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| Do you find the Rich Jerk's Playboy Party and Related Promotions to be Offensive? |
| [Female] Yes |
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13% |
[ 3 ] |
| [Female] No |
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8% |
[ 2 ] |
| [Female] Other |
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4% |
[ 1 ] |
| [Male] Yes |
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52% |
[ 12 ] |
| [Male] No |
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17% |
[ 4 ] |
| [Male] Other |
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4% |
[ 1 ] |
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| Total Votes : 23 |
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| Author |
Message |
mworthen
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 428
Location: Park City, Utah
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 Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject: Are You Offended by the Rich Jerk's Playboy Mansion Party? |
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The Rich Jerk is having a party at the Playboy Mansion. It's a networking event, a charity fundraiser, and, according to one of the sales pages there will also be "Body Painted Chicks Catering to Your Every Need" and, according to the "family-friendly" version of the sales letter:
| Quote: | # Mingle with over 200 of the hottest women in the world
# World class food from Hef’s personal chef
# Potential to attend an exclusive afterparty at the Rich Jerk's own mansion in Hollywood (visitors chosen at his discretion)
# A don’t ask, don’t tell policy – meaning pretty much “anything” goes. Everyone will be forced to sign a strict non-disclosure agreement
# Access to Hef’s personal game room and “special rooms” (wink wink) . Here's a hint, one of these special room's ENTIRE floor is a bed, and every wall (and the ceiling) is a mirror! (I hope my wife never reads this)
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The non-family friendly version, which has been pulled from the Internet but can be viewed by searching on Google for:
| Code: | | http://richjerkplayboyparty.com/release/ |
and then clicking on the Cache version, says:
| Quote: | | The party will be completely catered by Hef’s personal chef, with open bars (topless bartenders) so you can get as s--t-faced as you want. But I strongly recommend staying conscious. At least for a little while. After all, if you black out, you won’t remember anything. |
and
| Quote: | | Plus, everyone in attendance will have to sign a non-disclosure document. Therefore, you can be sure your wife, girlfriend, or whoever will NOT find out what happens when you are hanging around a couple of super hot, slutty models in the grotto or a football room. |
Famous marketers like Dan Kennedy, Yanik Silver, Mike Filsaime, and John Reese have endorsed the event, although other well-known marketers, such as Paul Galloway have stated they will not attend (click here for Paul's blog post explaining his decision).
Bloggers and forums are beginning to take up the issue. Here's a forum thread expressing opposition to the Jerk's tactics, which the participants believe is offensive to women:
http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=15845#post15845
The Rich Jerk also recently offended many women and the gay community with a video on which he "brands" "his" women like a rancher would brand his cattle and a caricature of a gay guy wants to be "branded" too:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8Z8ry9_95Tg
Finally, the Rich Jerk concludes his June 1st blog entry about the Playboy Mansion Party with
| Quote: | | P.S. No gays allowed. |
As you can probably guess, I find the whole thing offensive and I recently posted a blog entry about it, click here if you'd like to read it. It makes the Internet marketing business look low-class, sexist, and homophobic.
But when I initiated a discussion about this issue on another forum, seven or eight members (all men, by the way) quickly disagreed with me saying I was imposing my morals on them, being "politically correct," that I was opposed to free speech, that the Rich Jerk is just an act and to not take it seriously etc. I had hoped to have a rational discussion because I think it's an important issue for our industry to address but, unfortunately, the owner of that other forum deleted the thread and prohibited any discussion of the issue.
So that left me wondering, "Am I a very small minority that finds this whole Playboy Mansion promotion offensive?" That's why I decided to come here and set up this poll.
What do you think about the Rich Jerk's Playboy Mansion Party and related promotional material? Please vote in the poll and/or comment. When you vote, please choose by gender and statement.
And if you are a male, please don't pretend to be a female to try to skew the results (and vice versa although in my experience with polls like these it's usually the guys who pull shenanigans like that).
If you answer, "Other" please explain in a post if you wish.
Finally, if you think I should add any other response choices, please let me know.
Thank you for your participation.
