tobi — “Hank it's a Tobian!” — John, Audiobooks and 8 8 08 (00:03:38)
“presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee” → United States presidential election — “presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin” — John, Sarah Palin: An Introduction (00:00:07)
“our President, everyone hates him” → George W. Bush — “We're tired of our President, everyone hates him, He put us in Sour Fruit and Cheney shot his friend, But now that guy …” — Hank, Obama Llama Song (00:00:02)
“You want to leave, but you won't take me” → Dragostea Din Tei — “Și sunt voinică, dar să știi, nu-ți cer nimic You want to leave, but you won't take me, you won't take me, you won't take me Your image and the love of your …” — Hank, Numa Numa Hank Dance (00:01:53)
“The spiraling shape will make you go insane” → Spiraling Shape — Hank, Hank and John from the Road (00:02:18)

2009

“I've always been for the Empire” → Star Wars — “No; I've always been for the Empire, that's no secret.” — John, Giraffe Love and Other Questions ANSWERED (00:00:16)
“you say it's your birthday” → Birthday — “Cheese band's version of you say it's your birthday is or is not great, you pro-me con, dates back more than 20 years, and yet, …” — John, Israel. Gaza. PUPPY! (00:00:32)
“Market crash” → 2007–2008 financial crisis — Hank, Stock Adviser (Via Britney) (00:02:04)
“nerd boys don't sparkle in the sunshine” → Twilight — “Katie, I know that nerd boys don't sparkle in the sunshine, but they're sensitive, they're caring, they're sweet, they'll do nice stuff for you.” — John, How to Make Guys Like You (00:02:33)
“Edward Cullen” → Twilight — “You don't love me 'cause I'm not Edward Cullen.” — Hank, I'm Not Edward Cullen: A Song (00:00:32)
“Ooh, heaven is a place on Earth” → Heaven Is a Place on Earth — “"Ooh, heaven is a place on Earth ".” — John, John Loves Amsterdam (00:01:34)
“I'm never gonna give you up” → Never Gonna Give You Up — “… any other guy I just wanna tell you how I feel I gotta make you understand I'm never gonna give you up” — Hank, HANKROLL'd (00:00:17)
“What does the raven symbolize?” → The Raven — John, What Could You Do with a Poe Bust?! (00:01:08)
“Only you can prevent forest fires!” → Smokey Bear — “Only you can prevent forest fires! Quick!” — Hank, GREEN SCREEN!!!! (00:00:00)
“I kissed a girl and I liked it” → I Kissed a Girl — Hank, Neck Beards and Fitness Challenges (00:02:03)
“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” → United States Declaration of Independence — “And if it is a right - like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness -” — John, Health Care Overhaul Summarized Via MASSIVE PIG (00:03:41)
“I'm still looking for you, Alaska” → Looking for Alaska (song by Liane Graham) — “… is But I believe it's somewhere And I hope it's beautiful, like you, you're beautiful, and I'm still looking for you, Alaska.” — Lianne Graham (quoted), So Jokes: Video EP (00:11:28)
“We require more vespene gas.” → StarCraft — “We require more vespene gas. Some of the best things in the world are done simply because they're the best things …” — Hank, WTF IS GOING ON!!! (00:00:00)
“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” → United States Declaration of Independence — “And if it is a right, like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it is the responsibility of a government to protect that right.” — John, Health Care Reform Thought Bubble (00:02:57)
“Tear down that wall!” → Tear down this wall! — “Tear down that wall! "” — John, How To (Not) Demolish a Wall (00:01:19)
“Ten million fireflies” → Fireflies — Hank, ChartJackers, Chris, Touring and Duckies (00:00:00)
“Hello, Seattle. I'm a mountaineer.” → Hello Seattle — “Hello, Seattle. I'm a mountaineer. And this is a wheel, a cart.” — Hank, On a Plane - On the Ground (00:02:29)
“Baby, don't hurt me” → What Is Love — John, Question Tuesday: The Free Money Edition (00:00:00)

