Do the Sarkeesian Effect dudes — now in the midst of a painful and noisy breakup — not realize how ridiculous they look to the rest of us?
Ok, maybe that’s not the right question to ask. After all, we’re talking about Davis Aurini, a sort of low-budget Anton LaVey with a plastic-skull fetish who actually put this picture of himself on his website on purpose:
Meanwhile, Jordan Owen, his former partner in, er, “filmmaking” is a sort of human-bear hybrid who once recorded an hour-long pro-porn diatribe while sitting naked in his bathtub — and then, instead of taking a few minutes to ponder the choices he’s made in his life, he went and put that online.
At the moment, though, the human-bear hybrid is winning the public relations war, largely due to his strategy of not actually participating in it while his former partner spews out an assortment of accusations and insinuations and probably some other kinds of “ations” I don’t even know about.
Yesterday, Aurini — classy fellow that he is — posted an 8000 word log of two private Skype chats he’d had with Owen right before and right after Owen “fired” him from The Sarkeesian Effect. In the logs, Aurini vehemently defends the honor of his “colleague” Roosh V, whom Owen had criticized in a couple of charateristically loooong videos, and demands (among other things) that Owen retract his accusations that Roosh was unable to get laid in Denmark and Norway.
He also tries to convince Owen that he is having some sort of psychological meltdown and repeatedly accuses him of “hallucinating.” After posting the whole log, Aurini tells his readers that Owen is “a man deep in the grips of psychosis.”
Oh, and he tries to blackmail Owen into giving him half of the money left in the budget for the Sarkeesian Effect.
Aurini evidently thought that posting this log would make him look good.
I’ll let you be the judge of that. What follows are what I think are the Top 8 Most Cringeworthy Moments from the Aurini/Owen Chat Logs.
1) In a chat that happened a week before Owen “fired” Aurini, Aurini shows Owen the text of a message he sent to Roosh about Owen’s anti-Roosh video, urging Roosh to “have at” the man who was still at that point his “business partner.”
[2/22/2015 1:36:29 PM] Davis Aurini: I didn’t want you to post this video because I didn’t want you to have a panic attack as your idiocy was demonstrated by others; I need you semi-coherent to finish this documentary. But if you’re going to publicly shit the bed, then so be it. You deserve everything that’s coming to you. I sent the following email to Roosh:
My partner on this Sarkeesian venture decided to post an attack video on you, misconstruing an article of yours. I told him to take it down, mainly because he was making an ass of himself, but he decided that the highest value a man can subscribe to is calling out people on the Right and doing the Left’s work for them.
Link below. Please, have at ‘er. While I’m not going to publicly denounce my business partner, I look forward to seeing others point out the numerous flaws with his video.
2) Aurini, seemingly channeling the spirit of the Charles Boyer character in Gaslight, attempts to convince Owen that his negative impressions of Roosh are based on “hallucinations.”
[2/22/2015 2:09:32 PM] Davis Aurini: You stated that Roosh is spreading STDs; that is false and libelous.
[2/22/2015 2:09:55 PM] Davis Aurini: That is the hallucination; not your disgust, even though you’re making the most uncharitable interpretation possible.
[2/22/2015 2:10:24 PM] Jordan Owen: I’m being uncharitable when he defames all women everywhere and calls for limitations to be put on their freedom?
[2/22/2015 2:10:34 PM] Davis Aurini: You also seem to think that he couldn’t get laid in Denmark, and blamed the country for his own failings. I already explained to you why this is false, but you don’t remember it because you were hallucinating.
3) Aurini tries to convince Owen that he’s also “hallucinating” Roosh’s, let’s just say, extremely cavalier attitude toward STDs.
[2/22/2015 2:16:53 PM] Davis Aurini: You did hallucinate him spreading STDs.
[2/22/2015 2:17:06 PM] Davis Aurini: That’s outright false.
[2/22/2015 2:17:49 PM] Davis Aurini: It’s also actionable libel, though I doubt he’ll sue.
