analyzingrhink-blog

[analyzingrhink-blog]

"Song For When You Want To Say I Love You But You Can't"

This song is the epitome of Let’s write a love song to each other about how we can’t say we love each other.

This song is exactly what it says. How to say I love you, when you can't. They wrote it to and for each other as a celebration of the love they share for one another. A love that they can’t fully admit to the outside world, maybe can’t even admit behind closed doors. But upon listening to this song, we both realized there is a lot that alludes to their shared life. There are so many references to their relationship and the things they have experienced in their thirty plus years together. We theorize that they are singing to each other, not these ‘imaginary’ women. This analysis is highly subjective, but we need to note that Rhett and Link’s  inspiration draws from their shared past. We will attempt to deconstruct these lyrics, connect said lyrics to their combined past and illustrate how this song is indeed about their love for one another. Let’s do that.

Hey girl

You know we've been dating for a long time now

Going on five whole weeks

RandL has been together for a very long time now. That part is exactly true. It is ironic how they are talking about a five week relationship, yet all the lyrics point toward a long and trusting one. The type of relationship that they themselves share.

Now that's commitment, baby

They made a commitment in blood to do something great together. They wrote it out and cut their hands and became blood brothers vowing to do something big and great together.

So we've prepared this very special song

For the very special ladies in our lives

Listen up

 It was magic on our first date

At the food court in the mall (at the Sbarro)

You still won't let me meet your parents

But hey, that's your call

Maybe alluding to not being able to tell their parents/friends about what's going on.

(You're a strong, independent woman)

 Remember our first kiss

Romantically lit

Their first kiss (that we know of) was the plexi-glass kiss, lit by all the studio lights.

In the Wal-Mart parking lot

The Walmart Song is one of the many things they created together. This might remind them of their shared goals.

(Always low prices)

And then what did we do?

We got matching tattoos

This has definitely happened. Not only matching tattoos, on the same part of their body, but of the same thing--their wives’ names.

Of our high school mascot

(The charging chipmunks)

The person they are singing to went to the same high school….. Rhett and Link went to the same high school…..(long story short, the person they are singing to is not imaginary woman, but they themselves)

Now I'm ready to say

They weren’t ready to say it before. But something has changed. Some aspect in their lives has made them brave.

 I lost my shoe in the park

It was a flip-flop, have you seen it?

I lotioned my skin with hotel shampoo

They’ve spent their fair share of time in hotel rooms together.

It was an accident

We  have no doubt that Link had done this at least once on the multiple times Rhett and he have shared a motel room.

 You nursed me back to health

When I woke up in Mexico

(He was missing a kidney)

Kidney pain is very similar to back pain, which Rhett experiences frequently.

And I drove you to the hospital

When you fell off the hoverboard

They both love the idea of hover boards. Link even has a shirt dedicated to the idea.

And broke both elbows

This part really stuck out for us. Rhett accompanied Link to the hospital when Link fell off his snowboard and broke his pelvis.

(All two of 'em)

His pelvis was broken and his memory was gone. Two injuries.

 You shaved my hairy back

We are unaware of any backs being shaved, but Rhett and Link have shaved many other things together. In school Link was cutting Rhett’s hair to a buzz cut. They shaved each others’ heads in college. Link shaved Rhett’s beard in the Killing Rhett’s beard episode. They created two videos on how to kill a mustache and how to kill a beard.

Popped the pimples I can't reach

And you went with me to get my dog spayed

(Helping control the pet population)

Two theories: Jade and Barbara. OR The many discussions about getting vasectomies.

 I think it's time to lock this down

Open my heart

And finally say

They want to finally let out the love that they have for one another. It has been long enough. They have lived with these feelings for too long and it is finally time to share these with each other and the world.

 I long-jump on the weekends

I'm in a league, you should come watch

This is another throw back to their shared pasts. Rhett coached little league basketball for his son. Link came to the game and watched Rhett. Link even commented on Rhett’s chosen attire. Also there was all the times in their childhood where Rhett was training for a basketball scholarship, and Rhett’s family would come watch Link play soccer.

I lowered my car insurance

By fifteen percent when I switched to Geico

(Not a sponsor)

This may be in reference to several things. They could be talking about the many cars they have purchased together. Or it is most likely a reference to their The Backup Plan series of videos sponsored by Geico. Not a sponsor, boys? Come on!

  Those three little words

They're so hard to say

And even though I can't say 'em

Yeah, we don't need to say much about this. It probably would be hard to say. After so long.

I want you think I'm saying 'em anyway

It is hard to say, not only because of the area and time they grew up, but that they are also married with children. It would be difficult to admit feelings that could rock their perfectly set lives. But it is important to note, that they can’t say these words, but they so want to. They want to show each other how much they mean to the other. So when you want to say I love you, but you can't...you write a silly love song for comedy.

 I'll make you happy

If you just do this

Just put it on mute (mute it up)

And read my lips

 So they may not be able to say the words. So ignore what is being said. Read their “lips” or read everything else they do. Every action shows a multitude of love. Going to the same college, aspiring towards the same dreams, putting their livelihoods in jeopardy to pursue silly dreams and moving cross country. Actions speak much louder than words. And these boys have spoken a million I love you’s without actually uttering anything.

 Olive juice

Elephant poo

All the shoes

Mythical Shoes?

On the news

They were on the news for their Red House Commercial controversy.

I love booze

Alligator food

Island view

Vacuum

Will it vacuum seal?

Pile of poo

Dried-up glue

Could be in reference to two things. One they did a Wheel Ending a month earlier where their hands were superglued together.  But it most likely refers to the dried glue on the mythical mail boulder. Taking them back to the roots of their show, where they glued a lego man to a rock and it became an empire.

Buy a zoo

Commercial Kings Zoo episode, along with all the references to poo.

