Internet hero talked Edward Scissorhands instead of Edward Snowden on live TV and host didn't notice

By Fusion Staff  |  September 30, 2015 | 8:45pm
Latest

Known Internet troll and all-around prankster Jon Hendren, aka @fart, gave an impassioned, convincing defense of a controversial figure on The Daily Share today. “He’s doing the most patriotic possible thing,” Hendren said, adding, “I think to cast him out, to make him invalid, in society simply because he has scissors for hands?”


Hendren spent much of the three-minute HLN segment offering deadpan support to an American hero, Edward Scissorhands. The show’s host, Yasmin Vossoughian, was not asking him about Scissorhands, however. She was talking about Snowden, and she never skipped a beat. Not. One. Beat:

Vossoughian: There is classified information out there… that could have feasibly harmed people. Do you think Snowden’s actions were worth that risk?
Hendren: Well, you know, to say that he couldn’t harm somebody with what he did, like he could, absolutely he could’ve. But I think to cast him out, to make him invalid, in society simply because he has scissors for hands? I mean that’s just strange…. people didn’t get scared until he started sculpting shrubs into dinoaur shapes and whatnot. “
Hendren: Alright well now Snowden’s living in Russia…. listen, some people say it’s hypocritical that Snowden has asylum in Russia. Russia has a lot of human rights violations.
Hendren: Yeah, casting him out is just completely wrong… just because he was created on the top of a mountain by Vincent Price, incomplete, with scissors for hands and no heart. Edward Scissorhands is a complete hero to me.
Vossoughian: But what about the choice that he made to live in a country like Russia?
Hendren: I mean where else is he gonna go? We cast him out… we got scared when he poked a hole in a waterbed with his scissor finger? That was just unreasonable of us.
Vossoughian: Well, John, I appreciate you giving us your opinion. Thank you.

In an interview with Esquire, Hendren said he doesn’t know why HLN reached out to him for segment:

I got an email last night asking if I wanted to come on and replied immediately saying, “Yes I absolutely would,” before I even read the entire email…. I think a couple years ago I tweeted something in support of him? I’m guessing they must have found it by searching for something.

Hendren pointed to this tweet as a possible impetus for the interview:

Back in January, Vossoughian described The Daily Share as designed for women in their 30s who “have all sorts of interests, everything from ISIS and Israeli-Palestinian issues to dog videos and taking your dog on the subway.” She added, “It’s more of a conversation with the audience, it’s really chill.” Maybe, possibly, a little too chill?

Hats off to you, Vossoughian, for either being the most unshakeable woman on television or having the unnerving ability to completely zone out while appearing to do your job.

And to you, @Fart, for gifting us with the best HLN segment of all time. Or, if this is a doctored segment, pulling one over on the entire internet. And standing up for Scissorhands.

HLN did not respond to requests for comment.

Danielle Wiener-Bronner is a news reporter.

 
Join the discussion...