Film Version Of Tucker Max’s “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell” Does Not Thrill College Women’s Center
Posted by: Jessica Wakeman
Filed in:
entertainment, video
3:10PM, Wednesday August 26th 2009
You’ve probably heard of Tucker Max, blogger and author of the memoir I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell, who regaled the bestseller list with stories of sex with many, many women and excessive drinking. (The charming cover illustration is of a man holding a beer bottle and pointing to a blonde chick, whose face is cut out with the words “Your Face Here” written instead. Because we’re all inter-changeable, you see.) Max is that particularly awful brand of d-bag who is proud of critics who call him morally depraved and immature; in fact, his book is blurbed with hateful things people have said about him.
So, of course, Hollywood gave this fellow a movie deal! The film version of “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell,” which focuses on strip club/bachelor party shenanigans, debuts on September 25 and North Carolina State University planned an advanced screening today, followed by a Q&A session with Max.
But then the campus Women’s Center caught wind of the flick, which it said is sexist and encourages behavior leading to sexual assault. Surely you’re wondering, what’s so bad with this film?
In the trailer, the Tucker Max character asks a young women looking at a terrarium of turtles, “Are they telling you to kill that fat girl behind us?” When she walks away, he yells after her, “What? How can you be mad about that? Fat girls aren’t real people!”
Advocates from the on-campus Women’s Center called for the film screening to be canceled after a student emailed the center’s rape prevention education coordinator to say she was concerned about the messages in the film that are disrespectful to women. (According to the Fox News article, none of the adults involved had seen the movie, although one had read Max’s book. Full disclosure: I haven’t seen the flick or sat down and read the book all the way through, but I have picked it up and read chunks of it on various trips to the bookstore.) The director of the Women’s Center then watched the trailer, which she said contained sexist and racist phrases (I watched it, she’s right). Still, the university is going ahead with showing the film, although it agreed to refund the money of students who leave the theater because they are offended. [Fox News]
I’m on board with the concept that a university which shows a sexist, racist, fat-hating film is condoning his message, in a way. Max’s film and his Q&A session afterward are being offered by the school as entertainment for the young adults the school is supposed to be crafting into responsible adults. But it’s not a black-and-white issue—consider the time Columbia University hosted the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for an intellectual conversation, which turned out to be a great opportunity for activists to protest against the Iranian regime.
Should “I Hope They Serve Been In Hell” have been banned from the North Carolina State University campus? No, it should not. No one is forcing the students to attend the movie; they are paying for their own tickets and can “vote with their money” by simply not going. Furthermore, banning movies (or songs or books or whatever else) is wrong no matter who does it, regardless of their intention. I think feminists, like the ones who oppose Max and his movie, should instead counter speech we don’t like with speech we do like. Now would be a perfect time to arrange an upcoming movie screening and/or speaker with a positive message about women and allow them to “vote with their money” another way.
Instead, tonight, the Women’s Center and other campus groups are staging a silent protest during the film and, afterward, they are holding a vigil for rape and sexual assault victims. Those are certainly mature and visually rich (for media purposes) actions to take, but I think a better point to make here would be to send the message that sexist humor is not the way the campus wants to be entertained.
In any case, keep your eyes peeled for Tucker Max’s next literary opus, A**holes Finish First, set to appear in 2010…
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WhiskeyJenn
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:24 pm: [report]
You know, it’s funny. I read this story on Fox News (I know, I know…what, I’m conservative….) yesterday and one thing stood out to me.
Not that I’m not for women’s rights, feminism, etc. but in no way is his book promoting a “rape culture” to me. Yes, I HAVE read “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell”. And as much as he is an assholish womanizing jerk with racist tendencies….and he does tell horribly innapropriate things that he has done, I really don’t remember a story about how he raped a girl and then joked about it.
Screwing a fat girl and making fun of her? Yes. Throwing girls away like snot-filled kleenex? Yes. Date raping a girl he roofied? No.
