[TV] Guys who don't hear "no" aren't funny anymore

Charlie Don't Surf · Mar 21, 2014

http://www.avclub.com/article/full-boyle-guys-who-dont-hear-no-just-arent-funny--202474

I think this is a great little piece of writing. What do you think? It's ~about~ Brooklyn Nine Nine and contains quotes / references to episodes, but it's not really spoilery / a show that is spoiled, and you don't have to watch the show to follow. It's also about ~gender relations~ and has references to ~rape culture~ somewhat, so maybe you would be interested. I just wanted to share!!!

GasBandit · Mar 21, 2014

Are we now putting ~certain terms~ inside ~tilde brackets~ now? Is that a thing?

Charlie Don't Surf · Mar 21, 2014

I dunno why I did that three times in one post.

Chad Sexington · Mar 21, 2014

I guess my initial response is that the point of humour creating a 'safe' - or perhaps better, 'consequence free' - context for behaviours is so that we can laugh at them with the implicit knowledge that part of the reason it's funny is that not realistic. In reality harassers are unlikely to be otherwise socially functioning and lovable; the harassed are more (but not absolutely) likely now to get help if they cannot stop the problem. Part of me feels like these complaints ring of 'violent video games desensitize our children to violence!' I'm not oblivious to sexual harassment - I'm also not oblivious to the fact that I probably have and will overlook it at times, we are all fallible. I read and take voluntary sexual harassment education to highlight what I might not previously have considered. Meanwhile, the total hopelessness of Boyle and casual, curt rejections of Rosa have made me laugh.

Eh. If media should only show things as they are or as they should be, instead of as an unreality, I am less interested in media.

GasBandit · Mar 21, 2014

We're inculcated with teh raep culcher from a very early age, you see.

Charlie Don't Surf · Mar 21, 2014

GasBandit said:
We're inculcated with teh raep culcher from a very early age, you see.

This, but unironically.

GasBandit · Mar 21, 2014

Charlie Don't Surf said:
This, but unironically.

Well excuuuuu-uuuu-uuuuse me, Princess.

blotsfan · Mar 21, 2014

I don't think its unreasonable to not want someone at your wedding that you had feelings for. It could make things uncomfortable.

Hailey Knight · Mar 21, 2014

From the article:

And things played as textually creepy on Mad Men or Law & Order are being played for laughs in sitcoms with almost no change of context, except one: Sitcoms pretend there are no consequences for the woman being pursued.

This is a good point.

Frank · Mar 22, 2014

blotsfan said:
I don't think its unreasonable to not want someone at your wedding that you had feelings for. It could make things uncomfortable.

This, it's his fuckin' wedding.

Though I do agree with almost all of the rest of the article. The sad sack pursuer trope is shitty.

Bubble181 · Mar 24, 2014

Frank said:
The sad sack pursuer trope is shitty.

It's been said before a thousand times, but borderline-stalking and insisting after the first 50 "no"s is "creepy and evil" if the guy's ugly and "persistent and sincere" if he's cute and/or the protagonist.
Also, "what we learned because women always (have to) play hard to get".

Yeah, no, in reality, if she says no - quit it. With the opposite effect: if you actually want to play with him, don't be coy and say no, then be surprised if he doesn't pursue you any further.

Tress · Mar 24, 2014

I knew a girl in high school who had a rule: a guy must ask her out 3 times before she says yes, and the first 2 times will get a hard rejection. She thought this was the best way to make sure a guy was worth it.

Frank · Mar 24, 2014

That's part of the problem.

Cajungal · Mar 24, 2014

Tress said:
I knew a girl in high school who had a rule: a guy must ask her out 3 times before she says yes, and the first 2 times will get a hard rejection. She thought this was the best way to make sure a guy was worth it.

That is silly.

GasBandit · Mar 24, 2014

Yeah, way to make sure you end up with a guy who doesn't respect your wishes or care what you think. The type of girl who ends up a battered single parent within 10 years of high school.

Tress · Mar 24, 2014

Cajungal said:
That is silly.

Very. I wouldn't say she was the sharpest tool in the shed.

GasBandit said:
Yeah, way to make sure you end up with a guy who doesn't respect your wishes or care what you think. The type of girl who ends up a battered single parent within 10 years of high school.

She ended up not dating anyone until her third year of college, because *SURPRISE SURPRISE* no one wanted to put up with her bullshit. The guy she married is nice, though, so it worked out in the end I suppose. She just had a lot of growing up to do in her '20s to get there.

Fun Size · Mar 25, 2014

Tress said:
I knew a girl in high school who had a rule: a guy must ask her out 3 times before she says yes, and the first 2 times will get a hard rejection. She thought this was the best way to make sure a guy was worth it.

And this is why Beetlejuice's daughter never got to go to the senior prom.