HRWiki:STUFF/Archive/Halloween Potion-ma-jig

[edit] Burying our troublesome brothers

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 12:49, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• Strong Sad is half-buried (who else would have done that?).
• The quote is 'We were just burying our problems here in the spooky woods when we found this creepy cliff!' Strong Bad et al. may have been burying Strong Sad, noticed the cliff halfway through, and left to go throw TV's off the cliff. (speculation, but plausible and even likely)
• Who cares if Strong Sad is at the bottom of the cliff? Despite that little detail it makes total sense. It explains why Homestar found SS like that.
• Name one other thing that "burying our troubles" could plausibly be referring to (feel free to strike this through if you come up with something).
  • The only other plausible explanation is that their "troubles" are broken TVs, which is not a particularly good explanation.
• Strong Sad was sleeping when Homestar found him, implying that he had probably been there awhile. Strong Bad would have had plenty of time to find the cliff.

Arguments against:

• Speculation.
• If this were referring to Strong Sad, Strong Sad would be nearby.
• If they found the cliff, Strong Sad wouldn't be below the cliff.
• Strong Sad might very well have half-buried himself. He seems to like confined spaces (such as the boarded-up tub in Homestar Presents: Presents, and Sickly Sam buries himself alive once a week.
  • Strong Sad was locked up in the tub by Strong Bad, it was not a voluntary matter.

Additional comments:

• It COULD be, but the Fun Fact should reflect the uncertainty, not present it as a fact. (updated fact)
• Explanations are now Fun Facts?
  • I think so: HRWiki:Standards#Fun_Facts.
• You don't have to be at the top of a cliff to find a cliff. They could have easily climbed up there after the fact.
  • The Spooky Woods area of Free Country, USA may be linked into a circle by an area of flat land, a hill, and a cliff.

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[edit] Halloween is all up ons

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 15:52, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• Bubs seems to have been a little more elaborate than Strong Bad, but he's still drawn muscles on himself with a marker.
• Bubs is not flexing. The Stinkoman image below doesn't even apply, since he is an anime caricature of Strong Bad. You wouldn't expect regular Strong Bad to be able to do that. Also, flexing doesn't account for the chest hair.
• Bubs isn't wearing a special shirt, either. Look at the costumes over the years. Whenever possible, the characters are depicted wearing their regular clothes under their costumes. Bubs has drawn over his "natural" bright-orange upper body, suggesting that his chest is "bare" rather than that he's wearing something there.
• Wild speculation is bad; reasonable, thought-out speculation is not necessarily bad.
• Suggested compromise revision: The muscles on Bubs' costume bear a strong resemblance to Strong Bad's Ab-Abber 2000, introduced in suntan.

• I added the revision.

Arguments against:

• Speculation, speculation. We don't know if it was drawn on, or part of the material like Slim Goodbody.
• in the Ab-Abber 2000 the lines are much darker
• We don't know that Bubs isn't flexing, and even if looks EXACTLY like the Ab-Abber, there is no mention of it and we can't be sure. Such speculation has not been allowed in the past.
• Although it's possible that the lines have been drawn in on Bubs' chest, the costume does not seem to be intended to evoke recognition of the Ab-Abber.

Additional comments:

• Bubs has claimed to be wearing a shirt in the past. (See the process)
  • However, Bubs's normal state shows his upper body, including his arms and "hands", as fully bright-orange. Wearing a shirt would suggest more details in the upper-body region.
  • Also, in the process, Bubs mentions tearing off his shirt, adding "Much to the delight of my lady-friends", and Strong Bad dismisses the whole statement as "that never happens". That suggests that Bubs is just full of it and isn't to be taken seriously.
• A quick Google image search will turn up many images of a bare-chested Apollo Creed. Logically, Bubs would be bare-chested as well, to make his costume more authentic.
• This was the first thing that came to my mind when I was watching this toon.

Proposed revision:

Arguments for:

• Much less speculation.

Arguments against:

• The Ab-Abber is the pen not the drawing. This is like saying, "That painting strongly resembles Picasso's paint brush"

• I've changed the fact a little bit.

