Just look at these tattooed bananas

Just look at them.

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: art • bananas • just look at it • not food

More at Boing Boing

Eurovision 2013: An American in London

The technology that links taxonomy and Star Trek

lunulaoblongata

Can someone explain the “just look at this [banana object]” and why it’s supposed to be funny?
- 10xor01
  
  It’s the world’s longest performance of a variation on the quintessential knock-knock joke.
  
  Months from now, after countless iterations, Cory will post a picture of an orange.
  - prof_jellis
    
    punctuated equilibrium
  - peregrinus
    
    Although also don’t underestimate the semiotic significance of the banana – in all its many and varied guises.
    
    Watching ‘Drunken Master’ with Jackie Chan last night (as in, he acted in it, not that he accepted my invitation to pizza on the sofa and a movie), I noted a scene where I’m pretty sure on my fuzzy screen he used two bananas as hand-weapons. Cool.
    
    It’s not like Cory chose the boring aubergine. Bananas are incredible, just read the wikipedia entry and follow some links, like I did after a number of “just look at it” postings. Wars, laws, love, disaster, hunger, extinction, disease and pestilence – it’s all in there, once you peel back the skin.
    
    Yet the multi-cultural lampooning of the banana carries on, but is underlined by a recognition of its significance and importance – used in jokes worldwide, I’ve never actually witnessed the banana being disrespected.
    
    So a banana isn’t just a banana. I think Cory is on a mission to get this across to us, and we’re all somewhat slow on the uptake.
    
    Bless.
    - Wreckrob8
      
      Don’t mock the good old mad apple for its modesty, mate.
- pjcamp
  
  Who said it was supposed to be funny? That’s the last thought that would come to my mind. Simpson penis envy maybe (go yellow!), but not funny.
- http://twitter.com/jondean jondean
  
  Wow, Lt. Commander Data on Boing Boing? It’s an honor to meet you, sir.
- Jake0748
  
  No. You get or you don’t. It’s a meme. That is all.
  - AceTracer
    
    I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
- Jake0748
  
  You could always do some boingboing research. You know like click a few keys…
- grimc
  
  Because Cory’s headstone will read, “MADE YOU LOOK”
- Wreckrob8
  
  We’re practising our imperatives.
  Next we will be doing subjunctives.
  What would…, were this (tattooed, etc.) banana…?
- Ipo
  
  Your name caused me to look at my fingers.
  I just looked at them. I don’t have any lunulas.
  What does that mean?
- timquinn
  
  My guess is that Cory made a wager about a year ago that he could create a meme on purpose. I sense near lift off for this one. The test is probably to see if it shows up on 4chan.
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    Since it’s been going on for at least three years, you’d be wrong.
thaum

I see this is a banana tattoo of the Dread Lord Cthulhu wearing a beret. I approve.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Cthulhu’s looking svelte. The price of souls must have gone up again.
  - edgore
    
    He cut out carbs – it’s just souls now.
- zuludaddy
  
  There I was, thinking Hipster Ood, and approving.
- Felton / Moderator
  
  Ah, so the colour out of space is yellow.
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    The Cavendish Horror?
    At the Mountains of Musa?
    The Peel on the Doorstep?
    - Felton / Moderator
      
      The Daiquiri of Unknown Kadath.
      The Un-splittable.
http://www.youtube.com/user/PipLagenta Pip_R_Lagenta

The epitome of ephemeral.
- Preston Sturges
  
  Ephemera is sooo 2012.
Tom B

is that the cover of buena vista social club?
- Snowlark
  
  It is, and now I’m going to hear “Chan Chan” in my head every time I eat a banana. Thanks, Cory.
- zieroh
  
  Just came here to mention that. You beat me to it.
Preston Sturges

Joke fall into categories – for instance there are banana jokes, and then there are tattooed penis jokes. But a tattooed banana joke threatens to rip a hole in fabric of reality.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Welcome to Banana Land; have a nice day.
  - Preston Sturges
    
    Have a banana!
    - http://twitter.com/ErnestValdemar Ernest Valdemar
      
      Havana banana.
- benher
  
  See, this is why we need a unified banana theory.
- timquinn
  
  Just laugh at it.
Jake0748

You know what? Just this once, I’m not gonna look at it. (I’m a little scared).
- Preston Sturges
  
  Just look at it!
bcsizemo

I’m looking at it as hard as I’ve ever looked at it before.
mikei

You keep using that word “banana.” I do not think it means what you think it means.
Karloskar

Needs something to help determine scale…
Robert Becht

Lol, that tattoo is going to look like hell in a few years, and good luck when he try’s to find a job.
Rachael Hoffman-Dachelet

Uncle.
http://hybnost.com/ Vikas Paul

Creativity at its best.
niktemadur

Is that a tattoo on your banana or are you just happy to see me?
http://fab22.com/ Adaam

Is it Usama-Bin-Ladin tato on your banana lolzzz
http://artdonovan.typepad.com Art

The impermanence of it is one of the most striking parts. I mean, how long can it last?
- niktemadur
  
  That guy should have his banana bronzed.
xyzpfl

Sounds like a great come on line:

Want to come up to my place and see my tatrooed banana?
http://twitter.com/AbelUndercity Abel Undercity

I stand firmly in favor of artists taking the time to practice before their appearances on Ink Master, for a change.
DreamboatSkanky

I’M IN YR BUNCHEZ, INKIN’ YR NANNERZ.
SamSam

Banana Vista Social Club?
http://www.languageninjas.com/ Jade

This is pretty cool