Why no blacks guys on The Pickup Artist?

[speakeasy]

They've had white guys, Hispanic guys, Asian guys, Indian guys, guys whose ethnicity I'm not sure of, but no black guys yet? What's the deal? Is Mystery racist? Or do brothas just have so much natural game he couldn't find any to go on the show?

I'm just joking....kinda. But it is interesting that they have every type of dude on there but bruddas.

 

[Victory Unlimited]

As a Black man, it has been my experience that many of the PUA tactics like negs, canned openers, "in the club" kiss closes, and certain forms of PUA "kino" applications SIMPLY DO NOT WORK ON THE MAJORITY OF BLACK WOMEN that "I" have been with.

Now I have been with some black women that they do work on-----but this has been a novelty, and NOT the norm. Perhaps other African American posters here may agree or disagree, but there is a stark difference between the way our women react to this stuff as opposed to some other ethnic groups.

And oddly, the only ones that DID respond to these kinds of tactics were the black women who were more multi-cultural in their friendships, tastes, and attitudes. Not sure WHY that was the case, but I thought it was an interesting observation.


In my community (African American), we either need to have extra-strength natural skills OR we must be Jedi Level Seduction Masters to get away with most PUA tactics on our women.

Now, not ALL black women are this hard to crack----but many of them are. But I've found that for the most part, the whole masculinity/feminity switch that has occured in our culture seems to be MORE amplified in our community.

There is a cliche in the black community that says "When white people catch a cold...black people catch the FLU."

Now, what this means is that if there is a demographic of white women out here with hearts as "soft" as a rock, then you can rest assured that there's a demographic of black women out here who probably have hearts that are as soft as titanium steel.

There are MANY reasons why this is considered an unscientific truth, but I won't get into them here. Just know that this has been MY experience...AND, it has been the experience of MOST black men that I know personally.

But lastly, BACK ON TOPIC:

Rest assured, that if they ever DO have an African American guy on the Pickup Artist, I'd be willing to bet that when they send HIM out into the field-------they'll probably send his ass at WHITE women too------instead of black ones.

Otherwise, they might have to re-title the show "The FUKK UP Artist. :crackup:

 

[speakeasy]

You know, I've had some of the same suspicions too. When I've read some of David D's c&f jokes, I've thought that stuff seems to fit white guy's style better. And shoot...try walking into a black club dressed like Mystery and see how long you last!

 

[Flabbergasped?]

Ok, I'm a black guy, so I have an understandable bias. This is my feeling on this issue in general.

VH1 is a purely media-channel. The pick-up artist is meant to appeal to standard media stereotypes, that why they picked the nerdiest looking guys to "transform".

They could have easily picked some fit, well-to-do MMA fighter who can't get any because he doesn't have any game. There's plenty of those in the US. Instead, they picked the kids who got punked in high school.

In popular media, there's two types of black guys: the ultraviolent, irrationally emotional types (check any season of the Real World or Big Brother, the token black guy is almost always crazy/violent), and the nerdy Urkel type (hyperbolized by Urkel and Carlton from the Fresh Prince). Lately, the nerdy type is slowly being weeded out of existence. The last major movie I've seen with a "smart" black guy was transformers, and he was an overweight computer hacker living with his mom who spoke in absurd ebonics and had a fat, freeloading cousin.

Since the nerdy Urkel media meme is disappearing, the PUA producers had no reason to consider such a character in their show. That's because VH1 is a bullsh!t channel. Watch Keys to the VIP: they have black guys from the carribean, Indian club promoters, Italian carpenters, native Canadians and immigrant guys, just like actual demographics reflect. VH1 is just trying to appeal to the MTV/VH1 crowd of 18-21 year olds who watch sh!t like the Hills and the Girls Next Door, both shows that unrealistically portray upperclass California as uniformly blond, caucasian, and douchy.

I'm not making some prescriptive racial argument about the US. I'm just commenting on the portrayal of race in the media. The media is lagging behind actual urban trends of racial integration, and continues to used canned character stereotypes, many of which involve race. Asian kids in TV shows and movie are typically nerdy, computer-savvy, or drive racing cars. This is in an era where Asian athletes compete nationally in the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Why should all asians still be nerdy on the big screen?

Hollywood is still queazy about showing interracial sexuality. There was a recent debate over Will Smith's latest movie, Hancock. I don't want to spoil it, so I'll leave a little gap. If you don't want the movie ruined, skip to the "Spoiler End" section.

***SPOILER***

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In Hancock, Will Smith discovers he is a godlike immortal being, and that the only remaining person of his kind besides him is Charlize Theron's character. That explains the chemistry intentionally placed throughout the beginning of the film between the two (and wonderfully acted, Smith and Theron go well together). There's a scene where the two actually make out, before Theron throws Smith through a building.

That scene was edited out of the theater release film because of concerns over upsetting movie-goers. Instead, they have Theron throw him out before they liplock (this is the 21st century, who hasn't seen an interracial couple?) It's even referred to in the script, which wasn't edited, so later in the movie, Smith is referring to a kiss that has never happened.