2010

“dyeing beer and rivers green” → Saint Patrick's Day — “The rest of the world celebrates Mama Green's birthday by wearing green clothes and dyeing beer and rivers green.” — Hank, Side-Boob is Not my Ultimate Concern (00:03:16)
“a tiny pale blue dot” → Pale Blue Dot — “People have a lot of different reactions to the knowledge that we are on a tiny pale blue dot.” — Hank, I Shall BLOW YOUR MIND (00:03:03)
“Patience grasshopper” → Kung Fu (TV series) — “Patience grasshopper, patience.” — John, Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More (00:02:44)
“I sent out a tweet” → Twitter — “Hank, yesterday I sent out a tweet asking Nerdfighters if they had any questions, and they answered en masse.” — John, College Advice From an Expert (00:00:00)
“so I tweeted a question to the world” → Twitter — Hank, Non-VIrgin...a Lexical Gap? (00:01:09)
“It is not, however, ironic.” → Ironic — Hank, Stop Embarrassing Yourself (00:00:53)
“It's one of the classic blunders.” → The Princess Bride (film) — Hank, TOP 7 FAILS OF HISTORY (00:01:37)
“Olympian” → Olympic Games — “The first Olympian from the nation of Suriname,” — Hank, TOP 7 FAILS OF HISTORY (00:02:13)
“the Napoleon” → Napoleon — “And lastly Hank, thing eight: the Napoleon.” — John, 8 Things I Love (00:02:58)
“my younger and more vulnerable years” → The Great Gatsby — “Remembering the unbearable lightness of my younger and more vulnerable years made me” — John, Baby on the Road: Thoughts from Places (00:00:33)
“the unbearable lightness” → The Unbearable Lightness of Being — “Remembering the unbearable lightness of my younger and more vulnerable years made me” — John, Baby on the Road: Thoughts from Places (00:00:33)

2011

“freaking transformer” → Transformers — “It's a freaking transformer.” — Hank, Top 5 Awesome Things About the Webb Telescope (00:01:35)
“tweet” → Twitter — “you can tweet them; you can even share them on your weblog.” — Hank, This Machine Pwns n00bs Video LP (00:00:23)
“I remember when rock was young” → Crocodile Rock — “"I remember when rock was young, me and Susie had so much fun, holding hands” — Hank, The Ice Cream Changes (00:01:26)
“I did my time and I want out” → Psychosocial — “And just in case you think it's only happy songs that use this: "I did my time and I want out, so abusive; fate, it doesn't cut, the soul is not so vibrant, the reckoning,” — Hank, The Ice Cream Changes (00:02:49)
“like the cake, because it is, at least partly, a lie” → The cake is a lie — “It is also like the cake, because it is, at least partly, a lie.” — John, Many Truths, 1 Lie! (00:00:03)
“ninja university” → Pirates versus Ninjas — “Because they failed out of ninja university.” — John, Peanut Butter Face Question Tuesday (00:00:48)
“you got whozits and whatzits galore” → Part of Your World — “I mean, even if you got like twenty thing-a-mabobs, you got whozits and whatzits galore, still.” — Hank, Google Is Alive! (00:01:30)
“it gets better” → It Gets Better Project — “There were lots of shouts of, it gets better, and stay strong, and we love you.” — Hank, I Am Not a P#$$Y - this video contains mild swear words. (00:02:48)
“what foul dust trailed in the wake of his dreams” → The Great Gatsby — “it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust trailed in the wake of his dreams "” — John, YouTube Survey: Balls and First Kisses (00:02:25)
“Muggles” → Harry Potter (book series) — “Don't tell me pumpkin juice doesn't exist, Muggles!” — John, Defying Wadsworth! (00:00:19)
“sound my barbaric yop” → Song of Myself — “feel a lot of anxiety, i just want to, like, sound my barbaric yop over the rooftops of the world, like” — John, Signing Psychosis Takes Over (00:01:41)
“Come on big money. No whammies” → Press Your Luck — “… across the bridge I just didn't know any other way to get back to the house Come on big money. No whammies Yes I'm back on the road” — John, Goats Mating (00:03:33)

