Hremail 7

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Revision as of 01:05, 25 October 2022

"I am contractually unable to drink, talk about, or bathe in any other liquid!"

In a retro styled Hremail, Homestar shares the goodness of melonade, then explains to Strong Bad what the internet is all about.

Cast (in order of appearance): Homestar Runner, The Cheat, Strong Bad, Strong Sad

Places: Hremail Room, Computer Room (Easter egg)

Date: Monday, May 4, 2009

Running Time: 3:51

Page title: Randy 400!!!

Transcript

{Theme music begins to play as the words "homestarrunner.com presents HREMAIL #7" gradually grow larger on the screen. "copyright 2001" appears in the bottom right corner. Cuts to Homestar Runner in his fifth design doing a dance in time to the music's hi-hat beats, which soon ends.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Oh hello everybody everybody! I'm Homestar Runner.

{Scene changes to show Homestar Runner sitting behind a wooden desk.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Today's question goes like-a this-a...

{Drumroll sounds, Homestar taps his shoes in anticipation.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {Reading aloud.} Greetings Homestar Runner!

{Zooms in on a piece of paper containing the email.}

Greetings Homestar Runner!
Can you talk about some of your favorite drinks?
~Johnny V.
DeKalb, IL

{Reads "Johnny V." as "Johnny Vest in the Chest"}

{Scene changes back to the desk.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Of course I can talk about my fave-o drinks!

{Cuts to an angle shot of Homestar.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: And as a national spokesmodel for the {logo appears in the corner of the screen} Ethical Advancement of Melonade, I am contractually unable to drink, {logo slides off-screen} talk about, or bathe in any other liquid!

{Cuts back to desk.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Most folk think that melonade comes in but one flavor.

{Zooms in on Homestar with desk top still visible.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: But thanks to giant leaps in melonade technology, we can now choose from hundreds of flavor-encrusted varieties. Some of my favo flavors include:

{Zooms in on the melonade can on the desk.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Taco Annihilation, {replaces the can with one labeled the same in fiesta lettering and a mushroom cloud over a taco} Athletic Berry Blast, {slides another can next to it} Butt 1 Flavor, {places a can with a picture of a discarded cigarette butt on it near Taco Annihilation} Quadruple Triple, {slides it in front of Taco Annihilation and Athletic Berry Blast} CostaLatte Froth, {places a can with a picture of a teacup on it on the far right} and Sizzlin' Bacon Guava Quench. {places a can with bacon and guava fruit in front of Quadruple Triple and Costa Latte Froth}

{Zooms out to show Homestar again.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Or why not try the new line of powdered throat closers. {holds up a pink packet labeled Melonade Throat Closers} Apply directly to the esophagus!

{Homestar Runner opens the packet and pours the powder into his mouth. He then begins to cough, his eyes growing increasingly smaller until his throat visibly tightens.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {gasping} Huuuh— that's good stuff!

{Scene switches to show Strong Bad and The Cheat walking as music plays in the background.}

STRONG BAD: {singing off-key} I have a face, and it {unintelligible}, I'm Strong Bad, he's The Cheat and I'm Strong Bad...

{Music stops as the two arrive at Homestar's desk where he's sitting unhappily.}

STRONG BAD: What's going on here, crap for nose?

{Zooms in on Homestar Runner.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {hoarsely} Oh, hi, Strong Bad. {gradually improves} I'm in the middle of responding to a fan email.

{Switches to Strong Bad, scratching his head in confusion.}

STRONG BAD: A what-mail?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: An email, {zooms out to show everyone} like on the Internet!

STRONG BAD: A what-mail on the Inter-what?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: You know, WWW, hyperlinks, AOL keywords, {the text "AOL Keyword> Macromedia Flash 5 Animation" appears at the bottom of the screen} and all that good stuff!

STRONG BAD: Homestar, your dumbness never ceases to amaze. I don't even know half the jibber you jabber these days!

{Cuts to show Strong Sad waving his hand in the air.}

STRONG SAD: No, Homestar's right. Electronic mail {the screen goes black and hypnotic as he continues, his voice becoming increasingly echoed} is transmitted from one computer to another, via a web of computers connected to phone line—

STRONG BAD: {screen suddenly goes back to normal} Hush down, crap for mouth!

