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Harry Baals & Dick Trickle: The Funniest Names in History

2011-02-28 · list · John · 2:55 · watch on YouTube

Topic: History & curiosities (also: Books & writing) · mode: Curiosity & trivia · tags: community lore

At the home of his former Booklist bosses Bill and Eileen (Ilene Cooper), John follows Hank's Gussie Manlove video with a countdown of six people from history with unfortunate names, ending playfully that a horrible name need not stop great things.

What is said

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

00:00:00 — At Bill and Eileen's house: Ilene Cooper, John's Booklist boss and the reason he is an author, and her book dedicated to him

  • ★ John films at the house of Bill and Eileen, who were among his first bosses at Booklist magazine. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ John says Eileen (Ilene) Cooper is the reason he is an author; she is an author herself, of books like Sam I Am and The Golden Rule. — 00:00:03
  • ★ John shows the Korean edition of her book, which is dedicated to him, though he can't show the dedication because it is in Korean. — 00:00:10

00:00:22 — Callback to Hank's Gussie Manlove video: Gussie Horsey as the worst name ever

  • ★★ John calls Hank's Friday video amazing and says he still can't get over the fact that Nerdfighters found Gussie Manlove. — 00:00:22 · Nerdfighteria
  • ★★ John notes Gussie died as Audrey Brown and was born Gussie Horsey, which he calls the worst name ever, until he researched the topic. — 00:00:24

00:00:41 — Countdown of six unfortunate names: Dick Trickle, Ima Hogg, Harry Baals, Shanda Lear, Hymen Lipman, Chris P Bacon

  • ★★ John presents Hank with his list of six unfortunate names from history. (playful) — 00:00:41
  • ★ Among unfortunate Dicks John also names Dick Sweat, the former congressman, and Dick Army. (playful) — 00:00:44
  • ★★ John says NASCAR driver Dick Trickle had a hole screwed into his helmet to smoke during races and a cigarette lighter installed in his stock car. — 00:00:52
  • ★★ Ima Hogg, daughter of Texas governor Big Jim Hogg, was known as the First Lady of Texas, collected Picasso and Matisse, was a philanthropist and had an honorary degree. — 00:01:16
  • ★★ John says Harry Baals, a beloved former mayor, is in the news because Fort Wayne has moved to name a building after him. — 00:01:37
  • ★★ Shanda Lear, daughter of the founder of the Learjet corporation, grew up to be a lead singer in swing bands. — 00:02:02
  • ★★ John says Hymen Lipman was the first person ever to attach an eraser to a pencil. — 00:02:11
  • ★★ Chris P Bacon is a Los Angeles film composer with music in Gnomeo and Juliet, Michael Clayton and I Am Legend, and wrote the whole score of Space Chimps. — 00:02:18 · Los Angeles

00:02:39 — Moral: a horrible name doesn't stop great things; funny-named individuals, don't lose hope; sign-off

  • ★★ John concludes that a horrible name like Chris P Bacon or Gussie Manlove doesn't stop you going on to great things, and tells funny-named people not to lose hope. (playful) — 00:02:39

In the description and comments

  • ★★ In the description John calls Ilene Cooper's The Golden Rule, which is dedicated to him, a great book and links to it. — video description

Humor (significant)

  • Ima Hogg, daughter of the Texas governor, was known as 'The First Lady of Texas'. — 00:01:16

    “probably because no one wants to be known as Ima Hogg.”

  • John imagines Indiana talk radio defending naming the Harry Baals Government Center against East Coast critics. — 00:01:52

    “what this town needs is more Harry Baals.”

  • After listing Chris P Bacon's film credits, John saves the biggest for last. — 00:02:30

    “he wrote the entire original score for the American classic Space Chimps.”

Threads in this video

Mentioned

Central: personal name

Also: People: Bill Lear · Chris P. Bacon · Dick Armey · Dick Swett · Dick Trickle · Gussie · Harry Baals · Henri Matisse · Hymen Lipman · Ilene Cooper · Ima Hogg · Jim Hogg · Pablo Picasso · Shanda Lear

Works: Gnomeo & Juliet · I Am Legend (2007) · Michael Clayton · Sam I Am · Space Chimps · The Golden Rule

Organizations: Booklist · Learjet · NASCAR

Places: Fort Wayne, Indiana · Indiana · Los Angeles · Texas

Also centred on personal name: How to Name Your Baby Properly

Replies to

Later videos replying to this one

Part of an exchange of 3 videos, 2011-02-25 – 2011-03-02.