I don’t know….I get that he’s sexist and racist. Yes, he uses women in horrible ways, but the only thing is…these women CHOOSE to be used and degraded. Not raped.It just seems like they definitely could have chosen a better avenue to protest this, like Jessica said, with an upcoming positive screening or a special speaker. Argh. I’m rambling.
Just blast me already for being a horrible person.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:26 pm: [report]
He hasn’t updated his blog in what seems like years, and I totally forgot about him. His stories were always entertaining though.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:30 pm: [report]
“The charming cover illustration is of a man holding a beer bottle and pointing to a blonde chick, whose face is cut out with the words “Your Face Here” written instead.”
Also, that was his profile picture for years after he got sued by Ms. Vermont picture here:
http://www.tuckermax.com/images/mastleft.jpg
Story here:
http://www.tuckermax.com/archives/entries/date/the_almost_banned_miss_vermont_story.phtml#705
snap
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:31 pm: [report]
it just looks stupid and boring.
spatula
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:34 pm: [report]
No blame here, @WhiskeyJenn!! I’m with you 100%. He’s no different (and certainly no worse) than the millions of other douches like him on every college campus across the country.
I have read the entire book as well. In 2009, in our binge-drinking college atmosphere, drinking excessivley and having lots of casual sex is NOT “behavior leading to sexual assault”. And yes, these ladies (and i use that term loosely) are NOT walking into this situation blind, drunk as they may be. It’s crass, it’s offensive, it’s a million awful things, but “rape culture” it is not.
Riley
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:39 pm: [report]
So you are saying, you have not read it; but surely are capable of commenting on the message conveyed in the book and movie. Right.
His stories are amusing and I don’t believe a word of them. They are meant to be excessive in every respect, which is kind of the jist of his online persona. I have never read anything in his articles or book advocating rape or sexual assault of any kind.
Of course, there are still people out there that can only take things at first glance face-value; or better yet, haven’t even looked at anything about the subject. These are our great intellectual protestors, looking out for the hapless masses. Save me from toilet humor, please!
Jessica Wakeman
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:53 pm: [report]
@Riley I have read parts of the book and from that, I’m confident that no one is blowing out of proportion Tucker Max’s sense of humor.
Also, I want to be clear that the book and the movie — obviously — DO NOT literally advocate or glorify rape. Contributing to a rape culture is the concept the school objected to. The book (and the above trailer, which presumably is an honest sampling of the film’s content) are extremely disrespectful towards women, especially where sex is concerned.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 02:57 pm: [report]
@Jessica: So is Ludacris’ song “Move B|tch”, but it doesn’t stop women from dancing to it.
tabby
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 03:01 pm: [report]
I guess that I would have to see the film to see if it perpetuates rape culture. But a big part of rape culture is the using of women as objects rather than acknowledging them as people, and it sounds as if at least that criteria of rape culture applies to this guy.
RosaC
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 03:48 pm: [report]
I just cannot agree that NC State is justified in having this creep show his terrible movie on campus. It’s one thing for that scumbag to make such an offensive movie, but for the school to then promote it! That’s what makes this such a big deal. The fact is, women are incredibly likely to face sexual assault and rape on college campuses. By showing Tucker Max’s movie, NC State is basically saying that reducing assaults on women and promoting a safe campus culture aren’t priorities for the administration.
lea322
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 04:36 pm: [report]
I have only heard of the book, so I’m not speaking from a place of actually knowing what he says or does. But I will say that a culture that says it’s ok to use woman DOES contribute to a rape culture.
I was on a jury earlier this year for a rape case. The rape happened at a college party, and the perpetrator had at least three other women besides the victim in his room over the course of the evening. All the girls went in willingly. And, based on the evidence, it was not a premeditated rape. The guy took it too far. But if he hadn’t thought it was ok to have a revolving door of women coming into his room, he probably also wouldn’t have thought it was ok to do what he did.
