#Hehehe I wonder if people can find all the easter eggs in this one >:)

[vegaly-art]

Dork in love Alert <3 (He is looking at Coworker <3)

[asherlockstudy]

So, the journey was more about them (not the chicken). 👀

Of course.

I am gonna analyze the video here and... well... I have reasons that make me feel and think strongly about it and this may be evident in this post. Sometimes I might get a little judgy, a little confrontational... just fyi.

I have this feeling now, I feel vindicated, not so much about this video being obviously once more about their journey towards coming out but instead because I am vindicated in that they WANT people to pick up on their hints and some "brightbrains" who say "don't assume blah blah blah" are actually working AGAINST what Rhett and Link are trying to achieve right now. They are making their job HARDER. I will talk about it in a minute. Let's analyze this.

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD

So they get to pick from four chickens in specific, they intentionally asked for four. My assumption is them and the wives, because obviously here we do not have just the issue of the sexuality, we also have the issue of what happens next with the marriages. It's not just a sexuality coming out, it's likely a coming out from two marriages, very well established situations, which makes it much harder overall under the public spotlights. (If someone gets hives at the implication that they will not come out together just because they get hard when they watch a Kevin Costner movie next to their beloved wives, well, it's not my problem. Perhaps stop reading at this point. What is going on is not just a label issue.)

The chicken was used as an allegory of a scared, even cowardly individual. Rhett says the initial idea was to give them names based on personalities (which strengthens the argument they were symbolizing four particular individuals) but kinda gave up on it and they named them Chloe, Lucy, Birdie and Drumstick. Chloe - short for Cloaca - is Link, she's the most eager one, Link has his mentality changed by the egg song, he is the chicken in the egg, he gives that speech for the choice of Chloe, and then of course he is the one who helps Chloe "cross" the road. Cloaca Chloe is Link.

Drumstick is the only one whose name could be perceived as derogatory (makes me suspect the name was indeed pre-selected) and Drumstick stubbornly remains last. Rhett very consciously says that apparently "Drumstick is the slowest one to pick up on what's going on". That's obviously either Jessie or Christy but I am a little confused as to who it really is because I would think the one, let's say, more innocent to start suspecting things would be Jessie but the one intentionally more unwilling to follow through with this plan would be Christy. Unless something has changed lately, I don't know. Maybe I am wrong about the "innocence" part though. I just think Christy is way more suspicious but on the other hand Jessie is very socially skilled and emotionally intelligent. So even though Christy could have been always more suspicious of Rhett and Link's relationship, in the end it may have been Jessie that picked up on the things that were really happening.

I wonder whether the shot of Drumstick hidden in the plants was a conscious choice...

Anyway, next. Eggs here is a symbolism for sex. Link confesses to Rhett he's not big on them and Rhett informs him there are so many ways to try eggs until you find the way you enjoy them. (What if this is how it all started?) But it actually has a double meaning. This is not the first time Rhett has implied Link is too vanilla and too hesitant to try new things. In GMM many times, like once he laughed "We are the most vanilla men in the world" and you can rest assured he doesn't consider himself responsible for it. Back to the video's context, this is an epiphany for Link - this realisation. He is pictured inside the egg, expressing his confusion and despair. The sequence of the song does not end happily. The egg does not crack yet and Link says how he is so confused he is on the verge of dying.

An easter egg (hehehe) is how many egg dishes Rhett is shown enjoying throughout the video. We know it, he loves sex A LOT and he loves it in as many ways as possible.

The roads where they are training the chicken are not coming out attempts, but technically the "coming out with each other". In the very first road, the chicken is very hesitant and uneager to walk. Eventually, Rhett loses patience, grabs the chicken and rushes it across the busy road, to Link's bafflement. They later both agree that this is not the way to do it, because the chicken did not enjoy the crossing. It was all too rushed and haphazard. This is perfectly aligned with what I have described before in at least two posts such as They dug a hole and PUZZLE: The recurrent Rhink storyline is not even new!!!!!!! If you know, you know. If you don't and are positively interested so far, I really think you should read them. AND I REALLY have to remind to everyone that the PUZZLE VIDEO IS FROM 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS FORGET THAT, YOU VERY FEW FOLKS WHO KINDA BELIEVE ME BUT NOT QUITE. Sorry for the screaming. it's just... it's hugely important if you want to put things into perspective.

Want more argument line after line?

