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Baby, Harlem, Obama, Dance Crazes, Big Week

2013-02-15 · letter vlog · Hank, John, Barack Obama (quoted) · 3:14 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Internet & YouTube (also: US politics & society, Projects, Personal life) · mode: Personal update · tags: timely hook, self promotion, community lore, guest or collab

Hank, admittedly late to the Harlem Shake, wonders why internet dance-craze songs are so often bilingual, then rounds up a big week: John's interview with President Obama (pennies, a baby name declined, 'don't forget to be awesome') and news from the brothers' projects.

What is said

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

00:00:00 — Hank admits he is late to the dance-craze wave, then a montage of internet dance crazes

00:00:47 — Internet dance-craze hipster: don't forget Geddan and Numa Numa; why are dance-craze songs so often bilingual? Hank asks for ideas

  • ★★ Hank admits he is late to the Harlem Shake dance craze, calling himself an internet dance craze hipster who wants people not to forget Geddan and Numa Numa. (playful) — 00:00:47 · Harlem Shake, Geddan, Numa Numa
  • ★★ Hank observes that internet dance-craze songs are mostly bilingual (English plus Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Moldovan), a trend predating internet culture, though unilingual crazes remain possible. — 00:01:03
  • ★★ Hank doesn't know why dance-craze songs are bilingual; his guesses aren't good enough to share, so he asks viewers for ideas. — 00:01:25

00:01:36 — Big week: John interviewed the President - clip of John's penny question and Obama's answer; 'you stumped the President'

  • ★★★ Hank reports that John got to interview the President a bit this week (14 February 2013), and shows a highlight. — 00:01:47 · John Green, Barack Obama
  • ★★★ John: In the clip John tells the President almost all economists agree the US should stop minting pennies - obvious and not partisan - and asks why it hasn't been done. — 00:01:53 · Barack Obama
  • ★★ Barack Obama (quoted): Obama answers that he doesn't know, suggesting people get emotionally attached to the way things have been. (hedged) — 00:02:05 · Barack Obama

00:02:19 — More news: The Brain Scoop on NPR, Wheezy Waiter and Shay Carl with Matt Damon, two Streamys for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Crash Course Chemistry launched, Hank back from the UK

  • ★★ The Brain Scoop was featured on NPR. — 00:02:19 · The Brain Scoop
  • ★ Wheezy Waiter and Shay Carl got to make a video with Matt Damon, whom Hank playfully calls his idol. (playful) — 00:02:22 · Craig Benzine
  • ★★ The Lizzie Bennet Diaries won two Streamys at the pre-awards and may yet win more. — 00:02:26
  • ★★ Hank announces that they launched Crash Course Chemistry, which he is very excited about. — 00:02:31 · Crash Course
  • ★ Hank got back from the United Kingdom and is jet-lagged. (playful) — 00:02:34 · United Kingdom

00:02:37 — The President declines to name John's unborn child but tells the child not to forget to be awesome; Hank's reaction and dance-mashup outro

  • ★★ Hank reports that, in the interview, the President refused to name John's unborn child. — 00:02:37 · Barack Obama
  • ★★ Barack Obama (quoted): Obama explains he won't state a name preference: if the parents chose otherwise, the child would forever say the President doesn't like its name. — 00:02:42 · Barack Obama
  • ★★★ Barack Obama (quoted): Obama tells John that the main thing is to tell the child, whichever name they choose, not to forget to be awesome. — 00:02:49 · DFTBA, Barack Obama

In the description and comments

Humor (significant)

  • After a montage of dance-craze clips well after the Harlem Shake peaked, Hank reflects on himself. — 00:00:47

    “I'm a little bit of an Internet dance craze hipster, it turns out”

  • Hank lists the language pairs of dance-craze songs: English and Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Moldovan... — 00:01:09

    “English and Soulja Boy.”

  • Declining to name John's unborn child, the President gives the vlogbrothers' sign-off as advice; Hank reacts 'What?!'. — 00:02:49

    “to not to forget to be awesome.”

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: Barack Obama · DFTBA

Also: People: Craig Benzine · Matt Damon · Shay Carl · Soulja Boy

Projects: Crash Course · The Brain Scoop

Works: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Organizations: NPR

Places: United Kingdom

Events: Streamy Awards

Policies: Abolish the US penny

Memes: Geddan · Harlem Shake · Numa Numa

Only in the description or credits: Sarah Urist Green

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