Talking to Myself

2008-10-24 · letter vlog · Hank · 3:53 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing (also: Nerdfighteria) · mode: Comedy & performance · tags: punishment or challenge, community lore, self promotion, song or performance

In a phone skit with an evil version of himself, Hank concedes his video broke the four-minute rule and breaks the news that Paper Towns debuts at number five on the New York Times young-adult bestseller list; he then announces he will do the Iron Man BlogTV Challenge without caffeine.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Phone skit: Hank argues with an evil Hank over the punishment for his over-four-minute video; news that John debuts at no. 5 on the NYT YA bestseller list; hangs up

★★★ In a phone skit with another Hank, Hank says he can see 'their point' and concedes his video was technically longer than four minutes. (playful) — 00:00:00 · Four-minute rule
★★★ John found out he will debut at number five on the New York Times bestseller list for young adult fiction. — 00:01:07 · John Green, The New York Times
★★ Rebutting the 'evil Hank' on the phone, Hank says it was he, not the evil Hank, and above all the Nerdfighters who helped John get there. (playful) — 00:01:35 · Nerdfighteria

00:02:02 — Chanting 'New York Times best-selling author John Green'; sincere pride; John's great day at the Florida nerdfighter event; Iron Man BlogTV Challenge announced

★★ Hank says Paper Towns so deserves to be a bestseller and he is so excited that it is. — 00:02:27 · Paper Towns
★★ Hank says John never thought this would happen and was very scared; it blew away his expectations and he is the happiest man on the planet. — 00:02:27 · John Green
★★ John told Hank the Florida nerdfighter event had a fantastic atmosphere; Hank's best friend from high school and John's elementary-school best friends were there. — 00:02:27 · Florida, Nerdfighteria
★★★ Hank will take part in the Iron Man BlogTV Challenge from 3 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, staying up as long as he can without caffeine; it is not his punishment. — 00:02:27 · Punishment

00:03:14 — Iron Man BlogTV Challenge details (caffeine-free, with Shay Carl and Charles Trippy); watch on BlogTV; punishment suggestions; sign-off

★★ Others will use caffeine but Hank goes substance-free; with Shay Carl, Charles Trippy and other YouTube peers, whoever stays up longest wins. — 00:03:14 · YouTube
★ Hank is pretty sure he is going to lose but will try his hardest. (hedged) — 00:03:14
★★ Hank invites viewers to watch him on BlogTV from 3 p.m. for as long as he lasts; the link is in the sidebar. — 00:03:14 · link in the sidebar
★★★ Hank asks everyone to leave punishment suggestions in the comments. — 00:03:44 · Punishment

Humor (significant)

Hank interrupts his greeting to take a phone call, and the caller is Hank. — 00:00:00

“Hey, Hank. It's Hank.”
Arguing with his evil double about the punishment and John's success, Hank loses patience. — 00:01:35

“I'm tired of you speaking your little worm-tongue crap into my ear.”
Hank repeats John's new title over and over in every arrangement. — 00:02:02

“John Green, my brother, New York Times best-selling author.”

Threads in this video

accepted · Hank: dress as Carrie Bradshaw, punishment for his 4:16 video (2008) — Hank concedes his video was technically over four minutes and, at the end, asks viewers for punishment suggestions. (00:00:00) → refers to Lonesome Cloud
result reported · John asks Nerdfighters to vote on whether Hank should be punished for his 4:16 video (2008) — Hank indicates the Nerdfighters' vote went against him: he can see 'their point', and the skit Hanks agree they are now getting punished. (00:00:00)
milestone · Paper Towns: writing, revision and publication (2007) — Paper Towns will debut at number five on the New York Times young-adult bestseller list. (00:01:07)
milestone · Paper Towns Tour (2008) — Hank relays that John's Florida nerdfighter event was a phenomenal day, with old friends of both brothers there. (00:02:27)
promised · Hank: do the Iron Man BlogTV Challenge without caffeine (2008) — Hank commits to the Iron Man BlogTV Challenge from 3 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, staying up as long as he can without caffeine. (00:03:14)
asked · Hank asks viewers to watch his Iron Man BlogTV Challenge stream (2008) — Hank invites viewers to watch his Iron Man challenge stream on BlogTV. (00:03:14)
asked · Hank asks viewers for suggestions for his punishment for the 4:16 video (2008) — Hank asks everyone to leave punishment suggestions in the comments. (00:03:44)

Where the stories that moved here went next

John asks Nerdfighters to vote on whether Hank should be punished for his 4:16 video (2008) — reported back; last: result reported, 2008-10-24
Hank asks viewers to watch his Iron Man BlogTV Challenge stream (2008) — invitation (not a request); last: reminder, 2008-10-24
Hank: do the Iron Man BlogTV Challenge without caffeine (2008) — open (updates through 2008, not reported done); last: progress update, 2008-10-24
Hank: dress as Carrie Bradshaw, punishment for his 4:16 video (2008) — performed
Paper Towns Tour (2008) — last documented in 2008 (looked back on in 2019)
Paper Towns: writing, revision and publication (2007) — completed; last: looked back, 2023-11-07

Mentioned

Central: Iron Man BlogTV Challenge · Paper Towns · Punishment

Also: People: Charles Trippy · Shay Carl

Projects: Paper Towns Tour

Organizations: BlogTV · The New York Times · YouTube

Rituals: Four-minute rule

Terms: link in the sidebar

Places: Florida

Also centred on Iron Man BlogTV Challenge: IRON MAN BLOGTV CHALLENGE!

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