secret identity

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Strong Bad Email #142
watch death metal some kinda robot
You gotta be firm.

Chris from Laramie, Wyoming, asks Strong Bad if he has any secret identities. Strong Bad discusses several options.

Cast (in order of appearance): Strong Bad, The Poopsmith, Homestar Runner, The King of Town, Bubs, Marzipan, Strong Sad (Easter egg)

Places: Computer Room, Bubs' Motor Lodge, Trailer Home, Smoky Office, Marzipan's House

Computer: Lappy 486

Date: January 25, 2006

Running Time: 3:42

Page Title: Lappy 486

Contents

Transcript

{Strong Bad types "strongbad_email.wad" and presses enter.}

STRONG BAD: Initiate sbemail-refresh daemon.

{Strong Bad sings "Wy" as "why" in a soft high-pitched voice.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} Chris, let me be frank. The term "rockin' cool" is so uncool it makes my face hurt.

{clears screen}

STRONG BAD: Okay, now all the "rockin' cool"s are off the screen.

{He shrieks as he realizes what he's typed, and clears the screen again.}

STRONG BAD: They're gone. Those things are vicious. Anyway Frank, I believe your question was about my secret identity. Well, let me ask you this: have you ever seen The Poopsmith and I in the same place at the same time?

{Cut to a wide shot of the computer room. The Poopsmith is standing behind Strong Bad and to his right.}

STRONG BAD: Dun dun DUUUNH! That's right! It is I who dons the crappy orange gloves and shovels—

{The Poopsmith jabs Strong Bad a couple of times with his shovel. Strong Bad stops typing and turns to face him.}

STRONG BAD: What the?! What are you doing here? {shakes his fist a little as he talks} You ruined my scam, man! I was gonna have all of everyone believing that I was you and that the teeming pile of whatsit was really a smoldering pile of money covered in whatsit. How'd you get in here anyways?

{Homestar Runner approaches from the left side of the computer, holding a hamburger.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: I let him in. {to The Poopsmith} Here you go. {hands him the hamburger} Oh, {turns to Strong Bad} and you're out of mayo.

{Homestar and The Poopsmith exit toward the left. Strong Bad turns and addresses the camera.}

STRONG BAD: Is there like a sign on my door that says {makes a sweeping gesture} "Wanted: Everyone I hate. Inquire within"?

{The King of Town approaches from the right side of the computer.}

THE KING OF TOWN: I didn't see one.

{Strong Bad utters some frustrated gibberish and turns back to the computer.}

STRONG BAD: {resumes typing} So apparently I'm not The Poopsmith. But I got lots of secret identities. Lately, I've been using this one: Tip Tappers: Expensive Briefcase Carrier. I use Mr. Tappers when I'm on tour and I want to check into a hotel and not be bothered by legions of fans.

{Cut to Bubs' Concession Stand, now labled Bubs' Motor Lodge, at night. On the sign is a neon caricature of Bubs' head with three neon Z's next to it, each of which light up in cascading fashon. Bubs is wearing a nametag and Strong Bad has with him a briefcase. A sign-in book is on the counter.}

BUBS: And what name will this room be under?

STRONG BAD: Uh, Tip Tappers, please. Unless some girl asks what room Strong Bad's in. And she's at least a seven out of ten. Or uh {thinks} six if she's naked.

BUBS: That'll be nine hundred dollars Mr. {clears his throat loudly} Tappers.

{Homestar emerges from behind the building, carrying an empty ice bucket, face covered with cinnamon and dressed in a robe, a gold shirt, and pink bunny slippers.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Is there an ice machine around here?

BUBS: Certainly, Mr. Dee Williams.

{Cut back to the Lappy.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} And then there's Vance Mudgeman. I use that identity when I drop in on my secret second family over in Broiter Grove. Ahh, those kids love Daddy Mudgeman.

{Cut to the trailer home. Strong Bad is sitting in a green armchair watching TV. He is wearing a grease-stained A-shirt and has a couple of days' growth of beard stubble on his face. Kids' laughter can be heard in the background.}

STRONG BAD: {to someone off screen} You get back here with that remote, Jeffrey Beffrey Mudgeman. I'm not afraid to smack— {holds up his glove menacingly}

{Cut abruptly back to the Lappy.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} Yes, well, you gotta be firm. {clears his throat} And then of course there's the secret identity I use to write my advice column for a popular women's magazine.