2012

“Over 9,000 members? Anybody?” → It's Over 9000! — “Over 9,000 members? Anybody? Huh?” — John, Actually Free Money! (Really.) The Bank of Nerdfighteria's Quarterly Report (00:02:23)
“everything will be beautiful and nothing will hurt” → Slaughterhouse-Five — “… that, our group will grow even more and you will discover the wonders of microfinance and everything will be beautiful and nothing will hurt.” — John, Actually Free Money! (Really.) The Bank of Nerdfighteria's Quarterly Report (00:02:52)
“White” → The Beatles (album) — “A: White.” — John, The Dangling Rope of Terror: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:54)
“If you got a problem, yo, I'll solve it.” → Ice Ice Baby — “"If you got a problem, yo, I'll solve it. "” — John, Solving Your Problems! (00:00:08)
“Even the sparkly kind” → Twilight — “Even the sparkly kind have their struggles.” — John, Solving Your Problems! (00:00:40)
“until the human voices wake you.” → The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock — “Well, until the human voices wake you.” — John, Solving Your Problems! (00:03:26)
“thankful to this book” → Fahrenheit 451 — “But I am thankful to this book for helping me in my present and in my past, for letting me examine myself and …” — Hank, An Army of Mindless Drones (00:03:24)
“Ponies” → My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic — “Ponies, memes, and Doctor Who.” — Hank, Tumblr: The Musical (00:00:38)
“slaves making your food” → House-elf — “You've got known racists playing politics and slaves making your food.” — Hank, Open Letter to the Wizards (00:02:17)
“a new president” → Barack Obama — “We got the last Harry Potter book, we got a new president,” — Hank, 1000 VIDEOS!!! (00:00:18)
“take it where you can find it” → Faber — “As Professor Faber puts it, take it where you can find it, in old phonograph records, in old motion pictures, and in old friends.” — John, Existential Airport Anxiety (00:01:30)
“Time's winged chariot” → To His Coy Mistress — “and then you just ride it out until Time's winged chariot shows up.” — John, What To Do With Your Life (00:00:25)
“a more perfect union” → Constitution of the United States — “Let us all please proceed toward a more perfect union, no matter how many states that union has,” — Hank, The 51st State (00:03:39)

2013

“Because government” → Federal government of the United States — John, Why Does Congress Suck? (00:02:58)
“pony” → My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic — “… public eye this question I think is gonna continue the trend of hard-hitting what's your favorite pony I don't have a favorite pony that's the whole point I like spike because he's a …” — Hank, An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall (01:57:49)
“baby, baby, baby, oh” → Baby — “So we got songs like, baby, baby, baby, oh, like, baby, baby, baby, no, baby, baby, baby, yeah.” — Hank, An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall (02:10:41)
“It's Friday, Friday” → Friday — “It's Friday, Friday, everybody says it's Friday, I don't know the words to Friday, the weekend, weekend, Friday, …” — Hank, An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall (02:11:24)
“Wherefore art thou Romeo?” → Romeo and Juliet — John, How to Be More Than Friends: Question Tuesday (00:02:07)
“11 Minutes of Play” → The Wall Street Journal — video description, Football For Nerds (00:00:00)
“Gangnam Style - Psy” → Gangnam Style — “[ Gangnam Style - Psy ]” — Hank, Translating Dance Songs (00:00:34)
“Macarena - Los del Rio” → Macarena — “[ Macarena - Los del Rio ]” — Hank, Translating Dance Songs (00:01:26)
“Dragostea Din Tea - O Zone” → Dragostea Din Tei — “[ Dragostea Din Tea - O Zone ]” — Hank, Translating Dance Songs (00:01:51)
“Promise - Hirose Kohmi” → Promise — “[ Promise - Hirose Kohmi ]” — Hank, Translating Dance Songs (00:02:37)
“once you have your first cocktail” → My Drunk Kitchen — “So Hank, once you have your first cocktail, you're ready to start cooking and in our house that means.” — John, Cooking with a 3-Year-Old: The Mac & Cheese and Communist Celery Edition (00:01:08)
“tumbled” → Tumblr — “… in my car, filmed some SciShow, got some P4A perks ready to ship, went back home, tumbled, made a video for Hank's channel, molested the kitty, went out to the warehouse with …” — Hank, ONE MILLION NERDFIGHTERS! (00:00:00)
“"Who."” → Doctor Who — video description, DOCTOR GREEN (00:00:00)
“Holden Caulfield, wondering what happens” → The Catcher in the Rye — “EXCEPT in the actual case of Holden Caulfield, wondering what happens” — John, Puppies, Pegasi, and TFiOS Casting: It's Question Tuesday (00:02:39)
“"Poetry makes nothing happen,"” → In Memory of W. B. Yeats — “"Poetry makes nothing happen," W.” — John, Poetry Makes Nothing Happen: Thoughts on Ai Weiwei from the Indianapolis Museum of Art (00:02:54)
“ironic” → Ironic — “Tell everyone you still can't get over Alanis Morissette's misuse of ironic.” — Grace Helbig, 50 Ways to Pretend to Be Smarter (00:04:19)
“How's the brain scoop going?” → Emily Graslie — “How's the brain scoop going? The best.” — Hank, New Channels, New Songs, and Just Plain News (00:00:55)
“the disasters in Syria” → Syrian civil war — “So Hank, no aid organization is gonna fix the disasters in Syria and the Central African Republic.” — John, THE PROJECT FOR AWESOME 2013 IS UPON US! (00:02:05)