Crawl and spew

Cows like moo

they interacted with a cow during their Are you going to eat that song video

Find Blues Clues

This seems suspiciously close to Buies Creek.

I lick boots

I like your boots, anyone?

Is that you?

They did a GMM on amnesia

All birds flew

First episode of GMCL was about birds.

Eyes like puce

Owls can hoot

Another GMCL episode

Barbecue

Throwback to their BBQ song that they did with alka seltzer road trip. This is also a very important concept in the south.

 These many ways to say I love you without actually saying it is true RandL style.  They have only said the actual words a handful of times and it was always by mistake or without thinking. This also shows how they don’t really need to say the actual words, because they both know in their hearts what they mean to one another. It is in their eyes and gestures. It is in each action and smile. So they say I love you everyday without the actual words. The words are unimportant. The list of ways to say I love you without saying it is a nod to these other ways they show love to one another.

See some other episodes where they mention love here and here and here

[analyzingrhink-blog]

Hello! I'm relativly new to this fandom and I'm curious about this story that you mentioned in the analisis of the Links funeral tape video. Of what I understood, when RandL were 16 Link suffered an accident where he almost died? Did this actually happened and they talked about it? If so, do you know where can I watch/hear the footage? Great blog btw ❤ Ps: sorry if I made a grammar mistake, english isn't my mother language 😅

Hello beautiful anon, Your English is perfectly understandable. Thanks for the ask!

The story is about Link’s broken pelvis. And I believe that happened some time in college. Correct me if I am wrong in my thinking. The video can be found here and they talk about it here at the end of this video. If there are other instances, please link me to them MB’s. Thank you anon for stopping by and we are glad you enjoy our blog.

Seems like there is no permanent damage to that pelvis, though. Thank goodness.

- @razle-dazle

- @withasideofcrazy

[analyzingrhink-blog]

Where's your profile pic from?

It is from Jaymie Nunnery’s Twitter. 

[analyzingrhink-blog]

Red Room of Pain

Hello Rhinkers and good day. Apparently, RandL is at it again with the pain kink and Link exploring his dominant side. GMM 1101 reminds me so much of the switching episode. And you know how much I enjoyed that episode! So I felt compelled to write another musing.

I have thoroughly freaked out about this episode privately with a few Tumblr friends and publicly a bit. I watched the preview of this episode, but I guess I was naive or tired or dumb or a combination of everything under the sun. I did not notice much except underwear and Link. So when the actual episode aired and I saw this

I flipped out! I melted into the floor and died on the spot. My whole body stopped working for several moments. And I couldn’t make my brain work.

Let’s talk about that.

Keep reading

[analyzingrhink-blog]

This blog is receiving several negative anon asks about the LGBTQ community. We did not intend for this blog to be a platform for these types of issues. We will be ignoring any further negative asks on the subject. If you want to discuss this issue further, please PM @analyzingrhink @razle-dazle @withasideofcrazy

[analyzingrhink-blog]

yeah yeah i know this is fantasy but its still pretty freaking gross to act like randl, two straight men, who probably were homophobic themselves, experienced any level of homophobia. oh, theyre so strong for being friends and standing up to this nightmarish toxic masculinity of the south! how brave they are to DARE to wear skinny jeans, pierce their ears, skinny dip with other guys! these things only serve to prove how little they were ever affected by homphobia in the first place.

First of all, we do NOT know RandL’s sexual identity.  They are married, yes. Being married to women does not necessitate heterosexuality. We do NOT know for sure – there are any number of identities: bisexual, pansexual and others they can identify with- and we don’t have to know. It is not our business.

Second of all, how can you see these two men and think they are homophobic? How are you even a fan if you think that these entertaining and kind men have any kind of hatred in their heart?

True they were raised in a anti-LGBTQ biased community. They have that shit ingrained. But people who have true hate in their hearts and minds let that feeling bleed into their actions. Let’s analyze their actions.

Hired a producer who identifies as lesbian who lives with her female partner, whom they have interacted with enough to know her likes and dislikes and who also has worked on their set. Said producer has been with them for years, goes to events with them and has their best interest at heart. Check.

Interacted with LGBTQ YouTubers on Ear Biscuits asking about their experiences and lives. Check.

Do charitable acts and donate money to help people. Check.

Show nothing but compassion and respect to their employees, fans and families. Check.

Say things like this, that subtly show their support for the people that are being affected by the issues in America, without going full blown political. (which they have mentioned they will never do.) Check.

Just because you grow up in that type of mindset, doesn’t mean it is a permanent fixture of your heart and actions.

Third of all, everyone is affected by homophobia. We are all people of this earth and hate, anger and bigotry affects everyone. It affects how we view our world. It causes wars and violence. It affects the LGBTQ people in our families, our children, our friendships, our work mates. Even if RandL are 100% straight (which first of all we mentioned we don’t know and second, sexuality is a fluid concept) does NOT mean that they can never be harassed by people who think that they are otherwise.

And living in the environment that they did, I am certain that harassment was a way of life for people that identified as a member of LGBTQ community and for anyone that “seemed” like they did. Anyone can be harassed for any reason. And the fear of being hated or bullied or put down because people think you are a certain way can lead people to act differently to protect themselves.  We are unsure that RandL felt that fear, but there was certainly a possibility for it. And because of that, we think it is wonderful that they were able to overcome that type of culture.    

Finally, how can you say for a fact that they were never affected by homophobia? We want to parallel this issue with the issue of racism. It was clear that they were affected by racism in the simple fact that in EB Childhoods, Link tells a story about an African American boy in his class that he wanted to be friends with. He said that he couldn’t be friends with him because he was African American and those things weren’t done in that day and time.  This experience limited Link’s world view. It made him think that he couldn’t be friends with this boy and that it was wrong to be this person’s friend. That this person was wrong just for being a certain skin color. He was affected by the racism of his time. Furthering this idea to homophobia,  we can bet that this happened with those that identify as LGBTQ.  Just because people are not actively railing against this, doesn’t mean that there isn’t an undercurrent and cultural norm associated with these individuals. It can seriously skew your idea of the world and limit your experience.

