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I Like Balls

2010-07-20 (said on 2010-07-19 — implied: date said in the video; uploaded 1 day later) · letter vlog · John · 2:35 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Nerdfighteria (also: Internet & YouTube, Personal life) · mode: Personal essay · tags: community lore, on location

On his way to Munich, John praises Hank for not titling his video 'Shane Dawson signed my balls' to chase views, and says the brothers are in the nerdfighting business, not the balls business: his proudest day was Nerdfighters helping the Harry Potter Alliance win $250,000.

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 from an airport (Monday) on the way to Munich; arrival a day later with no sleep

  • ★★ John records from an airport on Monday (19 July 2010) on his way to Munich, and arrives a day later without having slept on the plane. — 00:00:00

00:00:26 — Hotel shampoo; invitation to Munich, London and Edinburgh events; Hank's missed chance to title his video 'Shane Dawson signed my balls' with a Shane Dawson thumbnail

  • ★ John's Munich hotel offers a 'welcome body and hair shampoo', so he washes his body and hair with the same product. (playful) — 00:00:26
  • ★★ John invites Nerdfighters in Munich to come see him later this week (week of 19 July 2010), and those in London or Edinburgh next month (August 2010); more information in the description. — 00:00:26 · Nerdfighteria, London
  • ★★ John recalls Hank's Friday video showing two VidCon ball-pit balls signed by Shane Dawson, and says titling it 'Shane Dawson signed my balls' with a high-contrast Shane thumbnail would have guaranteed huge views. (playful) — 00:00:26 · VidCon
  • ★ John calls Hank's decision not to use that title almost heroic, then backs off the word since it is the day after Nelson Mandela's 92nd birthday. (playful) — 00:01:14

00:01:14 — All views are good views is the prevailing belief; giraffe sex as their most-viewed videos; not in the balls business but the nerdfighting business; proudest day: HPA wins $250,000

  • ★★★ John says the prevailing belief on the internet, in television and in movies is that all views are good views. — 00:01:14 · attention economy
  • ★★ John concedes the brothers lack the moral high ground, since their three most-viewed videos are, in order, giraffe sex, giraffe sex and giraffe sex. (playful) — 00:01:14

  • ★★★ John says Hank's choice reminded him that they are not in the balls business but the nerdfighting business: he makes videos, writes books and is in Munich because he likes doing awesome stuff with awesome people. — 00:01:43 · Nerdfighteria

    “we are not in the balls business. We are in the nerd fighting business.”

  • ★★★ John says his proudest day as a Nerdfighter came last week (week of 12 July 2010), not when the Vlogbrothers hit 300,000 subscribers, but when Nerdfighters came together with Esther and helped the Harry Potter Alliance win $250,000. — 00:01:43 · Nerdfighteria, Esther Earl, Vlogbrothers

  • ★★★ John says that is what the community does: there is a place for liking balls and giraffe sex, but helping such causes is the community's real work. — 00:01:43 · Nerdfighteria

00:02:12 — That's our real work; thanks for voting with Esther; 'French the llama'; awaiting his punishment on Wednesday; hairiest Jesus

Humor (significant)

  • John says a 'Shane Dawson signed my balls' title and thumbnail would be guaranteed a huge audience, then corrects himself to 'views'. — 00:00:26

    “that video is more or less guaranteed to get 10 million balls.”

  • Tired after the flight, John reads a German sign. — 00:00:26

    “I assume that ein fart means bad.”

  • John admits the brothers can't claim the moral high ground on chasing views. — 00:01:14

    “our three most viewed videos are in order giraffe sex, giraffe sex, and giraffe sex.”

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: Munich · The Harry Potter Alliance

Also: People: Esther Earl · Nelson Mandela · Shane Dawson

Projects: VidCon

Rituals: Punishment

Terms: French the llama

Concepts: attention economy · giraffe

Places: Edinburgh · London

Myths: Jesus

Also centred on Munich: Umbrellas Amuse Me: Observations from One Day in Munich

Also centred on The Harry Potter Alliance: Win The Awesomest Prizes EVAR! · Peeing, Pooping, Prescription Drugs, and Ramen Noodle Fires · With Esther

Replies to

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