2014

“something so cool” → The Fault in Our Stars (film) — “John, thank you for helping bring something so cool into the world I am extremely excited” — Hank, In Depth Viewing of the TFiOS Trailer (00:03:28)
“cross the bay to get to the green light” → The Great Gatsby — “Then you can see the dream but you can't cross the bay to get to the green light that embodies” — John, Question Tuesday: TFIOS Movie, Existential Crises, and Symbolism (00:02:39)
“I am literally wearing the bottoms of my trousers rolled” → The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock — John, I Don't Even Know (00:02:36)
“Hoson zēs phainou” → Seikilos epitaph — “Hoson zēs phainou Mēden holōs sy lypou” — Hank, What is The Oldest Song? (00:01:45)
“LeVar Burton” → LeVar Burton — “LeVar Burton: Though I have to say, Hank, your video about how to field strip a fusion” — LeVar Burton, Nerdfighteria Census 2014 Results! (00:03:46)
“the movie tour” → The Fault in Our Stars (film) — John, Why I Love Makeup (00:00:29)
“Bill Gates” → Bill Gates — “Bill Gates: This is John taking off.” — John, Food Is Weird: Understanding Agriculture in the Developing World (00:00:20)
“this is their stated goal” → Government of Ethiopia — “That means Ethiopia will, and this is their stated goal, be a middle-income country by” — Bill Gates, Bill Gates and John Green Discuss Progress (00:02:32)

2015

“"contain multitudes"” → Song of Myself — “kind who, as Whitman beautifully put it, "contain multitudes".” — John, A Long Good Day (00:01:40)
“our health insurance” → Affordable Care Act — “The United State Supreme Court did not cancel our health insurance, Hank, and also, no matter” — John, Some News (00:03:36)
“John!” → Nat Wolff — “Nat: John!” — Nat Wolff, Paper Towns, Agloe, and Touring: Thoughts from (Many) Places (00:00:26)
“the movie set” → The Fault in Our Stars (film) — “a DFTBA ducky, and An Imperial Affliction, which I stole from the movie set.” — John, Writing, Walling, Racing, and Wizard Schooling (00:02:14)
“I love lamp” → Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy — “H: I love lamp.” — John, SUIT UP! A Very Fancy Reunion Video (Pizzamas Day 8) (00:00:23)
“Help me Obi Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.” → Star Wars — a guest, P4A 2015 - Condensed Soup (00:02:11)
“Back street's back” → Everybody (Backstreet's Back) — a guest, P4A 2015 - Condensed Soup (00:02:36)
“Star Wars” → Star Wars: The Force Awakens — “I haven't seen Star Wars yet, I don't know what kind of nerd I think I am.” — Hank, We're All Gonna Die - A Song (00:02:32)
“a hero ventures forth from the world of common day” → Joseph Campbell — “a hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder,” — Joseph Campbell (quoted), The Myth Reawakens (00:00:45)
“the Solstice” → winter solstice — “of children or the Solstice or Jesus or whatever tradition feels deepest and richest to you,” — Hank, On Hating Christmas (00:01:37)

