The first thing I did was schedule a family photo shoot for me and my kids. I just wanted them to have one last picture of me when I looked normal just in case I died. That was 8 years ago and I’m still here and we have taken many many pictures together since. I’m still glad I did it though.
I'm so glad you are ok. I was misdiagnosed with a terminal illness for about 4 months. I had a very bad chest cold and the mucus had hardened in places into rubber-like plugs. When I was x-rayed for other reasons about 6 weeks later they hadn't broken down yet and in the x-ray they appeared to be empty spaces where the lung tissue should have been. I was diagnosed with advanced emphysema and told not to worry about it. I would wake up in the middle of the night and my first thought was "I'm dying". Then my blood pressure and adrenaline would spike so hard my ears would ring and I would be gasping for breath. I would stand by my bed in the dark because I had too much adrenaline to lie down and I would listen to my heart thundering and try to master myself. Sometimes I would just stand there for as much as half an hour, or go boil myself in a really hot bath to relax myself and rarely after 5 minutes or so I would just think.. Yeah, so what. Screw it and I could go back to sleep. 4 months later they re x-rayed me to see how far it had progressed and lo and behold ladies and gennlemun, I was cured. Lol Not really of course, he started to question me more closely. I told him of coughing up pieces of perfectly clear rubber like things that were sometimes larger than my thumb and had the imprints of alveoli in them and it finally came together that these were the dark spots in my lungs. Even ten months to a year later though I hadn't entirely recovered. I would still wake up and think of death and set my body's alarm system off. The depression stuck with me. I assessed my life and accomplishments and found myself wanting which made me more depressed... So, it's was about a year before the psychological effects of 4 months of being terminal began to wane. It trickled away but it's results aren't unnoticeable. It changed me. I guess some for the better and some for the worse. Life was more pleasant when I wasn't so constantly aware that life has an expiry date which I had never pondered before. On the other hand I had learned when I was "dying" that I actually had wanted children without realizing it before and that time had passed me by; and I became determined to discover who I was and what I really wanted instead of blundering through life and missing out on important things before I had discovered they were even important and finding the door to them had already been shut. I don't know why but I felt compelled to share that with you. I guess I wondered if you had any similar kind of experience but I also understand if you don't wish to share it publicly or even if it's just a matter of the time it's involved. I pray for continued good health for you....and happiness. Cheers. 🙃🥂
Hank wearing a Hawaiian print shirt looking like he just got off a shift at Trader Joe’s while talking about the concept of death’s abyss is so on brand
They should. I’m living for the time when science comedy is more of a thing. Less mom and dad and newborn, dating stuff, racial stuff, more nerds doing stoopid every day stuff, like Hank and John. That’s the come I want.
It's probably good that John bothered Hank to make a will for so long, at least that wasn't one of the tasks he had to do when he was trying to distract himself 😂
I am back after watching the special and I really loved it, Hank. Also the bit about being told you can take all the time you need and immediately wondering how much time that's supposed to be is so perfect! Just so good
For a while after my dad died the only thing I could really look forward to every day was 11:35 when Stephen Colbert would come on and I would feel barely better for about an hour. I CLUNG to that
Well, I guess I'll try using my Dropout subscription again. I'm so frustrated by how often it buffers and stutters. I find my Nebula subscription much more useful.
100% agree. I’ve had a subscription for years. One series Hank didn’t mention is Total Forgiveness. I avoided watching it for years but I cracked last week. I almost stopped in the middle but the finale made me cry.
@@Cincyam It's wild because it feels really out of place on Dropout now, coming from the wilderness years before they'd figured out their brand and general comedic voice. It's so experimental, unique, and raw because of it and it hurts so much to watch at times but damn is it good
"There's no comments on Dropout and that's going to be disorienting for me" You just got finished saying that you desperately needed to hear fewer opinions Hank which one is it (jk I totally get it)
@@lailedcatyo WHAT? How does that work? Where are the comments? I've been subscribed (not via TH-cam) for years and this is the first I'm hearing of it.
100% honesty I went in with low expectations, but I laughed hard throughout and the buildup to the last series of jokes was quite the pay off. Vlogger, musician, CEO, inventor, Science guy, writer, and comedian? Jeez dude, you're doing it all! Grats on a great special!
I find something really wholesome about being depressed and unable to focus and take joy things, being taken out of that state by stand-up comedy, and being so taken by the *medium* that you start to engage with the craft of stand-up even for acts you didn’t personally like That’s a real testament to like… the brain wanting to be interested in things, even when it’s hard.
I was diagnosed with MS in 2001 when I was just 18-year old. Before the diagnosis was in, I was tested for 5 other potential afflictions, 4 of which would have been a death sentence. That existential crisis at such a young age shaped me forever. Life is short, and in the immortal words of Kurt Vonnegut, “We are here on this Earth to fart around, don’t let anyone tell you different.”
Oh, I feel that. I was on the onkology ward of the hospital, because they expected a lymph node cancer. Was really glad that it wasn't. It was only systemic Lupus. But then I was at a funeral this week of someone whose cancer story started out just like mine, but in his case, it was another cancer and he died. I was so overrun by survivers guilt.
@@KiraFriedeTo be fair I wouldn’t call SLE “only,” but maybe yours is mild, or something? They did make me go to a hematologist at the oncology center but I just never believed it… I believed I was dying and basically was, but it was too sudden onset for leukemia…
the Dropout x Complexly relationship continues to pay fantastic dividends. Congrats on the special! To a specific corner of the internet this is cooler by far than getting a Netflix special.
you are so right. have my own dying to deal with, and part of that is retaining my sense of humor and my interests (like following these posts and conversstions)❤
i just finished it and it was so good ???? like what can’t this guy do. i legit laughed out loud, which is something that doesn’t happen easily with stand up. i partically loved “…like pee?” i was cackling lmao
Dropout TV is honestly an incredible value and a business run well with their employees front and center off their values. I’d donate $6 a month to them just cause how great they are as people, and knowing I get great content along with it is amazing
As someone who is in between the ultrasound that came back concerning and the biopsy in a week and a half, this is both terrifying (knowing what chemo might have in store if it comes to that) and relieving (knowing that there is an "other side" to get to). Thank you for all the work you put in to letting folk know about your experience.
