October 8th: Zombies v. Unicorns
2007-10-08 · letter vlog · John · 3:06 · watch on YouTube
Topic: Pop culture (also: US politics & society, Nerdfighteria) · mode: Comedy & performance · tags: community lore
Answering Hank's feud topics, John says he likes Edwards but prefers Obama a little for now, and that thoughtful people can honestly disagree on politics; then he mocks Giuliani supporters and attacks Hank's preference for unicorns over zombies.
What is said
The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).
00:00:00 — Greeting; 'puff levels' hair joke; recap of Hank's Friday feud topics: the 2008 election, Hank for Edwards, John for Obama
- ★ John says his puff levels are high, not from stress but because he needs a haircut. (playful) — 00:00:00 · the Puff
- ★★ John answers Hank's Friday video on feud topics, which included the 2008 presidential election: Hank is mostly for John Edwards, John mostly for Barack Obama. — 00:00:00 · United States presidential election, Barack Obama
00:00:39 — John likes Edwards but prefers Obama for now; politics matter but thoughtful people can disagree; start of questions for Giuliani supporters
- ★★ John says he likes John Edwards, thinks he is a bit of a schmuck, but could happily vote for him. (hedged) — 00:00:39
- ★★★ John says that right now he likes Barack Obama a little more than Edwards, but it is early. (hedged) — 00:00:39 · Barack Obama
- ★★★ John believes politics, especially presidential politics this cycle, matter, but that smart, thoughtful people can honestly disagree, which is why there are Republican and Democratic nerdfighters. (hedged) — 00:00:39 · Nerdfighteria, United States presidential election
- ★★ John puts ten incredulous questions to supporters of Rudy Giuliani ('seriously?', 'as president?'), noting Giuliani lacks even the support of his own kids. (playful) — 00:00:39
00:01:11 — Ten incredulous questions for Rudy Giuliani supporters
00:01:35 — Zombies v. unicorns: outrage at Hank's unicorn preference, YA authors' feud, zombies are bad but unicorns worse; sign-off
- ★★ John says something matters a little more than the presidential debate they have had for months on the forum ('in my pants'): he is appalled that Hank prefers unicorns to zombies. (playful) — 00:01:35 · Brotherhood 2.0 forum, in your pants
- ★★ John says young adult authors have been feuding for months over whether zombies or unicorns are preferable. — 00:01:35
- ★★ John does not like zombies either: they have flesh hanging off them and are not technically people, and he would bet against a zombie versus a werewolf or vampire, though Shaun of the Dead was excellent. (playful) — 00:02:04
- ★★★ John argues unicorns are worse: the worst parts of horses and rhinoceri, and in all of fiction they have accomplished nothing but carrying the Care Bears. (playful) — 00:02:33
- ★★★ John prefers the hard truths of zombies to the easy lies of unicorns, and says that goes for his presidents as well as his myths. (playful, hedged) — 00:02:33 · also in: John and Hank Hanging Out but they Keep Getting Younger and More Pixelated
00:03:01 — Postscript: zombified unicorns as a compromise
- ★ As a possible compromise, John suggests zombified unicorns. (joke, hedged) — 00:03:01
Humor (significant)
-
John's hair is so puffy that if it sampled a pop song with Notorious B.I.G. lyrics... — 00:00:00
“my hair could probably become a platinum-selling rap artist.”
-
John's list of ever more incredulous questions for Rudy Giuliani supporters. — 00:01:11
“Question 10. Rudy Giuliani. Huh. Fascinating.”
-
John explains what is wrong with unicorns. — 00:02:33
“Unicorns are like all the worst parts of horses plus all the worst parts of rhinoceri.”
-
After signing off, John returns with a compromise for the feud. — 00:03:01
“Zombified unicorns.”
Threads in this video
- callback · John's 'the puff' stress habit (2007) — John says his puff levels are high, this time because he needs a haircut rather than from stress. (00:00:00)
- launched · The brothers' feud, to be judged by Nerdfighters (2007) — John takes up the feud topics from Hank's Friday video, the 2008 election and zombies versus unicorns, and argues his side. (00:00:00) → refers to October 5th: Feuding, Goonies and Politics
- tension · Which candidate is best in a given presidential race? — John, mostly for Obama against Hank's Edwards, says he likes Edwards and could happily vote for him but prefers Obama a little for now. (00:00:39)
- callback · 'In your pants' suffix game (2007) — John says they have discussed presidential politics for months 'in my pants' (the forum). (00:01:35)
Where the stories that moved here went next
- The brothers' feud, to be judged by Nerdfighters (2007) — last documented in 2007 (looked back on in 2009)
Mentioned
Central: Barack Obama · John Edwards · unicorn · zombie
Also: People: Rudy Giuliani · The Notorious B.I.G.
Projects: Brotherhood 2.0 forum (“in my pants”)
Works: Care Bears · Shaun of the Dead
Terms: in your pants (“in my pants”) · the Puff
Events: United States presidential election
Products: My Little Pony
Also centred on John Edwards: October 5th: Feuding, Goonies and Politics · October 9th: The Feud Continues · October 10th: A Spoilerific Attack on Unicorns
Also centred on unicorn: October 9th: The Feud Continues · October 10th: A Spoilerific Attack on Unicorns
Also centred on zombie: Superhero Creation Myths
Replies to
- answers · October 5th: Feuding, Goonies and Politics — “Hank, in your video on Friday, you talked about potential topics for our feud”
Later videos replying to this one
- 2007-10-09 · October 9th: The Feud Continues (Hank) — answers (tension on Which candidate is best in a given presidential race?) — Hank objects to John calling Edwards a schmuck and to judging candidates by gut feeling rather than their plans. (00:00:10)