On Fame and Chappell Roan

Pizzamas: pizzamas.com
In which John discusses a four-letter word and what it means to worship at its altar.
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[@maisondelabriques6598]

Our favorite writer’s favorite writer!!! 🙌🙌🙌

[@vanshikathakur]

❤

[@jeffperson3765]

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[@GizmoAndKiwi]

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[@catmacopter8545]

Bump!

[@RhondaKL]

❤

[@karas9530]

I know you said you don't remember the nice things people say to you, but here's my nice thing: I became a librarian because of you! Thank you so much for continuing to uplift libraries and library workers, you are making a difference in the library world!

[@em7307]

Same :)

[@chashahjohnson]

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[@twojuiceman]

Librarians are truly the unheralded backbone of society

[@InesLassoued-r3b]

What I would do to read a book about a day in your life, is there anything I can know? What led you to the path? Avid reader? Recommendation? Hope all is well 👾💞

[@Dexy83]

💙

[@defiantparsnip]

John, my brother in pizza, we must reframe. Your fame photo may look to the uncultured like a panic attack, but you were actually in your Moo Deng era: moisturized, ready to scream down any minor inconvenience, hungry for the flesh of the hand that feeds, resplendent in your cloak of glory. I'm happy you have arrived at a joyous moment in your fame and I'm glad we share a planet.

[@NinaDmytraczenko]

I may actually use this reframing in my personal life

[@kashiichan]

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[@Sepi-chu_loves_moths]

+Yeah!

[@DawnyPotter]

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[@lisam.3916]

this is so good. i love it.

[@greeplurch]

I really hope that the pendulum of parasocial relationships swings to people acknowledging that celebs and artists are just people doing a job and deserve boundaries.

[@buuuuuuuuuu]

I really hope so. It's so tiring seeing people say that certains actions that come with fame are okay because WE, THE PEOPLE, make them famous and artist owe us something for it

[@Tocinos]

I hope to find a million dollars on the ground next time I go outside.

[@cristina.rod.98]

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[@Suprachiasmatic]

@@Tocinos Honestly, boring comment.

[@Tocinos]

@@Suprachiasmatic "Nothing is ever as simple as everybody thinks it is." I'm 14 and that is very deep.

[@DanMcManus]

Glen Hansard told this story at the time that the film 'Once" that he starred in and his duet with Marketa Irglova "Falling Slowly" was simultaneously blowing up. He said that he and his band The Frames struggled for success and recognition for 20 years at that point but it always eluded them. He said it was like being in his backyard trying to kick a soccer ball over the fence. Each time he kicked it, it got close to going over but never did. The ball always hit the fence and plopped back into the yard. Then, one day, he kicked the ball again. It sailed over the fence, across the town, into the sky, and into space. He explained how amazed and proud he was that his kicking finally succeeded. Then he said, "Some days, I'm amazed at what had happened to the ball. Other days, I just want my fucking ball back." This immediately came to my mind as you spoke, John.

[@placer7412]

hahahaha thats an awesome metaphor. Thanks for sharing.

[@rickstarz]

He seemed to be famous for about 2 years and then disappeared, unless I missed something (I remember loving that song.) I wonder how that type of fame feels as opposed to prolonged, lifelong fame? Like dodging a bullet, maybe? Or is it the case that even if you get a year of fame, you can never undo it? Like if he does something newsworthy in the future (good or bad) he'll still be referred to as 'that guy from the film Once'.

[@shayelea]

God I love Glen Hansard! And for the record, he’s still making music. He released a new album last year and just finished touring for it.

[@rickstarz]

@@shayelea Cool, nice to know.

[@lindsaykat3675]

I often think about the Fairly Odd Parents episode where Timmy wished to be wanted. He was suddenly famous and his crush was paying attention to him for the first time. But he was also wanted by the police... For some reason, that stuck with me that there were both good and bad sides of being wanted.

[@kamrynsikes]

The duality of attention 😂

[@mickeynotmouse]

Lmao typical fairly oddparents episode. No nuance just a silly pun. (Not a criticism. A silly cartoon is a silly cartoon, nothing wrong with that)

[@fairyoddgamer]

My name is basically a silly play on fairly odd parents 😅

[@kimmykimmie]

Postive things for John to read when he’s down: thanks for helping me stay alive John and for being part of how I found my favorite community.

[@dragonflies6793]

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[@rachaelknudsen8801]

​@@dragonflies6793+

[@BonzuPippinpaddleopsicopolis3.]

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[@carolynknudstrup6837]

+ glad you're here, pal

[@iamthatgaby]

When Chappel first came out asking her fans to give her space in public, I thought about you John. I remember one of your videos after or during a vidcon where you were asking people to give you space. I respect that so much.

[@josher887]

Can’t wait for the Anthropocene reviewed movie to come out. Its gonna be the best young adult romance of 2025

[@Dennis-zk4bn]

Hold on a second... 🤔 Still I wouldn't say no to anthropogenic reviewed as a movie!