I greatly enjoyed your performance in Oxnard. I can relate to the “not wanting to do anything.” It’s a common part of grief that doesn’t get enough attention and is not in Kubler-Ross’ 5 stages. It’s a very particular type of nihilism. You were grieving your own (presumed) imminent death.
I have never had cancer or gone through chemo, but god the way you describe your brain fog sounds exactly what I deal with a lot of the time. I have a hard time getting other people to believe just how bad it is.
It’s so cool to hear this. Stand-up comedy saved me too. I went through some really awful things in my life and I couldn’t sleep at night because flashbacks and panic attacks kept me awake, tired, but terrified of what I might dream about. By listening to comedians make light of the different aspects of life, I learned to have a sense of humor, even about the trauma. I wish there was a way I could let those comedians know what a tremendous impact they made on me. Some nights, I literally owe them my life. Whether people see stand-up as a true artform or as a stupid way of getting attention, the comedians add tremendous good to the world without even knowing it.
The special was fantastic! The yo-yo bit was very reminiscent of Robin Williams's work with invisible props, which is delightful! The humor and storytelling style was undeniably Hank, with the slightly unhinged energy that only comes from a place of passion and the irresistible need to share it! ❤
hank, i want to say, when i was seventeen, i was falsely told that i had cancer. this mistake was not rectified for an entire month, when i went to see a surgeon about having my thyroid removed due to the cancer it supposedly contained and he was like "nope no surgery all is good here!" and that, was on june 28th, a week before my 18th birthday. so now, today, two weeks before my 20th birthday and one week before the 2 year anniversary of the day i found out i did not have cancer, watching your special was a very interesting journey to go on. (on another note, my mom also passed away when i was 17, a few months before The Month Where I Believed I Had Cancer, and the line about not being able to call your mom when you have cancer if she's dead is the only part of the show that made me cry). thank you for making your special. it brought comfort to a few parts of me that needed it. and if one day i do actually have cancer that i must flush from my body via urine, i will stand up to pee and yell at my toilet while i do it, and maybe laugh. (p.s yes my zodiac sign is cancer. i used to make a joke about it. since The Month, i don't do that anymore.)
my wife and I just watched it and really enjoyed it!! the bit with orin telling you about magnets and then "of course I know that I'm fucking hank green" REALLY got me. and the hippocrates part.
Hank, the special was so fucking brilliant! It still had the tenor and tone of a Hank Green video/short/Tik Tok, but with an excellent flow and transition between the stories and jokes. Thank you for being courageous enough to say yes to doing this!
Just finished the special. It absolutely rips. So funny, and brought up so many emotions. Also, incredibly technically well done as a stand up set. Everyone should go watch it.
Also they pay really well, they reinvest profits into their content and its creators, and honestly everyone just seems really happy and having fun on all their shows which is really important tbh
Might get dropout next month as a treat after my big exams. However, I find it so cool that a friend I made outside of a TH-cam related context literally messaged me earlier telling me he was watching the special and liking it. So now I wanna see it even more to nerd out w him lol
Oh Hank, you're too late. I just subscribed to it last week (on my computer, don't worry), and the Dropout app notified me already that YOUR SPECIAL IS LIVE!!
Long time watcher, first time writer (at least, as an adult with a fully developed brain) Because you asked… Congratulations on the special! It is extremely impressive and funny and WEIRD in the best possible way. Your study and appreciation of the craft is apparent in the work. My heart is so full seeing comedians and creators (Sam especially!) come together to help you jump into this new endeavor. I’m sure it will both entertain and also provide solace to many. Bravo!
Hi Hank, I've been looking forward to the show ever since it was advertised. It was great! It felt punched-up enough to be a good stand-up set while also retaining so much of your normal educational style and delivery that it still read as very authentic. It's very touching to be able to experience secondhand the parts of your experience you're willing to share on stage, and you have a great eye for which parts are funny enough to go in a set. Great stuff!
My father passed of cancer 2 years ago. It was stage 3 pencreactic cancer, we knew from the start that it was fatal. He passed about 6 months from the diagnosis. In those 6 months we never talked about death. I was the only one in my family that acknowledged it, but every one else used denial as coping mechanism, which made me feel very lonely. Seeing your special made me feel a bit less lonely. Like I am not the only one who chooses to see things as they are. I am happy that you are ok. ❤
Thank you for including the screenshot of the email. I love seeing that kind of stuff, humanizes everyone involved. My favorite kind of behind the scenes content!
When I had a horrible and scary MS flare in 2022-23 I watched a lot of fluff or uplifting stuff on Netflix (not my normal) BUT BY FAR THE VLOGBROTHERS AND COMPLEXLY SAVED ME! Forever grateful for you both and this community. I am glad that you also had something to help you through! Beyond stoked to watch your comedy special.
As someone with chronic depression on top of chronic health issues and disability, it was moving to hear from the perspective of someone who's always been healthy and not depressed experiencing the opposite for the first time. It reminded me that the feeling you described-being uninterested in almost everything, constantly questioning the point of existing-isn't something most people spend their whole life feeling. In that sense it makes me very sad having the opposite life experience; that that feeling is the norm for me, and now and then there will be a period where I -am- interested in things and feel purpose in life. It's like we're the inverse of each other. Thank you for another thought-provoking video, Hank.
It was an absolute delight finding out only two weeks after subscribing to Dropout for the first time that your special would be airing on it! Just finished and enjoyed it so much, the rewatchability factor for when I need something to turn on is very high! 😌
Not a cancer survivor, 5 years ago I just had my digestive system shut down, needed TPN and got sepsis for added funsies. Healthier now. But I learned that making art: painting, writing, telling jokes to friends and family, hand making random things… it makes me feel like I’m putting something out to be enjoyed. If I can make one person smile or laugh, or feel a little better, then it’s a great day.
Hank, I didn’t see your special on Dropout, but I did see you in person while you were doing shows in CA. You did great, my cheeks were sore from smiling and laughing throughout! I’m sure the Dropout version is just as good if not better!
Just finished watching the special and it was an absolute delight! It really feels like your timing and ability to tell rambling stories while always bringing them around again has been honed by decades of vlogbrothers videos and, having watched vlogbrothers videos since the beginning, the whole comedy special felt tailor made to my sense of humor. Laughed so much. Cannot wait to watch it multiple times. But first, I have some further reading to do. DFTBA.
