I consider myself a wise person, able to see through pretty much anything on the internet for what it truly is. Like if some wacky video or clip is a hoax or viral marketing. But sometimes, even I don’t know.
Like this blog post, by Frank Housh, whose apparently a lawyer that practices and resides in upstate New York. Anyhow, his story starts out innocently enough: “I was at a local Gamestop getting a Wii game for my 11 year old son when I saw the Duke Nukem Forever display pictured.”
Here’s what he’s referring to, which I believe was taken at one of the PAXes (note the logo), which I also encountered, as well as nearby Gamestops as well, but paid absolutely not mind. As I’m sure no one else has, but not Frank…
Mr. Housh continues: “As the father of a boy, I try to pay close attention to the [sic] subiminal messages presented in the media (ex: violence = masculinity). In so doing, I see the visual messages girls are receiving and I find them deeply disturbing.”
Huh? But before getting on this guy’s case about how messages connecting violence and masculinity is HARDLY subliminal, lets just move onto the good part: “I politely (really) mentioned to the 20-something manager and teenage boy employee that the display image not just objectified women in an environment catering to impressionable, pre-teen boys, but the the advertisement bordered on pedophilia, as the female (with no face, just blond hair) was wearing a high school uniform and being groped by a man twice her age. I got blank stares and a shrug in response.”
Okay, granted, your average Gamestop employee is fairly dimwitted, and you’ll get a blank stare in response to anything if it has nothing to do with pre-ordering Madden of not having an EDGE card, but like this guy nor anyone else should give a rat’s ass about what Dr. Phil has to say. But this concerned daddy wouldn’t drop the subject: “I tried a different tack. I pointed out that they doubtless had classmates and sisters (I stayed away suggesting girlfriends) and said that the poster presents an unrealistic, fetishised ideal of feminine beauty that no real girl could ever live up to. A girl they knew might see this and feel terrible about herself without knowing why. They just ignored me.”
Sorry, but I’m sure a dude who's a manager at Gamestop has little first-hand knowledge of women in the first place. Anyhow, unable to win the battle of the wits, Frank left defeated: “I left with my son and felt very sad. Godspeed to all of you raising girls out there.”
And here’s the part that makes me wonder if this was just all a jokeL “Oh, and Duke? F*ck you. Douchebag.”
… Yeah, I still don’t know. But father of year? Without a doubt.
Whiny father feels threatened by Duke Nukem cardboard cutout… [Reddit]