[@SylviaRustyFae]

The more i see famous ppl examine the impacts fame has on them, the more i come to even better understand the choices of ppl like Daft Punk & Chuck Tingle; famous ppl who have deliberately chosen to wear a literal mask - bcuz they need to keep that small part of themself separate from the part that is famous No one ever is eatin at a restaurant and sees Chuck Tingle eatin there and formulates more of their understandin of the guy off of his eatin habits - bcuz Chuck Tingle doesnt go to restaurants as Chuck Tingle; allowin himself to be both a product for the public consumption, but remain still a private person for personal consumption alone

[@fossilfighters101]

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[@ArtichokeHunter]

when i was a kid fantasizing about being a pop star, as kids sometimes do, i imagined doing it in a mask. seems like i knew some things even if i didn't know i knew them? or maybe i just couldn't imagine being popular and looking like myself but that's less fun

[@AlRoderick]

Apparently it's a similar thing with Dolly Parton, she's a brunette. When she goes out without the blonde wig, she's basically not recognizable, and that's worked great for her.

[@marigolden_mariposa]

in an interview Chappell said that she kind of wishes she had done the Daft Punk thing if she could have. I believe it was in the interview on the podcast Comment Section with Drew Affuelo. (spelling?)

[@ArtichokeHunter]

@@marigolden_mariposa It does seem like if she stuck religiously to the drag makeup, she could potentially be less recognizable "off-duty" ala Dolly Parton. But of course it's a very flawed system when people can't show their own face in connection with the fame and still be respected as a human

[@DonJuanDecepticon]

I seen Stephen king walking his dog once, I really wanted to talk to him. BUT I thought about how i would feel if a person i had no connection to came up to me and bothered me while I was just trying to enjoy an afternoon,I also thought about if the interaction was bad how crushed i would be. So i just let him be,and to be honest i think that was a better experience.

[@Dennis-zk4bn]

This is what it means to be an good person, to think of things from others perspective too... Much to underrated.

[@Awesomes007]

Nice. The best way I can honor famous people I respect and admire, is to treat them like everyone else.

[@mattsains]

I live a few blocks from a celebrity and see them relatively often, but I’ve also never bothered them. It’s always trippy randomly encountering them walking around

[@altheaosborn2648]

Hi John, I hope you read this comment and it brings you some comfort or joy in the moment, even if you don't remember it later on. I wanted to tell you that you have made a positive difference in so many people's lives, and I know this because I'm one of them. I grew up in an abusive home with a broken family, and your books were one of the things that I really clung on to during my late teens-early twenties. I'm 31 now, and engaged to a wonderful person, and I'm about to finally graduate college, and I don't know if that would've happened if I hadn't had the books of a soulful writer named John to make me feel less alone. You've brought me joy and hope and an outlet during the lowest lows and also the highest highs of my life, and you did it without ever even meeting me. How many people can say that? It's a crazy concept if you really think about it. This is all to say: thank you for all that you do, I believe in you and even though we've never met, I feel like you believe in me, and that has made all the difference. ❤️

[@vlogbrothers]

Proud of you. -John

[@tmatar6345]

❤

[@doggytheanarchist7876]

This is too sweet. I'm crying ❤

[@altheaosborn2648]

@@vlogbrothers OMG thank you so much!! 😭 I'm proud of you, too. ❤️

[@amystubby]

I don't think any of us realized how well your mustachioed face would transplant into, onto and around so many different things for all these years. It's an underrated talent you have there.

[@elaineshiffer6929]

What a lovely video! I'm a therapist and I'm going to show this to all the kids who want to be KZbin famous (which is all of them!). People don't talk about the consequences of fame enough

[@jijitters]

There are many stories out there about how horrible it can be in the most dramatic of ways; the former child stars we see go down the path of drug addiction and abusive relationships. When the conversation is always about the worst-case scenario, it feels further away. "Oh that will never happen to me, that's so dramatic" etc. It might help to present the more grounded ways, like John's, that it can still make them so unhappy. It probably feels much more real to think about how something you want has the potential to make you very unhappy, rather than presenting the extreme scenarios people can't imagine happening to them.

[@st8ofgray]

tbh I would say Chappell is actually handling fame in a perfectly normal way. She is speaking out and standing up for herself, setting boundaries early in her career and it is quite refreshing to see. I think she will be better off in the long run for her bravery and will cultivate a fanbase that respects her in the way she wants to be respected (for her art, first and foremost!). I really respect any public figure that is vocal about not feeling okay with certain aspects of fame, and reminding the general public and media that just because we have 'normalised' treating celebrities like a different type of human, it doesn't mean it is right or appropriate. The world would be so dull without these creators who allow us to consume their work, even when it is deeply personal, and I think it shouldn't be controversial to say that we should treat them better, regardless of how much money they have or awards they've won and regardless if their particular content doesn't resonate with you. None of that changes the fact that they're still people.

[@OctopusOwl]

I agree. Her setting these boundaries is so good and I hope it changes how we deal with parasocial relationships.