[2/22/2015 2:20:20 PM] Jordan Owen: Everything I was going off of is directly sourced to things that he’s written. He had nine years of unprotected sex without getting tested and openly stated that he didn’t care.
[2/22/2015 2:20:42 PM] Davis Aurini: And you make a leap to “He is intentionally spreading STDs”
[2/22/2015 2:21:22 PM] Jordan Owen: If he’s having unprotected sex with the full knowledge that he’s carrying something (as evidenced by his symptoms) then yes, he’s doing it intentionally.
[2/22/2015 2:21:44 PM] Davis Aurini: Facetious logic.
[2/22/2015 2:21:50 PM] Jordan Owen: It’s kind of like saying “well, I was randomly firing my gun into a crowd but I wasn’t INTENTIONALLY trying to hit anybody.”
[2/22/2015 2:21:53 PM] Davis Aurini: Yellow journalism
[2/22/2015 2:22:14 PM] Davis Aurini: You also think he didn’t get laid in Norway, despite the fact that he got laid in Norway, and explained how to get laid in Norway.
4) Aurini continues the gaslighting, as he tries to convince Owen that his dislike of Roosh is “irrational.”
[2/22/2015 2:24:58 PM] Davis Aurini: You had a panic attack when we discussed Roosh; you wished his parents had aborted him. This is Elliot Rogers logic. And you suggest that the calm and collected person is being irrational?
[2/22/2015 2:25:56 PM] Jordan Owen: Yes, it gave me tremendous anxiety to discuss him. But the “why” for that is tremendously valid.
[2/22/2015 2:26:29 PM] Davis Aurini: If you’re experiencing tremendous anxiety, that suggests that you’re not being rational.
[2/22/2015 2:26:48 PM] Jordan Owen: Well, I’m not experiencing anxiety now and I feel the same way.
[2/22/2015 2:27:00 PM] Davis Aurini: Do you currently believe false statements?
[2/22/2015 2:27:07 PM] Jordan Owen: No.
[2/22/2015 2:27:43 PM] Davis Aurini: So you realize that Roosh did get laid in Norway? And that he did not intentionally spread STDs?
5) At the end of this chat, which mostly consists of Aurini attacking Owen for his dislike of Roosh, Aurini says he doesn’t really care what Owen thinks about Roosh:
[2/23/2015 10:14:03 PM] Davis Aurini: … Listen Jordan, I honestly don’t care about what you think about Roosh (or vice versa for that matter) I just felt it was very poor timing, and insulting to those supporters of ours who came through my channel.
6) And then there’s the blackmail. After Owen “fires” him, Aurini gives him a counteroffer of sorts:
[3/2/2015 11:09:14 PM] Davis Aurini: We can do this clean or we can do it messy. We can both produce separate films and be polite; admitting that we have different views. Or we can do this messy. …
[3/2/2015 11:10:19 PM] Davis Aurini: Give me 50% of the money that we both asked for together, and we will part ways politely.
[3/2/2015 11:11:06 PM] Davis Aurini: The only reason I’m making this offer is because the ‘messy’ option is unseemly; it’s ammunition for the SJWs.
7) After acknowledging that, yes, he used several thousand dollars of the Sarkeesian Effect budget to buy himself a car, and trying to convince Owen that the real reason he’s moving to Las Vegas is to be “closer to Hollywood,” Aurini makes another counteroffer:
[3/2/2015 11:41:11 PM] Davis Aurini: 1.5k – we go forward together. 4k – we part amicably. 0 – I go public with the facts.
[3/2/2015 11:41:30 PM] Davis Aurini: That’s how honest businessmen deal.
8) But it turns out that Aurini is willing to haggle:
[12:01:53 AM] Jordan Owen: If you won’t consider my terms for severing ties then I have no reason to consider yours.
[12:02:01 AM] Davis Aurini: What terms are those?
[12:03:01 AM] Jordan Owen: What I offered- that I pay you for this month at the usual rate and give you credit in the film.
