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Looking for Alaska (...with Alaska)

2019-10-08 · collab / interview · John, Kristine Froseth, Jay Lee, Sofia Vassilieva · 3:59 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing · mode: Q&A & conversation · tags: guest or collab, self promotion, timely hook

John announces that Hulu's eight-episode Looking for Alaska adaptation comes out in eight days, thanks showrunners Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz, and puts playful questions to cast members Kristine Froseth, Jay Lee and Sofia Vassilieva: reading the book, Keanu, crying, the circus, the meaning of life and last words.

What is said

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

00:00:00 — Cold open; the Hulu series comes out in eight days and in many countries; the book's 14 years in print

  • ★★★ The eight-episode adaptation of John's first novel, Looking for Alaska, comes out on Hulu in eight days. — 00:00:00 · Looking for Alaska (novel)
  • ★★ In the 14 years since the book came out, John has made many public announcements of a movie or TV show that then fell through, which is often the way of Hollywood. — 00:00:00 · Looking for Alaska (novel)
  • ★★ John says this time the series is going to happen, he thinks. (hedged) — 00:00:29
  • ★★ The series also comes out on BBC3 in the UK and in Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and many other places; more info in the doobly-doo. — 00:00:29 · United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, Australia, doobly-doo
  • ★★ When the book came out in 2005, John never imagined it would be in print 14 years later, still finding new readers who see its payphones and pre-vaping nicotine as historical fiction. (playful) — 00:00:29 · Looking for Alaska (novel)

00:00:58 — Thanks to the showrunners; questions with Kristine Froseth, Jay Lee and Sofia Vassilieva

  • ★★ John is grateful the story is still around and to Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz, who have worked on the adaptation for more than ten years. — 00:00:58
  • ★★ John says the early reviews have been good and the cast is lovely, with very real chemistry. — 00:00:58
  • ★ Sofia Vassilieva: Praised for a good accent as Lara, Sofia Vassilieva credits her Russian parents: she can roll her Rs. — 00:01:27
  • ★★ a guest: A cast member says they read the book in one sitting and called their mother at three in the morning from a hotel room, crying. — 00:01:27 · Looking for Alaska (novel)
  • ★ a guest: Asked if they know how John feels about Keanu Reeves, a guest answers that John Green loves Keanu Reeves. (playful) — 00:01:27 · John Green
  • ★★ A guest didn't know John was that into J. Cole; John says he's obsessed, though they are not friends. — 00:01:56
  • ★★ Noticing her nail polish makes John want to cry: it's intense, like a person he imagined is sitting next to him. — 00:01:56
  • ★ a guest: Asked their favorite circus act, guests pick the trapeze artists, as everyone has so far, and then the tiger acts. — 00:02:26
  • ★★ a guest: Borrowing her mother's words, a guest says the meaning of life is to be happy. — 00:02:26 · meaning of life
  • ★★ a guest: A guest cried on set on the first day and when walking into her room. — 00:03:11
  • ★★ Kristine Froseth thinks her internal life is quite similar to Alaska's, but externally they are very different. — 00:03:11
  • ★★ a guest: A guest says the meaning of life is to be with the people you love, be happy and always be yourself. — 00:03:11 · meaning of life

00:03:49 — Release dates and sign-off

  • ★★ John hopes viewers like the show, out on October 18, or October 19 in some places. — 00:03:49

In the description and comments

Humor (significant)

  • New readers see the book, with its payphones and — 00:00:29

    “pre-vaping nicotine distribution systems”

  • John and a guest fumble naming where a guest is from — 00:02:26

    “I know that there's another Norwegian country, and I can't remember what it's called.”

  • Every guest picks trapeze artists as their favorite circus act — 00:02:26

    “See, we pick a really good cast here.”

  • Asked what she would have her last words be, a guest answers — 00:03:11

    “Rosebud.”

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: Kristine Froseth · Looking for Alaska (miniseries)

Also: People: J. Cole · Jay Lee · Keanu Reeves · Sofia Vassilieva

Works: Citizen Kane · Looking for Alaska (novel)

Organizations: BBC Three · Hulu

Terms: doobly-doo

Concepts: meaning of life

Places: Australia · Canada · Europe · Finland · New Zealand · Norway · Scandinavia · Sweden · United Kingdom

Characters: Alaska Young · Lara Buterskaya · Takumi Hikohito

Only in the description or credits: Alex Theatre · HBO · Josh Schwartz · Ron Cephas Jones · Spain · Stan · Stephanie Savage · Timothy Simons · Wil Wheaton

Also centred on Kristine Froseth: Going Home with Alaska and Miles

Also centred on Looking for Alaska (miniseries): Looking for Alaska Movie (BUT BETTER) and YouTuber Things · The Looking for Alaska Thing · Going Home with Alaska and Miles · Question Tuesday with Miles and the Colonel: Manolo! · I'm Having a Lot of Feelings

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