[@eustacia03]

Chappell's also a great example of what it's like to become famous with a disability. She has chronic, lifelong mental illness that impacts a person's ability to do so called normal life, and she has to do SO MUCH more than normal life. History has shown us that things go very poorly for artists with serious mental health conditions who don't accommodate their needs, set limits and take breaks. There's a long list of famous musicians and actors who didn't make it to 30. Even if a person can't muster the empathy to care how she feels, they ought to care about their fave sticking around to make more stuff.

[@marigolden_mariposa]

thank you! perfectly said ❤

[@hastyscorpion]

I would strongly disagree with that. There are tons of creators who have kept a healthy distance from than fans in a much more productive way. Just because the end goal is good doesn’t the process of getting there is automatically good.

[@HannahG-nk2mf]

@@hastyscorpion I can’t think of anything in her “process” of setting boundaries that was a problem? I know some people have sticks up their asses because she swears & uses Gen Z vocabulary, but she’s very direct & reasonable. She’s perfectly fine to engage fans during her job but doesn’t want to be hassled outside of the ‘Chappell Roan’ project. She has to maintain stability in her life and is doing her best to balance her career with that need. Requesting that others respect her time when she’s off work, not stalk her family or sexual assault/harass her…all basic boundaries.

[@AmeliaBell28]

I know that the positive things stick far less than the negative and that nothing can rewrite the way you were feeling on that Paper Towns red carpet. But, if it is any comfort or salve at all, I was one of the fans alongside the red carpet and even though our interaction was brief and surrounded by chaos, that was the first time I "met" you and I was so overcome with emotion that after you signed my book and my giant cardboard pushpin that I made, I stepped back and burst into tears. I've now been able to meet you on much less frenzied occasions and have more meaningful exchanges with you, but that first moment at the Paper Towns premiere will always be a significant point on the timeline of my life as a Nerdfighter. And because of that, I'll always be grateful to you for how kind and generous you were despite how you were feeling internally. Also, I hope Chappell sees this video, so that she knows that there is life on the other side of fame mountain and, even for a person who struggles with mental illness, it is a life full of meaning and, dare I say, sometimes even joy.

[@HarshitWise]

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[@fictionalhuman]

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[@acgeewhiz]

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[@TheKingReto]

It is so wild to me that John was at one point one of the most famous people out there (or at least that's what it seems like after watching this video) and now he's still famous but also he's just like... a guy. An amazing guy, a guy who keeps this community together, a guy who does extremely valuable things to make the world a better place and all, but in a way... he's still just a guy.

[@NavyHamster901]

I met john a few years ago at a Pizzamas’s event in Indianapolis and when I told him I had ocd he said I’m sorry. When I asked why he responded ocd dosent get better over time but always remember that no matter what you are worthly of love. He then signed my book and gave me a hug. That moment will stick with me forever. It is because of your words I’m getting married next month. Thank you John ❤️.

[@tomrogue13]

Congrats on getting married! 💜

[@NinaDmytraczenko]

Congratulations on the wedding!! And the best part comes after: getting to be married to someone you love ❤ I wish you much happiness

[@skylerwitherspoon]

This is why I don't order my pizzamas shirt until closer to the end because oh my god I need the hot to go shirt!!!

[@t.h.1492]

Good call, it’s a cool shirt! Kind of wish I had done the same but I really wanted the blanket hoodie and figured I should snap it up before it sells out.

[@skylerwitherspoon]

@t.h.1492 I also really wanted the blanket hoodie and didn't get it before it sold out, so you made the right choice 😭 usually I make two orders during pizzamas, one of stuff that I'm worried will sell out and one later after they've announced any surprise stuff, but this time I wasn't planning on getting more than one thing and I was hoping for a discount code before getting the blanket hoodie. I'm so disappointed I didn't get it

[@DanielledeVreede]

Kinda should have done that too, but then I wouldn't be able to get the dice🤷‍♀️

[@t.h.1492]

@@skylerwitherspoon I’m sorry you didn’t get the blanket hoodie, I typically only make the one order because of international shipping fees. Hopefully next year they have something just as awesome that you are able to get! Or maybe they’ll bring it back just like they did with the pizza mort shirt!

[@SewlockHolmes]

For the record (and I hope this doesn't create/add any pressure), I've long looked up to you and Hank as excellent examples of how wonderful humans *can* be to their community and the wider world if they have the resources.

[@dragonflies6793]

Their thoughtfulness and earnestness means a lot to me. It helps me in developing my own.

[@sojokes4]

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[@ladybooknut]

Yes! ❤

[@wyattrose5511]

*sang to the tune of HOTTOGO! With an added syllable in the front* P-I-Z-Z-A-M-A-S! This holiday IS the best!

