Barty's Brew-ha-ha
The first video to feature Barty.
Barty Anderson is a fictional character portrayed by Byron Hussie in Barty's Brew-Ha-Ha, a series of three short films and later several video blogs produced by Byron and his brother, Andrew Hussie, among numerous collaborators, including Cindy Dominguez, Nic Carey and Michael Firman. Andrew and Byron both play multiple roles across the films. An unofficial fourth installment, featuring Kenny Herndon as Barty, was released in 2015.
Barty is an outdoorsman, survivalist, and amateur cryptozoologist who always wears a balaclava and a thick (fake) moustache, and speaks in a strange falsetto. As explained in the second video, Barty hosts a cable access programme, of which the videos seem to be excerpts. He searches for and discusses cryptozoological creatures such as Bigfoot and the Yeti, and educates viewers on techniques for wilderness survival. Segments on the programme usually begin with Barty taking a moment to press ‘play’ on a recording of Jerry Goldsmith's theme to the 1984 film Gremlins, then addressing the audience with a drawn-out, high-pitched "hiiiii" and introducing himself.
The videos were originally posted to Team Special Olympics, the now-defunct, pre-MSPA site run by Andrew, Cindy, and Byron, and have been posted to YouTube multiple times. Though the original uploads are no longer available, the entire series is available on the dedicated Barty Anderson account, and the unofficial sequel is available on its own account.
List of Barty Anderson videos[]
Barty's Brew-ha-ha[]
Plot[]
As per his custom, Barty (Byron) presses ‘play’ on his CD player and introduces himself, then gives an educational rant on Bigfoot. He invites the audience to accompany him on a Bigfoot hunt. During the hunt, Barty finds a flashlight from a previous hunt, but Bigfoot seems to be proving elusive. That is, until he (in the form of Andrew in a gorilla suit) pops out of nowhere and assaults Barty.
Later, apparently unharmed by the ordeal, Barty commences another segment of the programme. In preparation for another Bigfoot search, he attempts to give a short lecture on flashlights, but is unexpectedly interrupted by Bigfoot, who again assaults him. In the next segment, Barty is unable to complete even his introductory monologue before being assaulted by Bigfoot, and the video concludes amidst his protests.
Production[]
Though Nic Carey suggests that the character of Barty first debuted in the late 90s, the first video was actually made in 2001 or 2002. It was filmed by Joe Borton. Perhaps ironically, this first video is the only one in which a Bigfoot appears.
The video is referred to with the title Barty 1 by Andrew on the MSPA forums and in his YouTube account.
Barty's Brew-Ha-Ha 2: The Legend of the Skeleton's Curse[]
Plot[]
Barty as he appears in the second video.
Barty takes the audience on a tour of Philadelphia Zoo; as he fumbles around on the Zoo's Gorilla statue, the programme is interrupted by a voiceover from a man (Andrew) who introduces himself as parapsychologist Stewart Clammington. The man explains that he is searching for the remains of one Franklin Linkletter (played in flashback by Byron), a former client of his who has a large quantity of gold concealed in his corpse, and that he has enlisted Barty's tracking expertise to aid him in finding the gold. Clammington meets with Barty, and after some survival demonstrations, the two embark on their search.
Clammington reveals his true intentions.
Before long, Clammington's motives begin to seem increasingly murky, and he soon separates himself from Barty, revealing to the audience that he intends to hunt Barty, the perfect prey, for sport. Barty quickly spots the ineptly hidden Clammington, who manages to lead Barty on for a short while longer, in time for Barty to reach the point where he believes Linkletter's remains should lie. Pointing out that neither the body nor the gold are there, Clammington chastises Barty. Barty promptly receives a vision of Linkletter, instructing him to "follow the lights", which causes him to trek to an abandoned quarry, where he is once again disappointed to find no gold. Clammington reappears with a revelation: he has already found the gold, and he intends to kill Barty.
Clammington pursues Barty, stalking him through the quarry until Barty disarms him of his knife, and the two engage in a brutal fistfight. Clammington subdues Barty, and reveals the extent of his psychopathy, imitating Barty's distinctive voice and claiming that, through Barty's death, the two of them will become one. Clammington then draws a heretofore unseen revolver, and shoots Barty three times at point blank range, before unceremoniously dropping the gun on Barty's crotch. The video ends with a dedication to Barty's memory.
Production[]
Nic Carey put the production year for the second video as 2003. At least two edits exist of the video, as the video-length restrictions of YouTube forced Andrew to make a condensed edit that could be split into two ten-minute uploads. The original version was uploaded to Team Special Olympics in 2007, but, as the site is now defunct, that edit can be considered lost. Andrew has stated that he feels the shorter edit improves the pacing of the video, and that the final fight scene is slightly tighter. The video suffers from severe interlacing artifacts; Andrew wished to rectify this with the YouTube upload, but the currently-available upload is still affected.
Much of the footage under Clammington's introductory voiceover is taken from the unreleased films The Perfect Science and Tales of Lore, which detail the backstory of Stewart Clammington and Franklin Linkletter (the latter title being Linkletter's own cable access show). In addition to playing Linkletter in those films, Byron also plays a "Dracula" who punches Clammington out.