Disclaimer: We are not saying that any one person’s experience is better or worse than another and definitely not saying that RandL was braver or as brave as the people who experienced the types of hatred detailed in this analysis. We ARE saying that it is admirable that RandL were able to climb out of this culture and become the friends they are.

No matter how much or how little hate there happened to be, there was STILL an underlying feel that members of the LGBTQ community are wrong and immoral. It was a product of the times and society. And it’s STILL around. Just look at what’s happening with the persecution of trans people.  

You can NOT deny these things were going on. You can also NOT deny that men or women that display interests/features that aren’t within people’s ideals of ‘how men and women should be’ are labelled as being gay/lesbian, regardless of how they identify.  

And you can not deny that males that are close as RandL may have be seen as gay individuals. It is the ignorance of some in a society that do not or choose not to know any better

And yet, despite all this, they became the people they are today. It would have be so much easier to drown in this kind of world and not battle with the concepts learned as a child.  So the fact that they were able to say, “I love you to a man”, pierce their ears, wear women’s clothing, pretend to be women for comedy, hug their male best friend, follow/support each other through life, act in feminine ways, hire members of the LGBTQ community and befriend/love them is an important deal.

@razle-dazle @withasideofcrazy

[analyzingrhink-blog]

theyre families always promoted their friendship ( even rhett's dad playing favorites with link as a soccer announcer), link saying his dad always tells him he loves him, link saying i love you to gregg in the kasts, so on and so on prove that they weren't raised with this "toxic masculinity" boogeyman and even after being in LA for 6 years they still chose to go to a church that calls men who have sex with men sinful. they arent beautiful pure boys who rose above the south.

Of course their families promoted their friendship. We were not saying anything to the contrary. The analysis and our resulting commentary was highlighting the issues that were going on in that time period and their possible effects on RandL.

It is obvious that there were huge issues surrounding LBGQT people when RandL were young. You can NOT deny that. And you can NOT deny the fact that fear leads to violence and bigotry. Just because RandL did not mention toxic masculinity or LBGQT issues, does NOT mean that there wasn’t hatred, discrimination and the general idea that people that identify in this way are wrong or immoral. You just have to read what Ethan has written to get a tiny glimpse of what was going on. Not just in the south, everywhere. 

It also, does not mean that there wasn’t a push to conform to whatever standards of masculinity were purposefully or unconsciously set forth in their town and circles of influence.

Let’s put homophobia aside for the time being. And just focus on the state of male relationships in the USA. There is an epidemic of “toxicity masculinity.” How it is looked down upon for men to form close bonds with anyone other than their wife, kids and parents. Even within this, close physical affection between any male, even between parents and kids is looked down upon. Male closeness is NOT celebrated. Male friendship is depicted as a bunch of males drinking and talking about tits in movies and TV shows. It is not best friends seeing each other through life or supporting each other in their endeavors. No, that “type of friendship” is reserved for women. And why is that? Why can’t male friends have that type of relationship? Why can’t male friends hug and touch and be close? Because masculinity has been portrayed in a certain way, as is the measure of what is to be a man. Men can’t cry, be physically affectionate or express feelings and doubt. To act any different to these standards is seen as weird, strange and oftentimes gay.

We are certain two good ole boys from the South were inundated with these images and ideas of what a man is. It is clear in the way they act toward one another in the Kasts. It’s like they are constantly battling between what is ingrained in them of what a man should be and what their hearts are wanting from them.

Just because you don’t see the toxicity, anon, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Just because you are not necessarily put down or oppressed doesn’t mean there isn’t the fear you could be. Just because they did not say they acted a certain way to be accepted or felt the pressure to conform doesn’t mean it never happened.

We find it admirable that even though they were raised in this type of environment where this kind of hate was the norm and where male friendships were not seen as important, that they were able to form the close bonds despite all of that.

 @razle-dazle  @withasideofcrazy

[analyzingrhink-blog]

"Could it be that he enjoys when people watch him do these very private things?" I thought Rhett was the exhibitionist though?

Thanks anon for the question, we’ll try our best to answer it.

We can only speculate and we are very good at doing that. But Rhett comes across as somewhat of a naturalist rather than someone who gets sexual pleasure from exhibiting himself. He has many times mentioned “Wanting the hair to do what it wants to do” and most recently admitting that he wants to overcome society’s shaming of the naked body.  According the the If I Were You Podcast, Rhett also admits to enjoying sex in the great outdoors.  Rhett has said many times in the past that he loves to be naked, even sleeps naked. But in the “our Nudist Encounter” vid, does mention that he found it awkward being naked in front of other people. Even if he tried to ‘own it’ and enjoy the ‘primal’ feeling of showering out in the open.

Sexuality seems to fascinate Link. And he seems to revel in being able to explore these   different facets of his sexuality in public, in front of Rhett and in front of the camera.

IE: the spanking, the switching, the many episodes where they played with electricity, every time he wiggles his butt or strips off his sweater in a certain way twice, and more recently, his excited body language at the idea of showering in front of a camera where people could see him.

So while Rhett is more comfortable in his own skin, Link is the one that wants to show off his body and experience his darker, more private side in front of others.

[analyzingrhink-blog]

Thank you, so much Ethan for this submission. We, @razle-dazle and @withasideofcrazy have a response under the cut. You are a beautiful human being and we appreciate you!

