(BBtv) John Hodgman: More Information Than You Require. This is not a book trailer.

John Hodgman's new book MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU REQUIRE hits the streets on October 21, but by no means is today's episode of Boing Boing tv any sort of, oh, how do the marketing people say it -- it's not a book trailer, and it is by no means a promotional vehicle for said book.

No, we just noticed the star of Apple ads and Daily Show hijinks wandering aimlessly in the streets outside the BBtv studio this week. We invited him in for scotch and cocoa, and shared questions posed to him by BBtv viewers through the popular internet messaging website known as "The Twitter."

We don't know how all those books managed to stack themselves from studio floor to ceiling. We are not holding those books in front of our faces in the first 10 seconds of this episode so that you might see the cover -- we're doing low-impact pilates.

HEY LOOK, IT'S A CONTEST: If you would like to receive a Hodgmanically autographed copy of the book for which this episode is not a promotional trailer, reply to @xenijardin on The Twitter with the answer to this question:

What area of expertise does Hodgman credit Boing Boing tv for on page 592 of this excellent book?"

We will select a winner randomly. Friends, spouses, love-slaves, and business partners of Boing Boing and Boing Boing tv are not eligible. (Serious face: this episode isn't an ad, we're just ridiculously hardcore fans of Hodgman. Watch our trufan-trailer here, then, seriously, go buy the book).

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Link to Boing Boing tv blog post with instructions on how to subscribe to our daily video podcast. Here's the direct MP4 link to this episode.

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Previously on Boing Boing tv:

* John Hodgman in BBtv's SPAMasterpiece Theater, Vol II: "Wuthering Wire Transfers."
* John Hodgman in BBtv's SPAMasterpiece Theater.
* John Hodgman: More Information Than You Require.

• [Brainspore]

  Ah, I get it. I shall ponder this psychic puzzle in my conservatory with a snifter of fine brandy whilst re-reading “Areas.” Thanks Xeni.

  • [Xeni “Hussein” Jardin]

    You are getting warmer!!!!

• [Bledsoefilms]

  @ BROOKLYNTWANG

  Hah, you have no idea what else went on during this shoot. The Birthday theme was actually Hodgman’s idea- it was pretty much one of the more awkward moments of my life.

  Much more to come.

• [noahsachs]

  The link goes to wrong book on Amazon. The link with text MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU REQUIRE goes to The Areas of My Expertise.

• [Marilyn Terrell]

  Hodgman rocks. Three cheers for the Bubble of Knowledge Know-How. And Happy Birthday to Pirate Alice.

• [piratealice]

  OMG! I can’t believe I missed this! Thank you Xeni for asking my question! Thank you John Hodgman for singing happy birthday and for releasing the book on my birthday JUST FOR ME! And thank you everyone who has wished me happy birthday. This has made my week! Boing Boing ROCKS!

• [Brainspore]

  Of course I’m getting warmer, that’s what the brandy is for! But I’m still at some loss as to the puzzle, so I’ll keep thinking about it.

• [jphilby]

  What an *absurd* post. What use could I possibly have for yet another book full of miscellaneous bits of information about stuff I have absolutely no….

  Wait.700 Mole-Man Names???
  700??

  Never mind.

• [brooklyntwang]

  I want to see the out-take where he starts singing Happy Birthday To You, and you make him stop because you don’t want to bother with royalty payments for it. Was it his idea to use the melody for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star instead?

• [Brainspore]

  Um… not to complain but shouldn’t you have some kind of contest that doesn’t require the participants to already HAVE a copy of the book being offered as a prize?

• [Xeni “Hussein” Jardin]

  #1, it’s a psychic guessing game. You’re warm so far, not hot, but not cold. Also “not to complain” as the beginning of a sentence usually means you’re complaining.

  HINT: the answer involves pixels!

• [RJ]

  Scotch and cocoa has been known to lure many an author off the streets.

• [LightChan]

  Haha cool, it’s my birthday then too.

• [Xeni “Hussein” Jardin]

  @#12NOAHSACHS, thx, fixed!