Brotherhood 2.0: March 2nd: Politics and Butt Explosions
2007-03-02 · letter vlog · Hank · 2:53 · watch on YouTube
Topic: US politics & society (also: Nerdfighteria, Personal life) · mode: Q&A & conversation · tags: community lore, punishment or challenge, song or performance, timely hook
Hank accepts the viewers' verdict that he be punished, argues it is too early for Brotherhood 2.0 to endorse a presidential candidate, and announces he has ulcerative colitis, amid answers to comments and a 'Being John for a day' song.
What is said
The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).
00:00:00 — Viewers voted to punish Hank; he awaits his punishment (no earwax)
- ★★ Hank says viewers were mean in voting that he be punished (a few defended him); he accepts the verdict but asks that it involve no earwax. (playful) — 00:00:10 · Punishment
00:00:35 — Politics on Brotherhood 2.0: too early to endorse a candidate
- ★★ Hank says the brothers cannot keep politics out of Brotherhood 2.0: both are politically active, and not talking about politics would be lying. (hedged) — 00:00:35 · Brotherhood 2.0
- ★★★ Hank, agreeing with a commenter, says it is too early to endorse a presidential candidate because the primary field may not be complete; he would wait and see. (hedged) — 00:00:35
- ★★ Hank floats the idea of an unnamed, well-known potential candidate waiting for the others to tear each other apart, who for a year and a half has given no firm answer on running. (playful, hedged) — 00:00:35
00:01:04 — An unannounced candidate, Kucinich's wife, and Hank's ulcerative colitis announcement
- ★ Hank jokes that Dennis Kucinich's wife is attractive, cites Daniel Biss calling her the Democrats' one success of 2004, and says he could 'dig' her as First Lady. (joke) — 00:01:04 · Daniel Biss
- ★★★ Hank announces that he has been living with ulcerative colitis, and points to an advertisement ('Hidden fire. The great butt explosion.') to show what it is like. (playful) — 00:01:04
00:01:48 — Comment answers: 'myriad', no wedding present, lookalikes
- ★ Hank tells a viewer that 'myriad' comes from the Greek 'myriados', meaning 10,000. — 00:01:48 · myriad
- ★★ Answering John's question, Hank uses the word 'myriad' as John asked and tells John he did not get him a wedding present either. (playful) — 00:01:48 · John Green
- ★ Hank shows people viewers say he looks like, including a woman from a Heath Ledger film, and calls it extremely strange. (playful) — 00:01:48
00:02:22 — 'Being John for a day' song and sign-off
- ★★ Hank sings 'I'm being John for a day', casting John as a New Yorker who buys expensive jeans and is adored by teens. (parody) — 00:02:22 · John Green
Humor (significant)
-
After arguing for waiting before endorsing anyone in the primary, Hank adds one more consideration. — 00:01:04
“Plus, Denis Kucinich's wife is... Hot!”
-
Explaining what living with ulcerative colitis is like, Hank plays an advertisement. — 00:01:48
“Hidden fire. The great butt explosion.”
-
Hank answers John's 'Being Hank for a day' song with his own version about John. — 00:02:22
“I live in New York and buy expensive jeans. I'm loved and adored by half-dozens of teens.”
Threads in this video
- accepted · Hank's 2007 punishment voted by viewers (for textual communication) — Hank accepts the viewers' verdict that he be punished, with one condition: nothing to do with earwax. (00:00:10)
- tension · Which candidate is best in a given presidential race? — Hank, siding with a commenter against endorsing in the primary now, says it is too early to endorse anyone; wait and see. (00:00:35)
- told · Hank: living with ulcerative colitis (2007) — Hank announces that he has been living with ulcerative colitis. (00:01:04)
- result reported · John: asks Hank to put 'myriad' in his next video if John never gave him a wedding present (2007) — Hank puts the word 'myriad' in his video and says he did not get John a wedding present either. (00:01:48)
- result reported · John asks Hank whether Brotherhood 2.0 should endorse a presidential candidate in the primary (2007) — Hank, agreeing with a commenter, says it is too early to endorse a presidential candidate because the primary field may not be complete; he would wait and see. (00:00:35)
Where the stories that moved here went next
- John asks Hank whether Brotherhood 2.0 should endorse a presidential candidate in the primary (2007) — reported back; last: result reported, 2007-10-05
- John: asks Hank to put 'myriad' in his next video if John never gave him a wedding present (2007) — reported back; last: result reported, 2007-03-02
- Hank's 2007 punishment voted by viewers (for textual communication) — performed
- Hank: living with ulcerative colitis (2007) — told 14×, last update 2026; last: retold, 2026-04-07
Mentioned
People: Daniel Biss · Dennis Kucinich · Elizabeth Kucinich · Heath Ledger
Projects: Brotherhood 2.0
Organizations: Democratic Party
Rituals: Punishment
Terms: myriad
Concepts: ulcerative colitis (concept)
Replies to
- answers · Brotherhood 2.0: March 1, 2007: Sophistication. And balls. — “And that I didn't get you a wedding present either.”
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