We knew that life for LGBTQ people was hard, but we never realised the extent of the persecution. We want to thank @ethanthegeek for this thought provoking analysis of RandL’s situation growing up. It definitely stresses how difficult life was in North Carolina (and the rest of USA), not only for their close friendship, but for any potential for their relationship to develop further. It definitely is a miracle they were able to develop into the open-minded people they are today and to to be as close, physically and emotionally, as they currently are.

It highlights why Rhett was so distant in the early days of the Kasts and why he seemed so angry. It may or may not have been a conscious fear, but it was deep seated in his upbringing.  

He was afraid, and rightly so. It was not only condemned, but illegal, to be anything other than straight.  It was not only looked down upon by the government in North Carolina (illustrated by the laws and quotes provided above), but also a deeply-held belief for many in the community that continued to elect these closed-minded individuals. It is deplorable to think that such a degree of oppression and hate are possible.

First, let’s talk about these two men as friends. Rhink aside, the relationship these two men have developed is an enigma, considering the region in which they developed their sensibilities and morals. Ethan stated:

“damn these guys are resilient. Imagine growing up in this toxic homophobic context and still hugging the shit out of your best friend. Kissing him through plexiglass. Openly admitting your love for each other to the whole damn world (even if “just” platonic). Complimenting each other. Adoring each other. Wearing women’s pants because they’re more comfortable. Going to Pilates class because you like it and it is good for your back. Literally giving a finger to traditional and toxic masculinity. Rhett and Link are two roses that grew through concrete.”

And I completely agree. There must be something incredibly special and rare that these two men hold inside themselves and as a pair that pushed them together even when the state they grew up in was pushing them apart. No matter the sexual orientations of Rhett and Link, two male friends as close as they are and were, doesn’t seem like the thing that would be tolerated.

Further, this type of relationship doesn’t seem like the type of thing that should have progressed. But here they are. Giving up stable jobs, moving across country together, touching each other playfully and unconsciously, hugging and looking lovingly at each other, building their lives and families around each others’ needs and wants, and and expressing their fondness and love for each other openly. It has been a journey, but we have seen them develop and grow closer. Something their upbringing should not have allowed, and yet again, RandL overcame.

Now let’s talk about Rhink.

We believe this is why it is plausible that they didn’t realize how they felt about each other until later in life. Only after enough time had passed and after moving to and living in an accepting environment, where these concepts and lifestyles are more accepted and out in the open, could they see the possibilities.

Ethanthegeek stated that,

“If I had even the slightest crush on my best friend I would have shoved it down so far that it could never see the light of day.”

Building on that, we said before that the environment they grew up in meant that looking at each other in a romantic context wouldn’t have even been on their radar. And since they are attracted to girls and that was the expectation, they may have felt entirely normal in the lifestyles they were leading. Laws and circumstances did not give them a chance to fully explore any other option or any other desire. Even if one or the other had developed feelings, it would have felt foreign and out of place, given the ideals that surrounded them. They may have felt wrong or uneasy and sick. The negative feelings and the knowledge of their tiny world would have been enough for them to ignore and block out the slightest twinge they felt for the other.

Again, we want to thank Ethan for providing us with this eye-opening piece. It is truly sickening to know what kind of history Rhett and Link have, but inspiring to know that they dug themselves out of it and are better for it. It also gives us a much better appreciation for LGBTQ people and their history, something all of us should learn about and understand, because we all share this world.

Thank you to the lovely @whilhelminaprince for her help in beta reading our post and her kind words! <33

The Two Roses That Grew Through Concrete

Intro/Disclaimers

Previous AnalyzingRhink posts have alluded to the homophobic environment that was Rhett and Link’s context growing up in the 1970s-1990s in rural North Carolina. This post seeks to dive further into that historical context and explain exactly the kind of homophobic landscape that Rhett and Link (and every other Gen-Xer) grew up in.

First disclaimer - for the purposes of this article I will be lumping biphobia and homophobia together under the umbrella of homophobia with the understanding that while these two things are different, they can affect people similarly.

Second disclaimer - this article isn’t here to imply that Rhett and/or Link are LGBTQ (which I will be shortening to queer). Straight and queer people alike are affected by living in toxic-level homophobic environments. It doesn’t just ruin life for queer people - it ruins life for everyone.

Third disclaimer - the history you are about to read is not a light or easy read. If you are able, I urge you to try to read through this (especially if you identify as straight/het). If it is difficult for you to read imagine how difficult it was/is to live.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of that - always.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Pre Rhett and Link Queer History

The Stonewall Riots are considered the beginning of the modern queer rights movement. For those who don’t know what happened on the morning of June 28, 1969 - I urge you to go research. Talk about kicking ass and taking names. But also note the year. The beginning of the queer rights movement BEGAN roughly 9 years before Link was born. NINE YEARS.

A mental health professional could have you institutionalized with “homosexuality” in 1972. It was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual (DSM) officially in 1974. That’s three years before Rhett was born.

Again, these things existed before Rhett and Link but they worked to shape the climate of queer rights throughout their lives.

Rhett and Link and Queer History (1980s-1990s)

HIV/AIDS was still known as gay-related immune deficiency (GRID) only a couple of years before Rhett and Link would be scrawling curses on their desks in first grade. The religious right (which was becoming more and more mainstream around this time) made sure there was a fierce association between “sodomy”, death, and damnation. HIV/AIDS had taken so many lives that on Rhett’s 10th birthday, the AIDS Quilt was first revealed in Washington, DC. This is also, by the way, why we mark October 11th as Coming Out Day (which makes it an extra special day for queer mythical beasts).