[@lilypudd]

❤❤❤

[@connierobinson1090]

I like splitting the final “O” which has two notes into the “A” and “S” parts

[@wyattrose5511]

@@connierobinson1090 yeah, works the best I think

[@Catstheater]

I like the Syllables better to if it's "P-I-Z-Z-A-M-A-S This holiday is the very best!" But that's just personal preference. It's a little difficult adjusting it to the tune 😅

[@wyattrose5511]

@@Catstheater yeah, it’s tricky. Unless you nix a ‘Z’ in there or something, you kinda just gotta squeeze on in there somewhere

[@GreenFox1505]

@2:40 Also: if you drive a Cybertruck. If you drive a Cybertruck, everyone is absolutely watching you and judging you.

[@katiez1442]

as they should lol 🤙🏼

[@eustacia03]

I have a group chat with several close friends tht is about 50% sharing cybertruck memes and sightings.

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

As is their right /jk

[@k1tkat-kate]

Dear anyone who owns any model of Tesla: I am watching you and judging you.

[@BionicMilkaholic]

There's only one thing positive or negative that has stuck with me. Back in high school (20 years ago) I was in band. We have solo and ensemble, where you get judged and scores based on a solo or small group performance. They give a rank based on a score range (1 is top, 3 is bottom). I walked in the room and handed the judge my music. He said, "this is my favorite piece." Which means, he knows it inside and out. I was happy with how I did. When I was done my band director said, "That was the best I've heard you play." That's all that mattered to me. I didn't care that I got a 2, and almost got a 3. The person who knew me and had helped develop me into who I am today was proud of me.

[@symphonykeller137]

the top of the mountain is getting it hot like papa john but eventually your pizza gets cold

[@one_smol_duck]

deep

[@neutral_5221]

Hi john, here's my positive thing. You and hank practically raised me. My parents were never emotionally available to me, every bit of conscience, morality and hope i have in life is because of you two. You two taught me how to see the world in a way that is beautiful and hopeful but not delusional. You two taught me how to pay attention to myself and take care of myself, both emotionally and physically. Your books john, motivated me to write. Your existence and what you do has had the biggest impact on me. Forever grateful that i ran into your youtube channel and nerdfighteria. So Thankyou John and Hank.

[@acorn_woman]

As a writer, one of themes I'm most passionate about in my writing is how idolization leads to dehumanization. Even without conventional fame, many idols of fandoms are completely dehumanized by the fans due to their idolization causing them to neglect how all people have flaws and need privacy including their idols. I think what is really great and special about Nerdfighteria is that it is an online community instead of a fandom. We see you and Hank as leaders in our community, but we are not centered around you guys. We are passionate about healthcare activism, nerdy media, reading, etc. and that's what our online communication focuses on, not you and Hank as human beings. You guys do give us a platform and space for this communication and you guys generally start our big conversations, so we do have affection for you two, but you're not the core of why this community works. Nerdfighteria being an online community instead of a fandom is why we haven't died out unlike more popular creators' viewership. I think the case of online community vs fandom is very fascinating, and I love how our community demonstrates that building online communities over strong fan bases is healthier, more productive, and more successful. Like I love Taylor Swift and am a swiftie, but you don't see swifties building maternal care centers in Sierra Leone. You do however see swifties test Taylor's mental health by prying too much into her life. The swifties generally are a very sweet community, but their coming together only centering around Taylor does stop them from having conversations outside of her. (I'm only using swifties as an example bc they are a well-known fandom. I understand they are unfairly nitpicked and hated on by the public, I hope my fellow swifties know that I'm not saying any of this to be negative about them specifically, but to critique fandoms in a general sense)

[@jessicahawkins1464]

When I was 6 years old, there was a volunteer at the Boys and Girls club where I went every day after school, who all the kids adored. I adored him too. He was unfailingly kind. He was friendly with everyone and just made everyone feel welcome. When he came in the door, all the kids ran up excitedly as a crowd to give him a hug. But I just watched them. I hadn't learned how to show my affection in such an open, vulnerable, carefree way like those kids did. Your talk about fame reminded me of this memory... sorry if it seems off-topic. I suppose I was thinking about the vulnerability of being seen. We all desperately want connection, but instinctively find it scary sometimes too.

[@LePinkPony]

I was there during That Time of Tumblr. It's incredibly frightening how much that hatred can spread from one unhinged individual to regular people, and I think about it a lot with regards to modern day politics and general fan behaviours. I hope Chappell Roan has the mental strength to come out of all this stronger than before, and with a community in her wake that's as lovely as Nerdfighters are. (edit: typo)

[@Andi-gq4yo]

the deliberate chewer thing is so real as a person with ocd who on multiple occasions has gotten a joking "hey you wash your hands a lot huh?" haha yeah thanks! totally unrelatedly, i would like to crawl into a hole and never be perceived again!