This is so true, especially for people who have ADHD and then go through chemotherapy. Comedy tends to be our lifeline throughout our entire lives. People with ADHD tend to have darker senses of humor, too! Comedy really is a way of life. As humans, We want to become more well-rounded, so please try more things that scare you and always go towards anything that's awkward.
My husband and I watched your comedy special. We thought you were great! I had Ovarian Cancer and you represented a lot of my experiences. My husband loved how you wrapped everything up in a funny way at the end.
Just finished the special Hank, and thanks for this! Got multiple "out loud by myself in bed" laughs out of me in the middle of a cancer conversation. Not an easy task! I've got some stuff, some deep baggage stuff, "probably not going anywhere stuff" about cancer from the loss of my mother. The catharsis of being able to laugh when in this headspace was a welcome feeling, you're doing something good, fun, and Important. Also: "get your act together" made me cry weird tears. Great work, thanks again.
Longtime subscriber of Dropout and follower of vlogbrothers -- Hank, I knew your comedy special would be worth a watch, but I did not at all have high hopes for it being a good comedy show, because comedy is a craft you have to learn over years. In her memoir Leslie F*cking Jones (highly recommended, she riffs the audiobook rather than reading her book), she says multiple times that you can be funny from the start, but you won't be a good comic for 10 years. I was SO pleasantly surprised with your show as both worth a watch (expected) AND a good comedy show (not expected). And now seeing this vid, I'm like, Oh OF COURSE he scienced comedy down to the underlying structures and learned the physics of a comedy show and reached out to experts to make sure he was doing it right and make it better. I should have expected nothing less from you. I would also like an update at some point about how you're watching google analytics about a certain search that might have spiked after your show went live.
Hank, I really really loved the special!!! It's silly and honest and human and beautiful and so funny - it has brightened my difficult day, thank you! (also if anyone is on the fence about dropout - it's my only streaming service, it's everything to me, and the many pals I've introduced to its wonders have all become obsessed too! so worth so worth, if you can afford even one month DO IT)
I watched the special as soon as I saw this video and I have to say, the "thinking about death in the *fun* way" will always be relevant from now on when filling out those surveys. lolol Great job Hank and big thank you to Sam for bringing this to us.
Hank, your special is excellent! You really cracked me up! I’m honestly so surprised that you created such a quality special in such little time. You’ve got a real knack for it. Maybe consider keeping it up if you’re so inclined?
Comedy is my favorite coping mechanism and I feel like people who hit really hard low points know that better than anyone. The sweetness the satire it's a dish of perfection, I'm glad people understand that and explain it as well as you do with more than enough depth to understand why.
Just watched the special with my husband... Hank, it was so freaking good. We love stand-up. The fact that you put together a set that good in so little time is amazing. ❤❤❤
God yes... The panic of no longer caring, losing curiosity, feeling the world shrink to a joyless cell. not cancer, just long-term chronic illness. but what you said hit deep which felt really comforting. makes me feel hopeful.
I really liked the special. Wasn't a big fan of the physical comedy parts, but that's just my personal taste. Overall, I was very entertained and impressed. I also had this weirdly cathartic moment where you talked about your reactions to getting diagnosed, specifically the "well that cup doesn't have cancer", and even though I haven't been diagnosed with cancer, or even anything life threatening, that moment felt very very much like something I would think. It was just this weird out of body experience where I felt validated or connected by someone, even though I hadn't actually ever had that experience. Strange, but nice.
I feel this video shows how Hank is a story-telling master. Like, I know all of this, nothing of what he mentions (except the first convo he had with his primary care doctor) was new info to me, yet the fact that he lead us through the story, like he held our hand and carefully guide us from start to end, felt so special and he had my full attention. I loved it, thanks Hank💜
Im so excited to see the special! Im also thankful you survived cancer. When you were going through it i was struggling a lot due to my trauma with cancer but im so thankful i disnt loose a creator i love to cancer like i lost my bubbie
I just want you to know that I have seen the special in it's entirety 3 times. I've shown it to my friends and family, and I've encouraged those whom I have not shown it to to watch it. I laughed and I cried, and I felt deeply connected with what it means to be human. I have never seen a piece of media like your comedy special Hank. It was hilarious and yet it honestly dealt with deeply worrying issues and experiences. It was so genuine and moving and honestly I'm a little bewildered. It was a privilege to hear your thoughts and to laugh with you. You are a great writer, and I am so thankful for all that you do.
I watched the special in the first few minutes it was available and it was great! Really had the right feel and flow of a routine and some parts that only you could pull off, like knowing about magnetism. You did a great job and I'm glad you got the chance to do it
Hank, I loved the special! I laughed a lot. I really appreciated the amount of heartfelt and meaningful moments. I've lost a lot of family to cancer, and expected the special to hit me in the feels. It definitely did, but almost immediately after the teary-eyed moments I was laughing. I really really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, my life is now slightly worse after googling what you said not to google.
If I hadn't ben following vlogbrothers for decades & knew this was your first comedy special, I wouldn't have though this was your first comedy special.
This was the tipping point for resubbing to Dropout. That and the million Game Changer shorts in my feed. Also where is my BTS for Ratfish, I really liked the BTS videos!
I've been a Nerdfighter for more than a decade, and it is a huge part of who I am as a person. One of my friends just watched your special on Dropout. They know about you through me, but have never really engaged with any of the various media and projects that you produce. Their response to your show was this: "I got about 10 minutes in before i was like 'I understand why T. loves this man so much. "" I felt you should know that the show appeals broadly, not just within the Nerdfighter community.
1: Got a subscription, watched the special, it's not "amazing for a first time comedy special", it's amazing, full stop. As a long time stand-up lover, I enjoyed it in the same way I enjoyed the performances of the likes of Steve Hoffstetter, Bo Burnham, Steve Hughes and John Mulaney. 2: I usually loathe advertisments of any kind for a lot of reasons, but this one I am fine with, because Dropout oozes "passion project" from every metaphorical pore of its body. Having been part of this community for a while, I suspect that you are skirting the edge of what you, your brother and the people behind the scenes of your company/companies are comfortable with on a range of topics, like taking political stances and advertising for a private company that you have no control over. All because you thought it would result in something good. I applaud you for it, that took a lot of courage, as did embarking on this whole project. Mad respect. Please take care. Best regards, Stacey Fakename
Music, Marvel SNAP, and Stand Up Comedy.... that's pretty much all I do. I must be depressed. I was honored to perform with you in San Diego. I really hope you keep pursuing comedy.