Nic Carey and Cindy Dominguez were the camerawomen for much of the video, and they make a brief appearance during the trash-scavenging scene (walking away so that they would not be linked to the embarrassing spectacle by other passers-by).
Three false mustaches were used for the two lead characters, and Byron and Andrew swapped between them between scenes without any thought for continuity. Andrew has given this as a point in favor of a Fight Club interpretation of the plot, where Barty and Clammington are really the same person. The video's ending was determined by chance: Andrew and Byron played rock-paper-scissors to determine which character would die at the finale. The weather during filming in the quarry was reportedly extremely cold, much to Andrew's dismay, as his role involved being stripped to a t-shirt and repeatedly falling to the gravel.
In addition to the Gremlins theme, Barty also plays John Williams’ theme to Jurassic Park in several sequences. Both of these tracks come from an album of soundtrack covers called Music from Scary Movies, which, oddly, features a surprising amount of music from movies that are not scary. The upbeat song featured during Barty and Clammington's "teamwork" montage is "Teamwork", from the children's TV show LazyTown.
The video is referred to with the title Barty 2: The Legend of the Skeleton’s Curse, or just Barty 2, by Andrew on the MSPA forums.
Barty's Brew-Ha-Ha 3: The Myth of the Yeti's Legend[]
Plot[]
Barty attempts to begin this video in his usual way, but the events of the previous video have left him paralyzed and barely able to speak, and he has to be assisted by his foul-mouthed brother, Cash Anderson (Andrew). Cash explains that Barty's spine was damaged, and that he is now aiding in his brother's rehabilitation.
During a birthday celebration, Barty expresses a wish to search for the Yeti, in order to resume his former cryptozoological activities, and the two brothers soon set out, with Barty strapped to a makeshift "flotilla". After some time without progress, Cash believes he sees a Yeti, and gives chase, leaving Barty propped against a tree. Cash's "Yeti" turns out to be non-existent, and the chase results only in Barty falling over.
As a result of the unsuccessful expedition, Cash realizes that it is time to put Barty through a regimen of physical therapy, in order to restore him to a non-crippled state. The therapy proves successful, and Barty is soon able to make a triumphant return to his traditional monologue, where he announces his intention to continue the search for the Yeti.
The brothers prepare to set out yet again, this time by car, but Barty insists that, before they depart, he must check the car's tire pressure as a safety precaution. While he is behind the car, Cash mistakenly reverses and runs Barty over. Upon realizing what he has done, Cash flees the scene, leaving Barty lying motionless where he was hit. The video concludes with another memorial to Barty.
Production[]
The third video was released in 2007, shortly after the online release of the second. The biggest obstacle to the production, according to Cindy Dominguez, was convincing Byron to return to the lead role for a third time, and this meant it is likely to be the last entry in the series (although Cindy said this prior to the release of the video blogs).
Fans have noted that each of the videos seems to take place in a different house; the theory that Barty is homeless and uses other people's houses has been proposed as an explanation. The theory would also explain Barty's penchant for trash-diving, revealed in the second video. Byron has expressed implicit support for the theory, saying that Barty could have learned his survivalist skills as a result of being "homeless and completely unemployable". Alternatively, the different settings are explained by the years-long spans between the productions of the videos, Byron and the others likely having moved multiple times during these periods.
The Gremlins theme returns during Barty's monologues, while, elsewhere, use is made of two tracks commonly used in montage sequences: "Yakety Sax" plays during Cash's chase after the imaginary Yeti, while Joe Esposito's "You’re the Best" plays during Barty's exercise montage.
The video is referred to with the title Barty 3: The Myth of the Yeti's Legend by Andrew on the MSPA forums.
Unofficial Barty videos[]
Barty's Brew-Ha-Ha 4: Tale of the Legend of the Crystal Chubacabra[]
Plot[]
Barty (Alison Herndon) begins his adventure claiming that he'd been "busy as a bumblebee" in the eight years since his last appearance in 2007, providing a recap of the previous two films, as well as detailing his recovery at a monastery in "northeastern Tibet".
Continuing his perpetual search for the Yeti, Barty discusses the Yeti's traditional Zoroastrian beliefs and attempts unsuccessfully to climb a tree. He returns home to enjoy a breakfast of poorly-prepared grits, and is back outside after claiming to have tracked the scent (composed of AXE body spray and rotting bananas) of a Yeti. He's suddenly interrupted by a Deli Master (Jake Baker), who has sought Barty out in his quest to find the Crystal Chubacabra.
During a monologue, Barty is interrupted by a call from the nefarious Stewart Clammington, who taunts Barty. Barty retires to his 'happy place' to relax after Clammington's mockery. During his meditation, he is tormented by visions of dogs, eventually passing out and awakening in the presence of the Deli Master, who reiterates his cryptic remarks about the Crystal Chubacabra, before vanishing ominously.