• The lines on Bubs' chest are dark orange, the same as his outline. The Ab-Abber is a black marker.
• The abs on bubs look nothing like the ones on strong bad (or later, strong sad).
• The only similarity, really, is that they're both faked muscles. Perhaps this fact started when someone assumed that what we're seeing is Bubs' bare chest, but as has already been pointed out (the process), he's wearing a shirt. Bubs' muscles here really have more in common with Strong Mad's Slim Goodbody than the Ab-Abber.
  • We do not have proof that Bubs is wearing a shirt - he only claims to be wearing one.
    • On the other hand, it's been emphasized many times that Strong Bad is not wearing a shirt. If Bubs is shirtless, no one has ever commented on it.
• It's probably just a coincidence... HomestarRunner.com didn't make abs, or even fake abs.
• If we removed the "strongly," then I might accept. But I don't think TBC had the ab-abber in mind when they made bubs costume.

Additional comments:

you be the judge

• Re pen vs. drawing: Does everything have to be spelled out? I think people will understand what this means.
  • Also, I thought it was well-understood that the joke behind the Ab-Abber is that somehow giving it a special name gives you the abs you've always wanted.
    • Well, the person writing that arg against wants it spelled out, and the purpose of this process is to please as many people as possible.
      • I just think it's a bad fact. Just because we see someone's abs or a chest, doesn't make this a reference.
• Strong Resemblence? Where? They look very different to me.
  • Indeed. Part of the entire joke of the ab-abber was that there were no pectoral muscles(as pointed out by Marzipan), just a big row of abs, up to the neck. Bubs certainly has pecs here.

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[edit] Change is good

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 03:40, 6 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• Newer viewers might not see this one
• The transcript only mentions that his prior costumes are pictured; it doesn't highlight the fact that this is not what's normally there. This wiki is intended as a knowledge base, and the sort of people who need it are the sort who can't already tell you off the top of their head what's on Homestar's wall.

Arguments against:

• Listed in the transcript

Additional comments:

• I removed a fact very similar to this not long ago because it was listed in the transcript.
• I agree that the whole costume thing is in the transcript, but this shows that on the wall there's usually some pics of homestar. I say, keep it.
• Re: argument for #2: This could be accomplished better by adding a bit to the transcript; i.e., something to the effect of, "instead of the customary Homestar evolution pictures, we see..."
• I think the average person looking for information will be much more likely to look here rather than in the transcript.
  • I believe it has already been established that this argument is contrary to Wiki standards (see this discussion in the archives). Unless I misunderstand Wiki standards, we do not include information that is already in the transcript in the Fun Facts just because someone might not bother reading the transcript.
• Just remove that last sentence (since it's in the transcript) and the fact will be great.
  • That sounds much better and more in line with Wiki standards to me; I'd probably be willing to retract my decline vote if we tweaked it that way.

Proposed revision:

Arguments for:

• As per the suggestion above, the last line was removed.

Arguments against:

Additional comments:

• A good compromise between facility and helpfulness for newcomers and maintaining the primacy of the transcript.

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[edit] The Great American Bubs Bash

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 15:00, 8 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

Arguments against:

• This is coincidental, as Homestar was referring to Bubs' costume.

Additional comments:

• The only thing this could even possibly be a reference to would be "Great American Hero," and since the two look almost nothing alike, even that's a stretch (it would only be a play on the phrase). But this is a much bigger stretch.
  • Much more likely to just be a comment on Bubs' patriotic-looking costume than anything else.
• When I first saw this posted on the page a few days ago, I nearly removed or STUFF'd it on the spot. The only thing that stopped me was that Apollo was a boxer and that's kinda close to wrestling... but, yeah, it's a stretch.

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[edit] That's a rap

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 02:07, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• Strong Sad rapping is certainly not a common occurrence.

Arguments against:

• The only connection is Strong Sad "rapping," and in a very different manner.
• Strong Sad's "rapping" was considered a subject of ridicule in rampage; here, it's accepted.
• Strong Sad was simply answering Homestar's question (if you chose that question). Strong Sad, being polite in his own ways, would probably answer his question. Strong Sad may not even like rapping, but knowing that his brother Strong Bad likes rap, he can come up with reasonably lyrics.

Additional comments:

• If anything—but this is pure speculation—it's a reference to The Skate Party's song Strong Sad Rocks Out (mp3) and its Flash video featuring Strong Sad.
  • Admittedly, the notions of "rocking out" and rapping are not the same, but both convey excelling in a musical genre with style.
  • Yes, I know the line comes from the Spin 'n Say.

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[edit] What I'm supposed to do with STUFF?

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 02:07, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• This is pretty much the exact same line, and therefore, it should be mentioned that it is recurring.
• Not a common phrase, how many times have you heard someone say this?