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***SPOILER END****

So, to answer your question, there aren't any black guys on the PUA for a reason you alluded to: ratings/focus groups/whatever else studios use to rate things don't seem too keen to the nerdy, Urkel black guy. That ship sailed. Blacks guys on reality shows have to start fights with other members of the house, esp. girls (there's an entire theory by a Princeton professor over why that is, but that's beyond the scope of this post), have to get kicked out due to bad behavior, have to be thug, and have to behave like loose cannons. Could you imagine a thug guy with no game on the PUA? Realistic as that would be, it would be a clusterfvck for the network, given its other characterizations of black males.

I'm sure this thread will turn into a flame war, but I invite people to challenge or agree with my views with reason instead of passion.

That means no "you just use your race as an excuse for why you can't get a job/girlfriend", and no "get over it". I'm not talking about actual reality, I'm talking about media representation.

Edit: Just to address some stuff mentioned above, my university is only 8 or 9% black, so there's not a lot of hot black girls around. I feel like routines don't work as well, but the general DJ mindset is definitely universal.

Also consider that African-Americans only a segment of the overall black population, most black girls I've known (esp. in high school) were actually Nigerian. Routines, c&f, seems to work on them better, less so on African-Americans. There's also many black people who are "Americanized". I don't want to use the term white-washed, because that suggests that the person is a race-traitor or something. In that case, just as with Asian girls who have lived in the US all their lives, this stuff works.

 

[Victory Unlimited]

You know, I've had some of the same suspicions too. When I've read some of David D's c&f jokes, I've thought that stuff seems to fit white guy's style better. And shoot...try walking into a black club dressed like Mystery and see how long you last!

EXACTLY, Speakeasy.

Most dudes walking into a black club dressed like Mystery BETTER be a stage act, or a prince impersonator or SOMETHING. Otherwise, his ass will probably be the butt of jokes for the rest of the night.


This is why I advocate men absorbing any and all the information that they can from a variety of sources. Then, whatever "weapon" he finds that fits HIS personality, HIS surrroundings, and HIS personal mission-------THAT'S what he should add to his own arsenal of attraction, seduction, relationship skills, etc.

Oh, and good post FLABBERGASPED.

I agree entirely. But this is really old news to "us" though, ain't it? lol

 

[Jitterbug]

As a Black man, it has been my experience that many of the PUA tactics like negs, canned openers, "in the club" kiss closes, and certain forms of PUA "kino" applications SIMPLY DO NOT WORK ON THE MAJORITY OF BLACK WOMEN that "I" have been with.

Mystery's Method and other PUAs' "methods" are Indirect. I think Direct suits black men and works on black women better.

 

[speakeasy]

Hollywood is still queazy about showing interracial sexuality. There was a recent debate over Will Smith's latest movie, Hancock.

That was also the case with his movie Hitch. I had read that the producers were having issues with who to cast as Will Smith's love interest. If they choose a black woman, Hitch would then get shelved into the category of a "black movie" and would limit the mainstream appeal($$$). And if they choose a white woman, it might stir some bad sentiments against interracial love scenes. So they got around this by choosing Eva Mendez, a Hispanic.

Yeah, pretty sick that we're still talking about stuff like this in 21st century. Look at Will Smith's complexion, it's obvious he has mixture himself.

 

[PrettyBoyA]

Mystery's Method and other PUAs' "methods" are Indirect. I think Direct suits black men and works on black women better.

not true.. yes mystery method focuses on indirect but there are other methods out there for pua's specializing in direct approaching

 

[Jitterbug]

I meant to say some other PUAs' methods. I know that there are Direct ones.

Regarding the media & interracials, it's the same and worse with Asian men, but somehow a few still end up on the PickUp Artist show.

 

[Hockey Playa]

That was also the case with his movie Hitch. I had read that the producers were having issues with who to cast as Will Smith's love interest. If they choose a black woman, Hitch would then get shelved into the category of a "black movie" and would limit the mainstream appeal($$$). And if they choose a white woman, it might stir some bad sentiments against interracial love scenes. So they got around this by choosing Eva Mendez, a Hispanic.

Yeah, pretty sick that we're still talking about stuff like this in 21st century. Look at Will Smith's complexion, it's obvious he has mixture himself.

God damn that is right on. I never thought about that and it makes perfect sense. I for sure would have categorized hitch as a "black movie", and would be more skeptical of seeing it(not my taste). If it were a white women it would have stirred up interracial stuff as well maybe like Save the Last Dance. Eva Mendez is the perfect Scape Goat, they probably could have gotten away with Alba too

 

[Treetz]

Men I really thought about this too! I have to dissagree with Flabbergasped for a bit. There is more than the average thug; the sophisticated brother; dressed well, smart en well spoken. Denzel Washington for instance. Its like Eva Mendes is the one to be lover for the black actor.. remember Training day?

I never really gamed black girls but I guess it depends how multicultural they are.. In europe the mystery method would work on black girls, if they are open to other people with different ethnic background..

My girlfriend is black and me and her are together for almost three years, I can do all the theories because her mindset is different. Other black girls wont even talk to me because I am not in "their culture".. So I guess it really depends..

oftopic
Flabber could you write a piece about gaming black women? Somewhere in my dna is written that I only like black women no hispanic, blond, brunette, asian can really atract me..

 

[Paradox]

Mystery's Method and other PUAs' "methods" are Indirect. I think Direct suits black men and works on black women better.

I think that this statement explains why this thread should be closed.



But to answer the question, it is/was the decision of the producers on who they cast. Ask them.