Rhett: Come on, Chloe. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Get it. Get it. Get it. Come on, come on, Chloe. We're running out of time Chloe! (grabs the chicken) Link: 10 seconds- what? What are you doing?! (fast road crossing) Four, three, two, one. Rhett: Ah. Ahhh, God... I'm sorry, I panicked.... (apologetically to Link) I was just going on instict. The numbers were getting low*, single digits... Link: You are a results oriented person. Rhett: Right, I mean, she got to the other side! Link: Yeah... but it did not feel... great. Let's go back to the question. Why did the chicken cross the road? What if it wasn't to get to the other side? What if it was to have a glorious crossing experience?

Now compare this to the digging and the Puzzle videos or the paragraph with the bike pedalling in TLCOBC. They are all the same exact thing, the same incident. Digging is crossing, up to this point at least. *Rhett saying digits getting low, AKA falling, compare this with the missing head puzzle piece situation in the Puzzle and the hardship of pushing the shovel in the hard ground in We dug a medium sized hole. Like I have described, Rhett was having some physical limitations the first times and Link's ground was too tightly hard. (Link has numerous times also blessed us with the information that he has a very tight asshole. Sorry. He has chosen to say this.) Plus, Link makes an argument that... for the chicken it was not about getting to the other side, like, getting this done for some reason or ticking something off a list or just because it was a way to confirm something about the chicken's identity etc, but instead he wanted this to be a glorious experience. For him and, I dare say, for the other one who was involved. So this crossing was supposed to be ultimately founded on sincere emotional reasons, according to Link.

Anyway since Link, I mean, Chloe did not enjoy that very first rushed, rapid road crossing, they decide to try again in conditions more suitable for him her. They go to a small neighborhood road, where everything is just more peaceful and intimate and slow paced. And they are just the two of them.

Uhhhh except Jason Segel shows up with his own chicken and advices them that a chicken can't be forced into it but has to take the lead. "Incidentally", Segel's chicken is Paul Rudd and Rhett and Link emphasize on the fact that Paul Rudd is his friend and co-star. Segel and Rudd have played in a few movies together but undoubtedly the reference here is this one:

Now, the movie is exclusively a bromantic comedy, however it has some themes such as that the one's fiancé feels like a third wheel and initially the friend causes strain to the couple's relationship. Also, Rudd, the shorter more brunette half of the duo is the chicken in the stroller and Segel is his tall guide who "walks him out". Just in case you needed more proof Chloe was actually Link that Rhett walks out in various modes of frenzy or calm intimacy. Ahem.

The scene changes abruptly after Segel's advice. We do not see how the second attempt unfolded once they left it to Chloe to take the initiative while crossing the road. I don't remember in which post it was (could be in the linked ones) but I wondered once why they always talk or are inspired by the first, very unfortunate time and never the second or, say, the first mutually enjoyable time. I had reasoned they probably keep this off limits, just for them. I respect this fully, although the cave-girl in my brain dies to know what an inspired metaphor from that experience would look like!

The chicken couldn't realistically cross this highway. So they had to come up with a plan - a van with a build in simulation of crossing the road. I believe this could be an allegory for the fact that the official crossing will happen through an isolated, monitored, secure environment - that of a studio. I mean, aside from the fact that it was a necessary measure for the chicken in this case. We see again Rhett doing weird-ass maths with a hint of delirium in his eye - this is consistent with his overthinking anxiety while trying to take a nap and with his overpreparing for the night in the ghost-free house and for the quest for the brown diamond. It shows how Rhett, who struggles more with the actual crossing, has assumed a position of supposedly curating the crossing experience and overfixating about it, instead of doing it.

True enough, they go on a little competition about who gets to drive the car (plan the whole thing) and who is with the chicken (comes out). Unsurprisingly, Rhett convinces Link he is the one who has to be with the chicken.

A VERY interesting moment to me was the commentary about the animal monitor from the American Humane Society. Given how much of a serious deal this is, I can't be sceptical about whether this man was indeed the animal monitor or just acting like one. However, I am having so many thoughts about how Rhett and Link decided to make use of his (non)involvement. Usually, you don't make monitors and everyone else checking what you do a part of your final project. Usually, they are edited out or somewhere in a corner since their job is not to be part of your movie but instead to ensure all your practices remain lawful, harmless and sensible. The fact that he sits next to Rhett and is depicted multiple times, always taking notes (writing comments?), albeit blurred, makes me suspect Rhett and Link (certain they wouldn't mistreat the chicken), asked him to have a tiny part in the video. They also stressed he was checking on Chloe through a monitor showing him everything, like an audience. But why make a deal out of it? They make a big deal out of his UN-responsiveness, which is a little strange, since it is not his job to be responsive but rather to be as discreet as possible. And yet, here we are, Rhett and Link have something to say about it.