[@sibyljynx]

My nice thing, said into the ether of the internet, is that your work is part of my self-care routine from Crash Course Literature and History to your writing. So much so, in fact, that I read The Fault In Our Stars while in-patient at a mental hospital years ago. I wasn't doing well and was feeling overwhelmed so I spent much of the first few days in my room reading and crying and reading some more. On the third day, as I finished the book, a nurse I hadn't seen before came in to give me my meds. She saw me cradling the paperback and commented about how that was her daughter's favorite. The care and interest she showed me at that moment was the first feeling I had of being seen, of mattering, in months. That nurse became my touchstone over the rest of my recovery because having that book at that moment with that person was just enough to push beyond my own brain beyond the fog of depression. Thank you.

[@broderickkelly8795]

As a younger person stepping out of college and into adulthood it is very comforting to hear you talk about how radically different your mindset and goals have been over the years. Despite how it may feel right now I will have time to figure it out, and I will.

[@Rayowag]

I think I've said this in a comment before but I want more psychology and sociology research into fame. Especially now in a time where at least a little bit of fame is afforded to what feels like 5 outta 100 people through Instagram, KZbin or TikTok. Even that smaller scale does something to someone. I'm friends with small KZbinrs who are navigating most of it well except for the hate comments. I know bigger KZbinrs who definitely struggle with being put into their odd higher up position. It's actually upsetting how little research there is about it (and about the line between normal and unhealthy parasociality) considering this isn't new. But then again, I'm not shocked because the academic field loves to gatekeep. Seeing a Bachelor thesis about it is certainly more common than seeing a qualitative social study.

[@st8ofgray]

I agree!! I think part of what makes it difficult is 1) celebrities are very hard to reach out to (rightfully so) and 2) there is significant taboo around celebrities discussing the downside to fame. I think the most realistic research would have to be anecdotal research and literary analysis on what is already publicly available, which is why you'll find a lot more media and arts student thesis than professional bodies of work. It's definitely a shame, especially considering how poorly child stars grow up and how common it is to find out about a celebrity's mental and substance struggles once they've passed (often too young).

[@MisterJDagger]

The thing you have to remember about being on top of a mountain is 1) it can be quite lonely, and 2) there's not much oxygen up there. - John Green, Professional Writer My God! If there's anything that deserves being on a motivational poster!

[@t.h.1492]

Not me coming here to escape studying for my licensing exam only to hear about esophagitis. Damn you medicine, why must I love and hate you in equal measure! **angry student noises** Thanks for the video John, I appreciate your kind and empathetic description both of the good and bad

[@SpencerTuom]

I heard someone say recently about addiction or addicting things (as being famous or fame I would presume might be), that the cure for [addicting things] is not absence of [the thing that is addicting] but the presence of connection in community." And something about that seems to make a lot of sense to me.

[@carolinebrown8387]

hi John! we met in 2015 at vidcon and i said i cried while finishing the last page of "Looking for Alaska" (the page was clearly highlighted and loved, and i was asking you to sign it) and you said "Well I cried while writing it" and then we talked a little about your Diet Dr. Pepper, and it is still my all-time favorite interaction with a famous person. reminding you of the positive, since i also find the positives difficult to remember sometimes. :)

[@violettaschmieder2096]

fame is not a goal but an occupational hazard for creative people

[@imaginaryguide1895]

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[@semiawarddowns6112]

One of my favorites, John Green, referencing another favorite, Mr Rogers, just made my day. 💚

[@bethanyirene7120]

Here’s a nice thing about you, and about Pizzamas: I was a bridesmaid in a close friend’s wedding last Thursday/Friday. We both got each other the Pizza Eras shirt last Pizzamas and she ended up wearing the shirt on Thursday while the bridesmaids were helping prep for the rehearsal dinner. You were on my mind all day!

[@lukeknight2182]

hank and john are 4 letter words

[@alexiabaptiste4711]

Here’s my nice thing for you John: I’ve read almost every single one of your YA fiction novels. The cowritten books you did never made it to my tiny island home in Trinidad but I managed to get my hands on all the rest. My middle school boyfriend and I loved your books. They kept the hope of young romance alive for me and I’m sure he felt that way too. We used to lend them to each other and discuss after we’d both finished them. Anyway, long story short, I’m 22 and we’re still dating. It’ll be 10 years soon. Your books are such a big part of the tapestry of a complex, wonderful, statistically improbable relationship. There is such a deep and wide place in my heart for your work.

[@WulfTrax]

I humbly request a video about "being on the other side of the mountain" that uses The Format.

[@codeouranap]

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[@Lawsonomy1]

I like the phrase "... It's a zero-th world problem." My mind immediately leaps to a sci-fi/fantasy place where the zero-th world is a place where abstract ideals take physical form and threaten the wold (like in the SCP foundation).

[@geofatic]

Eosinophilic esophagitis mention! (I learned the name of it via vlogbrothers and I DEFINITELY have it)

[@eleanorbanwell3478]

Wait… it’s still my Tuesday! It’s not even evening in Scotland! You must have uploaded this so early!

[@HarshitWise]

Yup, a proper morning video.

