The Screen Savers Interview - 24 Jan 2005
From Homestar Runner Wiki
On January 24, 2005, The Brothers Chaps appeared on G4TechTV on the television program "The Screen Savers" over webcam (and two phones). They were joined by Puppet Homestar Runner, and, later in the show, by a never-before seen Puppet Strong Bad, who answered fan questions over the phone.
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Transcript of The Brothers Chaps interview
Kevin Pereira: Did you know that if you put good Flash cartoons on your website that you could actually quit your day job and make a living out of it? Well our next guests, they probably didn't know that either. But that's exactly what Mike and Matt Chapman did when they created Homestar Runner and they join us now via webcam. Gents, welcome to The Screen Savers. How ya doing?
{We see Mike Chapman sitting on a couch with a phone, and puppet Homestar in front of us, to the right.}
Mike Chapman: Hi, Are we on? Can people see us?
Kevin Pereira: They can see you through the miracle of technology.
Homestar Puppet: Can you see me? How well can you see me?
Kevin Pereira: Uh, you- you look very nice, Homestar.
Homestar Puppet: Thank you very much.
Kevin Pereira: Now, now tell me. Are you guys, uh, too busy or too important now to join us in studio?
Mike Chapman: Uhh. Is that why we're doing this over the internet?
Homestar Puppet: Yes. I'm way too busy!
Kevin Pereira: Alright, now tell me, why and exactly how did you create the, uh, Homestar Runner, the original site?
Mike Chapman: Uh, uh, well the- Homestar was created out of boredom in, uh, August of 1996.
Homestar Puppet: With our friend Craig.
Mike Chapman: With our friend Craig, um-
Homestar Puppet: Yes
Mike Chapman: -and we just made a little children's book. And then the website started in January of 2000, uh, out of boredom as well.
Kevin Pereira: Very nice.
Homestar Puppet: Lot of boredom
Kevin Pereira: Heh, what- now what happened with- with Strong Bad? Why do you think his emails actually became as popular as they did?
Mike Chapman: Uh, I dunno, I think-
Homestar Puppet: {interrupting} I don't think they're very popular.
Kevin Pereira: {playing along} Of course, of course, they're really not THAT good, Homestar.
Homestar Puppet: Exactly.
Mike Chapman: Uhm, that was the first thing we did when we started updating the site weekly. So I think that helped, um, uh... make him more popular, knowing that, uh usually on Monday mornings there would be a new cartoon.
Kevin Pereira: And so-
Mike Chapman: Here comes Matt.
{Matt puts down the Homestar puppet and sits up on the couch.}
Kevin Pereira: Whoa. Hey Matt, thanks for- thanks for coming to the party, buddy. Uh, now tell me, what happened when Strong- did Strong Bad just blow up overnight? Did it- did it take a little while?
Mike Chapman: It took a long while.
Kevin Pereira: Was there more- did you wake up one morning and go "oh crap, now we gotta make this stuff weekly"?
Mike Chapman: No, it took a while. It took- what? We've been doing Strong Bad emails for, like, two and a half years.
Matt Chapman: Yeah, I was living in New York, and we started doing the first seven, I think we did remotely with me recording the voices in New York and then Mike would animate them. And then when I moved home, we figured it was time to step things up a notch, so we decided to start doing it- uhm, was it 2002?
Mike Chapman: 3. 200-.
Matt Chapman: Was that- wait, really? In the beginning of 2003 we started doing-
Mike Chapman: Oh maybe it was 2. I don't know.
Matt Chapman: I don't remember. We started doing-
Kevin Pereira: You guys should- you guys should really- you should Indian Leg Wrestle right now {Mike and Matt start laughing} and figure out what year it is. I think that'd be great.
Mike and Matt: Two three two!
Kevin Pereira: Now you guys really upped the production value, I mean quite a bit over the years. I've seen the cartoons evolved. Now you guys have Teen Girl Squad which is really, I mean, that's a graphic tour-de-force.
{Mike and Matt laugh}
Mike Chapman: Yeah, we spend a LOT of time on those, as you can tell.
{still needs to be finished}
Transcript of Puppet Strong Bad's fan calls
KEVIN PEREIRA: I'm back with Strong Bad from homestarrunner.com. We've got him on the line and via netcam. Mr. uh... Bad, how's it going buddy?
STRONG BAD: What's up man, how you doing?