I laughed more at this special than I have for any other comedy show I've ever seen, and that's not an exaggeration. It's SO GOOD, Hank. It's good because it's personal and it means so much to you and also to us, who have felt like a part of your journey for a really long time now. It was exactly my brand of humor, and I know a ton of other nerdfighters feel the same. I'm so fucking proud of you for doing the thing!
I watched the entire thing while i was eating a late night snack. THAT WAS A MISTAKE. Hank i almost choked on my food!! I was not expecting the level of humor and delivery timing from you! Your comedy cancer almost litterally killed me!! 😂
Having no comment section is indeed disorienting. After an episode of a traditional show, I want to scroll down and talk to people about it... but there is nothing.
Many of us have been through cancer. Let you know I’m 12 years supposedly recovered. Let you know, it still hurts. I still have pain from treatment. We are not the same. However, cancer treatments still hurts years later for me.
I’ve been traveling for 2+ weeks so I haven’t signed up for dropout yet but plan to on July 2 when I’m home so that I can watch your special and binge the shows like D20 and Game Changer that I’ve been watching TH-cam clips of. Can’t wait! I’m sure it’ll help with the jet lag too. 😂
Hank, I just watched the special... and I enjoyed it so much! It was a wonderful mix of funny and darkly honest... well, in the sense that "dickhole Trent, his clones, and their ant progenitors" is a weirdly honest description of cancer 😅 The whole ending bit about how you're "really feeling, Jolina" was a whirlwind of just surreal entertainment mixed with a bit of painful recognition and empathy. Thank you for putting it all out there on stage; and, I guess, you're welcome for being part of Nerdfighteria, who enabled you to want something that we, in turn, end up wanting as well 💗 (Also, did you know that if you stick a magnet to a piece of metal, sometimes it turns into a magnet, too, for a little while?)
I was so excited to see that your comedy special would be coming to drop out, I convinced my husband who doesn’t enjoy standup or a lot of long form comedy to watch it with me, and he was laughing the whole way through enjoying all the jokes. So glad you decided to add comedy to your bucket of “cool things Hank Green can do”
The first thing I did was schedule a family photo shoot for me and my kids. I just wanted them to have one last picture of me when I looked normal just in case I died. That was 8 years ago and I’m still here and we have taken many many pictures together since. I’m still glad I did it though.
Amazing execution!!
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I did too. One last picture looking normal. Heres to more years and more pictures for all of us.
So glad you (both) made it! Here's to many more family photos ❤️🩹
I'm so glad you are ok. I was misdiagnosed with a terminal illness for about 4 months. I had a very bad chest cold and the mucus had hardened in places into rubber-like plugs. When I was x-rayed for other reasons about 6 weeks later they hadn't broken down yet and in the x-ray they appeared to be empty spaces where the lung tissue should have been. I was diagnosed with advanced emphysema and told not to worry about it. I would wake up in the middle of the night and my first thought was "I'm dying". Then my blood pressure and adrenaline would spike so hard my ears would ring and I would be gasping for breath. I would stand by my bed in the dark because I had too much adrenaline to lie down and I would listen to my heart thundering and try to master myself. Sometimes I would just stand there for as much as half an hour, or go boil myself in a really hot bath to relax myself and rarely after 5 minutes or so I would just think.. Yeah, so what. Screw it and I could go back to sleep.
4 months later they re x-rayed me to see how far it had progressed and lo and behold ladies and gennlemun, I was cured. Lol
Not really of course, he started to question me more closely. I told him of coughing up pieces of perfectly clear rubber like things that were sometimes larger than my thumb and had the imprints of alveoli in them and it finally came together that these were the dark spots in my lungs.
Even ten months to a year later though I hadn't entirely recovered. I would still wake up and think of death and set my body's alarm system off. The depression stuck with me. I assessed my life and accomplishments and found myself wanting which made me more depressed... So, it's was about a year before the psychological effects of 4 months of being terminal began to wane. It trickled away but it's results aren't unnoticeable. It changed me. I guess some for the better and some for the worse. Life was more pleasant when I wasn't so constantly aware that life has an expiry date which I had never pondered before. On the other hand I had learned when I was "dying" that I actually had wanted children without realizing it before and that time had passed me by; and I became determined to discover who I was and what I really wanted instead of blundering through life and missing out on important things before I had discovered they were even important and finding the door to them had already been shut.
I don't know why but I felt compelled to share that with you. I guess I wondered if you had any similar kind of experience but I also understand if you don't wish to share it publicly or even if it's just a matter of the time it's involved.
I pray for continued good health for you....and happiness.
Cheers. 🙃🥂
Can we just appreciate that one of Hank's first and major concerns when facing death was to record bedtime stories for his son
It's definitely appreciable.
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I almost cried
Hank wearing a Hawaiian print shirt looking like he just got off a shift at Trader Joe’s while talking about the concept of death’s abyss is so on brand
do the workers at trader joes wear hawaiian shirts?
@@solsoman102Yes!! Trader Joe's is really for a bunch of unhealthy snacks and easy ready-to-heat meals. We need to get you there
@@solsoman102 Yes! At least at every trader Joe's I've been
Seriously, Hawaiian shirts are the bomb.
Now that's good comedy.
Hank giving scientists everywhere hope for their secret comedy careers
from a job with modest wage to unemployment with modest wage
They don't call him Hank "Bill Nye the Science Guy" Green for nothing
is that not what professors are?
They should. I’m living for the time when science comedy is more of a thing. Less mom and dad and newborn, dating stuff, racial stuff, more nerds doing stoopid every day stuff, like Hank and John. That’s the come I want.
We had a local comic who would do "bad science" nights. She helped people laugh and learn new things. Science and comedy go great together.
Sam Reich is so masterful, he mutual-aid-baited Hank into doing this.
the funniest way to put it 😂
If there’s one thing that Sam’s good at, it’s exploiting people’s strengths and weaknesses!