STRONG SAD: When you dial up, it sounds like this!

{Strong Sad starts imitating modem handshaking noises. Scene cuts to Strong Bad and The Cheat, then to Homestar Runner, who furrows his brow, then back to Strong Sad as he finishes. He slowly looks up. Then it cuts back to Strong Bad.}

STRONG BAD: Let me get this straight. You guys are saying that my adoring fans could be sending me piles of what-mails right now, and I'm not getting them?

STRONG SAD: {pronounces it slowly} Emails.

{Switches to a closeup of Strong Bad's mouth.}

STRONG BAD: Eeeeemails? {his mouth begins to wobble as he tries pronouncing the word}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Well, you need an email address first. I can let you borrow strongbad@homestarrunner.com until you get your own domain.

STRONG BAD: Thanks, crap for ear. But my name at your name dot com sounds like a terrible email address. I'm sure I'll be able to figure out getting my own domain.

{Zooms in on Strong Bad and The Cheat as they start walking to the left.}

STRONG BAD: Come on, The Cheat. Let's walk over here a few feet and steal Homestar's computer.

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Umm... that's my old one. It barely works. I'd be surprised if you could check more than forty emails on it.

STRONG BAD: Ohh, you can't fool me. This thing's top of the line! It's got two contrast knobs! {grabs the Tandy 400 out of the trash can} Let's go start answering fan mail in humorous fashion. Nobody's ever done that before!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Thanks for taking my garbage out, guys! Come back and do the dishes if you want!

{The screen shifts quickly over to Strong Sad, where he's still standing.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {angrily} Please, leave.

STRONG SAD: Awwwww... {walks off-screen sideways}

{Cuts back to a close-up of Homestar as music starts to play.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: So there you have it, Johnny! I talked about some of my favo drinks {holds up the various Melonade cans} just like you asked. I'll tell you about my non-Melonade favorite drinks in March of 2003, when my contract expires {holds up some stapled papers labeled 'The "Deal"'}. Now I have to go make me a sweet-bath.

{Zooms out as Homestar Runner walks offscreen.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {singing} a-Gonna take a bath in some Melonade... oh it kinda stings my skin...

{The words "The End" slide down.}

Easter Eggs

• Click on the 'D' at the end to watch Strong Bad's first encounter with the Tandy 400.

  {Strong Bad and The Cheat both look at the Tandy 400's blank screen.}

  STRONG BAD: So, are these green lines the emails from my fans or what?

  THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}

  {zooms out to show the whole room.}

  STRONG BAD: {waving arms frantically} I have to type something?? I thought this was a computer! {holding up his right arm} How am I supposed to type with—

  THE CHEAT: {cuts him off, making exclamatory The Cheat noises}

  STRONG BAD: Oh, yeah... smart thinking! Now go call Abdi and make him send me some fanmail!

  {The Cheat jumps off the stool and walks off.}

Fun Facts

Explanations

• Many athletes endorse a brand of sports drink, or other product, and are usually seen only with that product, as it is a contractual obligation of them to do so.