KEVIN PEREIRA: Ah you know, just doing the show. Rocking ones and twos.
STRONG BAD: It's great to be back on Pulse.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Yes. We love you here.
STRONG BAD: Thank you very much.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Now let me ask you, uh, uh, Mr. Strong, are you ready to take a phonecall from one of, uh, our loyal viewers here?
STRONG BAD: Oh totally.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Alright, Joe joins us on the phone from Pomona, CA. Joe are you there?
JOE: Yeah, I'm here.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Alright, ya-
STRONG BAD: {interrupting} What's up Joe from Pomona?
JOE: Hello.
STRONG BAD: You sound like a seven-years old, man.
JOE: Well no, I'm not seven-years old.
STRONG BAD: Cool! Nice work.
KEVIN PEREIRA: He clearly proved you wrong there. {Strong Bad continues to talk indistinguishably in the background} Wow! You got served Strong Bad.
STRONG BAD: I.. uh, a little bit maybe, like a side of fries.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Yes, now.. uh, Joe, do you have a question for Strong Bad? You should ask him before he goes off.
JOE: {to Strong Bad} Yeah.. uh, why don't we ever get to see your parents?
KEVIN PEREIRA: Ah!
STRONG BAD: Oh, you mean the worst question that I've ever been asked ever!? {Hurling toward the screen}
JOE: Yes.
STRONG BAD: Ok.. uh, you know that's such a terrible question, that's a perfect way to bring up how not to get your Strong Bad Email answered.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Wow.
STRONG BAD: That one goes right into the deleted folder. You know what I'm saying?
KEVIN PEREIRA: Wow, like that's-
STRONG BAD: {Interrupting} Who cares what my parents look like? Who cares what Charlie Brown's parents look like? What Bugsy.. Bunny man looks like?
KEVIN PEREIRA: Wow, that's- that's a senstive subject there, Strong Bad.
STRONG BAD: Yeah look, don't talk about my mom.
KEVIN PEREIRA: I... I- I wouldn't touch her. Not that.. 'cause I'm sure she's a beautiful lady. I just wouldn't touch the subject of her.
STRONG BAD: Yeah.. yeah, yeah, you try- you touch.. you lay a finger on my mom and I'll-
KEVIN PEREIRA: {Interrupting hastedly} Alright, we're going to move right along. We have Ed on the line from Troy, MI.
STRONG BAD: What!?
KEVIN PEREIRA: Ed, you have a question for Strong Bad?
STRONG BAD: Another one!?
ED: Yes I do. I'd like to know what operating system you are running on, Strong Bad.
STRONG BAD: Oh, it's, uh, two-S point cynics five... uh... the upgrade. The four upgrade!
ED: {playing along} Oh wow, that's-
STRONG BAD: {interrupting} I've got two dims of rims, and a coupla megachips of hard... time.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Wow!
STRONG BAD: Yeah, it's a, it's a...
KEVIN PEREIRA: That's nic-
STRONG BAD: {interrupting} I hooked it up! I've got a putty knife at home like that guy.
KEVIN PEREIRA: That's great.
STRONG BAD: Yeah. I can break open any computer you give me.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Strong Bad, is it- now, have you ever been in trouble for hacking? Have you been accused of being a leet hacker?
STRONG BAD: Ah, uhm, I've been in trouble for hacking on the neighbor's flowers and bushes.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Yes.
STRONG BAD: They've got some hydrangidimuhs over there
KEVIN PEREIRA: And that's- we don't like those.
ED: Like downloading music.
STRONG BAD: That's right.
KEVIN PEREIRA: Alright, well, Strong Bad, thank you so much for your, uh, your PC-specs there and for taking our calls. We appreciate it. Big thanks to you and the Chapman Brothers as well.
Fun Facts
- The Homestar Runner clips that were shown are from Lookin at a Thing in a Bag, Homestar Runner's character video, dreamail and Teen Girl Squad Issue 8. Dreamail and Teen Girl Squad were the newest updates when this episode aired.
- Strong Bad's quip "It's great to be back on Pulse" is a reference to the (now-canceled) G4 TV series Pulse that TBC have appeared on twice.
- Kevin's usage of the word "leet" is a reference to "leet-speak" and other aspects of hacker/script kiddies culture.
External Links
- See the G4TechTV's show info
- See the video file of the interview
