After years of successfully avoiding every popular reality show on television, my boyfriend and I are actually using space on my DVR to record episodes of VH1’s The Pick-Up Artist.
The show runs on the premise that some men are basically inept, primitive morons who are unable to express their simplest desires in courtship and must resort to elaborate cat and mouse games to reach their ultimate goal: sex. Mystery, the show’s host and self-described Master Pickup Artist, likes to emphasize how his techniques aren’t just about getting women into bed; it’s really about learning one’s self-worth and gaining confidence. It’s a pretty lofty way to describe a show which encourages its contestants to bait women with practiced, scripted conversation (”Settle an argument for me, is kissing considered cheating?”). It isn’t the seriousness that Mystery treats his craft that makes the show so laughable (or his cringing fashion sense that underscores it), but the lengths in which these otherwise mild-mannered, lonely men would go for a lousy, alcohol-induced kiss. Moment after painfully awkward moment, each contestant is thrown into various nightclubs to execute the material they’ve learned.
It is absolutely irresistible to watch.
In every reality series, there is always one contestant audiences tirelessly root for and one who provokes only the most hateful of emotions, someone so perfectly unlikable it ensures a steady, loyal rating. For me, that exceedingly irritating buffoon is Pradeep.
He’s talkative, whiny, insincere, childish, high-strung and clearly overcompensating for his height. But the truly irritating aspect of Pradeep’s character (because, let’s at least give him the benefit of the doubt that he’s truly not this obnoxious) is that he’s playing the game ass-poorly and still winning.
In episode 4, Scott, the show’s most dedicated and likable contestant, is inexplicably eliminated despite applying, albeit unsuccessfully, all of Mystery’s pickup techniques. Pradeep, however, manages to survive another elimination after he completely blows his assignment to score a kiss at a nightclub by desperately bribing women with VIP access and promises of free alcohol.
Pradeep’s presence is probably the result of a producer’s decision, a fact that my boyfriend wisely points out, and I’m desperately looking forward to his elimination (because if God truly exists and he loves me, Pradeep will get eliminated) because let’s face it, absurd disasters like Pradeep are fun to hate but only for a little while.
I'm MC, a twenty-something 
7 Comments so far
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Haha, loved the post. I’ve heard someone talking about this show as well. I, too, am not into reality shows but that one sounds like you have to atleast watch it once. =P If I happen to come across it I’ll definitely watch until I can no longer take it, LOL.
By Jenn~ on 08.29.07 8:18 pm | Permalink
You need to get rid of that DVR, it’s rotting your brain.
By Croaker on 08.29.07 10:50 pm | Permalink
Jenn, I’ve turned over to the dark side. What can I say? I’ve been guilty of seeing a few episodes of Laguna Beach and The Hills but they all lose their novelty after awhile.
Croaker, you expect me to ditch all my Stewart and Colbert? No way!
By MC on 08.29.07 10:55 pm | Permalink
I am almost ashamed to admit that I, too, watch this show. Why? Because the geekdom that is Mystery fascinates me. The worst part is that he comes off as a sane, smooth-talker and pretends to be a gentlemen, yet his life goal, as transcribed in “The Game”, is to score an Asian 10, a blonde 10 and have them love each other as much as they love him. Not to mention he convinced his ex-girlfriend to get a boob job, take up stripping, and give blow jobs.
He’s like a car accident I just can’t take my eyes off of…
By Anna on 08.31.07 3:26 pm | Permalink
Anna, I’m so glad I’m not the only one! I didn’t know about Mystery’s path which only makes it more fascinating to me. There are lots of issues in terms of victimizing women and perpetuating the alpha male concept. I get into hour long conversations about it with my boyfriend. Or rather, he glumly listens while I prattle on and on about this reality show.
By MC on 09.05.07 10:23 am | Permalink
I agree that a conversation about this could get into the length of hours… I mean, it kind of seems like they’re almost exploiting women…I know many of the participants seems eager just to be able to talk to women, but are these “tactics” really the way to go? And while Mystery seems to be doing a good thing for these poor, shy guys, he also keeps photos of what he basically refers to as his conquests and brags about having slept with hundreds and hundreds of beautiful women. So he’s also a fucking douche.
HOWEVER, it also brings into question the women at the bars. They’re not necessarily being exploited if they go to a bar or nightclub with the purpose of meeting a guy and hooking up for one night. So while a hermit like me finds it weird that guys would randomly go up to hot women and start conversations about magic tricks and “casually” insulting them to get them interested…maybe it’s normal? (although honestly, how many people do you know have met someone they’re having a long, serious relationship with that they met at a rave? For realz)
But seriously…this Mystery dude amazes me. Not because of all the bullshit that comes out of his mouth, but because he sincerely believes it. I mean, can you seriously watch this video (http://youtube.com/watch?v=sWnPH-kXeZM) for a) longer than three minutes and b) be able to to summarize ANYTHING he said. The man is losing his mind.
P.S. Pradeep is not my least favorite on the show. Kosmo is. I cannot stand this guy. I was actually quite proud (spoiler!) that Pradeep got a phone number on the last show.
P.P.S. If you’re interested in perusing “The Game” I have a .pdf copy of the book. I can Email it to you.
P.P.P.S. This is really long reply. Sorry. You got me all hot and bothered.
P.P.P.P.S. Did you see those two girls fighting outside?!!
By Anna on 09.05.07 10:07 pm | Permalink
I think the show says a lot about both sexes (youth too!) and how we’ve been reduced to these limited roles of the hunter vs. the hunted. It’s ridiculous and primitive.
Firstly, the women in these bars are, as you said, there to meet people and to drink. So the techniques that Mystery suggests are simply taking advantage of that and the fact that these women will be “loose” for approach and conversation. It’s a disappointment that women would subject themselves to such blatant, transparent forms of flattery and lies. I’m sure people have met their significant other in bars and go on to have meaningful relationships but I’m assuming that’s not normally the case. It’s a joke, really.
Another, mildly dangerous insinuation I noticed in the show is the concept that No really means Yes. I believe it was in the 3rd episode, the kissing challenge that I mentioned, in which Kosmo met a girl who said, “If you kiss me I’ll hit you.” and the two ended up kissing anyway. I mean, what kind of messages are we sending to each other and how can Mystery expect that every man and woman can interpret these messages in the way that he thinks they should. Women shouldn’t be playing these games and men shouldn’t either.
Mystery is clearly deluded and so are the men who watch this show or take his advice thinking it will help.
But you mentioned also, that these guys are genuinely excited that women are even paying attention to them. I think the only endearing quality about this show (although my boyfriend suspects that Spoon was an actor) is that these guys want to meet and fall in love with a girl. I think they want a girlfriend, I don’t think they’re necessarily looking for conquests.
So, it really is a two way street. I think this show makes both sexes look absolutely pathetic, but I’m especially disappointed in the way females simply allow this kind of behavior.
Where are the women who respond, “If you don’t want to know my name get out of my face.” are they just being edited out?
By MC on 09.06.07 9:26 am | Permalink
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