No more ads from Art of Charm please

[Farvana 8]

Hey, posting this in the forum to (hopefully) get public reinforcement.

 

I love the show; all the goofy jokes and dice-rolling are great distractions while at work. I even like the show enough to check out some of the advertisers.

 

I can't remember the episode, but Art of Charm had been mentioned in an ad; I just got around to checking it out this morning. Seeing that Art Of Charm used to be called the Pickup Podcast was discouraging, but I gave it a shot anyways, hoping that maybe the show wouldn't just be a bunch of idiot frat kids.

 

Welp.

 

Pickup artists are asshats, and it comes across as incredibly condescending that you give attention to people promising that they'll help us get laid and get friends ('cause liking D&D means we're lonely, awkward basement dwellers, right?).

 

If you have to take their money in order to keep the show running, well, take it. If it can be avoided, though, please avoid it. Pickup artists are no less sexist than the Comic-Con creeps.

[telegramsam 92]

Yeah, I have to be honest, I picked up on that too when I first heard that ad. I don't know if they're really a great sponsor for this show.

[JJ Yossarian 12]

Hey, posting this in the forum to (hopefully) get public reinforcement.

 

I love the show; all the goofy jokes and dice-rolling are great distractions while at work. I even like the show enough to check out some of the advertisers.

 

I can't remember the episode, but Art of Charm had been mentioned in an ad; I just got around to checking it out this morning. Seeing that Art Of Charm used to be called the Pickup Podcast was discouraging, but I gave it a shot anyways, hoping that maybe the show wouldn't just be a bunch of idiot frat kids.

 

Welp.

 

Pickup artists are asshats, and it comes across as incredibly condescending that you give attention to people promising that they'll help us get laid and get friends ('cause liking D&D means we're lonely, awkward basement dwellers, right?).

 

If you have to take their money in order to keep the show running, well, take it. If it can be avoided, though, please avoid it. Pickup artists are no less sexist than the Comic-Con creeps.

 

I could not agree more. You said exactly everything I was thinking, and I wanted to add my voice in support of cutting this sponsor if possible.

[telegramsam 92]

Alright, just reiterating the call for removing Art of Charm from your sponsors list. It's really not in the spirit of the podcast/alt comedy in general. I'd like to hear what Earwolf has to say about pickup artists.

 

There are a lot of intelligent, anti-misogyny comedians (male and female) on these podcasts (at least I'd like to think so) and the underlying tone of pick-up "artistry" is misogynistic. AoC is just really not an appropriate sponsor for this show and it kind of hurts the vibe when I hear the ads come on.

 

Thoughts?

[GarthHansen 16]

I became physically downcast when I heard Brian say "we like the show" in re art of charm.

[aelfinn 27]

maybe its because I just tend to mentally tune out the ads, but when was the art of charm one of the sponsors? I honestly can't recall it.

[Foltaire 333]

I haven't listened to the podcast in question, but if they're anything like the typical PUA jerks every self-respecting adult loathes, it's definitely a little odd promoting them here. I've seen Scott Aukerman commenting on the forums about the mistreatment of female comics, and I can't help but feel that any philosophy which necessarily perpetuates the notion that women are manipulable objects to be tricked into sex is at least somewhat contrary to the Earwolf vibe.

[telegramsam 92]

maybe its because I just tend to mentally tune out the ads, but when was the art of charm one of the sponsors? I honestly can't recall it.

 

Yeah, they were a sponsor for this last episode, Smell the Weird Rope. Still waiting for any acknowledgement form Earwolf or anyone connected to the show.

[AdamSachs 115]

Thanks everybody for bringing this to our attention. Since it's a holiday weekend, we have a lot of people away on vacation. But we'll discuss this internally asap and be back in touch with you all. I really appreciate - and certainly always welcome - the feedback.

 

Adam

[AdamSachs 115]

I hope you all had a good holiday weekend.

 

I just wanted to reach out to this thread again with an update. Art of Charm will no longer be advertising on Nerd Poker. Ultimately, I think everyone involved agreed that it wasn't a good fit. As I'm sure you all know, we're always focused on keeping the lights on through sponsorship while balancing that with matching advertisers that fit audiences of our shows.

 

Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. We all really appreciate it.

