Althouse: Daniel Radcliffe is awesomely nerdy.

November 15, 2010

Daniel Radcliffe is awesomely nerdy.

Singing "The Elements":

IN THE COMMENTS: Chip Ahoy links to this:

26 comments:

traditionalguy said...: That was wonderful. He has learned a jingle by saying it out until it is a part of his mind and accessible when needed. We all did that with ABCs, multiplication tables, and books of the bible. Once learned it is forever there. That is not nerdy, rather it is human potential on display.; 11/15/10, 10:50 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Meh.

Here's what I sing to myself, but with a *slightly* different inflection.; 11/15/10, 11:07 AM
MadisonMan said...: Eh, emcee, if I'm gonna sing Randy Newman, it's gotta be Short People.; 11/15/10, 11:12 AM
Sofa King said...: Great work, kid! Don't get cocky!

To even simulate the magnificent genius of Tom Lehrer, you must now perform the same *while* playing a jaunty tune on the piano!; 11/15/10, 11:20 AM
chuck b. said...: People would beat him up for doing that in this country.; 11/15/10, 11:21 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: MadMan,

I'll see your Short People and raise you a Blind Guy.; 11/15/10, 11:22 AM
Original Mike said...: My Mom was a big Tom Lehrer fan. I loved that song when I was a kid. That, and The Vatican Rag.; 11/15/10, 12:18 PM
Original Mike said...: "Eh, emcee, if I'm gonna sing Randy Newman, it's gotta be Short People."

I like singing Let's Drop the Big One in the shower (not that anybody asked).; 11/15/10, 12:25 PM
Quaestor said...: Did you notice everyone was wearing a poppy in honor of what in the UK is known as Armistice Day, referring of course to November 1, 1918 and the poppies of Flemish fields? We Americans also mark the date and ought to wear poppies (at least the paper variety sold by VFW members outside the Safeway store), but other than a Google banner and the closure of government offices I didn't encounter a single mention of Veteran's Day last week. (I think the US officially changed the remembrance from Armistice Day to a day to embrace all veterans after WWII)

Imagine if you will The View bitches wearing poppies.; 11/15/10, 12:44 PM
prairie wind said...: Oh, Quaestor! You're such a kidder!; 11/15/10, 1:23 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/15/10, 1:39 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: I liked the song.; 11/15/10, 1:39 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Oh, I deleted my first comment because it wasn't nice.

So without naming names, is the male celebrity look of not bathing always going to be with us? It is old now. I wish that look would be retired.; 11/15/10, 1:40 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: This on Google Instant Search; 11/15/10, 1:53 PM
jungatheart said...: My sister and I used to be able to say all of the US states in one breath.; 11/15/10, 2:34 PM
MadisonMan said...: My sister and I used to be able to say all of the US states in one breath.

I can do them all alphabetically. Never tried it in one breath. I'd probably run out of gas somewhere around Oklahoma.; 11/15/10, 2:49 PM
Quaestor said...: You must remember Deborah and her sister were doing that trick when there were 13 stars in Old Glory. (snark); 11/15/10, 3:00 PM
Bill said...: There's also the trick of drawing a map of the lower 48 states on a blank sheet of paper. Al Franken impressed me once by doing that on SNL, while giving political commentary on how the states were leaning in whichever presidential election was upcoming.; 11/15/10, 4:27 PM
Robert J. said...: Sofa King got to my comment first:

Good start kid. You've got a future. Now learn to do it while playing the piano.

(These are the only ones of which the news has come to Hogwarts...; 11/15/10, 4:47 PM
Methadras said...: I can't wait for him to die in Harry Potter. Oh wait...; 11/15/10, 5:38 PM
chickelit said...: The whole thing still lacks periodicity.; 11/15/10, 5:40 PM
Big Mike said...: But he's right about Tom Lehrer.; 11/15/10, 6:13 PM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: Original Mike said...

I like singing Let's Drop the Big One in the shower (not that anybody asked).

Drop the Big One?

Titus, is that you?; 11/15/10, 6:20 PM
jungatheart said...: MM, reading the alphabetized list over and over to achieve the goal caused us to memorize the states. But I can't remember them all now...or do them in one breath.

Ha ha, Q.; 11/15/10, 7:02 PM
Christy said...: Didn't Abby sing this on NCIS three years ago?; 11/15/10, 8:22 PM
Dave D said...: Freeman: I assume you were talking about Ferrel in that video, because Radcliffe looked clean cut, imo.

AS for the song; I'm a chemist and didn't have to memorize the lanthanides and actinides! Impressive, Mr. Potter!; 11/16/10, 9:57 AM