Would anybody make an educated guess whether the animal monitor is used here for another metaphor? The animal monitor is the fanbase. The unresponsive, stone-faced fanbase. They did explain recently they are not getting the reaction they wished for from the fans regarding the videos. And just so you do not get confused, they did clarify they are seeing and are thankful for the positive reception from the viewers. Still, they said, it is not what they were looking for! It's not a "bravo" they are after, they are after getting their message across, they are after seeing some understanding or realisation from the fans, who insist on not understanding or not wanting to understand. That's what I have been saying for months at this point. They want you to understand and acknowledge and expect this BEFORE they speak openly about it. I am not being evil or incosiderate or delusional for discussing this here openly as a few very clever individuals have insinuated - THEY WANT THIS TO START BEING DISCUSSED. They want to minimize the shock impact this will have if they do it on their own suddenly one Monday morning on GMM. And there's MORE proof of that later.

The highway goes in two directions of five lanes each and then there is also the median. They do the first five lanes with Link holding the chicken to walk on the treadmill. Then they reach the median, what they call liminal space. They stress this a lot so I think there is significance to it. They employed Hank Green to explain this better;

Liminal space is the concept of having left one state of being, but not yet having arrived at your next stage.

And because it is stressed, I think it signifies Rhett and Link's current stage: they are in liminal space, which means they have given up on their past selves but are not still quite where they are determined to be. Quite possibly it also means Link (and perhaps Rhett) has already done half the work; in his private relationships, with family and friends. And he is now in liminal space because he is hovering between his previous life and the future one where he can't get yet as long as he is a public persona who is still obligated to cross the next half of the road; the world.

Once they reach the median Rhett helps Link turn around the equipment, in order to give Chloe the illusion she is crossing the opposite direction lanes.

Rhett: I am not doing a lot. Link: I know you are not doing a lot! Rhett: I'm trying to remain in liminal space.

If you have doubts, consider please, what is the point for Rhett saying this in the context of the chicken's crossing? Does he want to keep the car forever in the median? Does he want to stay in the median while Link and the chicken leave him with the car? Does he want to stop the project? What does it mean? Nothing. It means nothing in the text plot of the video, but it means EVERYTHING for all the things we've been saying all this year and is the reason for the occasional apparent strain between Rhett and Link. Rhett does not want to leave liminal space as much as Link. Or, rather, he wants to but he is too scared of the consequences, especially when it comes to the reaction of his father and their fanbase, which could affect their career. Rhett here confirms indeed that he'd rather keep what's happening between them a secret or only known to their closest people (the ones it affects) but Link can't suffer it anymore. Rhett complies with it for Link's sake, both out of necesity and perhaps also out of love.

They also make a huge deal out of passing the bridge to reach the other lanes and of course they are much more excited about the second half. That's what happens now. We are at that stage of crossing the second half but unlike in the video we have not reached the EXIT (out). I wonder whether there is significance in that Link opts to keep the chicken in the stroller for the second half. My assumption is that in the first half (coming out to the loved ones) it was a process that took a lot of time like with the baby steps of the chicken, with a lot of pauses in the beginning. But once they decided to leave the liminal space behind, now the developments will be much faster and consequential. Now the chicken will be running on wheels.

Meanwhile, as the job's done and Rhett and Link are cheering for their success, the animal monitor is still taking notes in pure apathy. This alone makes it very likely something's up in his case. He almost certainly stands in for the commentators of their channels, who write, write, write irrelevant stuff while so many things happen under their nose.

The video ends with another cry from Rhett and Link that people will understand it's all about them and it's not just silly meaningless content.

Yes, the journey Link has been talking about the entire year.

Y'all, this is a cry at this point. If it was just cryptic work inspired by their private lives, which however they would want to keep entirely secret, they wouldn't make such pleas to be understood. They want people to start considering it, thinking it, discussing it. They want to prepare the fans' brains before the news falls on them in the likes of a huge asteroid. Still not sure about it?

Like I said, Rhett and Link have freaked out by their failure to communicate their message. So, this time Rhett wanted to check on the situation himself, in real time. They released the video in a later time, when more people could watch and Rhett did something he almost never has done before. He was liking and replying to comments personally. He did like a lot of the positive comments... perhaps he sighed in these ones

but there were SO many which were like this one

This person got nothing from that video and the last scene and everything they have said about their scripted videos and I can sense Rhett's disbelief and sarcasm from here. Also, notice how he did not heart that comment lol

Anyway from a quick scroll through the comments, I believe there are a few which could give them a little faith but ultimately the results were still underwhelming.