[@Pixie2506]

I’m 22, watching vlogbrothers since 4-5 years, going through pandemic with John making circles. Being from India there’s almost 0 probability I’ll ever meet either Hank or John but I know if I ever do, I’m going to be so overwhelmed I’m gonna cry and have a puffy red nose selfie :) thank you for existing

[@patternedfrog]

I've posted content online before and also felt like all my nerve endings were outside of my body and I'm so happy to hear a way to put that feeling into words

[@espeonzeld4]

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[@sams1982]

I was just watching your Powerpoint livestream! Love that you made this part into a vlogbrothers video

[@TwistedRiddles]

I’ve had like 3 interactions with you, John. They’ve all been very positive. Thank you.

[@DelorienAz]

I am going through a ridiculous post-concert depression right now and part of it revolves around the fact that this band are out there "on the mountain" and I have to go back to my regular life (which is a good, privileged existence containing a lot to be thankful for) and this video really helped me remember the myth of the mountain. Thanks ♡

[@JeffGreenNV]

If it helps, I had no idea you are famous, I just like this channel, because of you and your brother.

[@GeethaGeetha-gw4yw]

Same

[@alixila]

In a very different realm of the music scene, I just read the GQ profile on Billy Strings, his rise happened relatively quickly and as a person who has struggled very openly with mental health and addiction, it's been super hard on him and reminded me a bit of John's thoughts on his "stardom." I was horrified to hear that fans are literally camping on his mom's lawn. I really like his new album though - go listen to "Gild the Lily."

[@jillianatkey6752]

I’ll always remember the moment of me on my living room floor, a dark and cool August night, reading one of your books. And I was so overwhelmed with joy and sadness for this character and myself for the pain of mental illness that it has brought upon us. I’m so glad that when someone asks me what my favourite book is, I don’t have to think twice because I remember that night on my living room floor and what book made me realize why I read. It was truly the first breakthrough of working on my mental health struggles. I appreciate you a lot, and I think you’re such an awesome human being. Pure and simple. Thanks, John

[@CurlyRose8041]

I canf believe I didn't realize that John Green , was the John Green ,that made my adolescents. Thank you for everything ❤

[@b-you-tube]

I am in a happy, loving relationship with someone I met as a direct result of one of your books. I will always be thankful to you for that (amongst other things).

[@adityakhanna113]

John I think you forgot the best use of fame you have done imo. The J&J debacle and the hospital in Sierra Leone. That to me are testaments to fame in the right hands

[@davitabird6127]

Thank you for reminding me about the best of humanity when I was at some of my lowest and most misanthropic. You remind us progress is not guranteed, but it is possible, with people working together.

[@EternalYorkieMom]

John you’ve helped me understand I had an anxiety disorder. Also make me feel better when I get down on myself for even having a mental health disorder.

[@Andi-gq4yo]

hang on, i recognize these pictures... this is from john's first ever powerpoint presentation!

[@Sirfing_Wolf]

Petition for John’s TB book to be an SNL skit (totally not coming out for preorder in a few weeks)

[@HarshitWise]

most probably coming out for preorder next tuesday

[@NinaDmytraczenko]

@SNL get in here!!

[@wanderlking8634]

I didn't know he had a previous SNL skit about him. Where do I go to see that?

[@Respectable_Username]

I know we've never met and likely never will, but you and Hank are my favourite internet uncles. You two have always been there for the last almost 15 years of my life, providing small snippets of joy and wisdom and demonstrating how to turn anger into action in the world. You may never meet me, but you both have been a wonderful, comforting, consistent presence in my life, and I just want to say I appreciate it and I appreciate you both and it will be a sad day when you two eventually decide to retire from the interwebs because your presence is felt and appreciated by so so many ❤ DFTBA 🖖🙅‍♀️🖖 PS: John, I will never forget your "graduation speech" you made back in 2020. I didn't get to have a proper Uni graduation because of 2020, and so your video making that speech _was_ my graduation as far as I'm concerned. I don't have the words to describe how meaningful that moment was, but what I can say is that I'm tearing up a little just thinking about it, because it made me feel seen and appreciated in a way that was otherwise left unconcluded for me. I will never forget that moment, even after my Uni eventually _did_ provide a make-up ceremony. Your video was my graduation ceremony. And I needed that at that moment.

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

As someone that has struggled his whole life (mid 40’s!) with a couple severe bouts with depression, anxiety all the time, severe ADHD AND had cancer at age 41 (lost a kidney)…I got to say you and your brother are my recent heroes. And I discovered this specific channel half a year before Hank confirmed he had cancer. I’ve watched most of the history content on crash course which is who I made the leap here. I don’t know if you guys know how much you guys mean to some of us. To talk so openly about personal issues that that many of us, especially me, can relate to just means so much. I with John and Hank the best! Also, you guys have nearly my exact personality- goofy and “nerdy” with all the facts.

[@carolynknudstrup6837]

This is something you probably didn't know, John, but at the first nerdcon stories a large group of nerdfighters saw you on an escalator, clearly on a phone call, and we all stood there and just waited for you to get to the top on your own empty escalator before any of us got on. It was pretty cool being in a group that understood that even at a convention, in that moment you needed to be "just a dad from Indianapolis"

[@kappagrapes]

Clearly we should just try to come up with incredibly memorable positive comments. Catchy little advertising jingles, maybe?