2016

“Not with a bang but with a whimper.” → The Hollow Men — “"Not with a bang but with a whimper. "” — John, The Looking for Alaska Movie, Davos, and Hufflepuff Shade: It's Question Tuesday (00:01:54)
“the movie” → The Martian (film) — “HANK: Not the way they did in the movie.” — Hank, Question Tuesday: The Potato Edition (00:00:32)
“Race day” → Indianapolis 500 — “"Race day!” — John, My New Book, Marriage Advice, and Hamilton: 50 Snapchat Questions Answered! (00:00:06)
“We contain multitudes” → Song of Myself — “We contain multitudes, which has always strengthened us.” — John, Syrian Refugees in the United States: One Family's Story (00:03:52)
“nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head fever” → NyQuil — “So now when I got that nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head fever, I can no longer, no, never again.” — Hank, So, I Ruptured Both my Eardrums! (Also, NerdCon: Nerdfighteria) (00:01:56)
“no matter who becomes president” → United States presidential election — “now the chances of a debt spiral in the United States are very low no matter who becomes president” — John, Understanding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's Tax Plans (00:09:18)
“the candidates’ proposals” → United States presidential election — “Okay, to understand the candidates’ proposals, we need to look at the current healthcare” — John, Understanding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's Health Care Reform Proposals (00:00:11)
“we voted for Donald Trump to be President” → United States presidential election — “Yes, that’s right everybody, we voted for Donald Trump to be President!” — Hannah Hart, The Trouble with Wishful Thinking (00:00:27)
“Ring the bells that still can ring.” → Anthem — John, Good News/Bad News: A Pizzamas Video in Nine Slices (00:03:05)

2017

“Bears, beats, battlestar galactica” → The Office (American TV series) — “Luxu:Yeah both together: Bears, beats, battlestar galactica.” — Hank, As Cold as The Milk: Learning Spanish with Luzu (00:03:27)
“Do I dare disturb the universe?” → The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock — John, The Life Changing Magic of Thumbs Up (00:01:44)
“which videos to demonetize” → YouTube Adpocalypse — “That AI still cant figure out which videos to demonetize but it's great at Pictionary (Sarcastic tone).” — John, My Favorite Subreddits: Joy, Wonder, Knowledge, and Birds with Arms (00:01:52)

2018

“anything that he might disagree with” → Donald Trump — “A hashtag fake news for anything that he might disagree with” — Hank, Trump, Guns, and Net Neutrality...With Governor Steve Bullock?! (00:05:19)
“airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow” → Monty Python and the Holy Grail — “Scott Manley says, what is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?” — Hank, Laurel or Yanny and Baby Dance Moves - It's Question Friday (00:00:53)
“big money, no whammies” → Press Your Luck — “C'mon, big money, no whammies!” — John, WHERE IS MY NORTON ANTHOLOGY OF POETRY (00:02:11)
“I have to go vote” → 2018 United States elections — “Wait, hold on, I have to go vote.” — John, Taking a Year Off (00:00:00)
“counting votes” → 2018 United States elections — “We are very slow at counting votes in Montana.” — Hank, A New Thing? (00:00:00)

2019

“Rosebud” → Citizen Kane — John, Looking for Alaska (...with Alaska) (00:03:11)
“YOSHI NOISES” → Yoshi — “[ YOSHI NOISES ]” — Hank, Is This the Cutest Animal Noise? (00:01:27)