Arguments against:

• Facts like this have been rejected in the past.
• A somewhat common phrase.

Additional comments:

• While I do think calling this wording a "somewhat common phrase" is a stretch, I think this is a bit too trivial for a Fun Fact (if we hear it a few more times, it would be a good running gag.)
• In dangeresque 3, a similar wording occurs when Strong Bad picks up the VCR and says "Who this is?".
• While this is roughly the same line...I dunno. Homestar messes up his grammar so much that this could just-as-easily be coincidence.

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[edit] If you like piña coladas

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 05:30, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

Arguments against:

• The modern era of internet users never heard of this song.

• Note that a lot of the references on this site are not meant for the 'modern era of internet users'.

• The actual line is "If you have half a brain".
• The phrase "to have half a brain" is very common.

Additional comments:

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[edit] Recurring themes

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 02:07, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

Arguments against:

• The Goblin, at the very least, doesn't need a fact to hang a link off of.
• The Witches' Brew link could be hung off of the fact that mentions Bubs "stealing" Homestar's line (it already exists in Remarks).
• Both are listed as running gags; thereby covering this fact's point.

Additional comments:

• Witch's Brew was also mentioned in the show as one of items in Homestar's "list". I believe it was also mentioned in another, non-Halloween toon or email, but it escapes me at the moment.
  • My point is that it's not exclusively a Halloween theme.
• I agree with the piece about the Goblin, but Homestar just has a simple obsession with "witch's brew." This can especially be seen after Bubs mentions it in the toon, and Homestar says "Hey, that's my line!"

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[edit] The Coincidence of Zelda

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 02:07, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

Arguments against:

• Absolutely no connection except digging.
• The pouch, as generic as it looks, actually doesn't look very much like the bag of magic powder from Zelda games.

Additional comments:

• If this is true, then it's a freakin' long reference because Homsar as Tingle immediately follows it.
• Then wouldn't it also be a reference to OoT with the Graveyard digging game. Dampe kinda looks like the Poopsmith.

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[edit] Friends forever

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 02:07, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• Mooch did have a girlfriend in Breaking Away, who he remarked that he would marry soon.
• Homestar has the "only relationship with a girl" of the main characters that we know of; he's dating Marzipan.

Arguments against:

• What reference? Where?
• As stated, this fact is actually false: Moocher was not the only character in "Breaking away," to have a relationship, as a significant part of the plot was that Dave Stoller got a girl to go out with him by pretending to be an Italian foreign exchange student.

Additional comments:

• This is kind of silly.
• I think this is the quote in question:

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Hey Strong Bad! {adopts "shady drifter" impression} Let me get a few dollars. I'm trying to catch a train. My wife, she's pregnant. And I have thirteen kids. I'm on hard times.

• Too much of a coincidence for me to want to accept it

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[edit] Essence of Urban Legend

From: Halloween Potion-ma-jig
Posted on: 02:07, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• This is a widespread belief, whether or not it actually works.
• I have done this and it has worked.

Arguments against:

• Sounds very urban legendy.

Additional comments:

• Can ANYONE provide ANY real evidence of this? (No, you don't need to actually perform it.)
  • Before this really gets under way, I have amended it to read "believed to make". To be a reference, it isn't really important whether or not it actually works, just whether people think it does.
  • Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the matter; it brings up many, many pages on a Google search, so even if it doesn't actually work, it's the supposed intention of the prank. I would assume this is what TBC were referring to for this essence (as it would have a strong essence)—Strong Mad even calls it his "secret shame."
  • Here is some anecdotal evidence that it is not just believed to be true, but actually true.
• I (Jay, who STUFFed this) am considering re-adding this to the page before the voting is up (with the "believed to" modifier); I had simply never heard of this prank - EVER - before today.
• Wikipedia:List of school pranks#Warm water prank: "...this prank can only occur where students (or campers) sleep. or college students, or preschoolers, or lawyers, or preists. The fingers, or entire hand, of the sleeper are immersed in a cup or bucket of warm water. This is intended to make the victim urinate in his or her sleep. The effectiveness of this prank is extremely variable though."
  • As to the Urban legend and the 'never heard of it comment,' It is obviously common since both I (living in VA), and TBC (living in GA) both know about it.
  • I've heard it doesn't work on lawyers or vampires...
• Maybe this should be refiled under "Explanations."
  • Isn't "Explanations" a subcategory of "Fun Facts?"

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