Tucker Max: ‘Sexually-idealized antihero’ has more to him than exploits and laughs

Tucker Max drinks a beer while participating in a question-and-answer session after a pre-showing of "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell" Thursday night at the Kentucky Theater. Photo by Adam Wolffbrandt | Staff

Although there are plenty who would follow in agreement, Tucker Max will be the first to admit  he is a terrible human being.

If being an asshole were an Olympic sport, Tucker Max would undoubtedly bring home the gold.

Three categories of people exist that respond to Tucker Max: the guys who want to buy him a beer and pump him for advice on how to get a girl, the quasi-feminists who will dump that beer in his lap, and then there are the masses of women willing to rush over and clean that beer off his lap with their tongues.

For those of you unfamiliar with this growing phenomenon, Tucker Max is a Kentucky native who has gained notoriety for his blog turned book turned movie based on his sexual exploits and the absolute absurdity that follows. His movie, “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell,” premiered in Lexington at the Kentucky Theater Thursday night, and your local relationship columnist had the opportunity to watch the film, then chill on the tour bus for an interview with this sexually-idealized antihero.

Before and after the movie screening, Tucker spoke to the audience as if every individual was a target for ridicule. This was the Tucker Max from his writings. The guy who had no boundaries. Fat girls, rednecks, comparisons to “Lord of the Rings” characters – no one was off limits to his verbal attacks. Yet, you still were unarguably charmed by this humor. Tucker Max seemed like the type of guy who would steal your wallet then offer to help you look for it.

This is the Tucker Max persona – the image we see on screen and create in our minds. When sitting on his bus, he flips gears and his law school background comes out. He is undoubtedly one of the more well-spoken, intelligent individuals I have ever met – shocking coming from someone who wrote a blog entry titled “Tucker tries buttsex: hilarity does not ensue.”

Yes, he is vulgar and crass. His first words upon entering the bus were “Man, I have so much ass lined up tonight, it’s ridiculous.” Yet he makes no apologies for such comments, nor should he. There were in fact women lined up vying for the chance to add Tucker Max to their accomplishments. But when asked if he would ever stop notching tallies in the bedpost, his response was terrifically insightful.

Max admits he wants to settle down. He recently got out of a “long-term relationship.” (By his standards, at least 8 months.) While he wasn’t ready to settle with just one woman, he admitted that in 10 years he wants to be committed to something. If an infamous man-whore can still believe in settling down into love, then how can the rest of us be so cynical?

Regardless of the content (blowjobs, sex with midgets, etc.), Max is an incredibly witty writer. His metaphors are sharp, and he can flip a phrase as easily as taking home a cute blonde who is three vodka-cranberrys into the game. His writing style is enjoyable for even the fairly conservative. I’d recommend Max’s book to anyone with a remnant of a sense of humor, and his movie for anyone with the stomach to handle a graphic diarrhea scene.

My encounter with Tucker Max changed my first-impression assumptions of this self-proclaimed horrible person. I may not condone his sexual practices, but beyond a doubt I can say I, too, hope they serve beer in hell. Max would be awfully bored without it.

Katie Saltz is the Kernel’s relationship columnist. E-mail her your thoughts or relationship questions at theheartbeat@kykernel.com.