Barty accepts the task of tracking the Crystal Chubacabra without much ado, embarking to track the creature, and briefly mistaking a knot in a tree for it. Suddenly, Barty is struck by a heat wave, and is briefly incapacitated. Upon recovery, he provides valuable notes on how to avoid drowning in such a wave.
Barty is suddenly attacked by a similarly-dressed man (Jake), who claims to be "the imitation [Barty] wished for." Clammington rings Barty once again, but is taunted by the Fake Barty Anderson who then hangs up. Barty, who is visibly uncomfortable, is introduced to the Fake Barty's Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, dubbed 'Walt'. Fake Barty professes a love for Barty, the two embrace, and then ride off in the car. Back at Barty's house, Barty is viewing a hot webcomic when Fake Barty begins to serenade him with a rendition of the Jurassic Park theme, to which Barty elegantly dances.
The scene abruptly cuts to Barty plodding about in a field of overgrown grass, with a narrating voice revealing that the Fake Barty had "disappeared in a wisp", leaving Barty alone once more without purpose. Barty, laying prone in the field, is disturbed by the Crystal Chubacabra (portrayed by two black dogs, one with short hair and one with longer hair). Barty is pleased with this discovery, and begins to present the audience with some essential survival tips before being distracted by the Deli Master, whom he attempts to beckon. The Fake Barty returns, and claims that the Deli Master is supposed to be Barty's enemy, but is not. Barty doesn't understand, and is blown away by the Fake Barty.
Barty recovers, and resumes wandering around, soon finding a note reading:
- "I AM ALREADY HERE - Stewart Clammington"
Barty's reading of the note is punctuated by Clammington's laughter, and he reveals himself as the camera operator. With a butter knife drawn, Clammington gives chase to the fleeing Barty. Barty is eventually thrown to the floor, begging for mercy, until he is able to temporarily disarm Clammington and flee. Barty loses him, coming to rest at a Yeti shrine.
Both the Deli Master and the Fake Barty convene, each revealing themself to be a manifestation of Barty's psyche; the Fake Barty being his super-ego, the Deli Master being his ego, and Clammington representing his id. Barty is overwhelmed by the Deli Master, Fake Barty, and Clammington's voices, which culminate in repetition of the word "keep". Barty collapses on the ground as the voices fall silent.
The shot cuts to a motionless Barty lying atop what appears to be a bed. The camera silently dollies in to Barty's face and concludes with a memorial to Barty.
Production[]
Barty's Brew-Ha-Ha 4: Tale of the Legend of the Crystal Chubacabra is, as of yet, the longest installment of any Barty Anderson video at just shy of half an hour, as well as the first rendered in high definition. Released on August 10, 2015 on YouTube, the series returns after a near eight-year absence. It was initially teased on both August 5th and August 7th with two "television spots", styled as B4rty 4derson [sic].
As this is an unofficial sequel, none of the previous performers return. The identity of the performer behind the voice of Stewart Clammington is unknown, though it may be Jake Baker, Kenny Herndon, or more likely, the unnamed cameraperson.
The Gremlins theme returns as part of Barty's monologues. "Old Buggy Now" by Michael Guy Bowman is the song featured in the driving sequence. Music from the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road is used during the chase sequence between Clammington and Barty.
Subsequent internet presence[]
In 2010, Byron decided to update Barty's web presence, posting new videos to the Barty Anderson YouTube account and later giving him social media accounts on twitter and tumblr. The first three videos are video blogs, where Barty addresses his audience on various topics. The first invites audience members to join Barty in the quest to finally prove the existence of cryptozoological creatures, by becoming a "Barty Scout" (a term he just then made up). The second video blog is a rumination on whether the Illuminati and the Freemasons control the Hip Hop industry. In the third, Barty shows off his new Bigfoot tattoo, and admits that he doesn’t have much else going on. The next, and to date latest, video contains Barty’s tips on boat safety, given from the back of a kayak. Since the video blogs, Barty's official web presence is mostly confined to sporadic tweets, and the occasional "special guest appearance" on Byron's podcasts.
External links[]
- Barty Anderson YouTube account
- One of Andrew Hussie's YouTube accounts, with an alternate upload of the first video
- Barty 2: The Legend of the Skeleton's Curse on MSPA Forums
- Barty 3: The Myth of the Yeti's Legend on MSPA Forums
- The Barty Appreciation Thread on MSPA Forums
- Barty Anderson and Byrobot Appreciation Zone on MSPA Forums (thread started by Nic Carey)
- The films on IMDB:
| Works by Andrew Hussie | |
|---|---|
| Homestuck Universe | Homestuck (Hivebent) • Hiveswap/Hauntswitch • The Homestuck Epilogues • Homestuck^2: Beyond Canon • Hiveswap Friendship Simulator • Pesterquest • Paradox Space • Skaianet Systems Incorporated • Snapchat |
| MS Paint Adventures | Jailbreak • Bard Quest • Problem Sleuth (Midnight Crew) • Homestuck • Ryanquest |
| Team Special Olympics | Blurb • Scriblettes • Whistles • And It Don't Stop • Neon Ice Cream Headache |
| Other | Barty Anderson • Jandrew Edits • Wizardology • Namco High • Psycholonials |