Pickup Artists
Pickup Artists
[Beret Guy is talking with Hairy.] Beret Guy: What've you been up to lately? Hairy: I've been hanging out with some pickup artists. Hairy: I'm learning a lot! Beret Guy: Oh, that sounds like fun!
[Caption below the panel:] The world seems like a happier place if you think "pickup artist" is like "pickup basketball player".
This comic is one of a small set of comics with the same or almost the same title as another comic (the only difference being the use of the plural form of "artist").

A pickup artist is a person who considers himself skilled at picking up (finding, attracting and seducing) women (or men), through various psychological tactics and tricks. The term " pickup " in "pickup basketball" means informal and spontaneous. In pickup basketball the players are not part of an organized league or team but rather are just people who are available to play at that time and location. Beret Guy thinks (or wants to think) that what pickup artists really do is gather spontaneously to practice artistry , like the visual arts . This makes the world seem a happier place, especially considering his own disposition for (eccentric) art, and generally ability to always see the best in every situation.
Randall does not believe that pick-up artists have healthy attitudes towards women and has elaborated on this previously in 1027: Pickup Artist (also featuring Hairy ) and in 800: Beautiful Dream .
The title text also shows Beret Guy's belief that the " friend zone " is a physical place. The "friend zone" refers to the state of a relationship in which one party has romantic interests, but the other person only wants to be friends. Once the friend zone is established, it is said to be difficult to try to move beyond that point into a romantic relationship. Beret Guy however believes (perhaps intentionally, like with pickup artist) that a physical place filled with his friends should be a fun place to visit. Randall previously expressed criticism towards trying to just slip into a romantic relationship from the friend zone in 513: Friends .
[Beret Guy is talking with Hairy.] Beret Guy: What've you been up to lately? Hairy: I've been hanging out with some pickup artists. Hairy: I'm learning a lot! Beret Guy: Oh, that sounds like fun!
[Caption below the panel:] The world seems like a happier place if you think "pickup artist" is like "pickup basketball player".
This comic is one of a small set of comics with the same or almost the same title as another comic (the only difference being the use of the plural form of "artist").