Last but not least, Rhett wasn't the only one reading the comments in real time with no chill left. Link found a different way to drive the point home:

Doodling hearts over the video, above their heads, on Rhett and on the first comment, which indeed was ambiguous.

(shoutout to @mpay22 for the screenshots)

They have no chill anymore but who's to blame them... Even I have no chill anymore with all the stuff I see regarding that situation and the whole thing does not concern me one bit.............. let alone them, whose entire future and happiness depend on it.

Thanks for reading my long - occasionally intense - answer / post.

[thirstyfortom]

Happy Easter to everyone and to our handsome silver fox Zenny! Hope you guys like this! ^^

ZEN’S BIRTHDAY SPECIAL

Egg Hunt

Zen woke up that morning with his phone buzzing on the nightstand. He was so startled that it took him a few seconds to understand that your name popping on the screen of his phone along with a calling icon meant that you were no longer in bed with him. It was weird, usually he’s the one to wake up first and leave, placing a soft kiss in your forehead and chuckling by watching your peaceful sleeping face before he leaves to work or to a morning jog.

“Good morning, handsome! Slept well?” Even confused, it’s hard not to smile sweetly by hearing your voice.

“Good morning, babe… can I ask why you’re not in bed with me?”

“Oh, because today it’s a special day, isn’t it? Happy birthday, honey!” you beam.

“Thank you, but… don’t you think that since it’s my birthday, you should be here in bed so we can cuddle?”

“Hmm, sounds good, but… I think my idea is also very interesting… or what? Don’t you want to find me in the kitchen cooking you breakfast and wearing that apron you like…? And nothing else?”

“YOU WHAT?” he rushes out from the bedroom to the kitchen, getting ready to warn you on how early it is to unleash the beast, but… there’s no one in the kitchen… “Haha, very funny, babe. Tsk… can’t believe you’re pulling a prank on me just because it’s April Fools’ too…”

“Ah, I’m sorry, honey, I just needed to get you out of the bedroom or else you won’t find the surprise…”

“Surprise?”

“Yep. Think a little more, Zenny… we don’t celebrate only April Fools’ and your birthday this year…”

He looks around and finds out that you actually made him breakfast.

“Omurice?”

“Yeah, it’s my first clue for you: what is omurice made of?”

“Rice… and… eggs?” he looks forward like he just had an epiphany. “Eggs! It’s Easter! Hahaha, very clever, babe.”

“Thank you. Now have fun, honey! See you later!” you hang up before he can even ask where you are and… how was he supposed to have fun if you’re not here?

Hum… he takes another look at the omurice you made, oh, you even bothered to write something with the ketchup. Awww… must be something endearing like “Happy Bday, oppa!” or…

“’Find Yoosung’?” Huh? What is this…?

Hum… you did mention something about a clue, is this another one? Will he find you if he goes to see Yoosung? Zen quickly gets himself ready and leaves the apartment, trying to shake any jealousy facts that come along with wondering why would you be with Yoosung on his birthday…

“Ohh, Zen, you came! I told MC the best thing would be writing to find me, she wanted something more mysterious, but maybe you wouldn’t get it…”

“Yeah, yeah, where is she? Is she here?”

“Nope, she dropped by and let this for you.” Yoosung hands him… an Easter egg?

Zen would laugh at how cute this is if only… the Easter egg didn’t have two small triangles glued on top of it, these look like… cat ears? Uugh, his eyes get immediately teary.

“Yoosung, what is that, dude? Is this a prank?”

“Of course not! It must be your next clue.”

Zen stares at the egg for a few seconds. Is this really from you? Why would you be so cruel to paint an Easter egg to look like a cat? You know how bad his allergy is, this couldn’t be your doing, this looks more like…

“Jumin Han.” He scoffs before thanking Yoosung and leaving.

“Hello, will you join me and my father in our Easter lunch? It’s normally a family’s tradition, but everyone is welcomed…”

“Even MC? Is she here? You didn’t say anything weird to her, did you?”

“I have no clue what kind of preposterous ideas you’re having right now, but no, I didn’t say anything to her, and she’s not here. But she did stop by for a little visit and asked me to hand you this.”

Another egg. Oh… so you included even Jumin in your little stunt, you’re such an angel… and Jumin… was pretty nice to play along with you, usually he’s such a party pooper… it’s really thoughtful of you to make them meet on a day like today, it’s… an important step for their friendship… Zen smiles, ugh, he can’t wait to see you.