@@brianmorton9419 And making content out of it!
@@brianmorton9419 yeah just ask brennan
"It's the kind of thing you'd say to me if you wanted me to do it". :D
5:44
In Sam's words, appealing to Hank's sense of alltruism is a "Hank cheat code"
When did sam say that?
@GoogelyeyesSaysHej in the most recent dropout preview for the comedy special.
@@GoogelyeyesSaysHej I saw him say it on Twitter when he shared a Mashable article about Hank's special.
Sam has figured out how to play the game.
He's been here the whole time
It's probably good that John bothered Hank to make a will for so long, at least that wasn't one of the tasks he had to do when he was trying to distract himself 😂
When my grandmother was in hospice I watched so much standup that my fiance was becoming concerned. I completely get it
I am back after watching the special and I really loved it, Hank. Also the bit about being told you can take all the time you need and immediately wondering how much time that's supposed to be is so perfect! Just so good
For a while after my dad died the only thing I could really look forward to every day was 11:35 when Stephen Colbert would come on and I would feel barely better for about an hour. I CLUNG to that
@@missybarbour6885 Something about Stephen Colbert is really comforting. Possibly because he has been open about losing people to cancer too.
Yeah, when I was in the worst of my long covid brain fog, stand up was the only thing I could focus on, too. It’s a strange genre that way.
This is not a drill!! THE SPECIAL IS LIVE.
i forgot it was coming out today and after this video i went running to check !!!!
And it's great!
Well, I guess I'll try using my Dropout subscription again. I'm so frustrated by how often it buffers and stutters. I find my Nebula subscription much more useful.
So excited to watch it!!
I watched it.
It was great.
I regret every streaming service I’m subscribed to on some level-except Dropout. This one sparks joy.
100% agree. I’ve had a subscription for years.
One series Hank didn’t mention is Total Forgiveness. I avoided watching it for years but I cracked last week. I almost stopped in the middle but the finale made me cry.
@@Cincyam It's wild because it feels really out of place on Dropout now, coming from the wilderness years before they'd figured out their brand and general comedic voice. It's so experimental, unique, and raw because of it and it hurts so much to watch at times but damn is it good
At least once a week, I tell my friends something that I watched and say "and THAT'S why I give them my money" 😂
"There's no comments on Dropout and that's going to be disorienting for me"
You just got finished saying that you desperately needed to hear fewer opinions Hank which one is it
(jk I totally get it)
the eternal dilemma of the content creator
There are comments if you subscribe via TH-cam! I do both haha
Get in the comments!
@@lailedcatyo WHAT? How does that work? Where are the comments? I've been subscribed (not via TH-cam) for years and this is the first I'm hearing of it.
What’s great is that there are a lot of Reels about the episodes that do have comments
Saw the show live, and "You can't kink shame evolution" has been turning around in my mind ever since 😂 Excited to watch it again on Dropout!
Honestly, this comment sold me on watching it (no offense, Hank)
If it’s currently untitled, it shouldn’t be after this comment (and first reply)
Well, now it's going to be turning around in my mind and I haven't even seen the thing.
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100% honesty I went in with low expectations, but I laughed hard throughout and the buildup to the last series of jokes was quite the pay off. Vlogger, musician, CEO, inventor, Science guy, writer, and comedian? Jeez dude, you're doing it all! Grats on a great special!
I LOVED it! "Yeah, I'm fucking Hank Green," made me laugh so so hard especially after the wholesome applause. Perfect. No notes.
My biggest laugh line in the special as well, I was in a Starbucks and I was worried people would be bothered by it lol
my only note was “that wasn’t Matchbox 20….it was semisonic” but he cleared it up in the corrections.
I find something really wholesome about being depressed and unable to focus and take joy things, being taken out of that state by stand-up comedy, and being so taken by the *medium* that you start to engage with the craft of stand-up even for acts you didn’t personally like
That’s a real testament to like… the brain wanting to be interested in things, even when it’s hard.
damn, you know it's tough when HANK GREEN isn't interested in learning/ doing stuff
So effectively close to dying of Gang Green that his moral "hanked" on standup comedy.
Womp womp. 🤣. Gang Green won't kill you it will just make you vote for Joe Biden. Lol
@@zigzzagz5732 bot comments remain a forever annoyance...
I was diagnosed with MS in 2001 when I was just 18-year old. Before the diagnosis was in, I was tested for 5 other potential afflictions, 4 of which would have been a death sentence. That existential crisis at such a young age shaped me forever. Life is short, and in the immortal words of Kurt Vonnegut, “We are here on this Earth to fart around, don’t let anyone tell you different.”
Oh, I feel that.
I was on the onkology ward of the hospital, because they expected a lymph node cancer. Was really glad that it wasn't. It was only systemic Lupus.
But then I was at a funeral this week of someone whose cancer story started out just like mine, but in his case, it was another cancer and he died.
I was so overrun by survivers guilt.
@@KiraFriedeTo be fair I wouldn’t call SLE “only,” but maybe yours is mild, or something? They did make me go to a hematologist at the oncology center but I just never believed it… I believed I was dying and basically was, but it was too sudden onset for leukemia…
the Dropout x Complexly relationship continues to pay fantastic dividends. Congrats on the special! To a specific corner of the internet this is cooler by far than getting a Netflix special.
It's legit my favorite, totally agree.
Right? What an honor to be the launch title for what is sure to be a continuing practice of Dropout comedy specials
Oh, pudding. It's so hard, the dying and the not dying and the suffering...it doesn't get easier, but it does get funnier, I promise you...
you are so right. have my own dying to deal with, and part of that is retaining my sense of humor and my interests (like following these posts and conversstions)❤
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The dying and the not dying and the suffering
Handling practicalities was more comfortable than just staring into the abyss…
I want to finish this but I can't right now. I miss my dad. Glad you're still here Hank.
❤❤❤
I miss my dad, too😢
i just finished it and it was so good ???? like what can’t this guy do. i legit laughed out loud, which is something that doesn’t happen easily with stand up. i partically loved “…like pee?” i was cackling lmao
*particularly dammit
"You'll get it, you taught me Anatomy on TH-cam" LMAO
Dropout TV is honestly an incredible value and a business run well with their employees front and center off their values. I’d donate $6 a month to them just cause how great they are as people, and knowing I get great content along with it is amazing
As someone who is in between the ultrasound that came back concerning and the biopsy in a week and a half, this is both terrifying (knowing what chemo might have in store if it comes to that) and relieving (knowing that there is an "other side" to get to).