Mark
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Last edited by mworthen on Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Kelley
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 780
Location: Florida
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PotPieGirl
Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Georgia, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:41 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | It makes the Internet marketing business look low-class, sexist, and homophobic. |
No, it makes The Rich Jerk look low class, sexist, and homophobic - exactly how he WANTS to look. It's a PR stunt, plain and simple. In marketing and show business, isn't it true that there is no such thing as "bad" publicity?
It's a whole bunch of hype to get people talking.
Sad that he has to PAY women to be at his party, tho... huh? 
Am I personally offended? Nah.... not worth the effort. People will stoop to some really, REALLY low levels to feel important.
Great conversation tho!
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mworthen
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 428
Location: Park City, Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| PotPieGirl wrote: | | Quote: | | It makes the Internet marketing business look low-class, sexist, and homophobic. |
No, it makes The Rich Jerk look low class, sexist, and homophobic - exactly how he WANTS to look. It's a PR stunt, plain and simple. In marketing and show business, isn't it true that there is no such thing as "bad" publicity?
It's a whole bunch of hype to get people talking.
Sad that he has to PAY women to be at his party, tho... huh?
Am I personally offended? Nah.... not worth the effort. People will stoop to some really, REALLY low levels to feel important.
Great conversation tho! |
Yeah, I hesitated even saying anything about this event because I realize he is the expert at using controversy to do his marketing for him.
The reason I think it could make the Internet marketing industry as a whole look bad is that many well-known Internet marketers have endorsed the event or are actively promoting it to their lists (and presumably earning an affiliate commission?). I guess time will tell and I hope you're right that it will primarily reflect poorly on the Jerk.
Great point about stooping to low levels to feel important--I hadn't even thought about that aspect.
Thank you for your thoughts and for voting. 
All the Best,
Mark |
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PotPieGirl
Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Georgia, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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Marketing is all about branding... whether it's your name or your product. Mr Rich Jerk has branded himself a... well, an a$$hole (pardon my French mixed with southern twang )
Thing is, he is now taking that "persona" OFFLINE. I wonder if he will be rude, obnoxious, and controversial in the "real" world?
There are some names on the list of those that will be attending that I have thought pretty highly of. Yes, they will each get their 15 minutes of fame for
a) being invited to that party, and
b) being AT that party....
But I wonder, at what cost to their reputation?
How many will say, "Yeah, I was there, but I didn't like it......"
I don't know who this Rich Jerk is. Naturally, I have heard of him within our business circles, but who IS he? If he has a wife... or Lord, KIDS... I certainly feel for them most.
However, people like Howard Stern have made a living off of being shocking and controversial. Does that make him a horrible person?? I have no idea what kind of person he is, so I can't answer that.
This is a great conversation... thank you for opening it up!
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Webzu
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 480
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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It's moronic but he's getting the publicity he wants. It's like girls gone wild with an IM slant. It's all a caricature and he's making a ton of dough once he drives it to the ground he'll move on to something else. That's why this whole new playboy mansion, homophobia approach his sales were dropping as everyone got used to the I'm a rich jerk shtick so now he's pushing it even further and it's worked. Everyone is talking about it. Like us. 
| PotPieGirl wrote: | Marketing is all about branding... whether it's your name or your product. Mr Rich Jerk has branded himself a... well, an a$$hole (pardon my French mixed with southern twang )
Thing is, he is now taking that "persona" OFFLINE. I wonder if he will be rude, obnoxious, and controversial in the "real" world?
There are some names on the list of those that will be attending that I have thought pretty highly of. Yes, they will each get their 15 minutes of fame for
a) being invited to that party, and
b) being AT that party....
But I wonder, at what cost to their reputation?
How many will say, "Yeah, I was there, but I didn't like it......"
I don't know who this Rich Jerk is. Naturally, I have heard of him within our business circles, but who IS he? If he has a wife... or Lord, KIDS... I certainly feel for them most.
However, people like Howard Stern have made a living off of being shocking and controversial. Does that make him a horrible person?? I have no idea what kind of person he is, so I can't answer that.