Remarks

• The Strong Bad Email backstory presented in this Hremail is an additive example of retroactive continuity.
• Clicking the contrast knobs on the Tandy 400 has no effect.
  • They can also be clicked through The Cheat's head in the Easter egg, but still have no effect.
• Although there were 40 "Tandy Era" emails, only 38 of them showed emails being answered on the Tandy. The emails the bird and weird dream were answered using Pom Pom's Pom Pilot and The Cheat's computer, respectively. Strong Bad replaced the Tandy with the Compy 386 in invisibility, the 41st email. However, Strong Bad has actually answered more than 40 emails, counting retirement, greeting cards and multiple emails answered in spring cleaning and e-mail birds.
• In the Easter egg, Strong Bad suggests that Abdi was the first to send emails, ignoring the fact, if Strong Bad is to be believed, that the first email was from Fabrosi in lady...ing.
• Although this toon is apparently set in 2001, all of the characters use designs from before then.
• Strong Sad's and Strong Bad's voices do not match the voices they had in 2001, but rather the voices they had at the time this toon was released. However, Homestar Runner's voice closely matches his voice in 2001.
• The Athletic Berry Blast, Butt 1 Flavor, and Sizzlin' Bacon Guava Quench cans have no mention of being or containing Melonade on them.
• Homestar was mentioned to have Mountain Dew in techno, before the March 2003 contract expired, although he is not seen with it or drinking it.
  • The March 2003 date is likely a reference to caper (released on March 31, 2003) where Homestar is seen holding a mug full of hot coffee (his first drink besides Melonade since the events of 2000's Theme Song Video).
    • Homestar was also seen showering in water in Main Page 14, which was released in the same general timeframe that this Hremail is supposedly set in. If Homestar's contract was signed at a later point in 2001 than this Main Page's release, and the contract allows him to shower in a drink other than melonade but not bathe, Homestar has not violated the terms of his contract.
• In email thunder, Homestar having his own email show seemed to be a surprise to Strong Bad, but if he started his own email show after seeing Homestar's in progress as implied here, he shouldn't have been surprised when he found out about Hremails in email thunder.
  • It is equally valid to speculate that Strong Bad may have simply forgotten that Homestar Runner had his own emails. According to Strong Bad, he has a very unphotographic, 'doodle' memory, so it is reasonable to assume he would have forgotten. In fact, he seems to have forgotten by the end of this toon when he sets off with the Tandy to "start answering fan mail in humorous fashion. Nobody's ever done that before!"
• In this email, Homestar has a lip-sync graphic for the 'f' sound, which his modern counterpart lacks.
• The Tandy appears to be on even though it isn't plugged in.
• This toon conflicts with the continuity in candy product. During one scene, Strong Bad is adjusting the date of the Tandy 400 on the last day of 1999. But according to Hremail #7, Strong Bad acquired the Tandy in 2001.
  • However, it should be pointed out that this scene forms part of a commercial for Strong Bad's SBLOUNSKCHED! Bar, which wasn't invented until 2006. Furthermore, Strong Bad is seen holding the candy bar, implying that although this scene is set in 1999, it was actually re-created in the year 2006.
  • Strong Bad was also seen with the Tandy in the email no loafing, in the year 1987.
• Strong Bad has trouble saying the word "email" and seems ignorant of the Internet. But in looking old, Strong Bad talked about "eStrong Vague Online Investments" that was sold in the late 1990s.
• Homestar Runner was unable to recognize a computer in 50 emails, despite Hremail 7 implying he understood technology in 2001.
• Strong Bad refers to Homestar with the phrases "crap for ear" and "crap for nose" even though he does not have a visible ear or nose.

Goofs

• When Homestar says, "Some of my favo flavors include:" The beginning of the sound clip is slightly cut off.
• The wrong font was used for the word "contrast" on the Tandy; it should be Tw Cen MT, but Arial was used instead.
• At the end, there is a small red mark beneath the 'D' in 'End'.

Inside References

• Homestar talks about Melonade. One of the flavors is Butt 1.
• Strong Bad calling Homestar "Crap for Nose" and "Crap for Ear" is similar to when he refers to someone as "crap for brains".
• In the Easter egg, Strong Bad instructs The Cheat to call up Abdi LaRue, the sender of the first Strong Bad Email.
• In the Easter egg, The Cheat apparently tells Strong Bad how to type with boxing gloves on.
• Strong Bad provides an explanation of why he never obtained his own domain name in April Fool 09.
• Strong Bad's comments about answering emails from fans in humorous fashion mirrors email thunder, where Homestar Runner states that he "answers emails from fans with humorous results".
• Homestar greets "everybody everybody", a reference to the intro song.
• The fact that Homestar says "That's good stuff" even when he obviously seems to be in distress reflects a similar scene in environment.
• This short uses a loading screen similar to that of Marshmallow's Last Stand.

Real-World References

• The Melonade flavor Taco Annihilation could be a reference to the 1997 PC game Total Annihilation.
• Homestar's phrase "Apply directly to the esophagus" is a play on the slogan "Apply directly to the forehead" for the product HeadOn.
• When Homestar sings that he's going to take a Melonade bath, the melody he uses is the same as the Post "Golden Crisp" Cereal jingle (i.e.: "Can't get enough of that Golden Crisp; it's got the crunch with punch!").

External Links

• watch "Hremail 7"
• watch "Hremail 7" on the old Flash site
• view the Flash file for "Hremail 7"
• forum thread re: "Hremail 7"