2020

“brothers on a hotel bed” → Brothers on a Hotel Bed — “[J:] We very nearly had actual brothers on a hotel bed.” — John, Foolish · Beautiful (00:00:05)
“our historical moment” → COVID-19 pandemic — “I understand that the loss of sports is one of the least important losses of our historical moment.” — John, get your game on (00:00:00)
“before things got all hinky” → COVID-19 pandemic — “A road trip I went on before things got all hinky.” — Hank, I Need to Get Myself Away from this Place (00:00:00)
“the meteor men beg to differ, judging by the hole in the satellite picture” → All Star — “less intrusive because emphasis isn't placed on it is the meteor men beg to differ, judging by the hole in the satellite picture.” — Hank, The Meteor Men Beg to Differ // Judging by the Hole in the Satellite Picture (00:01:01)
“Get Paid” → All Star — video title, Get Paid (00:00:00)
“i could use a little fuel myself” → All Star — video title, i could use a little fuel myself (00:00:00)
“Fed to the Rules” → All Star — video title, Fed to the Rules (00:00:00)
“a cool place” → All Star — video title, a cool place (00:00:00)
“Only Shooting Stars” → All Star — video title, Only Shooting Stars (00:00:00)
“You'll Never Shine if You Don't Glow” → All Star — video title, You'll Never Shine if You Don't Glow (00:00:00)
“You Might as Well Swim!” → All Star — video title, You Might as Well Swim! (00:00:00)
“i like it” → All Star — video title, i like it (00:00:00)
“My World's on Fire” → All Star — video title, My World's on Fire (00:00:00)
“You're a Rock Star” → All Star — video title, You're a Rock Star (00:00:00)
“What a Concept!!” → All Star — video title, What a Concept!! (00:00:00)
“The ice we skate is getting pretty thin.” → All Star — video title, The ice we skate is getting pretty thin. (00:00:00)
“So Much to See” → All Star — video title, So Much to See (00:00:00)
“Could I Spare some Change for Gas?” → All Star — video title, Could I Spare some Change for Gas? (00:00:00)
“Your Brain Gets Smart, but Your Head Gets Dumb” → All Star — video title, Your Brain Gets Smart, but Your Head Gets Dumb (00:00:00)
“you're bundled up now? wait till you get older.” → All Star — video title, you're bundled up now? wait till you get older. (00:00:00)
“Her Finger and Her Thumb in the Shape of an 'L' on Her Forehead” → All Star — video title, Her Finger and Her Thumb in the Shape of an 'L' on Her Forehead (00:00:00)
“Hit The Ground Running” → All Star — video title, Hit The Ground Running (00:00:00)
“what's wrong with taking the back streets?” → All Star — video title, what's wrong with taking the back streets? (00:00:00)
“The Water's Getting Warm” → All Star — video title, The Water's Getting Warm (00:00:00)
“If you don't go...” → All Star — video title, If you don't go… (00:00:00)
“I have voted” → United States presidential election — “Alright, I have voted.” — John, The Rax Guy (00:02:05)
“as the Athenians put it millennia ago” → Melian Dialogue — “… Earth is about the powerful doing what they want and the weak suffering what they must, as the Athenians put it millennia ago.” — John, Civilization and the Lies We Love (00:02:26)

2021

“this strange and extremely difficult time” → COVID-19 pandemic — “And living in this strange and extremely difficult time, I don’t know what it means.” — John, A Lovely Winter Walk (00:01:31)
“Buzz” → Buzz Aldrin — “We did it Buzz!” — John, John and Hank at the Cemetery (00:01:15)

2022

“Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen” → Mean Girls — “(audio clip: Gretchen, stop trying to make “fetch” happen.” — Hank, The Biggest Climate Bill of Your Life - But What does it DO!? (00:13:09)
“Joe” → Joe Biden — John, Planets Don't Exist (00:08:44)
“I have to go vote” → 2022 United States elections — “Hold on actually, I have to go vote.” — John, Dr Pepper Enthusiast John Green Taste Tests Dr Pepper and Its Misbegotten Pretenders (00:00:20)

2023

“the kind that sings the tune without the words and never stops at all” → "Hope" is the thing with feathers — John, on hope (00:03:04)
“OBI” → Obi-Wan Kenobi — “If you put in obi, it will say, you're our only hope.” — Hank, WHAT AM I DOING (00:02:04)

2025

“airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow” → Monty Python and the Holy Grail — “What will the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow be in 2025?” — Hank, My 2025 Bingo Card (00:00:00)
“the fault is not in our stars, dear Brutus” → Julius Caesar (play) — “So the Shakespeare reference is, the fault is not in our stars, dear Brutus, the fault is in ourselves.” — John, Chatting with ... a U.S. Senator? (00:19:38)

2026

“the lakes” → The Lakes — “I mean, take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die.” — John, How Panda Express Is Tuberculosis (00:03:00)
“to go to there” → 30 Rock — “and curiosity and competition and stubbornness and the inability to look at the moon without wanting to go to there.” — Hank, I Had a Hallucination This Week (00:03:40)
“a beautiful place” → Paris — “It is, of course, a beautiful place.” — Hank, You Have to Poop in the Eiffel Tower (00:04:38)