This week’s Reddit live interviews took us from the celestial pontifications of an astronaut to the far more Earthbound reality of living with Leukemia.
David Croach was a long-time Redditor before recently scoring a job as the site’s new community manager. The best news of his life was followed by the worst news of his life: His doctor called. He had Leukemia. On Thursday, the site asked for Reddit’s help to find Croach a bone marrow donor. On Friday, Croach took to r/IAmA, typing up his answers on an iPad from his hospital room.
Croach’s AMA squeaked into the top seven this week, behind comedian Aziz Ansari, astronaut Roy Garan, and a guy who rode his motorcycle from The Netherlands to Nepal.
Below, we’ve compiled the top seven posts (seven being our lucky number) from Reddit’sr/IAmA this week, as voted by redditors themselves. We’ve also included a sample question and answer from each. For the complete list, check here.
A note on terminology: AMA stands for “ask me anything,” while “IAmA” is simply “I am a;” AMAA means “ask me almost anything.”
Q: What DON’T you miss about earth or its inhabitants? (ImKindOfBlind)
A: It was sad to look at the indescribable beauty of the planet we have been given while thinking about the unfortunate realities of life on our planet for a significant number of her inhabitants (those that don’t have clean water to drink, food to eat and the poverty and conflict that exists). It really is a sobering contradiction.
2. I am Aziz Ansari. Comedian/actor. Thanks for having me again. AMA.
Q: When did you decide to go with the 5 dollar stand up on your website?(sphilip)
A: I recorded the special in June and paid for it myself, knowing I wanted to release it online. A few months later I was with Louis CK watching his special while he edited and he told me his plan. I wasn’t sure if it would work. It clearly did. People loved that method and immediately I was asked if I would do it so, it seemed like a smart move
3. M’athchomaroon! My name is David J. Peterson, and I’m the creator of the
Dothraki language for HBO’s Game of Thrones – AMA [x-post from r/Fantasy]
Q: Which character does the best job of speaking how you envision it? (Scottiedontdunk)
A: I thought, personally, that Dar Salim did the best job with Dothraki (or at least the parts I’m remembering). He had the best-pronounced (or most authentically-pronounced) line of the entire first season—and he pronounced like almost seconds before he was killed off. So it goes. ;)
Both Elyes Grabel and Amrita Acharia are also really good, and both Emilia Clarke and Iain Glen are appropriate, in that they’re faithfully pronouncing like a foreigner would.
Q:How did this affect your upbringing and your romantic life? (AlfredJKwak)
A: I grew up hating myself for a very long time. On top of looking like i do i grew up white in heavy heavy heavy hispanic neighborhoods. I never had friends for a long time and was pretty much a social outcast.
It wasnt until highschool when i met gothkids and found a group that loves freaks that i actually had friends and learned to accept myself for what i look like. These days im very comfortable with things and have a good assortment of friends.
Romantic wise though its a little slow. I didnt lose my virginity till i was 20 and still have a hard time getting close to people in a physical setting. I have had a couple good relationships on both sides of the gender aisle but never anything serious.
Q: Did you need to seek medical attention in any country and if so, what was the experience like? (mrsavage84)
A: I crashed the bike @ 80km/h in Turkmenistan. Luckily only some bruses and scratches. The bruises were painful and in Tajikistan I showed them to a doctor. He was English, also staying at the homestay where I was staying. I did buy some medicine, stuff like Paracetamol and Ibuprofin due to muscle ache. Most stuff can be found, although sometimes the pharmacies have little stock. I had a special travel insurance so in case of emergency I would be brought back home.
6. IAmA 26-year old software engineer and I’m running for US Congress. AMA
Q: You stated in r/libertarian that taxation is theft. A member of congress makes $174,000 per year. Are you still going to cash your check if you get the job?
A: We should pay our legislatures, but nowhere near what they make. I haven’t decided to what degree, but I will be returning around half of that salary directly to the state in some way, either through a check to the state or by investing it in some charity. I’ll probably just match my current salary + whatever it costs to maintain an apartment in DC. I do plan on rooming with some friends though. That’s a sitcom waiting to happen. I will absolutely not participate in the pension plan.
Q:How has (if at all) the disease changed how you view life? (TLDRFORTHEPEOPLE)
A: It really hasn’t, but I guess I just haven’t given it much thought. I figure, once you start thinking about stuff like that, it’s possible to slip into negativity land. I just try to keep my days as normal as possible and not get too wrapped up in thought.
Image by David Shankbone