{An issue of Scarfgirl appears from the bottom of the screen.}

STRONG BAD: Using the pseudoname Cara Carabowditbowdit, I'm slowly but surely making the girls of the world cooler for all us dudes.

{Cut to the journalist's office. Strong Bad sits at an old typewriter, wearing a brown wig with a skull and bone on it.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} Dear Buttless in Bedstuy, Sounds like YOU need to play more video games, galpal. And not those girly ones where you pretend to be a dog or a frog neither. I'm talkin' about the explodey ones. The kind that make you dizzy when you play 'em. Then maybe your guy will stop talking about his ex. Eat a Steak, Cara Carabowditbowdit. {He finishes by typing "XOXOXO".}

{Cut to Marzipan's house. Marzipan and Homestar are sitting together on her couch, and Marzipan is reading Scarfgirl.}

MARZIPAN: {angrily} This lady doesn't know what she's talking about. And I don't like her pseudoname.

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Aw, you're probably just jealous 'cause she gets all the hot boys.

{A crumpled ball of paper flies in from off screen and hits Homestar in the face.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Marzipan, mail's here.

{He reaches down and picks it up.}

MARZIPAN: What's it say?

{Homestar uncrumples it and reads the following. Strong Bad has scribbled over his own name.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: No I don't. Strong Bad. I mean, Cara Carabowditbowdit.

MARZIPAN: See, I told you.

{Cut back to the Lappy.}

STRONG BAD: {typing} So you see? Secret identities aren't just for superheroes and Garth Brooks anymore. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have several butts to jettison from my home.

{He gets up and goes off to the left.}

STRONG BAD: {grunts from off screen as he throws Homestar}

{Homestar flies across the screen and lands with a thud.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Thanks for having me overrrrr!

STRONG BAD: {grunts from off screen as he throws the King.}

{The King, too, flies across the screen and lands with a thud.}

THE KING OF TOWN: Worst mayonnaise party everrrr!

{The Poopsmith walks across while being prodded all the while by Strong Bad using a fondue fork.}

STRONG BAD: Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out.

{The Paper comes down.}

Easter Eggs

  • After Strong Bad says "Laramie.....Why?", click on the phrase to get a book of the same name, written by Beverly and Lem Sportsinterviews.
  • After Strong Bad types "So apparently I'm not The Poopsmith," click on "The Poopsmith" to see a picture that is a cross between The Poopsmith and Strong Bad, with Strong Bad's head and feet, The Poopsmith's mouth and body, and a mix of Strong Bad and The Poopsmith's gloves.
  • While Strong Bad is checking in to Bubs' Motor Lodge, click on the reservations book to see it up close.
  • Click on the Lappy's screen at the end to see a scene with Homestar and Marzipan.
HOMESTAR RUNNER: Maybe I should get me one of them pseudonames.
STRONG SAD: {leaning in from the side of the screen, freaked out as though on caffeine} It's -nym! It's -nym! It's pseudonym! Not pseudoname! I can't take it any more! Nym nym nym! It's a Greek word for "name"! Pseudonym! Pseudonym! {leans back out}

Fun Facts

Explanations

  • Bedstuy is short for Bedford-Stuyvesant, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.
  • A daemon, sometimes called a service, is a background process that serves an important function in a computer system. Common uses for daemons include such things as sending email or running web and FTP servers.
    • The word "daemon" can be correctly pronounced "DEE-mon" (just like "demon"), or "DAY-mon", similar to how Strong Bad pronounces it in this e-mail.
  • "Pseudoname" is a common misspelling of "pseudonym," a fictitious name used as an alternative to one's legal name.
  • A cowboy is featured on the cover of "Laramie... Why?" because Laramie is a popular setting for westerns.

Trivia

  • This is the first time The Poopsmith has been explicitly named with the definite article.
  • Bubs' marquee reads:
BUBS' MOTOR
   LODGE
(in small lettering:)
FORMERLY BUBSO'S CONCES5ION STAND
  • Bubs' nametag reads:
My Name
BUBS
  • Homestar's shirt reads:
I ♥
TOXIC
WASTE
  • The Easter egg with Strong Sad was added several hours after the initial release of the toon.

Bubs' Motor Lodge Registry

Trivia

  • Bubs' Motor Lodge Registry reads:
one double - mr. allan poe
                       PAID!         queen suite - ms. cousteau
one king - mr. boyardee                                           PAID!
                       PAID!         smelly cot - mr. five freddy
posh suite - mr. chamberlain                                DISCO TAPE!
                     COMPED!         one racecar bed - mr. dee williams 
one grill - mr. tesmacher                                   PAID TWICE!
            PENCIL SHAVINGS!

