Did you hear about this bologna yesterday? According to Gothamist, author, douche bag extraordinaire and fellow Austinite (blech!), Tucker Max, had a hissy fit because Planned Parenthood wouldn’t take $500,000 from him. In fact, he had such a fit that he got his friend/media spinner, 25 year-old (!) Ryan Holiday, to slam Planned Parenthood on Forbes. In short, Holiday told Tucker that in order to ease his high tax burden, it would look good if he donated to Planned Parenthood (an organization that Tucker has made fun of on Twitter before). He even suggested that PP would maybe even “name a clinic after him”. Can you imagine stepping foot into a clinic named after a dude who uses women and generally doesn’t give a shit about anyone other than himself?
I posted the Austinist version of this article on my social media profiles and got a wide range of responses from friends and strangers. Everyone agreed that Tucker is the reigning king of douchism, but some said, “money is money” and that the financially troubled Planned Parenthood should have just taken the money. I don’t agree. What kind of message would Planned Parenthood be sending if they took money from a donor who 1.) Makes fun of the organization and the women it helps and 2.) Is only donating to get positive press out of it? I’m glad that some organizations still stand by their ethics.
What concerns me the most is that Tucker Max has 6 best selling books under his belt and hundreds of thousands of social media followers. There are even articles circulating the Internet stating that both Tucker and Holiday are geniuses for creating such a buzz and that Tucker once again come out on top. Sure, Max got me writing about him, but I’m not a believer that any press is good press. All the negative feeling towards one human being must catch up to them after awhile. There have been reports of Max changing his ways and becoming a better person, but I doubt that. This is proof that he’s still a douchey douche.
Would you take $500,000 from someone who makes fun of you and is only giving you money for positive press?
14 Comments
I only know this dude’s name from reading Gawker comments, and I’m kinda glad about that. Why would he make fun of PP? Is he a republican? Sounds like a real asswipe.
My guess is for shock value and that is all.
But he’s not really an Austinite? Right?
I know he lives/lived here, but he’s from Florida originally. I think South Beach, on top of that. Which would explain a lot of his ass wipery.
But… His books are funny. He can be witty. But overall – biggest douche on earth.
But doesn’t that make him an Austinite if he lives here now? Let’s call him a Floridian/Austinite hybrid.
A Floristinite?
Nah! Philistine
He’s actually a really humble person if you talk to him like a normal human being. At his signings, I’ve seen him carry on perfectly normal conversations. This whole article seems a little childish. Tucker Max supports womens’ rights and I guess because he’s had consensual sex with and writes about nameless females, he’s a “douchey douche”? Come on. I’d have to agree with him that Planned Parenthood should have taken the money or even suggested him make an anonymous donation, which according to him, they did not. It’s not the first time he’s been misconstrued.
Take for example when he was on the Joy Behar show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHP3_0gBaEI
As a 26 year old woman, it seriously offends me how Laurie Dhue and ESPECIALLY Lisa Bloom depict what people in my demographic want. This is 2012, we’re a lot more open about our sexuality, blah blah blah… I’m getting off topic.
Anyway, I’d say lay off of him. He’s not the monster you make him out to be and Planned Parenthood should have taken his money.
But childish is so much more fun!
I’m glad to know that he’s a humble person in real life. It might be awhile until people believe that due to his reputation, you know?
This might not be the popular opinion, but I think Planned Parenthood should have taken the money. Because they didn’t want to take the money, a clinic is now closed. One that could have helped a ton of women.
I feel like so many charities are so worried about their “image” that they end up neglecting the very thing they set out to do-help people.
Barbara, a lot of people agree with you. People are really split on it (maybe a few more dislike Tucker Max than do). I agree with you, in a way, but Tucker Max has publicly made fun of Planned Parenthood and it appears, doesn’t really believe in it. He’s just giving them money to look good, so his publicist says.
“I was very serious about this donation: Lots of people have tried to call this a “publicity stunt.” That’s funny, I didn’t know that a 500k check is a joke to them. I offered real money that PP could really use, there was no ruse or stunt involved. I’ve been pro-choice my whole life, I went to PP many times with girls when I was poor and got help, I believe in their mission and in universal access to family planning services.” -Tucker Max
Full article: http://tuckermax.me/the-exhausting-process-of-trying-to-give-money-to-planned-parenthood/
It seems like you have a personal vendetta against him, or maybe just misinformed. Oh well. Hope you can make it through the article as it looks like you didn’t before you wrote this article.
And further reading, he wanted to donate because he DOES believe in Planned Parenthood and their mission statement. On the flipside, PETA contacted him offering to name a mobile clinic “Fix Your Bitches! The Tucker Max Low-Cost to No-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic” after him.
Read on to see the direction they took with it. One thing you’ll take away from it is that he does NOT stand by things he does not agree with:
http://tuckermax.me/peta-wants-me-to-fix-some-bitches-and-i-think-thats-a-great-idea/
Jess, you seem to be very informed and I appreciate your passion for this situation. You are right, I don’t know nearly as much as you and am ill-informed!
If he was really serious about helping vs. PR, he could have made this donation annonymously.