[@Booksds]

+

[@nathanhartono91]

One of the things that people don’t talk about enough is that her success wasn’t immediate. Her mainstream rise was meteoric, but it took 10 years to get there. I imagine the sudden change after a decade of finding your place in the industry, would’ve given anybody whiplash.

[@sakshamgulati9942]

Hank helped me learn science when i was young and now I'm in STEM. Being a STEM person, usually, I wouldn't say I liked subjects like English and other arts, because of their subjectivity. But recently, John, you have helped me discover my appreciation for philosophy and the other arts. Sometimes I sit down to write essays about ideas going through my head about some fringe philosophy--something I wouldn't have imagined myself doing a year ago. John I just wanted to tell you about another person you have impacted and how much I appreciate your contributions on my path of self discovery (shoutout to the top podcast for teens, as a teen)

[@robdaniels5966]

Almost didn’t watch this one because I don’t expect to be famous - but the mountain picture and the discussion are equally relevant to SUCCESS, in general. Don’t overfocus on the idea of perfect success - happiness and fulfillment ARE the goals.

[@randomgaming6808]

I recently watched a great artist but small youtuber call out a hater's comment on his previous video, he said there name, read their comment, and then said how this would not be acceptable on his channel and that he's doing this to have fun. I really like this view point, and like when i see famous or talented people hold boundaries like that with the audience

[@sandraisyearning]

Gotta remember that we're just weird pack animals that are terrified to be ostracised (which historically has meant death). Which is why our brains won't let go of negative feedback -- for survival, just as how we learn that fire is painful.

[@cjspurg]

This Pizzamas has had some of my fav videos in a long time. Thank you for sharing about this in detail, the story about someone noticing you as “a deliberate chewer” let me imagine a small slice of this for the first time. I now see why you felt like all your nerve endings were outside your body.

[@thee182]

I've never read your books. To be honest, I don't know if I'm the audience for them. But I've greatly enjoyed your channel, with it's positivity, humanity, and compassion. I love you and your brother's work on youtube and elsewhere to promote education, knowledge, and decency. I'm not sure if I would know you had your books not become as successful, but I'm glad they did, because I find your deeply human takes to be inspiring. I'm by nature a negative person, but I'm glad I have someone with such humanity in my feed, to counteract the negative stuff I'm naturally drawn to. I take comfort in having hopeful content, and hopeful people in my feed. I hope you keep doing what you are doing. I know you are just a dude, being a dude, but thanks for choosing to promote the positive part of your nature. I truly appreciate it.

[@eb9782]

John - my mom was a librarian, so thank you. We are aligned in purpose, you and I, I also like librarians and dislike tuberculosis. You and I are both just dudes on the planet, hopefully that reduces your next panic attack by 0.0000037%. (Hi Hank 👋)

[@_oceanstar]

I don't think the Green brothers are the most famous internet people but I do think they might be the most internet famous people, insofar as the internet can still be honest and represent humans sharing how and what it means to be human when fame often manifests as the faces of grand-scale projects exchanging social power and influence for awareness and change, or as sudden currents in a chaotic cultural environment- not that either of those are inherently bad- I think that's refreshing

[@stevegeorge6880]

I remember David Foster Wallace having very trenchant thoughts about how the writers that he knew including himself both yearned for the recognition that wide readership would bring but were also unequipped for the costs of that much direct personal human involvement

[@JenSell1626]

RIP DFW 😢

[@ThatWouldBeCareless]

I think a lot about that thing you say sometimes about having a seat at the table as people form their values... I can't remember my first vlogbrothers video or when I first called myself a nerdfighter or any of that. But I'm grateful to have you there at the table, making me a better, more thoughtful person.

[@MariaLCirillo]

John, I also have EOE! A mention I wasn't expecting!!

[@elvsrbad2]

I've got a least favorite picture that is me trying to smile while taking a selfie but I'm having a full blown panic attack. The furthest mine made it was onto someone's Facebook though. I appreciate how you framed this topic.

[@escha_b]

John hasn’t mentioned his EOE in a long time, EOE patients represent!! Side note I’m officially in remission after being on the first ever FDA approved drug for EOE, Dupixent. If you ever want to make a video about EoE I have some things I’d like to share- about how crazy modern medicine has changed my drs telling me I’d eventually end up completely reliant on a feeding tube to now being in remission.

[@Kleineganz]

I'm a queer and autistic self-published author and I already know I really don't want to reach the top of that mountain. I'd be more than terrified of public appearances and being recognized and all of that. Still, I keep writing because I love to write, and I love that other people buy and read my stuff (at least some people do). I'd love to find that happy middle ground where enough people are buying my books so I can pay my bills, but not so many that I have people scrutinizing me in public. Does that middle ground exist anywhere? 😭

[@nightytime]

An interesting comment I read about a video talking about Chappell and her fans was: "To put it into a sports analogy, you want to be Tobias Harris level famous, not Lebron level famous. You are still astonishingly rich but almost nobody would recognize you out in public." So yeah, I guess there is a middle ground, considering I have no idea who Tobias Harris even is.

