A few years ago I traded a couple emails with Tucker Max asking for general life advice. He made a bunch of sweeping inaccurate generalizations about me (e.g. guessing that I was Asian with conservative immigrant parents). I emailed him again a couple weeks later and he told me that I was annoying, and then started red-dotting my RMMB account about once a month. That made me realize that he was kind of a prick, but it also made me realize that I didn't really need his or anyone else's validation to get my shit together. So, in that sense, I guess he did me a favor. I also remember predicting that his movie would be flop simply by how defensive he got whenever anyone criticized anything about it. He dismissed any criticism out of hand (or deleted posts) that the whole board was convinced that the movie would win an Oscar and go down as one of the greatest of all time. Hopefully I don't sound bitter, I'm not. I still have a signed copy of his book that a friend picked up for me, and it is a hilarious read. I think the guy is successful because he is very talented and hardworking, and I think his marketing and business strategies were the most interesting elements about him. Definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next.
I have never been a fan of Tucker and followed him out of a love-to-hate kind of fascination, and thought he disappeared after the movie failure. Seeing that he's still around surprised me. This was going to be my story. Harry didn't go to the signing in DC so I decided to get it for him for Christmas. Waiting in that line made me pretty cranky, so when I finally got to Tucker and he reads the Post-it note on the book and says "[HC's real name]? What a beautiful name" and then winked, I found it disproportionately hilarious because heeheehee he thinks a boy's name is beautiful. Then I turned to leave, got my foot stuck in the opposite leg of my pants, and tripped and fell into the arms of one of his huge beefy friends that accompanied him. (I actually wonder if it was one of those guys from RMMB who knew him; I was never able to keep those things straight.) The two of them laughed and I rushed away. I don't think an interaction between the two of us could've happened any other way.
I found IHTSBIH purely on a fluke. Nobody I have ever known has even HEARD of Max, but I was browsing through the humour section of a bookstore one day and saw the cover, and bought it on a whim simply because of the title. I also coincidently bought Maddox's book at the same time that very day, but I don't think he's funny. I LIKED the book, though I found nothing revolutionary about it. It was basically a party journal, right down to the "times" of when things happen. I thoroughly enjoyed the Austin Road Trip, Midland and Foxfield stories. On the other hand, a few chapters (especially "The Night We Almost Died") left me asking "Why is such an uninteresting and completely common story in a published book?" I didn't find the RMMB until I bought the book, because he mentioned it a couple of times in the print. I was a "late bloomer" to the board, I joined days just before my favourite thread on there: the RedHighHeels advice thread, which the mods tore strips off some cheating chick with insults I have could not have even imagined with my sick mind. It was this thread that made me stick around, because I was still a loyal member of the now defunct The Phat Phree (still the funniest internet site ever) and I was being horribly bashed by a parasite of a mod (the only person I ever TRULY hated on RMMB) for daring to post on the threads right away instead of "lurking more". I argue back, I get banned. Again and again. So, I changed my ID and here I am. I have paid no attention to Max whatsoever since the RMMB closed. I haven't read his new book(s) and truthfully I liked Philalawyer's book overwhelmingly more than anything Tucker's written. Whatever Max is up to I wish him luck, but I definetly see him coming back to this writing style again.
I stumbled on Tuckers website by chance, and I've read parts of his first two books while browsing/killing time at various bookstores. I like the man as a writer, and I hung around the RMMB with various accounts for a while. From the one time I chatted with him in some stupid thread, he came across as a massive douche. I've always felt that he played up some aspects of his stories, I'd be completely taken by surprise if any of his stories were 100% honest. So I've always taken his stories as what they are, comedy, and that's how I've always enjoyed Tucker; he's an excellent comedian.