This is a great conversation... thank you for opening it up! |
The man behind Rich Jerk is Kelly Felix he's a 27 year old former actor and he is married with a child. The Rich Jerk from the videos is an actor (not Kelly Felix). So yes it's all about branding. The character RJ (Rich Jerk) is like the Pillsbury Dough Boy is to Pillsbury or Lucky the Leprechaun is to General Mills.
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mworthen
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 428
Location: Park City, Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Webzu wrote: | | The man behind Rich Jerk is Kelly Felix he's a 27 year old former actor and he is married with a child. The Rich Jerk from the videos is an actor (not Kelly Felix). So yes it's all about branding. The character RJ (Rich Jerk) is like the Pillsbury Dough Boy is to Pillsbury or Lucky the Leprechaun is to General Mills. |
Are you saying that since the "Rich Jerk" is simply a character that the sexism and anti-gay rhetoric he employs is acceptable?
Mark
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Webzu
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 480
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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| mworthen wrote: | | Webzu wrote: | | The man behind Rich Jerk is Kelly Felix he's a 27 year old former actor and he is married with a child. The Rich Jerk from the videos is an actor (not Kelly Felix). So yes it's all about branding. The character RJ (Rich Jerk) is like the Pillsbury Dough Boy is to Pillsbury or Lucky the Leprechaun is to General Mills. |
Are you saying that since the "Rich Jerk" is simply a character that the sexism and anti-gay rhetoric he employs is acceptable?
Mark |
It's not for me to say what is and is not acceptable. Do I find his tactics repulsive and offensive personally, yes. So I don't buy his products, visit his website, watch his videos (only one I've seen is the one you linked on this post), sign up to his email list, etc.
I do believe in freedom of speech so he has every right to brand his business like he wants. The "no gays" allowed appears to be stepping over legal lines against discrimination but I haven't seen that just from your post.
There are many characters that are offensive to people, Borat is a character that offended many, many groups but I don't think the movie should be banned or prevented from being shown.
Do you think the Rich Jerk should be shut down because you or others find it unacceptable? Do you find RJ unacceptable?
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mworthen
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 428
Location: Park City, Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Webzu wrote: | It's not for me to say what is and is not acceptable. Do I find his tactics repulsive and offensive personally, yes. So I don't buy his products, visit his website, watch his videos (only one I've seen is the one you linked on this post), sign up to his email list, etc.
I do believe in freedom of speech so he has every right to brand his business like he wants. The "no gays" allowed appears to be stepping over legal lines against discrimination but I haven't seen that just from your post.
There are many characters that are offensive to people, Borat is a character that offended many, many groups but I don't think the movie should be banned or prevented from being shown.
Do you think the Rich Jerk should be shut down because you or others find it unacceptable? Do you find RJ unacceptable? |
First of all, I quickly realized when I first blogged about this issue that my effort to not promote it with links was misguided. Most people will not search for a video but many will click on a link to see it. On balance I believe that exposing the Jerk for what he is, including linking to the offensive material, is more important.
I never said anything about "shutting down" the Jerk. He's doing a pretty good job of digging a hole for himself as it is. And I believe in free speech like you.
What I said in my original blog post was:
| Quote: | Well, I'm not afraid to say that while I could care less about the Jerk, I think all of the men (you noticed there are no women endorsing the event on the sales letters, right?) who are endorsing or promoting his event should state if they share the Jerk's attitude that women are merely football objects available for a man's pleasure and if they also endorse the Jerk's homophobic/anti-gay beliefs. Then we would at least know where they stand.
If they don't believe either of the above, why the heck are they endorsing or promoting the Jerk's event at all? Are they willing to endorse a grossly sexist and homophobic businessman simply to make some more money? |
I think California has anti-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation although I'm not sure. But as you may know, in the majority of states and municipalities in the U.S.--and in the U.S. military--discrimination based on sexual orientation is legal.
Yes, the advertising for this "event" is unacceptable to me and, if you visit the Warrior Forum, to a lot of leading marketers in this industry.
ADDENDUM - Added on 28 June at 17:02 GMT - Well, you could have read a very intelligent discussion of this issue but the owner of the Warrior Forum, Allen Says, deleted the entire thread and then deleted the accounts of people who asked why, including yours truly.
