# The internet loves XKCD musical! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270 "2010-02-09T13:14:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/21 "2010-02-09T23:01:31Z")
Needs better audio, but still cool ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/22 "2010-02-10T00:11:44Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > 1. Lame. > 2. I don’t recognize any of those folks. Think there’s a connection? ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/23 "2010-02-10T01:33:07Z")
I only recognized Phil Plait and Bruce Schneier. Still, that’s some good fun geekery. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/24 "2010-02-10T02:01:30Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Think there’s a connection? The entire idea is lame, though. The comic strip paying homage, I suppose is fine. Paying homage to the strip that’s paying homage to the commercial with fringe people that a sliver of a minority would know or recognize is almost bordering on some kind of nerd-hipsterism. However, in some way, there is a connection. I’m not a huge fan of XKCD. It’s okay most times and has some very interesting and funny moments, however, the majority of what I’ve seen from the strip hinges on trying to be obscure as possible. Obscurity doesn’t necessarily make the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/25 "2010-02-10T04:04:58Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Is he wearing a cape? Indeed he is! ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/26 "2010-02-10T04:09:13Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > The entire idea is lame, though. The comic strip paying homage, I suppose is fine. Paying homage to the strip that’s paying homage to the commercial with fringe people that a sliver of a minority would know or recognize is almost bordering on some kind of nerd-hipsterism. You may be right about the nerd-hipsterism, but the idea isn’t all that dumb. xkcd did its take on a commercial song, so these folks just put the xkcd take back into song form. I get the sense that the video was made by xkcd fans for xkcd fans, but since most xkcd fans are popular internet blogonerds, it’s been getting a lot more online play than another fandom’s creation might. Thus people who aren’t part of that little community are seeing it and wondering what all the fuss is about. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/27 "2010-02-10T04:46:53Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > The entire idea is lame, though. The comic strip paying homage, I suppose is fine. Paying homage to the strip that’s paying homage to the commercial with fringe people that a sliver of a minority would know or recognize is almost bordering on some kind of nerd-hipsterism. What do you mean, _bordering_? That video is the capital of nerd-hipsterism. The song is the national anthem of Democratic Union of Nerdsylvania and Lower Hiptopia. > [@](#): > > However, in some way, there is a connection. I’m not a huge fan of XKCD. It’s okay most times and has some very interesting and funny moments, however, the majority of what I’ve seen from the strip hinges on trying to be obscure as possible. Obscurity doesn’t necessarily make the joke. I think you’ve kind of missed the point of the video. The video isn’t a joke. The original comic strip is the joke. The video is a _tribute_ to the comic strip. It’s not intended to add a layer of funny to the original idea, it’s intended to show how fully the comic has penetrated into a particular subculture - the aforementioned nerd-hipsterism. The viewer isn’t supposed to think, “Ha ha, Wil Wheaton is hilarious!” He’s supposed to think, “Wow, Wil Wheaton reads XKCD, just like I do!” The extent to which this impresses is largely a factor of how much you like Wil Wheaton, of course. He’s not a big name by any means. Really, no one in that video is a particularly big name (not even Neil Gaiman). But a lot of the people in that video are huge in that subculture. For someone who feels an affiliation for that subculture, seeing so many “big” names in one place, paying tribute to the same thing, is pretty cool. Of course, if you’re not into that subculture, it’s going to leave you cold. But, in that case, to quote another big name in nerd hipsterism, [it’s not _for_ you.](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/3/24/) ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/28 "2010-02-10T04:53:56Z")
I am so passing this one. Thank you!! ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/29 "2010-02-11T04:39:23Z")
In searching for some clarification for today’s XKCD I came across [this site](http://www.explainxkcd.com/). All we now need is for XKCD to reference that site and the universe will be complete, we can all go home. Better still, XKCD should make a strip incapable of explanation … ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/30 "2010-02-11T05:23:32Z")
Who’s the guy who likes suffering? He has a weird haircut and is holding a gun. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/31 "2010-02-11T05:57:10Z")
Not exactly sure why he likes your suffering, but it’s Allan Amato, a fashion photographer. I only know this from the credits. Go ahead and try to do an image search for a picture of him… **Askance** , there’s also [http://www.xkcdexplained.com](http://www.xkcdexplained.com), although it’s less explanation than satire and humorous mocking of ‘the Author’. It doesn’t always hit the mark, and so there’s both [http://xkcdexplainedexplained.com/](http://xkcdexplainedexplained.com/) and the somewhat better [http://xkcdexplainedexplained.tumblr.com/](http://xkcdexplainedexplained.tumblr.com/) , both of which satirize the satire of xkcde[sup]lained[/sup]. Because you can never have too much recursion, there is of course a commentary on the second of those, [xkcde[sup]lainede[sup]lained[/sup][/sup]](http://xkcdexplainedexplainedexplained.tumblr.com/) naturally exists, and it actually seems to be the most astute of them. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/32 "2010-02-11T06:20:22Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > almost bordering on some kind of nerd-hipsterism. XKCD? Nerd-hipsterism? Who’d a thunk it. