Question Tuesday! TFIOS Movie Trailer, Penguin Knees, and Backflips
2014-01-28 · Q&A · John · 3:56 · watch on YouTube
Topic: Nerdfighteria (also: Books & writing) · mode: Q&A & conversation · tags: recurring series, self promotion, community lore, timely hook
In a Question Tuesday, John reacts to the leaked TFIOS trailer and premieres a ten-second teaser, celebrates the release of Esther Earl's book, and answers rapid-fire questions ending in a failed backflip.
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; 'shanks' for the cold Hank gave John in Florida; Question Tuesday intro
- ★★ John thanks Hank for giving him his cold while they were together in Florida, then turns the thanks into 'shanks for the cold'. (playful) — 00:00:01 · Florida
00:00:13 — Banjo or accordion; the leaked TFIOS trailer, debuting tomorrow; world premiere of a ten-second teaser; French the llama
- ★★ John is kind of upset that the TFIOS film trailer leaked, mostly because it is a beautiful high-definition trailer, not a low-res phone video of a screener. — 00:00:22 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
- ★★ John says the trailer debuts officially tomorrow, so viewers only have to wait about twenty-four hours. — 00:00:31
- ★★★ To hold viewers over, John gives the world premiere of a ten-second TFIOS film teaser, with Hazel's line about being thankful for 'our little infinity'. — 00:00:37 · The Fault in Our Stars (film), Hazel Grace Lancaster
- ★★ John exclaims 'French the llama' in excitement and says he is still trying to make the phrase a thing. (playful) — 00:00:53 · French the llama
00:00:56 — Dave Green questions; a daughter who doesn't like pizza
- ★★ Asked who would play Dave Green in a movie, John picks Benedict Cumberbatch; asked if he likes Dave more than Hank, he notes Dave never gave him a cold. (playful) — 00:00:56 · Dave Green
00:01:15 — Esther's book out today; go buy it; live show tomorrow
- ★★★ Esther Earl's book comes out today; John is 'so flipping excited' and calls the book wonderful. — 00:01:15 · Esther Earl, This Star Won't Go Out (book)
- ★★ John urges viewers to run to their nearest bookstore for a copy, or to buy it online through the doobly-doo link. — 00:01:20 · This Star Won't Go Out (book), doobly-doo
- ★★ John says he will do a live show tomorrow (29 January 2014) to read from Esther's book and talk more about it. — 00:01:25 · This Star Won't Go Out (book), Esther Earl
00:01:28 — Guinea pigs and potatoes, One Direction, handwriting, Franny and Zooey on courage, cookies and Oreos, drawings come to life
- ★ After phoning Meredith to ask which One Direction member is nerdiest, John names Niall his favorite, then jokes about how old he is. (playful) — 00:01:35
- ★★★ On Franny and Zooey's line about the courage to be an absolute nobody, John says it takes tremendous courage to do worthwhile things rather than worry about being celebrated. (hedged) — 00:02:02
00:02:24 — Casting US presidents as TFIOS film characters
- ★★ Asked which US presidents should play TFIOS film characters, John casts the whole film, e.g. Obama as Gus, Jefferson as Hazel, Andrew Johnson as Van Houten, Carter as Patrick. (joke) — 00:02:24 · The Fault in Our Stars (film), Barack Obama, Augustus Waters, Hazel Grace Lancaster
00:02:45 — Fishing boat proceeds; who is a Nerdfighter; fairy tale, Amsterdam museum, penguin knees, socks
- ★★ John still has no fishing boat proceeds (his Tumblr makes GIFs, not income); he notes the seven-year-old joke is lost on most and trusts old Nerdfighters to explain it. (playful) — 00:02:45 · fishing boat proceeds, Tumblr, Nerdfighteria
-
★★ John says that if you want to be a Nerdfighter, you probably already are one. (hedged) — 00:03:02 · nerdfighter, Nerdfighteria
“If you wanna be a Nerdfighter, you probably already are one.”
