Infinite Summer

I'm interested in possible connections between Hal's digging up his father's head (presumably to find the master copy of the Entertainment), the method of his father's death, and Hal's later apparent inability to converse.

Could JOI have been trying to somehow destroy the Entertainment by microwaving his head?

And could Hal's perceived speech problems indicate his audience is somehow afflicted, not Hal? Could everyone but Hal have watched the Entertainment, and that is their problem?

On your latter point, I've thought about that, too, but if everyone else had watched the Entertainment it's unlikely they would be as functional as Hal describes them as being. Also, mass Entertainment-viewing would suggest the A.F.R. had recovered the master copy and brought society to its knees, but it appears O.N.A.N. still exists at the time of Hal's UA interview, since there's still an O.N.A.N.C.A.A. Indeed, the outside world we see in November YOG seems little different from where we leave off in November YDAU - though it apparently is the last year of subsidized time, which raises yet another question.

p.s. - ain't acronyms fun?