[12:03:50 AM] Davis Aurini: Make it 2.5; and I will be making my own film with a different title. I will also write a glowing review of what you’re doing, and explain it as differences in artistic direction with no animosity – and I will let you review it before I hit publish.
ETHICS!
ETHICS!!
ETHICS!!!!
H/T — @somegreybloke
@girlscientist:
Yeah, that’s a much more interesting mental image too.
“Honey, I’m home! How have you been, my dear?
Oh, what is this? Ah! You’ve grown dusty, my dear! My apologies, I have been negligent. Here, let me get that for you. Ah ha, there we go. And guess what I brought home! Some of your favorite polish, so you can be nice and shiny for my next video! Won’t that be lovely?
Oh, I know people laugh at me for putting you in my videos, but they’re all just a bunch of leftists. Some even think I should buy another skull rather than moving the same one around, as if I could ever be unfaithful to you! Tsk.
Enough with such paltry matters, tonight we celebrate! I brought some fine wine, and a DVD of our favorite movie, Hamlet! Won’t that be fun?”
@girlscientist:
Somehow the idea of Aurini having a girlfriend reminds me of the time Stefan Molyneux pretended to post as a hot girl who is in love with him in his youtube comments but forgot to log out of his “StefanMolyneux” account first.
http://www.hdwallpapersos.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/192845.jpg
Aren’t there fan theories that Pinky is actually the genius of the pair, and acts stupid to have fun and to keep Brain’s global domination plans from succeeding?
Good lord, this actually made Owen come off as completely reasonable. What a bizarre pair.
Oh yeah. Also, I never saw Brain as the more intelligent in the relationship, only the one who thinks of himself as more intelligent. I mean all his plans are really stupid and quickly fall apart, even without Pinky bumbling. But seeing as Aurini seems to think of himself as some kind of evil genius, and Brain puts Pinky down all the time, I think it fits.
Dammit, I am this close, this close to leaving a supportive comment on one of Owen’s videos!
Isn’t Jordan the one who made the semi-self-aware existential crisis video at some point?
@kirbywarp: I’m late to the party, but yes, yes yes yes they are Sirrus and Achenar, that comparison is so perfectly apt, and you deserve another Myst fan to validate your insight! Oh man, I wasn’t so keen on Myst IV, but the convoluted retconned backstory and the overwrought emotional acting were TOTALLY WORTH IT if they led to this moment of exquisite clarity. 😀
Jordan Owen a human-bear hybrid?!?!
If anything Owen’s the belle, not the bear at this ball. I’ve always liked him better than Aurini; although saying Jordan Owen is your favorite Sarkeessian Effect co-creator is kind of like saying the boiled egg is your favorite appetizer on the seder plate. Meaning, I don’t like Owen as much as I find Aurini to be absolutely contemptible. This chatlog is a prime example of how Owen’s “philosophy” looks attractive in comparison to Aurini’s.
Whereas Owen’s capable of some kind of human response to Roosh’s criminal behavor, Aurini idolizes it, even tries to manipulate Owen into thinking he’s the crazy one for also not having a crush on Roosh V.
Is Aurini supposedly moving ‘closer to Hollywood’ because he’s hoping to advance his movie career? As an L.A. County native who’s been on family trips to Vegas many times, the BS of that caught my attention too. It’s a good 4-hour drive from SoCal to Las Vegas and Hollywood isn’t exactly in the middle of nowhere, people wanting to make it in the film industry move to Los Angeles all the time. You don’t have to be right in Hollywood, but you could at least be in, ya know, California?
I find it odd that Aurini would say that Owen, who is an outspoken libertarian, is left-wing. How far off the deep end does one have to go to believe that?
Wow. This chat log actually makes Jordan Owen look reasonable. I think I need to wash (and no, not on camera while talking about porn).
Isn’t overwrought emotional acting one of the things you play Myst for?