“Seems like there’s a message for you.” Jumin states, pointing to the egg. Oh yes…

“’When you're acting, there's nothing you can't do, come to a little fitting session and all of your fantasies will come true.’”

“Sounds provocative…”

He would normally ignore Jumin, but… it does sound provocative. Will he finally meet you? And what’s with the “fantasies come true” thing? He has a few ideas, but… nah, you would never tease him like that with such a clue in front of Jumin. It’s nothing… it’s nothing dirty… it’s just a word play to lead him to a costume store, right?

Yep, he gets a text from you with a picture of the store and the address  a few seconds later. Funny, it’s almost like you knew what he’s thinking, like… you’re watching him… nah, it’s just an impression, right?

Zen walks in to the store and spots a familiar figure among the several outfits hanged. And as he gets closer, his breath is taken for a second when he notices what the figure is wearing… a puffy, white and black dress with ruffles, and in your head, a headband with a bow on it. It’s… a maid costume! Holy shit!

So you did want to sound dirty, you dressed like a maid for his birthday, oh my God! Well, it’s not like it’s his biggest fantasy when it comes to you, he has million others, but… the hell he will turn that down…

“MC, you look… so…” he says huskily, walking towards you…

“Cute? Adorable? Pretty? Tell me I’m pretty, Zenny!” except it’s not you, it’s…

“SEVEN!? WHAT THE HELL, DUDE? WHAT ARE YOU…? WHAT IS THIS?” he widens his eyes and leaps away from Seven, who just takes the wig off and smiles.

“What do you mean? It’s my birthday present for you! Don’t you like it?”

“Ugh, I knew I was being spied… can’t believe it was you… did you hack into her phone, dude?”

“I… did, but she asked me to. She thought you would find suspicious if I sent the text and wouldn’t come, hehehe, but if you hadn’t come, you would miss… all of this!”

“Yeah, it would be a shame, huh?” he scowls sarcastically.

“Yep, oh, and also, you wouldn’t get your next clue!” Seven motions to throw an egg for him to catch, but instead, he fumbles behind the clothes hanged and give him a basket filled with colorful eggs.

As he takes a closer look, Zen gets to see that the eggs were painted by different people. Oh… these are… from his fans! You actually gathered some fans and asked them to make this for him. Oh god… this is amazing…

“If it wasn’t for your fans, this would be no fun. You’re almost there, honey, you just have to find fan number one!”

“Ha! This one is easy, I have to go meet Jaehee!”

“Bingo! Good job, Zen the Knight, you deserve a kiss for being so smart!”

Zen sprints out of there before Seven gets any weirder and calls Jaehee, where could she be?

“Oh, hey, Zen! Happy Bithday and Happy Easter!”

“Thanks, Jaehee! Happy Easter to you too! Hey… is MC with you, by any chance?”

“Hum… no, she bought me coffee and left. Oh, she bought you coffee too, Zen, will you drop by and get it?”

He shakes his head and chuckles, of course he will drop by. It’s really sweet that you had the idea to let one of his best friends to represent all his fans, it’s also so relieving to know you and Jaehee are getting along, he would never admit to you or to her, but Zen was actually worried there might still be some… animosity between the two of you due to his career, but… you girls are fine, and so is he.

“Good to see you, Zen!”

“You too, Jaehee! Thank you so much for the eggs.”

“It was MC’s idea, I just had to choose your nicest fans. Oh, since we’re talking about MC, here… she told me to give you this.”

An egg, of course. But this one is bigger and has hearts drawn all over the wrapper. So cute… He quickly finds a note along with the egg.

“Come to where it all started. Oh, and… enough with the rhymes, just know that I love you!”

Where it all started… his apartment? Oh, you little devil, making him cross almost the entire city to find you on his own apartment. No… wait… it didn’t start there, it started… at Rika’s apartment!

“I hope you’re not allergic to bunnies too…” you say, smiling when you open the door for him.

Zen feels like biting his knuckles so he won’t squeal by seeing how cute you look wearing a headband with bunny ears on it.

“Even if I was, I would endure it for you.” He doesn’t hold back on his hug, holding you tight and burying his face on your hair.

“Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah, I did. Thanks for doing that, babe, it was really sweet and… it only made me want to see you more…”

He cups your face and kisses you passionately. You guys stay like that for a couple of minutes until he decides it’s time to take this somewhere else. That day was really fun, but it’s not over yet…