FOCUS I recall reading all of the stories as far back as '04, I remember laughing uncontrollably at work. I can recall reading a story here or there after that but I never had the urge to go back to them and reread them. I didn't really join the RMMB until '05 but I got a lot more out of that, I am grateful to Tucker for that. I was able to connect with American culture while I was stuck half a world away. As time wore on, and Tucker's personality really shone through as to his true nature in his writing on the board, especially once the movie talk began (pre-production); I could tell this was not someone I had any interest in knowing or caring about. I recall the board started to turn to shit, a lot of people had their e-balls chopped off by moderators for disagreeing with the "collective." There was so much group-think going on and ego stroking that I got sick of the place completely. The clearest memory I have of that time was responding to the "suggest a name for the movie thread" with the title "Pork Sword" and getting all kinds of red dots saying that is an awful name. In response, I told a lot of those people that that movie idea was destined to go down in flames. It wasn't any real shock to me when the RMMB was shuttered once it became clear that Tucker's failure was complete and his lemmings were shamed for a complete lack of a sense of reality. He had no other choice. ALT FOCUS Will I continue to pay attention? Nope. I don't like the guy or what he stands for. I didn't spend a dime on his books or movie and I won't in the future. To me, this seems more like a ploy for someone who has slinked away in defeat, licked his wounds and coming back in a new angle of attack. I don't find him genuine.....actually, I don't care if he is or not.
I found out about Tucker after reading Maddox's site back in '05. I read Tucker's writing (and the work of the other writers on Rudius Media [particularly Philalawyer, Devilmonkey, Drunkasaurus Rex, and Slow Children at Play]) and enjoyed it, but never got on the message board until '06. It was great, and I had a fun time until I pissed off some moderators (The Bunny and sillylittlefreak, though I've since found out others were involved, like Poopourri.), and they started banning me and screwing with my account (editing my posts to make me sound gay, changing my avatar and screen-name, deleting posts, etc.). As far as the funny goes, do any of you remember when the poster "Jkizzy" sent me a bunch of sexually explicit PMs, and a thread was started about it? (Thread title: "I wanna fuck you on the hood of your Trans Am!") I thought that was pretty damned hilarious. I'll read his stuff, but I'm not going to pay for it again. I bought "Assholes Finish First" when it came out. My review: More of the same, only worse.
Not trying to call you out on this, but do you mean as a person or his writings? I enjoy his writing, but I really appreciate and admire his insistence on doing what you want even if it isn't easy. Not so much fucking and drinking, but more of the "following your heart" and trying things outside of your comfort zone. He is pretty inspirational in that area considering the whole future lawyer thing. And I think his success holds a lot of merit. What I got most out of Tucker and RMMB was: "Why the fuck do you care what other people think? Do what makes you happy and do it well. Get out, try new things."
I'm glad to hear it - mid thirties sounds like about right to end the fratire chapter. I'm curious to see what he's got in store, and I'll definitely check it out. I found Tucker when I was 18 and joined the old board when I was 19 I think, so he was a pretty big influence on me in my early 20s. I idolized the guy during those years, and ate up everything he wrote - his stories were great, but I mean all the stuff he wrote about life. In my mind he could do no wrong, and everything he said was basically the gospel. In the end, I learned my most important lesson from him when I went down to Seattle to one of the premier showings of his movie. I thought the movie was awful, but I was so obsessed with Tucker, and he had me so convinced this was going to be THE comedy movie of all time, that my mind wouldn't accept that it sucked. I literally told myself for a few days after that it must have just been the crazy atmosphere, long trip to get there, whatever, and that I was just too amped up to pay attention and enjoy the movie. Finally I realized... it was just mediocre at best. (In my opinion, anyway.) The movie's epic and complete failure at the box office showed me that everybody is fallible. Oh and I'll second the protester's sign photoshop thread as one of my favorite moments. I was going through all my old pictures last week and came across the ones I did and had a good laugh. Wish I would have saved some others from the thread.
I liked the writings, so I followed the board. It seemed a lot like a younger, wilder Ron White: a drunk guy with some fun stories, a unique perspective, decent message and a good voice. The article was hilarious and sad at the same time, like seeing one of your buddies with a 30-day AA chip on his keychain, but still having to drive a moped thanks to 2 DUI convictions. Basically, Tucker has grown up, stopped being a boozing, whoring fuckbag and now does yoga, drinks organically fermented juice, goes to a therapist 4 days a week and dates a woman named Scarlett. So, from entertaining, drunken asshole to best-selling author and arguably "Fratire's" leading man to the world's most boring hipster? I can't say I'm surprised, but I can't say I care either. I do find it a little silly that he's "retiring" but he's still going to publish two more books. Shouldn't you retire from writing books when you are not going to...you know...write and publish more books?