 

Best,

Adam

[aelfinn 27]

 

Yeah, they were a sponsor for this last episode, Smell the Weird Rope. Still waiting for any acknowledgement form Earwolf or anyone connected to the show.

 

it's funny, not long after making that post I listened to the latest episode and finally noticed the ad… yeah not a good fit for the show.

[telegramsam 92]

Thanks, Adam!

 

I love this show and I want it to have awesome sponsors. The other sponsors have been great, btw--so many interesting products and services out there to check out (audible, loot crate, dollar shave club, and cards against humanity come to mind).

[AdamSachs 115]

Thanks, Adam!

 

I love this show and I want it to have awesome sponsors. The other sponsors have been great, btw--so many interesting products and services out there to check out (audible, loot crate, dollar shave club, and cards against humanity come to mind).

I'm very glad to hear that!

[robinsbruce 4985]

Yeah I got loot crate because of this particular podcast. I feel like you guys do a pretty good job picking sponsors which is why it does seem so incongruous to hear that ad in this show or the snus ad on fogelnest files.

 

Thanks Adam, very Ullrichian of you to reach out and make the decision so quickly.

[AdamSachs 115]

 

Thanks Adam, very Ullrichian of you to reach out and make the decision so quickly.

That's high praise and I appreciate it!

[Killingsworth 0]

I haven't listened to the podcast in question, but if they're anything like the typical PUA jerks every self-respecting adult loathes, it's definitely a little odd promoting them here. I've seen Scott Aukerman commenting on the forums about the mistreatment of female comics, and I can't help but feel that any philosophy which necessarily perpetuates the notion that women are manipulable objects to be tricked into sex is at least somewhat contrary to the Earwolf vibe.

 

Alright, just reiterating the call for removing Art of Charm from your sponsors list. It's really not in the spirit of the podcast/alt comedy in general. I'd like to hear what Earwolf has to say about pickup artists.

 

There are a lot of intelligent, anti-misogyny comedians (male and female) on these podcasts (at least I'd like to think so) and the underlying tone of pick-up "artistry" is misogynistic. AoC is just really not an appropriate sponsor for this show and it kind of hurts the vibe when I hear the ads come on.

 

Thoughts?

 

Is there any way to improve your luck with women that won't get labeled misogynistic?

[HunterJE 618]

Treating them like human beings and not objects of conquest to be tricked and defeated, maybe?

[Killingsworth 0]

Not that it'll make any difference, but you're just making assumptions about the show based on its former name. They actually go to great lengths to bash the type of guys in The Game in some episodes.

 

So if I learn how to dress better or tell better stories or body language or whatever, that dehumanizes them? Good to know.

[HunterJE 618]

A telling quote from the AoC website, from the section advertising their so-called "charm academy":

 

"How to use body language to 'break through her shell'. Did you know that body language is your most important tool to build attraction? We’ll show you 3 ways to use non-verbal cues to make her melt with desire..."

 

This is pretty typical of the kind of claims the site makes. The implicit attitude is that women are a puzzle to be solved, a shell to be broken; that there are special techniques that will "make [women] melt with desire." Rather than a meeting of equals forming a mutual attraction, you are promised methods to make women be in to you. You are told you are entitled to this, and that if only you can unlock this secret all the women will suddenly realize they've wanted you all along.

[Killingsworth 0]

"Rather than a meeting of equals forming a mutual attraction"

 

That's the thing...you're not equals. The average girl has way more options than the average guy. 99% of the time, it's the guy doing the approaching/messaging. If a guy can't build attraction himself, that means there's nothing he can do but sit back in hope. It makes much more sense to talk about it like they did, with active language rather than passive.

 

Also, I think teaching that you have to improve yourself to make girls like you is the opposite of "entitlement."

[telegramsam 92]

Eh, I don't know… I'm no sociologist, but something about it rubbed me the wrong way. Also I thought it was weird that it was strictly geared towards heterosexual men.

[HunterJE 618]

That's the thing...you're not equals. The average girl has way more options than the average guy. 99% of the time, it's the guy doing the approaching/messaging.

 

And wow, there is the exact us-versus-them attitude that creeps people out. Hint: The fact that this attitude creeps as many people out as is evident from all the posts above, maybe it's not really your best bet, brother.