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/33 "2010-02-11T06:24:36Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Who’s the guy who likes suffering? He has a weird haircut and is holding a gun. According to the reference from the OP, he’s **Allan Amato** , a photographer. Which may not be all that helpful. While there’s a list of who sings what, is there a list of why each one is semi-famous? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/34 "2010-02-11T16:54:14Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > What do you mean, _bordering_? That video is the capital of nerd-hipsterism. The song is the national anthem of Democratic Union of Nerdsylvania and Lower Hiptopia. > > I think you’ve kind of missed the point of the video. The video isn’t a joke. The original comic strip is the joke. The video is a _tribute_ to the comic strip. It’s not intended to add a layer of funny to the original idea, it’s intended to show how fully the comic has penetrated into a particular subculture - the aforementioned nerd-hipsterism. The viewer isn’t supposed to think, “Ha ha, Wil Wheaton is hilarious!” He’s supposed to think, “Wow, Wil Wheaton reads XKCD, just like I do!” The extent to which this impresses is largely a factor of how much you like Wil Wheaton, of course. He’s not a big name by any means. Really, no one in that video is a particularly big name (not even Neil Gaiman). But a lot of the people in that video are huge in that subculture. For someone who feels an affiliation for that subculture, seeing so many “big” names in one place, paying tribute to the same thing, is pretty cool. > > Of course, if you’re not into that subculture, it’s going to leave you cold. But, in that case, to quote another big name in nerd hipsterism, [it’s not _for_ you.](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/3/24/) Well, really, there’s no joke to be had in this at all. The commercial is nice, highlights various shows on the Discovery channel, and various people that make the topics of those shows on the Discovery Channel meaningful. The XKCD strip was done in homage to the commercial, adding some other things about physics specifically in the beginning, and other things about life towards the end. That’s done in homage to the commercial. There’s really no joke to be had anywhere. Actually, I think the Penny Arcade strip referenced reinforces my point. Creating something and saying it’s “not for critics” isn’t an option. That’s the nature of the beast. You create it, it gets criticized. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/35 "2010-02-11T17:08:43Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > According to the reference from the OP, he’s **Allan Amato** , a photographer. > > Which may not be all that helpful. While there’s a list of who sings what, is there a list of why each one is semi-famous? Hah! I never realized there was a section below the video! ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/36 "2010-02-11T17:58:29Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Actually, I think the Penny Arcade strip referenced reinforces my point. Creating something and saying it’s “not for critics” isn’t an option. That’s the nature of the beast. You create it, it gets criticized. If you criticize it for not being what it’s not supposed to be, but which you think would be better, it’s not the creative work that looks bad. That you think it should be a gag a day strip where everyone gets the gag doesn’t mean that it has to have a gag every day, or that all the gags be transparent, it means you’re not the intended demographic. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/37 "2010-02-11T18:17:33Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > If you criticize it for not being what it’s not supposed to be, but which you think would be better, it’s not the creative work that looks bad. > > That you think it should be a gag a day strip where everyone gets the gag doesn’t mean that it has to have a gag every day, or that all the gags be transparent, it means you’re not the intended demographic. But that’s the rub. XKCD is funny on a regular basis. It’s not the funny or even the not-funny (like the strip in question) that’s the problem. It’s the poor references. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/38 "2010-02-11T21:11:50Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > It’s not the funny or even the not-funny (like the strip in question) that’s the problem. It’s the poor references. But the references only seem poor from within your frame-of-reference. The reason that xkcd is so popular is because its references are generally easily apprehended by its readers. They are _awesome_ references, if your frame of reference is appropriate. I would never think to criticize MTV for being constantly on about an endless stream of people that I don’t know anything about, because I’ve been outside of MTV’s demographic for almost thirty years. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/39 "2010-02-11T22:26:49Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > But the references only seem poor from within your frame-of-reference. The reason that xkcd is so popular is because its references are generally easily apprehended by its readers. They are _awesome_ references, if your frame of reference is appropriate. > > I would never think to criticize MTV for being constantly on about an endless stream of people that I don’t know anything about, because I’ve been outside of MTV’s demographic for almost thirty years. I’d compare XKCD to The Far Side written by Gary Larson. Larson was obscure in a myriad of ways, and also in many disciplines. Munroe is obscure as well, but turns it up. For Munroe, the joke is the obscurity, and it fails when it tries to be so obscure, that only a tiny fraction of people can get it. Again, this isn’t to say that XKCD isn’t funny. I’ve seen some pretty funny and clever strips from him, but when he dials it up more, the point is lost. If the point of comedy were to talk over your audience so only a few people in the back get your joke, Dennis Miller would be the greatest comedian of all time. Actually, I think that’s an apt comparison: XKCD to Dennis Miller’s comedy routine. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270/40 "2010-02-12T02:45:05Z")
Which is to say: hilarious. Or, in other words, I like humor that I don’t have to feel stupid to get. Remember, kids! It’s not that NO one will get it…it’s that the RIGHT people will get it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-internet-loves-xkcd-musical/528270.md?page=3)