Speaking of assholes who thought HIV/AIDS was God’s punishment for being queer, Jesse Helms is someone we certainly need to discuss if we are thinking about Rhett and Link’s coming of age. Jesse Helms served as a Senator in North Carolina from the 1970s to the early 2000s. Jesse Helms will likely go down in history as one of the most racist and homophobic politicians of his era (and possibly any era). Here are some quotes:

“Homosexuals, lesbians, disgusting people marching in the streets, demanding all sorts of things, including the right to marry each other.” (1990)

“There is not a single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy.” (1987)

Imagine this is your senator and has been for your entire life. This means that you’re surrounded by people who, in the majority, appear to agree with his hateful bullshit. They elect him for term after term.

Sodomy laws aren’t repealed in North Carolina until Link is 25 years old. If Rhett and Link did fool around in college - they were engaging technically illegal activities.

Marriage equality wasn’t recognized until about the 5th season of Good Mythical Morning.

All of this to make two points:

If I had even the slightest crush on my best friend I would have shoved it down so far that it could never see the light of day.

More importantly though - damn these guys are resilient. Imagine growing up in this toxic homophobic context and still hugging the shit out of your best friend. Kissing him through plexiglass. Openly admitting your love for each other to the whole damn world (even if “just” platonic). Complimenting each other. Adoring each other. Wearing women’s pants because they’re more comfortable. Going to Pilates class because you like it and it is good for your back. Literally giving a finger to traditional and toxic masculinity. Rhett and Link are two roses that grew through concrete.

So don’t cry too much for Rhett and Link. Remember - they escaped to California (practically a queer paradise compared to North Carolina even NOW). Instead, fight like hell for all the Rhett and Links still in the South. The ones who can still be legally subjected to conversion therapy. The ones who can be denied service under the guise of religious freedom. The ones that can’t use the bathroom without fear of being arrested. Fight for them. Resist for them. And be your mythical best.

[analyzingrhink-blog]

The Two Roses That Grew Through Concrete

Intro/Disclaimers Previous AnalyzingRhink posts have alluded to the homophobic environment that was Rhett and Link's context growing up in the 1970s-1990s in rural North Carolina. This post seeks to dive further into that historical context and explain exactly the kind of homophobic landscape that Rhett and Link (and every other Gen-Xer) grew up in. First disclaimer - for the purposes of this article I will be lumping biphobia and homophobia together under the umbrella of homophobia with the understanding that while these two things are different, they can affect people similarly. Second disclaimer - this article isn't here to imply that Rhett and/or Link are LGBTQ (which I will be shortening to queer). Straight and queer people alike are affected by living in toxic-level homophobic environments. It doesn't just ruin life for queer people - it ruins life for everyone. Third disclaimer - the history you are about to read is not a light or easy read. If you are able, I urge you to try to read through this (especially if you identify as straight/het). If it is difficult for you to read imagine how difficult it was/is to live. "When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of that - always." - Mahatma Gandhi Pre Rhett and Link Queer History The Stonewall Riots are considered the beginning of the modern queer rights movement. For those who don't know what happened on the morning of June 28, 1969 - I urge you to go research. Talk about kicking ass and taking names. But also note the year. The beginning of the queer rights movement BEGAN roughly 9 years before Link was born. NINE YEARS. A mental health professional could have you institutionalized with "homosexuality" in 1972. It was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual (DSM) officially in 1974. That's three years before Rhett was born. Again, these things existed before Rhett and Link but they worked to shape the climate of queer rights throughout their lives. Rhett and Link and Queer History (1980s-1990s) HIV/AIDS was still known as gay-related immune deficiency (GRID) only a couple of years before Rhett and Link would be scrawling curses on their desks in first grade. The religious right (which was becoming more and more mainstream around this time) made sure there was a fierce association between "sodomy", death, and damnation. HIV/AIDS had taken so many lives that on Rhett's 10th birthday, the AIDS Quilt was first revealed in Washington, DC. This is also, by the way, why we mark October 11th as Coming Out Day (which makes it an extra special day for queer mythical beasts). Speaking of assholes who thought HIV/AIDS was God's punishment for being queer, Jesse Helms is someone we certainly need to discuss if we are thinking about Rhett and Link's coming of age. Jesse Helms served as a Senator in North Carolina from the 1970s to the early 2000s. Jesse Helms will likely go down in history as one of the most racist and homophobic politicians of his era (and possibly any era). Here are some quotes: "Homosexuals, lesbians, disgusting people marching in the streets, demanding all sorts of things, including the right to marry each other." (1990) "There is not a single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy." (1987) Imagine this is your senator and has been for your entire life. This means that you're surrounded by people who, in the majority, appear to agree with his hateful bullshit. They elect him for term after term. Sodomy laws aren't repealed in North Carolina until Link is 25 years old. If Rhett and Link did fool around in college - they were engaging technically illegal activities. Marriage equality wasn't recognized until about the 5th season of Good Mythical Morning. All of this to make two points: If I had even the slightest crush on my best friend I would have shoved it down so far that it could never see the light of day. More importantly though - damn these guys are resilient. Imagine growing up in this toxic homophobic context and still hugging the shit out of your best friend. Kissing him through plexiglass. Openly admitting your love for each other to the whole damn world (even if "just" platonic). Complimenting each other. Adoring each other. Wearing women's pants because they're more comfortable. Going to Pilates class because you like it and it is good for your back. Literally giving a finger to traditional and toxic masculinity. Rhett and Link are two roses that grew through concrete. So don't cry too much for Rhett and Link. Remember - they escaped to California (practically a queer paradise compared to North Carolina even NOW). Instead, fight like hell for all the Rhett and Links still in the South. The ones who can still be legally subjected to conversion therapy. The ones who can be denied service under the guise of religious freedom. The ones that can't use the bathroom without fear of being arrested. Fight for them. Resist for them. And be your mythical best.

[analyzingrhink-blog]

@piixiin replied to post and asked

Thanks! Have they discussed the snowboard accident anywhere besides the original video of Rhett reading his story?