He made his own choices, but living in a community that encouraged him to treat women as a way to get what he wanted is what I believe led the really unfortunate events of that night.
sklut
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 08:27 pm: [report]
Some of these comments absolutely make me angry. Why is Tucker Max a d-bag? Because he sleeps around and talks #&@$% about the girls. Who gives a flying f@#k, if he was a woman you’d probably be applauding him. Just because a guy has f@#ked and bucked on your ass doesn’t mean you need to be a man hater. Let it go. This movie and book don’t contribute to rape anymore than Ronald McDonald. People make their own choices and if a woman chooses to sleep with an idiot like Tucker Max that’s her decision. If you don’t like him then don’t see the movie. It’s that simple.
Coral
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 09:28 pm: [report]
Fictional movies similar to this one have been going on for years! Now that a movie based on true events is coming out, people are upset. Get over it! It seems funny—and sure, of course there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed, but this movie seems like it will sell just like any other movie in its category (the Hangover).
lea322
wrote on August 27 2009 @ 05:12 pm: [report]
I don’t think wanting women (and men, for that matter) to be treated like human beings means I have a stick up my ass. And while I agree with you that a movie is a movie, THIS movie is based on events that this guy claims actually happened, meaning real people were involved.
Amanda Marcotte
wrote on August 27 2009 @ 07:15 pm: [report]
Fascinating but not surprising that the defenders of the movie/book have these competing opinions:
1) Men have every right to be racist, sexist pigs that claim the right to push entire groups of women out of the human race, and if we don’t think it’s cute, we have no sense of humor and
2) Women who drink alcohol or have sex—-activities that, unlike being a giant pig, are not inspired by malice and hurt no one—-don’t deserve anything but your abuse.
This is the dictionary definition of sexism. Men can be cruel human beings and we have to indulge it, but women can’t even have minor, harmless vices.
Is this 2009? Because reading some of these comments, they seem to come straight out of 1959.
Coral
wrote on August 27 2009 @ 07:20 pm: [report]
@Amanda Marcotte: There’s also something called free speech. If you don’t like the book or movie, then don’t buy it or see it. Simple. Just vote with your money.
Jessica Wakeman
wrote on August 27 2009 @ 08:38 pm: [report]
@Coral
I think it’s great to critique our culture, though. Yes, Tucker Max has free speech and no one is disputing that, but we’re talking about how we dislike what he’s saying.
Amanda Marcotte
wrote on August 27 2009 @ 08:59 pm: [report]
There’s also something called free speech. If you don’t like the book or movie, then don’t buy it or see it. Simple. Just vote with your money.
Yeah, weak argument. Did I say that he should be censored? No. I said that y’all should be ashamed of yourself for being sexist hypocrites. Address what I said, not what you wish I’d said.
Amelia McDonell-Parry
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 07:52 am: [report]
FYI to all, comments that stoop to the level of irrelevant name-calling (i.e. “you’re a bitch”) will be deleted. Contribute to the conversation in a productive way, even while strongly disagreeing with one another. Repeated violation of these rules will get you banned. Just a reminder
Carry on!
Riley
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 08:13 am: [report]
I’ll be irrelevant if I wants to.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 08:16 am: [report]
Amelia laying (Oh hell yeah pun) down the law.
Debbie Downer
wrote on August 31 2009 @ 08:02 am: [report]
Everyone needs to remember why this movie, though tasteless, is undeniably interesting and possibly even funny; it has virtually nothing to do with reality. It’s a male fantasy in the same way “300,” while not totally beyond the realm of physical possibility, substitutes for reality an orgy of violence and turgid homoeroticism.
Almost everyone old enough to see this movie will know that, even if the exploits on which the movie are related are true, they are not replicable or appropriate. Everyone knows this because it’s a damn movie and we’re adults. After the Mortal Kombat movie came out there wasn’t a spike in people dying by being kicked in the throat; this movie will have no more effect than that on the male population.
If a man doesn’t respect women as an 18 year-old, the game is already lost and this movie won’t change anything. If a man already does, this movie will have no effect and… won’t change anything. The focus remains on childrearing and parenting, not on stupid fratty movies that’ll be forgotten within weeks.