-
★ John's favorite fairy tale growing up was The Emperor's New Clothes; his favorite museum in Amsterdam is the Stedelijk. — 00:03:04 · Amsterdam
- ★ Asked whether penguins have knees, John answers yes. — 00:03:09
00:03:13 — John's backflip attempt: zero backflips, blamed partly on Hank's cold
- ★★ Asked how many backflips he can do, John attempts one and reports zero, partly blaming the massive cold Hank gave him. (playful) — 00:03:13
00:03:41 — Sign-off and the teaser one more time
Humor (significant)
-
After sarcastically thanking Hank for his cold, John asks what the opposite of thanks is. — 00:00:05
“Shanks for the cold, Hank.”
-
Asked whether he would rather be a world-famous banjo or accordion player, John notes being an accordion player would mean being human. — 00:00:17
“and all things being equal, I think I'd rather be a banjo.”
-
A parent asks whether a daughter who doesn't like pizza is a monster. — 00:01:08
“I mean, it could be lactose intolerance or a gluten thing, but most likely monsterness.”
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Asked how many backflips he can do, John explains the technique and attempts one. — 00:03:30
“Zero, I can do zero backflips.”
Threads in this video
- update · Hank and John's Florida beach trip together (January 2014) — John says Hank gave him his cold while they were together in Florida. (00:00:01)
- milestone · The Fault in Our Stars film adaptation (2012) — John premieres a ten-second teaser of the TFIOS film; the full trailer, which has leaked, debuts the next day. (00:00:37)
- callback · 'French the llama': John's misreading of FTL as an exclamation of amazement (2009) — John exclaims 'French the llama' and says he is still trying to make it a thing. (00:00:53)
- callback · Dave Green: the imaginary third Green brother invented on Tumblr (2014) — Viewers ask who would play Dave Green in a movie (John: Benedict Cumberbatch) and whether John likes Dave more than Hank. (00:00:56)
- outcome · This Star Won't Go Out: book of Esther Earl's writings with John's introduction (2013) — Esther Earl's book comes out today; John is 'so flipping excited' and calls it wonderful. (00:01:15)
- reminder · John asks viewers to pre-order This Star Won't Go Out, Esther Earl's book (2013) — John urges viewers to get Esther's book at their nearest bookstore or online via the doobly-doo link. (00:01:20)
- promised · John: do a live show reading from Esther Earl's book This Star Won't Go Out (2014) — John says he will do a live show tomorrow to read from Esther's book and talk more about it. (00:01:25)
- callback · John's 'fishing boat proceeds' joke: the income he never has (2007) — John says he still has no fishing boat proceeds and that the seven-year-old joke is lost on most viewers; old Nerdfighters should explain it. (00:02:45)
- first use · John's failed backflip, in a Question Tuesday (2014) — Asked how many backflips he can do, John attempts one on camera and reports zero. (00:03:13)
Where the stories that moved here went next
- John: do a live show reading from Esther Earl's book This Star Won't Go Out (2014) — the project it belongs to reported its result; last: promised, 2014-01-28
- The Fault in Our Stars film adaptation (2012) — completed; last: looked back, 2024-02-06
Mentioned
Central: The Fault in Our Stars (film) · The Fault in Our Stars trailer · This Star Won't Go Out (book)
Also: People: Andrew Johnson · Barack Obama · Benedict Cumberbatch · James K. Polk · Jimmy Carter · Martin Van Buren · Meredith · Millard Fillmore · Niall Horan · Ronald Reagan · Thomas Jefferson · Ulysses S. Grant
Works: Franny and Zooey · The Emperor's New Clothes
Organizations: Stedelijk Museum · Tumblr
Groups: One Direction
Rituals: Question Tuesday
Terms: fishing boat proceeds · French the llama · nerdfighter
Concepts: courage · penguin (concept)
Characters: Augustus Waters · Dave Green · Hazel Grace Lancaster · Isaac (character, “The Fault in Our Stars”) · Patrick (character, “The Fault in Our Stars”) · Peter Van Houten
Only in the description or credits: Esther Earl
Also centred on The Fault in Our Stars trailer: The Naughty Professor: Hank and John at the Beach - REUNION! · In Depth Viewing of the TFiOS Trailer
← Previous: The Naughty Professor: Hank and John at the Beach - REUNION! · Next → In Depth Viewing of the TFiOS Trailer