They talked about the snowboarding accident in the AOL Build Interview (near the end). A fan had asked Link if he really forgot everything.

Also, I remember them talking about it in a GMMore. Something is telling me is was a Whatever Wednesday. They talked about their trip to Big Bear and mentioned it.

I am sure they mentioned in other episodes, but they are escaping me at the moment. Anyone else know?

@razle-dazle @withasideofcrazy

Link’s Funeral Tape

Warnings: Death, discussion of Link’s death, inferred suicide, dying young, funerals, inferred Rhink, request

We got an ask from @turkish-delight-pc that requested that we analyze Rhett’s reaction at 6:50 to determine if Rhett was crying. What we found led us in a whole different direction and opened our eyes.  

Let’s talk about that.

Keep reading

[analyzingrhink-blog]

This is probably a really stupid thing to ask... but you analyze Rhink so well.. can you give some insight into what makes RandL so appealing, despite their appearances and their friendship? Or is that enough to make me borderline (non-crazy) obsessive? I know you're not licensed professionals (or maybe you are?). Maybe I'm just asking for a lovely, detailed description of why RandL are awesome.

Hello my dear and wonderful person,Never, ever feel stupid for coming to our analyzingrhink’s inbox and wanting to talk. We are always happy to listen and interact (although we have not gotten the hang of this shared blog experience and asks are slow to be answer. Sorry!)

I have sat and thought about your question a while, my anon. While it does not hurt that they are adorable and sexy as all get out, and I am of the Rhink sided mind, I am here for much more. I find everything about them inspiring. And these are in no particular order. It is just me letting the words flow as they may.

RandL has inspired me to write, to analyze, to interact with a group of people that are similar and so very different than I am. I have found so many friends and had so many lovely conversations. And RandL caused that. RandL curated a community that accepts newcomers and welcomes them with open arms. Without RandL I would not have the friends I do or have found my creative energy again.

On the same thread of RandL being an inspiration, I urge you to take a look @mythicalbeastnation’s post. It is life lessons with RandL. They not only inspire, but are good role models for what an adult can be. It is not all responsibility and work. It is laughter, it is friendship, it is finding your happiness and seeing your fear and diving head first to conquer it. Beyond their friendship is their success story. Two rural boys from homophobic, small town NC (submitted post on that coming soon from @ethanthegeek.Which will open your eyes more to how rare a thing their friendship really is.) No one knew them and they had no hopes of ever becoming famous. They said in a Creator’s Guild podcast with Hank Green, that none of the people they knew were entertainers. It was not on their radar. Yet still, they took steps to make their life the way they had envisioned it to be. It was part luck, but mostly blind dedication and hard work.

I have to touch on their friendship, anon. Because that is what attracted me to this in the first place. Their story is remarkable and their friendship is a miracle. I need to draw your attention to this post, this post and this post by @afangirlsplaylist) and this post by @feliznavidang. They are pure soul mates and life partners. Their bond is stronger than anything I have ever experienced and that is what keeps me coming back even when the fandom is in drama, even when I have no creative energy, even when I am tired and busy and depressed. This friendship is incredible to watch.

Even as I sit here, pondering my love of RandL, I am sure there are many more things I love that are slipping my mind. I am just as obsessed as the next RandL fan. Obviously, I have a main blog and a shared side blog, I write, I gif and I talk about RandL. There is no need to worry about being obsessive, my friend. You are in good company! Thank you for the lovely ask and BYMB. –Razle

@razle-dazle @withasideofcrazy

[analyzingrhink-blog]

“We never showered together.” Let’s talk about that. 

Okay so we are at it again. And we promised each other that we would not go over a paragraph each. Because if we started down that path, we would have another 28 pages to condense.

So let's look at why these two totally had a shower together. Let’s talk about that.

Rhett’s explanation before the shower clips is really very transparent. Why on earth do you need to explain this so much Rhett? We have eyes and ears. We can see that you are clearly alone. Yet he feels the need to go on detailed interpretation of this clip with his hands waving in earnest. We’ve transcribed it below, it starts at 06:26

Rhett: “Now let me just say, that while it may look like we’re in the shower together, we were just edited back and forth between the two different experiences. We were never there, you are gunna hear Link talk, then me talk very closely, but we were never in the shower together”

Thanks for that Rhett. We got it loud and clear. You were never in the shower together. >_>

Rhett doesn’t seem embarrassed or disgusted by the idea of showering with Link, or that other people would think he did. But he just gives so much extra information, and repeats himself so much that it just feels like he’s trying to cover something up. Which just makes it really obvious that they have showered together. Either then or at another time.

While Rhett is babbling away, Link is sitting in relative calm. The normally fidgety behavior is silenced and Link is, to the naked eye, cool and collected. But look closely. I present you with Link’s anticipatory body language. His hands steeple, rub against each other and he plays with his knuckles. According to body language articles, this type of hand rubbing indicates an anticipation of something to come. Link is ultra excited about something. I wonder what it is. Could it be that he will be showering in front of millions of viewers? Could it be that he is showering/has showered in front of Rhett? Could it be that he enjoys when people watch him do these very private things? Yes. Yes. and triple yes.

One last point that needs to be made. Immediately after Rhett claims that they never were in the shower together, Link places his steepled hands to his mouth and nervously giggles. This is a sign that Link is holding something back. There is something that he does not say. So what is he holding back?

What secret does he not want us to know? Our theory, is Rhett is one hundred percent lying.  And we can see this lie come out through this small gesture Link makes. Sure they didn’t shower together during the filming….we can actually see that, Rhett… But they have indeed showered together. Probably right after filming those scenes.

We did it, we managed to theorize under a page. And your reward is our little scientific proof that after their solo orange experience, these two totally jumped in the shower together.