I loved this bit…
[3/2/2015 11:15:33 PM] Jordan Owen: No- there are plenty of justifiable reasons. Also, let’s not forget that you got $3k to buy yourself a car. EDIT: The car cost $2k, saved on flights, and Owen knew all of the details before hand. Some people have speculated that this split was about money; no, this was merely a red herring on Owen’s part, keep reading for the true reasons.
[3/2/2015 11:15:43 PM] Davis Aurini: Which I saved on flights
[3/2/2015 11:15:53 PM] Davis Aurini: And you agreed was a rational decision
[3/2/2015 11:16:12 PM] Jordan Owen: You bought the car without consulting me first. I should not have allowed myself to be pushed into that.
That must be a really nice car….
[2/22/2015 7:42:14 PM] Davis Aurini: You posted a video wishing that one of my colleagues had been aborted, and you think I’m the one fostering an unhealthy work environment?
[2/22/2015 7:42:47 PM] Davis Aurini: If you want me to drop the subject, fine; just say so.
[2/22/2015 7:43:01 PM] Jordan Owen: So he’s a “colleague?” How close are you to this guy?
[2/22/2015 7:44:46 PM] Davis Aurini: I’ve written articles for RoK, and I respect the man. Is that too ‘close’ for you?
[2/22/2015 7:44:56 PM] Jordan Owen: What handle do you use on RoK?
[2/22/2015 7:45:04 PM] Davis Aurini: Davis M.J. Aurini
[2/22/2015 7:45:23 PM] Jordan Owen: Were you paid?
[2/22/2015 7:45:30 PM] Davis Aurini: That’s none of your business.
[2/22/2015 7:47:01 PM] Jordan Owen: And for the record, Roosh is not a part of our working environment and neither was that video. You’re the one that’s been extolling his virtues for the past 6 months knowing full well I’m disgusted by him.
*ethics intensfies*
@Swales:
I happened to like IV a lot, and liked the way it expanded on the world even if it did retcon quite a bit (and have some extremely questionable acting and puzzle mechanics that seemed to try to be more puzzles for puzzles sake rather than part of the world), but bah.
Yay Myst fans! *high five*
You know about Obduction, right? The new Cyan game that is basically Myst in space? So excited for that to come out!
@idledillettante:
Hoo boy yeah. If that wasn’t Jordan’s business at the time, it sure is everyone’s business now! Backroom deals and shady money offers are exactly what gamergate claims to be intent on exposing.
Does this mean I can put “got laid in Sweden” on my resume?
—
I kind of want to know what crimes Owen actually thinks Sarkeesian has commited. In this skype discussion he almost comes across as reasonable, but of course I know he’s a pretty awful person himself. I would like to hear in his own words what he thinks Sarkeesian is doing wrong, but I don’t have it in me to watch hours or naked bath tub ramblings. What to do?
@katz: It’s true that Gehn can be a little hammy as a villain, but in Riven, at least we’re never treated to a gratuitous flashback sequence of him raising his fists and declaring to the sky that “I am Sirrus, and I will not be defeated!!!”
“[3/2/2015 11:36:52 PM] Jordan Owen: You threaten to smear me and then tell ME to behave honorably? You go tell other people to trash me publically on your behalf and then tell ME to behave honorably?
[3/2/2015 11:37:32 PM] Davis Aurini: If you abscond with 8k, I will accurately describe what happened – and apologize for my supporters, since I was the one who told them you could be trusted. If accurate reporting is smearing, then this whole documentary is a smear .”
*Well at least he got half of it right….
It’s funny. When I first played through the game, I distinctly remember the “choice” of deciding if either of the brothers had reformed was a little unclear, even if there were strong signs in the right direction.
Now that I’ve watched a friend play through, yikes. They really beat you over the head with it, don’t they?
This is just…
“Do not accept blowjobs from a mööse. Their bites kan be pretti nasti.”
Riven was by far the least hammy game in the series. But I seem to remember this from Myst:
And this from Myst 3:
God, I love these games.
I just keep smiling and shaking my head. What sort of person is suckered into sending money to these two knuckleheads?