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Robert Pattinson and DJ Railstone

2009-08-06 · John · watch on YouTube · Nerdfighteria · reflection essay

John argues that most of Robert Pattinson's beauty is collectively constructed, and describes DJ Paige Railstone, a person Nerdfighters invented to see how real a made-up person can become, since all identities are partly made up by others.

What is said

00:00:00 — Robert Pattinson's beauty is mostly collectively constructed

  • ★★★ John argues that while some of Robert Pattinson's beauty is natural good looks, most of it is something we have collectively constructed. — 00:00:00

00:00:40 — 20Q at 20q.net: Holden Caulfield guessed as Flava Flav; Paige Harwood's idea to invent a person

  • ★★ John says listening to an interview with Pattinson made him want him to shut up because it was ruining the image. (playful) — 00:00:40
  • ★★ John says Nerdfighters have been playing a lot of 20Q at 20q.net, a site whose AI guesses the person you are thinking of from 20 questions. — 00:00:40 · Nerdfighteria
  • ★ A Nerdfighter emailed that 20Q guessed Flava Flav for Holden Caulfield; John jokes that the two have a lot in common. (playful) — 00:00:40
  • ★ Nerdfighters taught 20q.net about Hank. — 00:01:08 · Nerdfighteria
  • ★★ A Nerdfighter named Paige emailed suggesting Nerdfighters make someone up and convince 20q.net's AI that the person is real. — 00:01:08

00:01:49 — Inventing DJ Paige Railstone; made up does not mean not real; we all make each other up

  • ★★ John, author of Paper Towns, says he is a little obsessed with how fictional things can become real, so he liked Paige's idea. — 00:01:49 · Paper Towns
  • ★★★ John and other Nerdfighters, in a BlogTV room, invented DJ Paige Railstone's identity, history and career; Alan made a website, Karen Kavett photos, plus Twitter and Facebook pages. — 00:01:49 · BlogTV, Alan Lastufka, Karen Kavett, Twitter, Facebook
  • ★★ Within two days, typing 'Paige' into Google gave Paige Railstone as the first suggestion. — 00:01:49 · Google
  • ★★★ Asked whether Paige Railstone is real, John says they made her up but that does not mean she is not real, because we also made up Rob Pattinson. — 00:02:18
  • ★★★ John argues that since our identities depend on how others imagine us, we are all making each other and ourselves up all the time. — 00:02:18
  • ★ The 20Q database is not yet convinced Paige Railstone is real, but John would not put it past the Nerdfighters. — 00:02:18

00:02:47 — The point of Paige Railstone; send her music and art; sign-off to Hank and 'Bobby Pattinson'

  • ★★★ John says the point is to find out how real made-up people can become and to remind us we are not innocent bystanders in celebrity: Pattinson has us to thank and blame for his beauty. — 00:02:47 · celebrity
  • ★★ John invites anyone interested to learn about Paige Railstone in the sidebar and email original music, fan art or album art to djrailstone at gmail dot com. — 00:02:47

Humor (significant)

  • Explaining Robert Pattinson to Hank, John admires the actor's hair. — 00:00:00 > «he made puff cool again, so he's kind of my hero.»
  • Listening to an interview with Robert Pattinson spoils John's image of him. — 00:00:40 > «I was like, dude, shut up. You're ruining it.»
  • John imagines the 20Q questions that could confuse Flava Flav with Holden Caulfield. — 00:01:08 > «Do you wear an accessory that is meant to be cool but actually just exposes your insecurity? Yes!»
  • John closes by telling 'Bobby Pattinson' he may be nothing but constructions made up by the people who love him. — 00:03:15 > «but you're still real in my heart.»

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