Thank you for all the work you put in to letting folk know about your experience.
Wishing you absolute best news. ❤
That was the hardest week. I hope by now you have the news and it's good. If it wasn't good, there's a giant community here for you
I greatly enjoyed your performance in Oxnard.
I can relate to the “not wanting to do anything.” It’s a common part of grief that doesn’t get enough attention and is not in Kubler-Ross’ 5 stages. It’s a very particular type of nihilism. You were grieving your own (presumed) imminent death.
It's part of the depression stage.
When an ad on a Hank video is JOHN.
You got the John talking about OCD ad too?
I get that one on any video that is remotely science related
Shines a whole new light on the "good morning, John"😂
Being ill is work! The treatment is work! It's a steep learning curve.
I lost one of my closest paternal figures to cancer and you carry every bit of humor she did about it. Thank you for this special, it was healing.
I have never had cancer or gone through chemo, but god the way you describe your brain fog sounds exactly what I deal with a lot of the time. I have a hard time getting other people to believe just how bad it is.
Brain fog is the worst, I feel ya. Ever seen a doctor or therapist about it?
Honestly, his description of chemo effects here reminds me of my burnout
Trauma can do it, too, or post-viral illness, or any number of things. It’s weird that something so common gets talked about so little.
It’s so cool to hear this. Stand-up comedy saved me too. I went through some really awful things in my life and I couldn’t sleep at night because flashbacks and panic attacks kept me awake, tired, but terrified of what I might dream about. By listening to comedians make light of the different aspects of life, I learned to have a sense of humor, even about the trauma. I wish there was a way I could let those comedians know what a tremendous impact they made on me. Some nights, I literally owe them my life. Whether people see stand-up as a true artform or as a stupid way of getting attention, the comedians add tremendous good to the world without even knowing it.
The special was fantastic! The yo-yo bit was very reminiscent of Robin Williams's work with invisible props, which is delightful! The humor and storytelling style was undeniably Hank, with the slightly unhinged energy that only comes from a place of passion and the irresistible need to share it! ❤
I was like, "who knew Hank could mime?"
hank, i want to say, when i was seventeen, i was falsely told that i had cancer. this mistake was not rectified for an entire month, when i went to see a surgeon about having my thyroid removed due to the cancer it supposedly contained and he was like "nope no surgery all is good here!" and that, was on june 28th, a week before my 18th birthday. so now, today, two weeks before my 20th birthday and one week before the 2 year anniversary of the day i found out i did not have cancer, watching your special was a very interesting journey to go on. (on another note, my mom also passed away when i was 17, a few months before The Month Where I Believed I Had Cancer, and the line about not being able to call your mom when you have cancer if she's dead is the only part of the show that made me cry).
thank you for making your special. it brought comfort to a few parts of me that needed it. and if one day i do actually have cancer that i must flush from my body via urine, i will stand up to pee and yell at my toilet while i do it, and maybe laugh.
(p.s yes my zodiac sign is cancer. i used to make a joke about it. since The Month, i don't do that anymore.)
my wife and I just watched it and really enjoyed it!! the bit with orin telling you about magnets and then "of course I know that I'm fucking hank green" REALLY got me. and the hippocrates part.
OH and as a curly haired person the "curly haired people know why and I don't care about straight haired people anymore" was very very funny
Hank, the special was so fucking brilliant! It still had the tenor and tone of a Hank Green video/short/Tik Tok, but with an excellent flow and transition between the stories and jokes. Thank you for being courageous enough to say yes to doing this!
"[we] want to want things"
is a thought that will have me thinking for a while.
Just finished the special. It absolutely rips. So funny, and brought up so many emotions. Also, incredibly technically well done as a stand up set. Everyone should go watch it.
I try not to subscribe to anything but Dropout is so worth it and getting better all the time because of shows like this.
Also they pay really well, they reinvest profits into their content and its creators, and honestly everyone just seems really happy and having fun on all their shows which is really important tbh
Dropout is the one subscription I don't resent paying. They reeled me in with Dungeons and Drag Queens, and I haven't looked back since.
Oh heck yeah, it may be 1 am but you can bet your pumpkins and penguins im watching that special right now!
Might get dropout next month as a treat after my big exams. However, I find it so cool that a friend I made outside of a TH-cam related context literally messaged me earlier telling me he was watching the special and liking it. So now I wanna see it even more to nerd out w him lol
When you do, sign up on the website not through an app store. So they don't loose the 20% store cut
Oh Hank, you're too late. I just subscribed to it last week (on my computer, don't worry), and the Dropout app notified me already that YOUR SPECIAL IS LIVE!!
Just finished the special. It's fantastic. And everyone should be watching Dropout anyway. Go go go!
Long time watcher, first time writer (at least, as an adult with a fully developed brain) Because you asked… Congratulations on the special! It is extremely impressive and funny and WEIRD in the best possible way. Your study and appreciation of the craft is apparent in the work. My heart is so full seeing comedians and creators (Sam especially!) come together to help you jump into this new endeavor. I’m sure it will both entertain and also provide solace to many. Bravo!
Hi Hank, I've been looking forward to the show ever since it was advertised. It was great! It felt punched-up enough to be a good stand-up set while also retaining so much of your normal educational style and delivery that it still read as very authentic. It's very touching to be able to experience secondhand the parts of your experience you're willing to share on stage, and you have a great eye for which parts are funny enough to go in a set. Great stuff!
Hank, I'm very glad you're still here and still loving to do things
My father passed of cancer 2 years ago. It was stage 3 pencreactic cancer, we knew from the start that it was fatal. He passed about 6 months from the diagnosis.
In those 6 months we never talked about death. I was the only one in my family that acknowledged it, but every one else used denial as coping mechanism, which made me feel very lonely.
Seeing your special made me feel a bit less lonely. Like I am not the only one who chooses to see things as they are.
I am happy that you are ok. ❤
The hair is working.