[@VereskVeil]

Every time I explain you and Hank to my dear people, I do two things: 1. Cry (because I am a horrible crybaby, who hardly ever manages to keep my shit together) 2. Tell them about how well you use your fame and influence, tell them about maternity hospital in Sierra Leone, about Awesome socks, your (and Hank's obviously) incredible books, everything you do, done and will do, because I really adore both of you, and also you give me so much hope. I thought I've lost all hope in these two and a half years, but apparently it's not true. And for that I'm so grateful.

[@Micahlee_19]

We got our pizza dice in the mail today and they are amazing! Can't wait to use them in our current campaign

[@jocewaitwhat]

Puff levels through the roof today

[@MiracleKnightStudios]

John, you constantly remind me that everything around me is far more fascinating than whatever I'm worrying about. Why worry about stuff when I can admire how the world works instead 🤷

[@jessicahawkins1464]

Thank you for sharing your feelings and experience. And thank you to the Green family and IRL friends who I'm sure help keep you centered, even when work and fame have been overwhelming.

[@morganrossiter8499]

guys i watched him not know what video he was gonna make yesterday i feel so with it

[@stephaniehight2771]

I have wondered most of my life why anyone wants fame. In my opinion, fame has mostly drawbacks and very few benefits, and I am an extrovert. This being said, I think you have use your fame so well to increase awesome and decrease world suck. Your activism has probably saved thousands of lives. I am so glad you and Hank are in this world.

[@kirstenroos6781]

It's weird because when you were famous I didn't watch vlogbrothers yet and I feel like I know you more now (although of course I don't know you or Hank at all). It feels odd but also great to be involved in the community this way. I don't mind people not wanting to be famous (even though complaints about it can sometimes feel wrong to me). Fame in this day and age is truly not what it used to be, which I get now. Thank you for sharing your perspective. Only after the fault in our stars (when turtles came out) did I truly start appreciating what you did for many of us. Thank you so much.

[@Karishma_Unspecified]

I'm way too early to know what to type here. Hi John! DFTBA!

[@Unholywooder]

I have eosinophilic esophagitis! I figured out I had from an old video of yours about choking on steak at the airport. I was choking all the time and didn’t know why for years.

[@mynamejefffffff]

I wanted to share the nice thing you did for me! I don't have OCD, but my autism makes me obsessed with certain patterns/routines. I felt crazy and isolated for a long time. TATWD made me feel less alone in the world even before my diagnosis, thank you so much for that

[@neverxnice3577]

They have a huge diagnostic overlap 👀

[@mynamejefffffff]

@@neverxnice3577 i realised this when i started dating someone with ocd heh

[@f0ren51c5candy]

I sure love a Chappell roan vlogbrothers video!!!!

[@KateKrauss]

For a really long time -- like a year-- I thought that you were just a second wheel -- a helper of some sort -- for the wonderful Sarah Urist Green whose art videos changed my life. Then I looked you up and it turns out you're a writer :)

[@emu_phase]

Idk how often you think about this, John, but another interesting and (I think?) postitive outcome of your fame is how many things you’ve introduced to your fans that we may never have heard of otherwise. I’m a diehard Mountain Goats fan who knows a weird amount Rax and 4th tier English football now. You did that! Just by being a person people listen to who talks about stuff!

[@67_GT_Kai]

This was one of your better rants. Any reference to Mr. Rogers is the best reference.

[@PoopParade]

Thank you for this, John! (And I'll add that I became a fan through your TB work! Neat! Then listened to you read your book Anthropocene Reviewed and loved it.) Wishing you peace and pizza!

[@minimarker3]

Ah, the progression of John's first PowerPoint!

[@untappedinkwell]

+++

[@Richardtsant07]

I'm a 4th grade teacher because of Vlogbrothers! Maybe not SOLEY because of you but you were definitely a huge part of it. Thank you!

[@rosestormwolf]

Yeah, this just reminds me of when tumblr literally bullied John off the site. Why are people like this. Also I would say that Chappell is reacting to fame completely normally, sticking up for her boundaries and sticking by her stances, while still struggling with the mental health challenges that come with being perceived by far more people than any human rightly should be.

[@lizbug27]

I can not tell you how much I relate to "feeling like all my nerve endings are on the outside of my body" with regards to anxiety. For me, it also feels like I am an exposed set of wires that someone is repeatedly running their finger back and forth over

[@inskyration]

Holy shit, you’re the first person I’ve seen who also has eosinophilic esophagitis! I was recently diagnosed and it helped explain a lot, including the bit about needing to deliberately chew or suffer haha. I really like your work and your outlook on things and it’s heartwarming to feel a little less alone dealing with EOE (even if I wish neither of us had to).