I am not sure who this Tucker dude is, but that PhilaLawyer can put together a fucking sentence. Half the time I'm aware that he's basically bullshitting, but it's pleasing to read. I'm glad that guy found writing: It's good he's in a profession where that sort of thing is a benefit.
As a person. His original writing was good, there is no arguing that. Can he cross over to a new genre and find success? Who knows? I don't care. This seems like someone who has the self awareness to realize that teens and twenty-somethings probably aren't interested in the dated escapades of a thirty to fourty-something year old guy saying: "I remember when I was your age.....". If he intends to remain a relevant writer (as film clearly didn't work out for him), he has to reinvent himself. As I wasn't surprised when his film flopped, I won't be surprised if his new book does more poorly than expected. I'm not a psychologist, but it doesn't take one to realize that for someone to have all the deep-seated issues which he touches on in the article and then exclaim that he is better and a totally different person now sounds rather disingenuous to me. Writing is his business, marketing is part of business. He is trying to market himself as something other than what people know him to be to continue to put food on the table. Unless of course you take him at his word......
I've always thought that Tucker's biggest weakness is that he doesn't realize he's the villain in his own stories. His stories are entertaining to the degree that they're crafted as "look at this tremendous asshole, but funny right?" The second he tries to make the audience venerate, or even sympathize with, the Tucker character, he loses them. The film had a lot of glaring flaws, but that for me was the biggest. Tucker is not a hero, he's not the guy who saves the day. He's the comedy fodder who the central characters eventually realize is dragging them down and ditch in favor of a happy ending. Or he's the guy who reigns triumphant in an unhappy ending. Either or.
If Tucker Max is ANYTHING like his movie character, I would be in the same room as him. Matt Czwerewnrzdmfnsdlkfany played to a degree that was so fucking obnoxious and grating that I found him to be possibly the most irritating movie character since Ducky from Pretty In Pink. I stand by that. I honestly wanted him to lose, then die in the movie. The only part at all that made me laugh out loud was Max's cameo as the milquetoast best man reading the boring, generic speech. Nobody would find that scene funny unless you knew it was him, and it was a GREAT inside joke. The only actor I cared for in the movie was Geoff Stults. Oh, and the McGriddle Rant? No, it isn't awesome. I actually hated it so much I stopped reading it. I hated it more than anything in the entire book (or movie, a scene we could all do without).
This is what I took most from the whole experience, as well. I joined the RMMB when I was 19 and still very impressionable, and subsequently learned a lot of good things, from writing and humor to the value of perseverance and living life in your own way. His narcissism, while often off-putting, also taught me a valuable lesson that being high on yourself can sometimes be an awful thing. For all he preached about self-confidence, he often crossed the line into self-delusion. The "everyone look at me, I'm so awesome!" shtick is best left to 17-year-old girls whose parents don't love them. As for his stories, I'd say "Everyone Has THAT Friend," or any other story that features hearty doses of "SlingBlade," would be right at the top of my list. I only read AFF once and don't remember the stories particularly well, but I remember thoroughly enjoying the "Capitol City Clown Crawl" and "DC Halloween Party." The Harlem RV story was funny, but so goddamned drawn out. Tucker got a lot of criticism for his movie, both before and after. In particular, that he and Nils refused to accept offers to hand the script over to a studio. That may have been my favorite part about the whole endeavor. Maybe the particulars weren't handled very well, but I tip my hat to the guy for sticking by something so personal to him, when most other people in his position would have deferred to "professionals."
I came across his site in 2004 as an 18 year old before he had any sort of widespread fame. Not long after that I remember writing him a short email about the positive influence he was having on me, and he wrote a short sentence back telling me I was one of the few who 'got' the stories and was 'headed for great things' (direct quote). So I will leave it to you guys as to whether or not I was one of the first kiss-asses for Tucker Max. I joined the RMMB in 2007, when I was 21, and grew addicted to the place because I let the attitude of the mods and posters rub off on me and suddenly I was getting laid and having fun a lot more often. So I have to admit, a douchebag or not, the guy and the community around him got me to open up and experience a lot more in life, both socially and even intellectually (the reading list, without a doubt, is what kept me there). I really can't ignore the influence he had on me throughout my 20s. I'm happy to see him move on. I think the stuff he comes up with next will be good, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the best parts of the RMMB - the genesis if this board - end up being the lifeblood of his next project.
