What I find wrong with Jim Sterling

[GraceTveit]

Why Jim Sterling doesn't work.

Please note, this isn't a hate-filled rant on Jimbo. I do realize that he's trying to do satire. I'm just trying to point out why it doesn't work.

So, a month or two ago, Jim Sterling rushed onto the Escapist with a herald of hisses and boos. Nobody liked him, and it was quite a while before anybody realized they were being trolled. Mission Accomplished, Sterling. You got everybody to hate you.

So aside from the cloud of hate hovering over his show, it seems that he's trying to fuse Zero Punctuation and Extra Credits. Cool, I like both shows and they both have content that I thouroughly enjoy.

What doesn't work... Is that he talks about difficult subjects in a very hostile manner. Generally speaking, people avoid difficult subjects, and when the speaker starts to become hostile about their work, peole are more inclined to rage back... Or ignore the speaker. In both instances, the audience generally doesn't listen enough to hear what you really have to say.

So while he has said that he encourages raging at his show (the ad says "get angry", after all), it seems to go against the whole concept of having a commentary on difficult subjects. When you talk about such things, you want people to listen, but when you get hostile, they don't listen. Especially when you get on your "holier than thou" horse.

But that's another issue for another time

 

[Phlakes]

I don't watch his show because of the discussion, I watch it because it's entertaining. Most of the points he makes have already been made a few dozen times.

EDIT: Of course I mean it's entertaining to me, not in the mood to deal with another user who doesn't know what an opinion is.

 

[KeyMaster45]

For starters I didn't even realize he was "here" and never heard of him until someone made a post on the forums about how he should be fired for sexist comments he made on some other site. I didn't really care, mostly because at the time I thought they were singling out some random forum user.

Though it was once they started posting a show logo to go along with his releases each week that I was really turned off to the show.

That right there, does not make me want to watch. He looks like one of those firebrand preachers up on stage ranting on about how the gays are ruining the US, or whoever is on the gospel shit list for the week. To me it says the show is going to be inherently hostile when talking about anything. It doesn't make me think it's going to be funny and the fact that it looks like he taking a swig from a goblet mid speech only makes me take him less seriously.

I haven't watched a single one of his episodes and frankly I don't want to. The representative image for the show that's supposed to draw me in instead repels me. I look at that picture and immediately images of Fox News, Bill O'Reily, and Glenn Beck spring to mind. (really any sensationalist "news anchor" that yells in a microphone)

Wait, I can hear you saying "but Yahtzee is sensationalist and hostile in his videos, do you have a problem with him as well?" To that I say no. Yahtzee is a comedian and he does what all comedians do; pointing out the absurdities that actually exist and mercilessly making fun of them. Instead of say politics, Yahtzee does it with games. From the topic headings of Jim's show though leads me to believe that he's being stone faced serious about what he's talking about.

Reading statements from users like this:

So while he has said that he encourages raging at his show (the ad says "get angry", after all), it seems to go against the whole concept of having a commentary on difficult subjects. When you talk about such things, you want people to listen, but when you get hostile, they don't listen. Especially when you get on your "holier than thou" horse.

Don't help his case in for winning me over. I don't want to listen to someone who's ultimate goal is to piss me off as the viewer; it's not what I come here for. I come here to be informed and have a good time doing it. If I want to hear someone try and incite a riot from atop a soapbox I'll just turn on a cable news channel like Fox or CNN.

 

[GraceTveit]

EDIT: Of course I mean it's entertaining to me, not in the mood to deal with another user who doesn't know what an opinion is.

anti-flame shield ready?

 

[JustJuust]

I do like some of his episodes, and yea it seems that he is taking notes from other videos on this site for the format (but then again, how else do you make a video of yourself talking aided by images?)
One BIG thing that bothers me is that... his accent... it doesn't sound real
Probably just me, but I felt like telling you nice folks

 

[Duffeknol]

I can get over his facade of grandeur, it's his trademark, everyone needs one and he picked that. Fine. I can get over the low production value (BUY A CLIP ON MICROPHONE). I can also get over the show's serious content, because honestly, there's not too much wrong with it. What I can't get over, is the absolute lack of humor. This man is just absolutely unable to inspire even the slightest upward movement from the corners of my mouth in any way.

 

[SillyBear]

Just leave him be. People enjoy it, stop complaining and live life!

 

[Canid117]

If you dont like the show then dont watch the videos. If enough people dont like it then it will fail simple as that.

 

[ms_sunlight]

I do like some of his episodes, and yea it seems that he is taking notes from other videos on this site for the format (but then again, how else do you make a video of yourself talking aided by images?)
One BIG thing that bothers me is that... his accent... it doesn't sound real
Probably just me, but I felt like telling you nice folks

His accent sounds real. What, you think he should sound like this?

