explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1178: Pickup Artists

2013-02-25T21:41:55Z

Cornarias:

Oh my God, this one's brilliant. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 06:53, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:I did not get it. Waiting for explanation. [[Special:Contributions/95.35.63.243|95.35.63.243]] 07:43, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:See also comic #1027 [[Special:Contributions/65.49.14.70|65.49.14.70]] 10:47, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
Added an explanation for the title text, but it's probably too wordy and not very clear. Anyone have any suggestions? [[User:Cornarias|Cornarias]] ([[User talk:Cornarias|talk]]) 11:07, 25 February 2013 (UTC)

Umm... "The pun lies in the fact that a pickup basketball player becomes skilled at basketball."
I thought the pun was on the word "artist" meaning someone that does...art. The same goes with the "friend zone" explanation. It doesn't seem like disbelief, but rather that there is a "place to meet friends" or "a place that friends go to hang out" (in other words, "a zone of friends"). So the joke is that the world seems happier because you think the words are describing subjectively better things than they actually are. But that's just my take on the comic. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 11:11, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:P.S. This is a Saturday comic? [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 11:19, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
::Not anymore. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 11:21, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:Al right, just change it then. :) [[User:Jaap-Jan|Jaap-Jan]] ([[User talk:Jaap-Jan|talk]]) 14:33, 25 February 2013 (UTC)

I think it's time we give the other guy a name. What about Sleezy Guy? [[User:ChrisFortyTwo|ChrisFortyTwo]] ([[User talk:ChrisFortyTwo|talk]])
:Seconded. I remember he's been named Harry in the past. A quick search brings up [[1028]]. He's appeared quite a bit now, and he probably should be named. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 12:54, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
::Thirded. But maybe something a bit nicer sounding. [[User:Cornarias|Cornarias]] ([[User talk:Cornarias|talk]]) 13:49, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:::Fourthed. And changed to 'Harry'. Should we add a tag as well? [[User:Jaap-Jan|Jaap-Jan]] ([[User talk:Jaap-Jan|talk]]) 14:33, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
::::That would probably have to go through due process via [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals]], but it should go through quickly enough, given how often Harry appears. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 14:42, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:::::Ah, now I get it, hehe – Harry–Hairy! (Are those two pronounced exactly the same, or just similarly?) –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 18:10, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
::::::I think he should be called "Hairy", not Harry: attributing a random real name to a character that the author himself didn't choose (like [[Megan]] or [[Mrs. Roberts]]) is likely to bring up issues, whereas calling him in a way that simply reflects how he's drawn (like [[Cueball]], [[Black Hat]], [[Ponytail]] and all the rest) just goes in direct line with what is done in the source; and it's self-explanatory in the description, it does not require the reader to be accustomed to the habits of this wiki (currently, reading "Harry" out of nowhere is quite uncanny). So, since it works pretty well here, let's call him Hairy. - [[User:Cos|Cos]] ([[User talk:Cos|talk]]) 19:30, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:::::::Agreed. Let's wait for the name to go through before messing with the edits further. [[User:Cornarias|Cornarias]] ([[User talk:Cornarias|talk]]) 21:41, 25 February 2013 (UTC)

Beret Guy is right, a day of Pickup Art sounds like a lot of fun. Everybody pack their sketchbooks, pastels and watercolours, wander around town till they find interesting vignettes or vistas, everyone sketch and paint without showing each other till picnic time. At PT, all pull out their packed lunches and eat and enjoy each other's efforts. He'll, this sounds 1000% better than almost every pub outing I have ever had.[[Special:Contributions/24.79.11.46|24.79.11.46]] 13:00, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:We could combine it with Geohashing. [[User:Curtmack|Curtmack]] ([[User talk:Curtmack|talk]]) 20:26, 25 February 2013 (UTC)

Talk:1178: Pickup Artists

2013-02-25T13:49:17Z

Cornarias:

Talk:1178: Pickup Artists

2013-02-25T13:47:32Z

Cornarias:

Talk:1178: Pickup Artists

2013-02-25T11:07:56Z

Cornarias:

1178: Pickup Artists

2013-02-25T11:05:47Z

Cornarias: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1178
| date = February 25, 2012
| title = Pickup Artists
| image = pickup artists.png
| titletext = It sounds like a great way to make friends! Is it near that Friend Zone you keep talking about? I wanna go!
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|Pickup artist}} is a person who is skilled at picking up (finding, attracting and seducing) women. A pickup artist takes time for his looks, has good social skills and has knowledge of routines which help to make the artist come across as attractive. Sometimes pickup artists teach other persons how to become better skilled at pickup up women themselves. However, there is a lot of negativity from the general public towards pickup artist. They are perceived as being immoral, sexist and self-centered.

Pickup basketball is like regular basketball, the difference being that in pickup basketball, two team captains pick the players they want as their team members. It's the way a basketball game starts on a local playground or at school. The other difference between pickup basketball and regular basketball is that there is no referee, so a player calls his own fouls.

The pun lies in the fact that a pickup basketball player becomes skilled at basketball and a person who takes lessons from a pickup artist becomes skilled at picking up women. But pickup basketball isn't as controversial as pickup artists, so Beret Guy has found a way to make something positive out of something considered negative.

The title text shows Person 2's further lack of knowledge in his belief that the "friend zone" is a real place. Where in reality the statement of a "friend zone" shows that one has befriended another whom he or she has romantic interests in, but is unable to begin a relationship due to other only seeing him or her as a friend or the other not wanting to ruin the friendship.

==Transcript==
:Beret Guy: What've you been up to lately?
:Person 2: I've been hanging out with some pickup artists. I'm learning a lot!
:Beret Guy: Oh, that sounds like fun!

:The world seems like a happier place if you think "pickup artist" is like "pickup basketball player".

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]