The Reddit Interview

While we are all waiting for Kirk to write up his post of the new comic (which, in Kirk's defense, hasn't come out yet) I thought I should share with all of you my thoughts on that interview Randall did the other week, with the reddit guy. SO HERE:

Randall Munroe answered the top questions from this reddit thread in an interview recently promoting his book. The videos of his answers are here, and though most of the questions are pretty lame (and mine, alas, did not make the cut), there are a few ok ones and a little bit of enlightening things in his answers. Watch the answers, and read along with my own commentary below!

1. Does he have any comics he regrets?
It's interesting that he only regrets comics that he thinks people don't understand - a sort of "I'm sorry that what I did made you angry" non-apology. Also, I really like the -GRY comic and I thought it was well-put in a way that new comics aren't, so it's interesting that that is the example he focuses on.

2. Will you get over Megan?
INTERESTING. so he tries to make it sound like "oh, it's just a name" but listen to what he says: He says, basically, that he doesn't like to admit that comics are based on his life because then the people in his life get weirded out by the sort of internet-spotlight of having their life be in his comic. But he doesn't say it doesn't happen! Just that he doesn't like to admit it. And that comics are two years behind his life. So - not a very strong denial of the whole theory that the generic stick figure in xkcd really is Randall.

3. What won't you draw?
He wants to make more jokes about gender! Oh god, please randall do not make more of those. He is too angry about how women are treated online! Such a white knight. Oh hey, an explanation of 631. So...it was indeed based on seeing a common pattern in wikipedia anatomy pictures. That is its own kind of weird. At least he admits that he made a mistake in writing it. But it upsets him that people didn't get the joke! MAYBE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A SHITTY JOKE?

4. Why has 'romance' degenerated into 'sex'?
I'd love to hear this answer. It's a pretty big problem. He doesn't have an answer. "What I'm drawing about it what I'm thinking or obsessing about." So...it's because he is now obsessed with sex? OK. well. would have liked a real answer there, oh well.

5. What internet thing are you most proud of inspiring?
STUPID QUESTION. no answer could make him look stupider than that question's author.

6. What is it like telling people you are famous?
He doesn't tell them. And now he is getting into his thing about not reading critique, positive or negative. Randall really is likable guy. I do give him that. Why does he have so much trouble translating that into a comic?

7. The ball pit question, how do you keep your balls clean?
The interviewer seems like a way funnier guy than Randall. He should try making a comic. Hm, he is taking the question seriously, and giving his actual ball-pit policy. I...I think he missed something there? I think the question is a joke about testicles? We don't care what drinks are allowed and what drinks are not. You...you don't have to really tell us this.

8. Most surprising person who is a fan of xkcd.
Also a stupid terrible question that I hate. i do not care what the answer is.
OK that's a lie, apparently maddox e-mailed him? And liked the comic? Well i guess I have to be the maddox of xkcd if maddox isn't going to do it himself.

9. Do you know that you have a need to tell people you are getting laid?
Says he addressed it before, that's clearly not true. So he says he writes the comic that seems funniest to him at the time. But still, why is it always sex? OK, there's his answer, sex is funny. I can't disagree with that, I guess. Still - he doesn't de-creepify anything with his answer.


10 and 11 seem not to be working for now. Alas. Perhaps later I will watch them.