Mark
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Last edited by mworthen on Thu Jun 28, 2007 4:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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PotPieGirl
Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Georgia, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | If they don't believe either of the above, why the heck are they endorsing or promoting the Jerk's event at all? Are they willing to endorse a grossly sexist and homophobic businessman simply to make some more money? |
Well yeah, of course.
Ask a silly question..... 
TV stations run ads that offer a "miracle pill" to extremely obese people...that offer a miracle cream to stop time.... And TV stations will run an interview with Miss Hilton herself. :::sigh:::
Why?? Simply to make some more money.
On a daily basis, we are bombarded with people and issues that challenge our moral views. Its up to each of us individually to filter out the BS. Its simply not worth the effort to focus on things that just don't matter in the big picture. And, to me, the rich jerk "just don't matter"
Is he making women look bad? No, he is making himself look like an idiot! Is he making gays look bad? No, again, he is making HIMSELF look like an idiot.
But, wait, it's not even him, is it? He has hired an actor...
At least Paris Hilton had the uhhh "integrity" to make an a$$ out of herself all by herself. LOL!
Question for everyone -
If this whole party thing was being planned and promoted to raise money 100% for a charity (the real kind of charity, not the charity of rich jerks wallet) -
Would we all feel differently?
Would our judgment differ if these marketing tactics were designed to truly help people?
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Webzu
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 480
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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All the attention even if negative is what he wants so I'm sure he see this as a success.
As I posted before once his shtick grows old which it will/is he'll move on to something else. So by linking to him you're promoting him even if you're trying to expose him.
Anyway we both agree that Kelly Felix uses a a sexist, homophobic, and offensive character to sell his Internet marketing products but that he has the freedom to do it.
Where we disagree is that you think by writing against him and linking to his stuff you'll expose him, I think you're helping his cause by giving him the publicity he seeks. At least don't link to his stuff. Paul Galloway didn't link to him or his stuff in his post about the playboy mansion.
Unfortunately there are a lot of shoddy Internet marketers out there (and offline).
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mworthen
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 428
Location: Park City, Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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| PotPieGirl wrote: | Question for everyone -
If this whole party thing was being planned and promoted to raise money 100% for a charity (the real kind of charity, not the charity of rich jerks wallet) -
Would we all feel differently?
Would our judgment differ if these marketing tactics were designed to truly help people? |
No. In this case, the means do not justify the ends.
Mark
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mworthen
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 428
Location: Park City, Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Webzu wrote: | All the attention even if negative is what he wants so I'm sure he see this as a success.
As I posted before once his shtick grows old which it will/is he'll move on to something else. So by linking to him you're promoting him even if you're trying to expose him.
Anyway we both agree that Kelly Felix uses a a sexist, homophobic, and offensive character to sell his Internet marketing products but that he has the freedom to do it.
Where we disagree is that you think by writing against him and linking to his stuff you'll expose him, I think you're helping his cause by giving him the publicity he seeks. At least don't link to his stuff. Paul Galloway didn't link to him or his stuff in his post about the playboy mansion.
Unfortunately there are a lot of shoddy Internet marketers out there (and offline). |
You might be right and as I mentioned I seriously considered whether or not to link to him--in fact, I didn't in my first blog post for the reasons you state. But ultimately I decided that people would more likely be convinced if they actually saw his material and that they would be more likely to see it if all they had to do was click a link. Most of us are kinda lazy that way. If I can click a link to see something that looks half way interesting I'll do so. But if I have to go searching for it I'll pass.
Again, you might be right but I'm hoping that a critical mass of disgust and oppostion will persuade leading marketers to pull their support for the event We'll have to wait to see how this plays out.
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Arcadian
Joined: 09 Jan 2007
Posts: 2006
Location: Southampton, UK
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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I think there's a lot of good stuff in his Rich Jerk book but I don't link to him because
a) I don't like his marketing techniques. I find them to be childish rather than offensive.This old bird has been around too long to be offended by sexist stuff!, and
b) Rich Jerk promotes Success University (right at the end) and I'd rather people join under me than under him
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PotPieGirl
Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Georgia, USA
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