I love the hair so much! (Or did you mean the asscrack hair? Because if so, I got nuthin'.)
Thank you for including the screenshot of the email. I love seeing that kind of stuff, humanizes everyone involved. My favorite kind of behind the scenes content!
When I had a horrible and scary MS flare in 2022-23 I watched a lot of fluff or uplifting stuff on Netflix (not my normal) BUT BY FAR THE VLOGBROTHERS AND COMPLEXLY SAVED ME! Forever grateful for you both and this community. I am glad that you also had something to help you through! Beyond stoked to watch your comedy special.
As someone with chronic depression on top of chronic health issues and disability, it was moving to hear from the perspective of someone who's always been healthy and not depressed experiencing the opposite for the first time. It reminded me that the feeling you described-being uninterested in almost everything, constantly questioning the point of existing-isn't something most people spend their whole life feeling. In that sense it makes me very sad having the opposite life experience; that that feeling is the norm for me, and now and then there will be a period where I -am- interested in things and feel purpose in life. It's like we're the inverse of each other.
Thank you for another thought-provoking video, Hank.
It was an absolute delight finding out only two weeks after subscribing to Dropout for the first time that your special would be airing on it! Just finished and enjoyed it so much, the rewatchability factor for when I need something to turn on is very high! 😌
Thank you for talking so openly about cancer. My mom survived, my aunt and grandma did not. From the bottom of my heart, thank you 💜
The nerdy part of my brain was so glad you included an erratum at the end of the special to correct factual errors.
Mentopolis was what got me into dropout, and i binged their content library after watching lol
congrats on making me start crying in under a minute
Not a cancer survivor, 5 years ago I just had my digestive system shut down, needed TPN and got sepsis for added funsies.
Healthier now.
But I learned that making art: painting, writing, telling jokes to friends and family, hand making random things… it makes me feel like I’m putting something out to be enjoyed. If I can make one person smile or laugh, or feel a little better, then it’s a great day.
Hank, I didn’t see your special on Dropout, but I did see you in person while you were doing shows in CA. You did great, my cheeks were sore from smiling and laughing throughout! I’m sure the Dropout version is just as good if not better!
Dropout is one of only two media subscriptions that I have. No regrets!
Just finished watching the special and it was an absolute delight! It really feels like your timing and ability to tell rambling stories while always bringing them around again has been honed by decades of vlogbrothers videos and, having watched vlogbrothers videos since the beginning, the whole comedy special felt tailor made to my sense of humor. Laughed so much. Cannot wait to watch it multiple times. But first, I have some further reading to do. DFTBA.
This is so true, especially for people who have ADHD and then go through chemotherapy.
Comedy tends to be our lifeline throughout our entire lives.
People with ADHD tend to have darker senses of humor, too!
Comedy really is a way of life.
As humans, We want to become more well-rounded, so please try more things that scare you and always go towards anything that's awkward.
I very much appreciated the notes and extra reading at the end… a very normal part of a comedy show’s credits
My husband and I watched your comedy special. We thought you were great! I had Ovarian Cancer and you represented a lot of my experiences. My husband loved how you wrapped everything up in a funny way at the end.
Hank Green and Tig Notaro. Two comedy legends. Of equal accolade.
We're so proud of you Hank!
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Just finished the special Hank, and thanks for this! Got multiple "out loud by myself in bed" laughs out of me in the middle of a cancer conversation. Not an easy task! I've got some stuff, some deep baggage stuff, "probably not going anywhere stuff" about cancer from the loss of my mother. The catharsis of being able to laugh when in this headspace was a welcome feeling, you're doing something good, fun, and Important.
Also: "get your act together" made me cry weird tears.
Great work, thanks again.
This was one of the best comedy specials to come out this year in my opinion. You did a great job Hank!!!
I wouldn't be surprised to see Hank on an episode of the smarty-pants society
I freaking love Dropout and am so pumped that it is where this special is getting dropped!!!
Longtime subscriber of Dropout and follower of vlogbrothers -- Hank, I knew your comedy special would be worth a watch, but I did not at all have high hopes for it being a good comedy show, because comedy is a craft you have to learn over years. In her memoir Leslie F*cking Jones (highly recommended, she riffs the audiobook rather than reading her book), she says multiple times that you can be funny from the start, but you won't be a good comic for 10 years. I was SO pleasantly surprised with your show as both worth a watch (expected) AND a good comedy show (not expected). And now seeing this vid, I'm like, Oh OF COURSE he scienced comedy down to the underlying structures and learned the physics of a comedy show and reached out to experts to make sure he was doing it right and make it better. I should have expected nothing less from you. I would also like an update at some point about how you're watching google analytics about a certain search that might have spiked after your show went live.
Hank, I really really loved the special!!! It's silly and honest and human and beautiful and so funny - it has brightened my difficult day, thank you!
(also if anyone is on the fence about dropout - it's my only streaming service, it's everything to me, and the many pals I've introduced to its wonders have all become obsessed too! so worth so worth, if you can afford even one month DO IT)
I watched the special as soon as I saw this video and I have to say, the "thinking about death in the *fun* way" will always be relevant from now on when filling out those surveys. lolol Great job Hank and big thank you to Sam for bringing this to us.
Hank, your special is excellent! You really cracked me up! I’m honestly so surprised that you created such a quality special in such little time. You’ve got a real knack for it. Maybe consider keeping it up if you’re so inclined?
Comedy is my favorite coping mechanism and I feel like people who hit really hard low points know that better than anyone. The sweetness the satire it's a dish of perfection, I'm glad people understand that and explain it as well as you do with more than enough depth to understand why.
Just watched the special with my husband... Hank, it was so freaking good. We love stand-up. The fact that you put together a set that good in so little time is amazing. ❤❤❤
God yes... The panic of no longer caring, losing curiosity, feeling the world shrink to a joyless cell. not cancer, just long-term chronic illness. but what you said hit deep which felt really comforting. makes me feel hopeful.
Hank is a precious man of all men. The world wouldn't be the same without you.
I really liked the special. Wasn't a big fan of the physical comedy parts, but that's just my personal taste. Overall, I was very entertained and impressed.