Spoiler

 

[Julianking93]

Meh. I don't really ever watch him because he gets on my nerves.
I won't go into detail really since I'm sure I'll just start ranting but in short, I don't like him or his videos. They're annoying and aren't entertaining, so I don't watch them.

 

[Rylot]

I was pretty put off by him at first but a few of the later episodes have grown on me a little but I have to agree:

...What I can't get over, is the absolute lack of humor...

. Granted this is a video game site and not a humor site per se but I still feel like he's trying for humor and not really succeeding.

 

[winter2]

I have enjoyed ol'e Jimbo since the beginning and it worried me that people didn't get what he was doing. I guess what I am saying is that Jimbo works for me.

 

[ms_sunlight]

Got to say I find him funny.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I think the problem is simpler:
A) He's a better writer than a speaker.
B) He doesn't have anything interesting to say.

 

[TeeBs]

I read that entire paragraph in Jim Sterlings voice.

It felt, oddly natural.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Quite frankly, if you or anyone else is going to let blatant trolling cloud a lot of good points, then you have no one to blame but yourself. It's obvious he's being that obnoxious on purpose. If it's that much of an issue then fair enough, don't watch it.

I watch it to hear what he has to say, and if I agree, kind of like Rev Rants. And no, he's not trying to be like Yahtzee. Yahtzee's fanbase is so rabid it enables him to say absolutely anything, and they love him for it.

Jim knows so many people hate him and he exploits it by being more obnoxious than before and calls out his haters. He's been like that for years now.

And if you're one of the people who comments on his videos saying how much you don't like it, thanks for helping the series stay afloat!

I will say this though: he's got a very marmite sense of humour. His podcasts on Destructoid leave me in stitches.

 

[DanDanikov]

I've found it very hard to try and work out what is wrong with the Jimquisition, in the hope of giving constructive criticism. I think there definitely is some due diligence around improving the basic quality of the show ('it's stylistic' is code for 'I'm not educated in lighting and camera work, I'm just lazy').

When it comes to the content, I think sometimes he makes valid points, but he makes them in a very antagonistic way with humour that often falls flat. I understand that many people feel the need to point out that his egotistical manner is a persona put on for entertainment, but I personally find the persona incredibly off-putting. Yahtzee may insult various demographics from time to time and be incredibly cynical about his games, but ultimately he respects his viewers and is very entertaining towards them. Another extreme example is the guy behind the Red Letter Media reviews on youtube (the Star Wars ones are incredible, I highly recommend them. That is clearly a persona and an abhorrent one at that, but he manages to be entertaining and respect his viewer.

The egotistical persona doesn't respect the viewer so much- sure, some, maybe most of the time you're thinking 'ah, that's not me' but it's still rather uncomfortable to have that directed at you. There is a niche for that kind of humour and I don't fully get it myself, but I don't think that invalidates it. I'm sure there are people who are entertained and amused by his stuff.

What I find bad about Jim Stirling is the willingness to take it a bit beyond that. He seems to, at times, relish in the negativity and the antagonistic nature of his shows and internet presence. The problem is it feels a lot like 4chan, a lot like professional trolling. There is a market for that, but in general, people do not want. I don't know how to feel about the Escapist giving that demographic their own little niche and ultimately that's their decision, but I understand the general displeasure with such a decision and the very divisive threads on the issue.

 

[Pimppeter2]

I get that its a persona

[HEADING=2]But its a fucking bad one[/HEADING]

Persona's can be funny, like Stephen Colbert. Just as outrageous. Just as over the top. Just as unbelievable. But Stephen Colbert is LIKEABLE. Yeah, he's a douchebag, but he's also good looking, has a warm smile, and a golden laugh. His "better than you" attitude is still likeable.

Jim reminds me more of this guys from futurama

And that's not a fat joke.

Low class, immature, and downright disgusting.

Yahtzee does the whole "brilliant and superior" thing as well. But he does it with a sense of class. A sense that he deserves this, backed up by a unique taste in games. Jim is like the guy that claims transformer's sucks and that therefore makes him a genius. Jim just kinda tells us he's better, but for no specific reason. He's NOT clever, he's not unique, he's not even funny.

He's not even that offensive. He's just low class.


No, I'm not one of those "Escapist needs to be high brow" people. I can appreciate "low brow" humor. But he's not. He's just low class.

 

[The Lugz]

I can get over his facade of grandeur, it's his trademark, everyone needs one and he picked that. Fine. I can get over the low production value (BUY A CLIP ON MICROPHONE). I can also get over the show's serious content, because honestly, there's not too much wrong with it. What I can't get over, is the absolute lack of humor. This man is just absolutely unable to inspire even the slightest upward movement from the corners of my mouth in any way.

but in fairness that would take a minor miracle, you seen your avatar recently? damn it would take a firecracker to part those lips!

i agree though, jim plays it way over the edge he just needs to back off and polish his jokes and acting a tad
i want to believe, jim.. you can do it