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July 31: HP, Secret Siblings, and Books

2007-07-31 · John · watch on YouTube · Nerdfighteria · comedy performance

In a six-part video John celebrates Harry Potter's birthday, wonders whether more 'secret siblings' will join the brothers, recommends two books, explains why he must break his rule against rereading his own books to reread An Abundance of Katherines, and urges Hank to write a nerdfighter's ninja-pirate peace song.

What is said

00:00:00 — Part one: Harry Potter's birthday, a free champagne popper from the party store

  • ★★ For Harry Potter's birthday John sets off a champagne popper he got free with green hairspray at a party store's eccentric sale. (playful) — 00:00:10

00:00:31 — 'Tonks for the Memories' (from secret sister Maureen); part two: secret siblings, Tom's prophecy of more; nerdfighters spell 'nerdfighters' with pretzels

  • ★★ John suggests that if Hank ever starts a wizard rock band he call it 'Tonks for the Memories', a joke he credits to their secret sister Maureen. (joke) — 00:00:31 · Maureen Johnson, secret sibling
  • ★★★ John recalls that on February 21 their secret brother Tom prophesied more secret siblings; secret sister Maureen has since emerged, and with more video responses John suspects there are more. (playful) (hedged) — 00:00:31 · secret sibling, Maureen Johnson
  • ★★ John wouldn't be surprised if nerdfighters became secret siblings who take up vlogging and respond to the brothers' videos; he always wanted a big family, and nerdfighters can do anything. (playful) (hedged) — 00:00:54 · Nerdfighteria, secret sibling

00:01:23 — Part three: two books John has been reading (Chabon, Cooper), both obeying the 'in your pants' rule

  • ★★ John recommends Michael Chabon's 411-page novel The Yiddish Policemen's Union as a great book. — 00:01:23
  • ★★ John also recommends Ilene Cooper's 32-page The Golden Rule, the cutest book ever written about the Golden Rule. — 00:01:23
  • ★ John notes both books obey the 'in your pants' rule. (joke) — 00:01:23 · in your pants

00:01:52 — Part four: John must reread An Abundance of Katherines for a secret reason, breaking his vow never to reread his published books

  • ★★★ For a top-secret reason John must read the finished An Abundance of Katherines, breaking his vow never to read his books once published; he has read Looking for Alaska only in snippets at bookstores. — 00:01:52 · An Abundance of Katherines, Looking for Alaska > «my unbreakable vow never, ever, ever, ever, ever to read books that I've written once they're published»
  • ★★★ John gives two reasons he doesn't reread his books: he read them many times before publication, and once published they can't be changed, so every flaw he finds is painful. — 00:01:52 · An Abundance of Katherines

00:02:21 — Why rereading hurts; part five: Hank must someday write a nerdfighter's suggested ninja-pirate peace protest song; part six: outro, Hank back on the odd days

  • ★★★ John tells Hank he must someday write a nerdfighter's suggested 1960s-style protest song on why ninjas and pirates should end their mutual hatred to bring world peace. (playful) — 00:02:21 · Hank Green, Nerdfighteria
  • ★ John jokes that someone must end the endless cycle of violence between ninjas and pirates, and admits he couldn't write the song well himself. (joke) — 00:02:50
  • ★ In a P.S. John tells Hank he is back on the odd days. — 00:02:50

Humor (significant)

  • John suggests a name for a wizard rock band Hank might start, crediting Maureen. — 00:00:31 > «you definitely should call the wizard rock band Tonks for the Memories.»
  • John applies the 'in your pants' rule to the title The Golden Rule. — 00:01:52 > «obviously do unto others' pants as you would have them do unto your pants.»
  • John backs a protest song urging ninjas and pirates to end their endless cycle of violence. — 00:02:50 > «ninjas and pirates are like the Sunnis and Shias of hypothetical reality.»
  • John tries writing the ninja-pirate peace song himself. — 00:02:50 > «All we are saying is give Ninja Pirate Peace a chance.»

Threads in this video

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