GMM 1089

[analyzingrhink-blog]

Link’s Funeral Tape

Warnings: Death, discussion of Link’s death, inferred suicide, dying young, funerals, inferred Rhink, request

We got an ask from @turkish-delight-pc that requested that we analyze Rhett’s reaction at 6:50 to determine if Rhett was crying. What we found led us in a whole different direction and opened our eyes.  

Let’s talk about that.

We don’t know how we feel about discussing Rhett and Link’s deaths. Even when it's a topic they are talking about. It feels so big. Too big for little Tumblr people to write about. Though,  this concept is disquieting and makes our hearts want to burst from our chest in revolt, we both sit back in reflection of mortality. On the one hand, we don’t want to let this thought enter our worlds, but on the other, we are in a never ending race with death. It is always at our heels, trying to trip us up and trying to take us down. It is inevitable that as soon as we are born, we are that much closer to death. So it is with heavy hearts that we have decided to continue forward.  We have discussed and have decided that in light of the fact that these are real-life people that we respect and admire and this is a very serious topic, we will try our best to tread lightly.

The conversation about “Link’s funeral tape” begins at 5:00, but even so, Rhett is still genuinely laughing – shown by his open body language and his full body laughs. He is still maintaining eye contact with Link as he jokes with him.

But as the episode progresses, you can see that it starts to bother Rhett. By 05:29 his body language changes and you can see he is getting uncomfortable. We’ve discussed Rhett’s tells before in our first post here. Suffice it to say, that when Rhett experiences a surge of emotion, he fidgets, touches his face, beard and hair, rubs the desk and is generally ready to jump out of his skin.

At 05:31 he’s starts rubbing his forehead, looking away and reprimands Link, saying:  “Don't make this your funeral tape, man!”

When Link continues, Rhett starts covering his face with his hand (05:36), touching his mouth and doesn’t make eye contact. Rhett explains to Link that this tape could be really morbid. At 05:42 Rhett says: “You could die young and this would be really sad”  and “Think about it, the ironic tears that will be being shed right now.” Rhett’s voice and demeanor has changed. Where before his voice was higher and energized and playful, it’s lower now. Softer. Somber. Then, whatever Rhett was trying to avoid, happened.

Unlike Link, Rhett knows what it's like to almost lose his best friend. This isn’t a foreign concept for him. Rhett has experienced almost losing Link when they were younger, approximately 16 years ago. This memory probably resurfaced in Rhett’s subconscious mind, flooding him with similar emotions. Rhett knows that death (or serious permanent injury) can be a reality. Link doesn't live in that world because he doesn’t remember the accident. But that's another analysis for another time (Full analysis to come).

As the discussion continues, Rhett’s fidgety behavior intensifies. Looking anywhere but at Link or the camera and still chuckling with nervous laughter (05:44). He is touching his mouth and then starts his ‘tell’, which is beard stroking (05:55)

Link makes light of his funeral, saying:  “We have to find a way to laugh through this”(05:57). Rhett just responds with a “hmmm”. Face grim, rubbing his mouth and looking away with no funny comment to make.

When Link moves on with a joke, saying he’s starting to get sad at the thought of his own death, Rhett responds with a very gravelly “oh really (6:04).The emotion is clouding his voice, but Rhett takes the opportunity to move on with a laugh as things were too heavy.

While we went into this analysis looking for unshed tears, what we came upon was so much sadder. On of the biggest indicator of Rhett’s emotions concerning the death of his best friend happen at time stamps: 06:07 with this exchange.

Link: “I’m dead, man. You’re not sad?! “

Rhett: “Not here and now. I’ll be de--I’ll be sad.”

Rhett almost says: “I’ll be dead”, but changes it quickly to: “I’ll be sad.” This is a major Freudian slip. Rhett’s first instinct to Link being dead, is that “I would be dead too”.

This statement says a million things in one tiny stutter. It highlights the profound emotional bond Rhett has for Link. His deep inner love seeping through the cracks.

It also highlights their interdependent relationship. They live for each other and because of each other. They have moved and followed each other because they couldn’t live without the other by their side. They have professed that “I’m doing this show for you.” They make a show that they themselves can enjoy. It is their baby and their life. Their relationship is based on their creative process and on forming and shaping ideas and concepts together. As a team.

So, if Link is gone, where does that leave Rhett? In Rhett’s mind, buried deep, it leaves him with nothing. This shows not only the sadness, but the emptiness Rhett would feel. We truly believe that the stuttered “dead” is the word that was truly meant to be said.

It reminds us of the quote “There ain't no me, if there ain't no you.”  Because without Link there is no Rhett. The story would unravel. The timeline would end. Without Link, there is just a Rhett and blank. This idea is most unsettling of all.  

So was it just a slip of the tongue? It could be argued, yes. But then Rhett repeats the same line at 06:14 when Link asks if Rhett will be at the funeral and they both stutter over each other.

Link: “But you’ll be there?”

Rhett: “But I’ll already be dead.”

What on Earth does he mean by this and why does he repeat himself? We are leery to discuss this topic further. The feelings this brings up are too sad and these are real people we’re talking about. We will silence our own theories and let you make your own assumptions at this point.

Rhett makes the comment that “Now if we're really old this will be good stuff.” (06:15) Rhett doesn’t mind the thought of them being old men together and dying after they have had a big life. But he can’t handle the thought of his best friend dying before they have had a chance to do everything that they have set out to do. Thinking of a future with just himself is heartbreaking. Not heartbreaking - unbearable. Rhett has already experienced a terrible 24hrs where he thought that he’d have to do that. And now this moment is bringing him back to that place. The place where he had to imagine what his life would be without Link. It is an impossible thing.  

At 06:33 Jason asks: “Why do you think Link is gonna die first?”

Link answers immediately: “I will.”

Rhett adding: “He’s more accident prone.”