I also had this weirdly cathartic moment where you talked about your reactions to getting diagnosed, specifically the "well that cup doesn't have cancer", and even though I haven't been diagnosed with cancer, or even anything life threatening, that moment felt very very much like something I would think. It was just this weird out of body experience where I felt validated or connected by someone, even though I hadn't actually ever had that experience. Strange, but nice.
I feel this video shows how Hank is a story-telling master. Like, I know all of this, nothing of what he mentions (except the first convo he had with his primary care doctor) was new info to me, yet the fact that he lead us through the story, like he held our hand and carefully guide us from start to end, felt so special and he had my full attention. I loved it, thanks Hank💜
I keep thinking "Ah, there's so much good stuff on Dropout I wish I could see it" Then I remember that I am subscribed to Dropout lol
Im so excited to see the special! Im also thankful you survived cancer. When you were going through it i was struggling a lot due to my trauma with cancer but im so thankful i disnt loose a creator i love to cancer like i lost my bubbie
I just want you to know that I have seen the special in it's entirety 3 times. I've shown it to my friends and family, and I've encouraged those whom I have not shown it to to watch it. I laughed and I cried, and I felt deeply connected with what it means to be human. I have never seen a piece of media like your comedy special Hank. It was hilarious and yet it honestly dealt with deeply worrying issues and experiences. It was so genuine and moving and honestly I'm a little bewildered. It was a privilege to hear your thoughts and to laugh with you. You are a great writer, and I am so thankful for all that you do.
I watched the special in the first few minutes it was available and it was great! Really had the right feel and flow of a routine and some parts that only you could pull off, like knowing about magnetism.
You did a great job and I'm glad you got the chance to do it
Hanks cancer special being announced was the final straw that got me to finally buy Dropout instead of just obsessively rewatching their shorts on YT
Hank, I loved the special! I laughed a lot. I really appreciated the amount of heartfelt and meaningful moments. I've lost a lot of family to cancer, and expected the special to hit me in the feels. It definitely did, but almost immediately after the teary-eyed moments I was laughing. I really really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, my life is now slightly worse after googling what you said not to google.
If I hadn't ben following vlogbrothers for decades & knew this was your first comedy special, I wouldn't have though this was your first comedy special.
This was the tipping point for resubbing to Dropout. That and the million Game Changer shorts in my feed. Also where is my BTS for Ratfish, I really liked the BTS videos!
It’s coming next week along with the MSN S3 premiere!
I really wish I had the money to subscribe 😭
I've been a Nerdfighter for more than a decade, and it is a huge part of who I am as a person. One of my friends just watched your special on Dropout. They know about you through me, but have never really engaged with any of the various media and projects that you produce. Their response to your show was this:
"I got about 10 minutes in before i was like 'I understand why T. loves this man so much. ""
I felt you should know that the show appeals broadly, not just within the Nerdfighter community.
1: Got a subscription, watched the special, it's not "amazing for a first time comedy special", it's amazing, full stop. As a long time stand-up lover, I enjoyed it in the same way I enjoyed the performances of the likes of Steve Hoffstetter, Bo Burnham, Steve Hughes and John Mulaney.
2: I usually loathe advertisments of any kind for a lot of reasons, but this one I am fine with, because Dropout oozes "passion project" from every metaphorical pore of its body.
Having been part of this community for a while, I suspect that you are skirting the edge of what you, your brother and the people behind the scenes of your company/companies are comfortable with on a range of topics, like taking political stances and advertising for a private company that you have no control over. All because you thought it would result in something good. I applaud you for it, that took a lot of courage, as did embarking on this whole project. Mad respect.
Please take care.
Best regards, Stacey Fakename
Loved the special, Hank. (And yes, Dropout is wall to wall wonderful!)
Music, Marvel SNAP, and Stand Up Comedy.... that's pretty much all I do. I must be depressed.
I was honored to perform with you in San Diego.
I really hope you keep pursuing comedy.
I laughed more at this special than I have for any other comedy show I've ever seen, and that's not an exaggeration. It's SO GOOD, Hank. It's good because it's personal and it means so much to you and also to us, who have felt like a part of your journey for a really long time now. It was exactly my brand of humor, and I know a ton of other nerdfighters feel the same. I'm so fucking proud of you for doing the thing!
You are getting close to that Jeremy Allen White hair!!! I learned so many things about the human body in this special😂
I watched the entire thing while i was eating a late night snack. THAT WAS A MISTAKE. Hank i almost choked on my food!! I was not expecting the level of humor and delivery timing from you!
Your comedy cancer almost litterally killed me!! 😂
I'm about to watch it as soon as this video is over!!!
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Having no comment section is indeed disorienting. After an episode of a traditional show, I want to scroll down and talk to people about it... but there is nothing.
Many of us have been through cancer. Let you know I’m 12 years supposedly recovered. Let you know, it still hurts. I still have pain from treatment. We are not the same. However, cancer treatments still hurts years later for me.
It's honestly incredible how good your special is considering that its your first one. It's literally world class.
i’m so proud of you for following your interests and making something when you wanted to!!!
I’ve been traveling for 2+ weeks so I haven’t signed up for dropout yet but plan to on July 2 when I’m home so that I can watch your special and binge the shows like D20 and Game Changer that I’ve been watching TH-cam clips of. Can’t wait! I’m sure it’ll help with the jet lag too. 😂
Hank, I just watched the special... and I enjoyed it so much! It was a wonderful mix of funny and darkly honest... well, in the sense that "dickhole Trent, his clones, and their ant progenitors" is a weirdly honest description of cancer 😅 The whole ending bit about how you're "really feeling, Jolina" was a whirlwind of just surreal entertainment mixed with a bit of painful recognition and empathy.
Thank you for putting it all out there on stage; and, I guess, you're welcome for being part of Nerdfighteria, who enabled you to want something that we, in turn, end up wanting as well 💗
(Also, did you know that if you stick a magnet to a piece of metal, sometimes it turns into a magnet, too, for a little while?)
Of course he does! He's ... Hank Green!
(I also loved that bit, it's not only a great bit in Ireland but it's also unique to Hank.)
I was so excited to see that your comedy special would be coming to drop out, I convinced my husband who doesn’t enjoy standup or a lot of long form comedy to watch it with me, and he was laughing the whole way through enjoying all the jokes. So glad you decided to add comedy to your bucket of “cool things Hank Green can do”