Furry Horror: The Face of the Misanthrope
Posted by John Brownlee
One thing that’s easy for relatively normal, relatively well-adjusted people to forget is that there is a large percentage of the population out there with absolutely no social skills whatsoever.
I remember the first time I learned this, when I was hired as a pudgy 14 year old nerd to work at the local comic book store. The moment I stepped through those doors, I became a veritable God of social grace, the James Bond of comic bookstore coolness. I remember in particular one customer who would constantly try to joke with me, following me around the store while incessantly jabbering nonsense. Every once and a while, he’d become transfixed to the spot, a vibrating column of pork-flavored gelatin, and in the midst of his seizure scream out an utterly nonsense remark at the top of his lungs. “MY SHOES ARE NOT YOURS!” is the one I remember distinctly. Then he’d giggle maniacally, searching my face intently for signs of approval. I loathed him.
It’s no surprise that many of these social outcasts magnetically gravitate towards each other in freakish social scenes, such as furrydom. This is an excellent example of the sort of misanthrope I mean. This is a clip of furry Austin Wolf getting an autograph from Rob Paulsen, a voice artist most commonly known for his portrayal of Yakko Warner in Animaniacs. Just look at the way every single thing that comes out of this guy’s mouth is socially alienating: Robert Paulsen, a professional and a normal-seeming guy, is utterly and completely repelled within less than a minute.
Also, make sure to watch to the end for the money shot: a creepy, close-up shot of the lycanthropic Austin Wolf himself. This is the face of the archetypical misanthrope, ladies and gentlemen, and it is a doughy face of madness and horror. Is that the sort of guy anyone would ever want as their number one fan?
Austin meets Rob Paulsen [YouTube]
Categories: Weirdos, Losers, Madness, Horror, Furries
Posted at 10:10 am on August 3, 2007
13 Comments -
Austin Wolf’s Livejournal is worth a look for his own interpretation of what happened, by the way. A textbook case of self-delusion. As many people noted on the YouTube comments, Paulsen looks very annoyed by the entire counter, and the last shot of Paulsen is one in which he flashes his eyes in incredulous contempt. According to Austin, Paulsen wasn’t annoyed by him (try to imagine for a second any humanoid who wouldn’t be absolutely repulsed by such an encounter) but was merely exasperated for having to sit in the same spot for two hours.
Austin also mentions that he’s deleted numerous negative comments on YouTube, because “Free Speech is only free if it doesn’t hurt anyone.” That’s an interesting interpretation of the First Amendment.
Comment by John Brownlee — August 3, 2007 @ 10:17 am
It seems that irony of Furry Horror Fridays is the ads served with the articles.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/giania/997749238/
Screenshot for posterity.
Comment by Giania — August 3, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Wait a minute. You got the right word in that headline? I’m a misanthrope. Look it up.
What that guy Austin is, is just creepy.
Arrested Development Case springs to mind…
Comment by Mike Cane — August 3, 2007 @ 10:30 am
Yeah, I’m misusing it, Mike. Huh. I’m always flabbergasted when words I use all the time don’t mean what I think they mean.
On the other hand, maybe I’m not: “a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.” We can apply that to someone who imagines themselves to be a cartoon character and is ostracized from society, right?
Comment by John Brownlee — August 3, 2007 @ 10:38 am
Archetype of furry misanthropy? What about Kenneth Eng. I was stuck on line near him once at a book signing. His near constant ranting was basically all about how great he was and how much he hated everyone else, starting with blacks. Strangely enough he didn’t have much skeeve factor because there were no sexual undertones to his personality. He was still incredibly creepy.
Comment by Matt H. — August 3, 2007 @ 12:05 pm
That is so disturbing to me. What social disorder and/or lack of parenting would help turn a person down that path? There’s nothing wrong with being a fan of cartoons, or even anthropomorphic characters, but to be so seemingly detached from reality… This isn’t the first time I’ve seen someone like this firsthand (secondhand?), and the other guy was also a furry. There’s something hugely missing in those people, and it’s phenomenally sad and disturbing. It goes way beyond being socially inept (which I often am) and into the realm of largely inappropriate.
*shudder*
Comment by Sharpless — August 3, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
I keep reading further and further in his Livejournal. It’s the most beautiful trainwreck.
I feel so bad for his parents.
Comment by Holly — August 3, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
Incidentally, I left a comment on his video. We shall see if it ever makes it up there…
Comment by Sharpless — August 3, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
In cancellation, Animaniacs voice actors have names. His name… is Robert Paulsen.
Comment by Angry Sam — August 3, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
His name is Robert Paulsen.
Comment by Toddrick Smithinghuff — August 3, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
His name is Robert Paulsen.
Comment by Angelle H — August 5, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
2-3 years ago I attended the San Diego Comic Con with a close friend who is a fairly famous comic writer and a guest of the Con. I sat with my friend for “moral support” during the two signature portions of the weekend. I can attest first hand that weird encounters like these were all too common.
Comment by tj — August 6, 2007 @ 10:51 pm
Well, I guess then I shouldn’t crank about never being paid attention to by the famous and/or notable. I pass before them for autographs like a cipher. Better to make no impression than the kind HE made!
Comment by Mike Cane — August 7, 2007 @ 4:41 pm