Its at this point where Rhett becomes his most fidgety. The mostly calm and collected man starts moving all over the place. Link however seems oblivious and just grins as he says: “But it will be entertaining.”

Link doesn’t even realize the storm that is brewing in Rhett’s mind. He doesn’t answer Link’s ‘my-entertaining-death’ statement straight away. He looks down, licks at his lips and stares at the camera before letting out an awkward breathy laugh. And there is a beat before what Link said registers in Rhett’s mind. Link dying being entertaining?

There is disbelief in Rhett’s voice as he asks: “When you die?” He stares and then shakes his head as if he can’t believe Link would say that.

As Link responds with: “Yep, that’s my final wish. Go out with a laugh.” Rhett continues to fidget, leans back in his chair, strokes the table.

Rhett gives a half-hearted “Alright” and wipes at his eye (06:51). This is the point the anon was making, that it looks like Rhett had tears. Now, we can’t make out if he was crying or not, but we can just show what he does. It looks like he wipes at his eye and then there is an audible sniff. His voice sounds emotional and he resumes fidgeting, rubbing the desk, moving his mug playing with his hair, his face.

When Link continues, it seems that Rhett isn’t paying attention. Link says: “Boy, how sad is this? Salisbury Steak-”

Rhett doesn’t seem to be listening. Rather is just looking at his mug and offers a “hmm”.

As Link talks about Salisbury Steak, Rhett finally turns to look at Link, starting to listen to the story. When Link explains that the Doctor recommends eating the steak three times a day, Rhett finally laughs and says: “Whoa, I like this Doctor.” Though he laughs, the light hasn’t quite come back to his eyes and his voice isn’t back to normal.

Rhett starts to interact and the fidgeting lessens. Though he continues to play with the hair at the back of his neck, picks at his beard and touches his eyebrows.

Towards the end, once Link starts talking through the rest of the items. Rhett does eventually come out of whatever dark space he was in. So much so that when Jason tells them that this is the weirdest funeral tape ever, they start joking and laughing. Rhett’s body language is back to big and open and happy. His eyes light up, he smiles wide and his cheeks are round. He isn’t serious anymore.

In the scenario where they are giving people apples to take a bite of and place in Links open casket, we are reminded that Rhett is the one doing all this. Where before, he said that he’d be dead if Link was. Twice.

We went into this expecting to analyze a snippet of a video, but what we came away with was much larger, much more intense and real. The fingers of death are after us all, and as nearly forty year old men in this video, they are not strangers to mortality. But to come head on and face-to-face with the idea is terrifying. Once again, we see a very oblivious Link, while Rhett experiences an internal meltdown. The horrific idea of being without his best friend is thrown at Rhett and it is obvious that he is having trouble dealing with that possibility. So, in conclusion, we have no scientific proof of tears, but are very certain that Rhett would be lost without Link.

GMMore Link’s Funeral Tape

Season 5 Episode 453

*@razle-dazle gifs

*Thanks to @remembertherandler for beta’ing this for us! <3

[analyzingrhink-blog]

Beta Testers Needed

Hello all you lovely readers and followers,

@razle-dazle and @withasideofcrazy are in need of beta testers to read our work on @analyzingrhink before we post. We want to compile a list of people who would be interested, so that we don’t overwhelm any one person. Thank you for your interest. Just reply this this message with any interest! Have a beautiful day and BYMB. <3

[analyzingrhink-blog]

i just wanted to say that i love what you guys do. this blog is amazing and i can't wait to see more content 💕

@razle-dazle @withasideofcrazy

[analyzingrhink-blog]

Whoa you.. really jumped to a lot of conclusions there. Firstly, I never said children. By younger fans, I meant teens-21. Typical in a shipping fandom. Second, I'm a shipper, i don't know where you got that I wasn't, I simply acknowledge it as pure fantasy. And last, I think it's a complete cop-out to try to frame my ask as something homophobic especially when you completely ignored my reasons as to why I believe it's not based in reality.

Anon continued … .When I said it was dangerous, I meant it as in it was dangerous to a growing fandom with two types of impressionable people in it. Take one look at the IG fandom and you’ll see- total delusion and a mighty rift between people who ship and people who don’t.

Hello again, anon. Thank you for elaborating on your thoughts and feelings. It is not our intent to create a or further the rift between shippers and non-shippers. We are all in this together for the good of RandL and our combined love of their friendship as well as the laughter they give to our daily lives. We have met some very nice people in this fandom and we want to extend that positivity that was given to us when we first entered to others. We also want to enjoy our creative endeavors free from judgement.  And judgement we felt from your post, whether it was based on fact or not.  So forgive us of any wrong assumptions, as we will of you, we do not wish to further any negativity between us.

Going forward, to comment on your teens to twenty one year old idea. Thirteen to seventeen year olds are grouped in the “children” we referred to in our previous post. We do not believe it is appropriate for them, but it is not our call to make. We further the idea that it is also our right to participate in the fandom in the way we enjoy. As is for any shipper or RandL fan. And this is a combined joy for us in body language analysis in terms of Rhink. 

We are not disillusioned to the fact that many people out there see it as absolute fact and others see it as absolute fiction. We lie somewhere in the middle and enjoy the creativity, thrills and fun it provides. We do not believe that we should have to censor ourselves and our thoughts because there are people in this world (young, old or new fans alike) that can not tell the difference. It is not our job to think for them. People choose to believe what they want no matter what we write or don’t write, feel or don’t feel, think or act upon. 

We understand that this concern is very real for you, as it may be for others. And you have provided some startling facts of the other fandoms. It is our hope that whomever reads our analyses can decipher the reality for themselves. 

Thank you for stopping by again and we hope that you can find something here that you enjoy. 

@razle-dazle @withasideofcrazy