Identities of the People in Bubs' Sign-in Book

Pseudonym Type of Room Requested Payment Status Suspected Identity Clues
mr. allan poe one double PAID! Strong Sad His love of poetry and similarly dark demeanor. Posted avatar of poet in his weblog. The double bed refers to his large size.
mr. boyardee one king PAID! The King of Town A food-related name, requesting a "king"-sized bed.
mr. chamberlain posh suite COMPED! Pom Pom His different town self was an ABA basketball, and Wilt Chamberlain was a basketball player who went on to coach in the ABA. Both are known for being popular with women.
mr. tesmacher one grill PENCIL SHAVINGS! The Cheat Has a similar lot in life as the pseudonym's origin (see References below). Lives in a grill, and believes that pencil shavings are legal tender. "Tesmacher" is an anagram of "Mesr. Cheat".
ms. cousteau queen suite PAID! Marzipan She's the only girl, she requested a queen suite and she takes the name of a famous environmentalist.
mr. five freddy smelly cot DISCO TAPE! Coach Z Picked a hip-hop star's name, once asked Marzipan for a disco tape and has questionable hygiene.
mr. dee williams one racecar bed PAID TWICE!! Homestar Runner Aside from being explicitly stated in the toon, Homestar once bought a racecar bed and this wouldn't be the first time he's overpaid for something.

References

Remarks

  • The sound when the Poopsmith is poking Strong Bad with his shovel and when Strong Bad is poking the Poopsmith to make him leave is the "Drip" error sound from the old Mac OS.
  • Strong Bad and The Poopsmith have actually appeared together several times in the past, most notably in big white face, Strong Bad is in Jail Cartoon, and at the end of most Holiday Toons.
  • If he is to be believed, then Strong Bad is apparently the only of the main characters to have offspring, his second family as Vance Mudgeman. Before him, the character closest to having any kids was The King of Town who was originally going to be Marzipan's father, and Coach Z remarking he was a mother in garage sale.
  • Unless the email is not in chronological order, Homestar already has a pseudonym ("Mr. Dee Williams") when he talks about getting one in the Easter egg.
  • If the Mudgeman trailer is the trailer in the email portrait, then they have apparently redesigned since then. In portrait, there was a portrait of Strong Bad to the left of the "Born to be Danged" poster, and the Moose lamp at the right was originally on the left, and broken.

Goofs

  • When the email was first released, the name in Bubs' register that reads "mr. allan poe" was incorrectly spelled as "mr. allen poe," a common misspelling of the name of American author Edgar Allan Poe. This was corrected later in the day.

Inside References

  • The book title "Laramie, Why?" is a reference to the similar title "Eww, Claire!! Why???" from origins, which was also written by Beverly Sportsinterviews.
  • The room in which Vance Mudgeman is sitting (with the moose lamp and "Born to be Danged" poster) is in a double-wide trailer, first seen in the email portrait. The moose lamp is probably a reference to Homestar's "moose lamp" in the same email.
  • "BUBSO'S CONCE5SION STAND" is a reference to geddup noise.
  • Strong Bad prods the Poopsmith with a fondue fork to encourage him to leave. Homestar has borrowed Strong Bad's fondue set at least twice.
  • Bubs' name tag is a reference to Puppets on the Road, where Shark-Tooth Bubs says "My name Shark-Tooth Bubs."
  • Homestar's housecoat and stubble were introduced in caper.
  • Strong Bad mentions that his secret family lives in Broiter Grove, a town also found on the back of the discontinued Limozeen concert T-shirt.
  • Whaddaya Know, Haddi-Man? is playing on the TV in the Mudgeman home.

Real-World References

  • The mention of Garth Brooks is a reference to his 1999 rock & roll alter-ego, Chris Gaines.
  • "Strongbad_email.wad" and "Initiate sbemail-refresh daemon" are both homages to the PC game, Doom.
    • WAD files contain level, graphical, and sound files for the game.
    • "Initiate sbemail-refresh daemon," is similar to a line of text first seen in Doom and Doom II, which reads "Init DOOM refresh daemon."
  • Homestar's I ♥ Toxic Waste shirt is a reference to the movie Real Genius.
  • The disk show on the case in this email says "Sam & Max", referring to the LucasArts adventure game Sam & Max Hit the Road.

External Links

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