So instead of believing someone you dislike may've genuinely become a better person, you'd rather believe (without any evidence beyond "smells a bit fishy, this") they lied - across several interviews - about extremely personal issues, and had their best friend* and current girlfriend** lie about it as well? Fucking jesus, man. Wait, wait, I get it now - the two girls aren't lying, Tucker and the interviewer concocted this story (along with all the embarassing interviewer backstory to really sell it) to give each other some publicity, right? *who was either not in therapy at all, or apparently missed the bit about 'not lying about other people's therapy' **who's also lying about her own therapy, naturally. EDIT: Shit, I forgot about the food on his table - of course Tucker and Bunny are also lying about the extent of his wealth - he's actually poverty-stricken, hence the need to engage in this elaborate deciet.
Okay, I basically agree with ODEN. I think that interview, more than anything else, was evidence of how little he has changed. Sure, he's in therapy. Sure, he's made changes in his life. I don't deny any of those things. But the vignette about how he pointed out to that girl how she really needed to be in therapy--it boils down to "look at me!" So does all the talking about his therapy, for that matter. I get that he had a following, but the demise of fratire could easily have happened with a one paragraph blurb that said "35 year old Tucker Max, author of blah blah blah, creator of fratire, retires. Max moves on to a life of MMA, kombucha, and self-awareness." The self-indulgence of the 8 page interview is, and has always been, my problem with Tucker.
Girls, put down the pillows. You're BOTH beautiful. I'm sure there isn't some percentage of fabrication in his stories-- how many people fabricate stories on here without needing to? But I believe MOST of his stories. Why? Because everybody on here knows at least three dipshits they've crossed paths with who says loud ly and often "Somebody should write a story about my life!" and they, --like those freakshow American Idol contestants from the first two weeks-- have no CLUE how wrong they are. Max caught the cosmic break in this industry, because any book even remotely RESMEMBLING his will be considered a rip-off, the way any claustrophobic action film is considered a rip-off of Die Hard. Actually, Philalawyer's book was somewhat similar but I liked it WAY more. He's a good guy to talk to and I honestly think he has a calling as an author. His details get under your skin. It's easy to make up an unbelievable story, but it's hard to make up a relatable one. It's REALLY easy to make up a true one. I am sure they are not absolutely 100% true, but for the most part I take his word for it. I think all of those things happened generally happened that he writes about. Except "Tucker Does Drugs". Jesus, what a shitty, stupid and ridiculously moronic thing he wrote there. Hard truth: Does anybody else here think most of his one-liner quotes in the book IHTSBIH suck?
I agree with alot of people that the best result of the Tucker Max "experience" for me was the discovery of the RMMB and subsequently this board. It exposed me to alot of people, writing styles, and general information. Thats been really beneficial for me. As for Tucker himself. I got into him around 2004-2005 and got a bit caught up. I emailed back and forth with him about coming to campus during his college football fall tour, and talked to him via email one other time. Both experiences were meh at best. They reminded me of talking to the older kid in HS who felt they were beyond you and while they were cordial, their underlying disdain seeped through. Then AFF came out and I thought it was lazy. IHTSBH was hilarious and engaging. AFF seemed redundant and I laughed alot less. My roommates felt the same. That coupled with a few real life encounters my friends had with him and realizing the inherent inaccuracies in some of his stories kind of soured me and I was off the bandwagon. I think he is a very smart and perceptive guy. I actually think his writing outside of his books were better. His book writing is entertaining, but pales in comparison to alot of people like Philalawyer or even Nils at times. But I think he is completely full of shit. I just find it ironic that despite the writer's admiration, his new "adult" relationship is with a big titted 22 year old who has a clear expiration date, even if its emotionally. Sounds like classic Tucker, minus the philandering and drinking.