I Tried To Introduce My Friend To MST3K

[Hellcat]

I tried to introduce a friend of mine to MST3K on Wednesday. She was all excited to try it, and I was excited at the prospect of turning someone on to this great show. I picked Hobgoblins because it's one of my favorites, and I thought she'd enjoy the sheer awfulness of the movie.

Well, she spent part of the episode fussing with her dog, then halfway through she called her mother and talked to her for at least 10 minutes. When it was over she swore she'd enjoyed it. I was not convinced. She said she'd gotten distracted from the riffing by trying to watch the movie. (And talking to her mother didn't distract her?)

Things got awkward when the movie was over. I said that we should take the DVD out of the player and she got huffy with me because she thought I was trying to cut the evening short. I said, "Well, do you want to see another one?" and she said in kind of a snippy voice, "No, you've made your decision." And then out of the blue she said she had to cut the evening short because she had to do schoolwork which was due the following day. Well, if that was true, then why did she agree to see me on Wednesday?

We ended the evening on kind of good terms. She said she wanted to try again some other time, but I'm not eager to take her up on it. Frankly, I'm not eager to see her again any time soon -- not because I'm offended that she didn't seem to like the show, but because this behavior is, sadly, typical for her. I'm getting a little tired of her passive-aggressive little games.

I am now 0-2 in trying to turn people on to MST3K. Maybe I should've gone with Space Mutiny. Or maybe I should have stayed home and fallen asleep in front of Law & Order SVU.

[Deleted]

You seemed OK in trying to keep her on guard in letting her know you think she wasn't too in to it rather than say "do you disilke this??", showing not telling, so take her for her word too i suppose for next time.

[zombiewhacker]

Maybe you should try warming her up with a Rifftrax first. A Harry Potter film or a Star Trek or whatever. Something's that watchable with or without the riffing.

You know, break her in slowly. Then wean her off the mainstream stuff and throw an MST3K ep at her.

Showing a newbie Hobgoblins is like tossing an infant overboard in the middle of the ocean and expecting it to immediately learn how to swim.

[ilmatto]

That particular friend sounds kind of high-maintenance.
I remember MST3K from the initial broadcasts and I disliked it at first. I thought it was annoying how there were these people interrupting the movie and telling jokes. Part of the problem was I grew up watching the same movies like giant mantis on TV and they were some of my favorites. It wasn't until a few years later while watching reruns that I started to really get into the MST experience and appreciate the commentary.

[davelinajolie]

Try to find out more about her, ask her questions about her interests, her favourite things, then organise a date based around things she enjoys.

[Mod City]

I can't stand watching anything with people who can't sit still and pay attention for its duration. What you described above would have driven me up a wall.

MST3K seems to cater to people with an attention span of more than 15 minutes. I don't know, that may have been part of the problem or if this friend isn't usually like that and had an off night.

I have about a 2-1 success ratio when it comes to turning on people to the show, but I haven't tried showing it to anyone in years. I agree Rifftrax might give you a better jumping off point. I've had very good success with newbies enjoying some of their stuff.

[Hellcat]

Mar 16, 2012 9:02:31 GMT -5 davelinajolie said:

Try to find out more about her, ask her questions about her interests, her favourite things, then organise a date based around things she enjoys.

I have tried that over the past few months. She seemed impressed with my activities such as my book club and my Meetup group and some other clubs I’ve joined. But then she said she doesn’t like to read, so the book clubs are out. I suggested that she go to meetup.com and look for groups that are organized around the things she likes. She said she’s not computer-savvy and wouldn’t know how to navigate meetup.com (I think she was hoping I’d do it for her). I invited her to come to one of my other clubs when she expressed an interest in that. She seemed enthusiastic, but then said what she usually ends up saying when we talk about activities: “Really, I think all I want to do is stay home with my dog.” Fine, stay home with your dog, then. Ilmatto, "high maintenance" doesn't even begin to describe her.

You've all made great points. It's possible that Hobgoblins was too much. I guess I thought she'd enjoy the puppets and the crazy-cheesy feel of it. But now that I've had time to think about it, I have a feeling that nothing would have worked that night. She was just too fidgety and she wouldn't let go of some problems that had happened to her earlier in the day. She does seem to be easily distracted.

I won't bring up trying another episode again. I'm going to let her be the one to do it. Then maybe I'll try a Rifftrax. I guess it depends on how much effort I feel like putting into this. Right now I think I want to put a little distance between me and her.

[Mr. Atari]

Mar 16, 2012 9:02:31 GMT -5 davelinajolie said:

Try to find out more about her, ask her questions about her interests, her favourite things, then organise a date based around things she enjoys.

Like a swap meet or a bike trip or a weenie roast?

That's a drag, Hellcat. One of my pet peeves is when I'm trying to get someone to listen to a song I like or watch a movie or MST ep and they distract themselves with other stuff. Like screwing around on their phone or some other form of multi-tasking. It happens a lot with Mrs. Atari and the Atari kids. It's just dismissive and rude. It's effectively saying, "I know I'm here to be with you, but I don't have time for your interests."

[Hellcat]

Exactly, Mr. A. I had the feeling that she was humoring me. And then when she said that she had coursework due the next day, I couldn't help thinking that she was trying to manipulate me. As if she were saying, "Oh, look at me, I had all this coursework to do but I sacrificed it just to be with you." Don't do me any favors.

The last person I tried to introduce to MST3K fell asleep during the episode. I think I would have preferred it if she had done that.

Hmm, maybe the weenie roast would work...

[ilmatto]

Mar 16, 2012 15:16:00 GMT -5 Hellcat said:

But then she said she doesn’t like to read, so the book clubs are out.

Holy danger sign, Hellcat!

I think of the most interesting people I know and my friends and they all read everything, cereal boxes, bubble gum wrappers.
I guess there must be exceptions - people who don't like to read but are witty, engaging, and interesting - but I don't have any experience with them, that I know of.

No, your friend is a tragic figure. That one response, "No, you've made your decision."
"Indeed I have", quoth Hellcat.

[Hellcat]

"Tragic" is a good word. She's had a rough couple of years. I have a lot of sympathy for her, and I see that she really is trying to break out of the rut she's been in. I've been in a bit of a rut myself, so I think I can relate to her a little bit. I suggested the book club and the other stuff thinking that I could help her out. But I guess there really isn't much I can do if she won't even meet me halfway.

[davelinajolie]

I had mistakenly thought I'd entered a dating forum!

I was being somewhat tongue in cheek...

[GProopdog]

From personal experience, I've had mixed success in introducing friends to MST3K. Some thought it was hilarious and became fans, some just went ".....Uuuuuuuuuh, yeah, no thanks...".

As others have said, it depends on the episode you introduce them too. I usually show people "Cave Dwellars" and "Pod People", as those were the first two eps I ever owned on Rhino video.

[TheNewMads]

i think you have to "learn" how to watch MST3k. i remember when i first discovered it i couldn't watch more than 20 minutes or so because following the movie and trying to follow the riffing at the same time made me confused and angry. then the show rewired my brain -- no, that doesn't sound weird at all -- and now i'm used to it. but just because of that i think if i were ever to try and turn people on to mst3k i'd probably use a short.

[The Mad Plumber]

I tried to introduce my friend to MST3K.



He was a little less than receptive.