Judge John Hodgman: I Pledge a Grievance to the Flag

December 11, 2014 7:41 AM

Should a couple install a sports team's flag outside their home?
posted by ocherdraco (9 comments total)

As an Alabamian who is the daughter of an Illinoisan with Canadian citizenship (and who has strong feelings about flags), I feel like this episode is some weird remix of my life. (Also, War Eagle.)
posted by ocherdraco at 7:45 AM on December 11, 2014

Oh, gods, the anguish and the hilarity in their sobs/laughs/gasps-of-insanity as Hodgman ruled against her and then moved into shaming him. I cannot wait for the follow-up call.
posted by Etrigan at 10:04 AM on December 11, 2014

I couldn't tell if she was laughing at all or just sobbing.

It occurred to me that this would have been a perfect opportunity for Biz Ellis (one of the hosts of One Bad Mother) to have served as expert witness, given that she grew up in Tuscaloosa and would have a perspective that neither John nor Jesse could provide.
posted by ocherdraco at 11:17 AM on December 11, 2014

I couldn't tell if she was laughing at all or just sobbing.

She was definitely laughing as Hodgman shifted from "He can have the flag" to "He must really look at how shitty that flag will look."
posted by Etrigan at 11:29 AM on December 11, 2014

That Argos logo really is amazing.
posted by moonmilk at 6:11 PM on December 11, 2014

I literally googled to find the old argo logo referred to, and was directed here. Metafilter is truly wheels within wheels.
posted by Yowser at 1:06 AM on December 14, 2014 [2 favorites]

I just listened to this, and couldn't believe Hodgman had to rule in favor of flags, but I did like the caveat to require also flying a nearly impossible to find flag, so basically it'll never happen.
posted by mathowie at 7:57 PM on December 16, 2014

This definitely seemed like one of the episodes where Hodgman rules in someone's favor but makes it clear at the same time that they're kind of being an ass. I always imagine after such episodes that the person realizes that even though they won the case, they ended up losing because everyone listening to the podcast knows that they're being pretty obnoxious.
posted by ocherdraco at 10:04 PM on December 17, 2014

ocherdraco, my spouse and I call those verdicts the "My ruling is 'Really?!?'" shows.
posted by Etrigan at 4:15 AM on December 18, 2014 [2 favorites]